JP2007220387A - Electroless discharge lamp and luminaire - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a long electroless discharge lamp having excellent luminous efficiency, starting characteristics and productivity. <P>SOLUTION: The electroless discharge lamp comprises a loop-like bulb 1 which is a tube body made of a translucent material and is filled with discharge gas, a core 2 made of a magnetic substance enclosing a part of the bulb 1, an induction coil 3 winding at least a part of the core 2 and a high frequency power source (a lighting circuit 4) for exciting the discharge gas and emitting light by electromagnetic induction by applying a high frequency current to the coil 3. An exhaust pipe 9 is provided at center of the bulb 1 near its bending part at an end part in its longitudinal direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrodeless discharge lamp device and a lighting fixture that excites and emits discharge gas sealed in a bulb by electromagnetic induction.

Conventionally, as an electrodeless lamp such as a fluorescent lamp or an ultraviolet ray sterilization, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-191398) discloses a loop-shaped bulb that is a tube of a translucent material and in which discharge gas is sealed. A magnetic core surrounding a part of the bulb, an induction coil wound around at least a part of the core, and a high-frequency power source for exciting and discharging a discharge gas by electromagnetic induction by flowing a high-frequency current through the coil There is disclosed an electrodeless discharge lamp device comprising: This electrodeless discharge lamp device is long and has good luminous efficiency and startability, but has a problem with respect to the position of the exhaust pipe from the viewpoint of manufacturability.
JP 11-191398 A

  When the loop valve is particularly long (for example, a length of 600 mm, for example), induction coils for generating plasma are attached only to both ends in the longitudinal direction of the valve, so that a location far from the coil in the bulb ( For example, in the vicinity of the center in the longitudinal direction), since the electric field strength is small, it is difficult for plasma to exist. Therefore, high power must be applied to form a current path throughout the valve. Therefore, in order to generate a current path with low power and obtain high-efficiency light emission, for example, an additional coil is required near the center in the longitudinal direction, and a large number of cores must be used.

  On the other hand, when a large number of cores are used, the luminous efficiency emitted from the bulb to the outside of the bulb is improved, but the vignetting of the light increases due to the opaque core itself. As a result, there is a disadvantage that the core itself used to increase the luminous efficiency lowers the actual luminous efficiency as a result. Furthermore, the vignetting of the light is thought to adversely affect the light distribution.

Furthermore, if there are a large number of cores, the wiring of the coils, the structure for attaching the cores, etc. become complicated, and the manufacturability becomes complicated.
From the above, it is desirable to reduce the number of cores as much as possible.

  In addition, when cores are attached to both ends in the longitudinal direction of the loop bulb, electric field leakage occurs because the straight portion of the arc tube at the attachment portion is short. In other words, it is considered that the ratio of applying energy to the plasma is reduced, and it is considered that the core is preferably attached to a portion having a linear portion as long as possible.

  In addition, when connecting two glass and making a loop-shaped bulb | ball, since a connection part is welded using a burner at the time of glass processing, it becomes high temperature. Therefore, it is necessary to remove a part of the phosphor around the connection portion. The phosphor stripping part is a loss from the viewpoint of light emission efficiency, but the core attachment part is lost anyway due to the light vignetting by the core. It can be suppressed.

  Furthermore, since the plasma path is bent 90 degrees near both ends in the longitudinal direction of the loop valve, this is an energy loss from the viewpoint of plasma. For this reason, when creating a loop-shaped plasma path, it is considered that a preferable shape is to avoid a sudden change in the plasma path, and to gradually change (small change rate) as shown in FIG. .

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electrodeless discharge lamp device that is long and has good luminous efficiency, starting characteristics, and manufacturability.

  In order to solve the above problems, an electrodeless discharge lamp device according to claim 1 is a tube 1 of a light-transmitting material and having a loop shape with a discharge gas sealed therein, as shown in FIG. A core 2 made of a magnetic material surrounding a part of the bulb 1, an induction coil 3 wound around at least a part of the core 2, and a high-frequency current flowing through the coil 3 to excite and emit a discharge gas by electromagnetic induction And a high-frequency power source (lighting circuit 4) to be provided, and an exhaust pipe 9 is provided at the center near the bent portion at the longitudinal end portion of the bulb 1.

  The electrodeless discharge lamp device according to claim 2 is the electrodeless discharge lamp device according to claim 1, wherein, as shown in FIGS. It is characterized by.

  The electrodeless discharge lamp device according to claim 3 is characterized in that, in claim 1 or 2, the curvature of the bent portion of the bulb 1 is substantially constant as shown in FIGS.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the electrodeless discharge lamp device according to any one of the first to third aspects is characterized in that the core 2 is disposed in the bulb connecting portion.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the exhaust pipe is provided in the center near the bent portion at the end portion in the longitudinal direction of the loop-shaped bulb, the manufacturability of the electrodeless discharge lamp device having the loop-shaped bulb is improved. Became possible. At the time of manufacturing the electrodeless discharge lamp device, the phosphor film is dried by flowing air immediately after application of the phosphor on the inner surface of the bulb. However, as shown in FIG. Equivalent dryness can be achieved in time. In addition, the impure gas generated during the firing of the phosphor must be exhausted to the outside of the bulb sufficiently. By using this exhaust pipe, air can flow evenly on the left and right, and firing can be shortened. Will occur.

  According to the invention of claim 2, in claim 1, since the valve diameter at the opposing position in the vicinity of the valve connecting portion is reduced and the core is attached to the portion, there is an effect of fixing the relative position between the core and the valve. Furthermore, there is an effect that the core is downsized and the radiant heat from the lamp to the core is reduced.

  According to the invention of claim 3, since the curvature of the bent portion of the bulb is made substantially constant in claim 1, the resistance to the plasma when the plasma forms a loop shape is reduced, the energy loss is reduced, and the luminous efficiency is reduced. There is an effect of improving. Furthermore, when air is allowed to flow at the time of phosphor firing, it can be expected that the air will flow smoothly and impurities can be sufficiently removed.

  According to the invention of claim 4, since the position of the core is arranged in the valve connection part in claim 1, the vignetting of the light is caused by the core even if the phosphor of the valve connection part is peeled off. This has the effect of minimizing losses.

(Embodiment 1)
As shown in FIG. 1, the electrodeless discharge lamp apparatus according to the present embodiment is a tube 1 made of a light-transmitting material and has a loop-shaped bulb 1 in which a discharge gas is sealed, and a magnet that surrounds a part of the bulb 1. A core 2 made of a body, an induction coil 3 around which at least a part of the core 2 is wound, and a high-frequency power source (lighting circuit 4) that causes a high-frequency current to flow through the coil 3 to excite and emit discharge gas by electromagnetic induction. The exhaust pipe 9 is provided at the center of the vicinity of the bent portion (folded portion) at the end in the longitudinal direction of the bulb 1.

  The long loop-shaped bulb 1 is made of a light-transmitting material, has a length of about 550 mm, has a diameter of 35 mm, and is coated with a phosphor on the inner surface. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the U-shaped valves 1 a and 1 a are connected by a broken line portion to form a loop-shaped valve 1.

  The bulb 1 is filled with argon and mercury. Further, an exhaust pipe 9 having a diameter of 6 mm is provided in the center near the bent portion at the end of the valve having a diameter of 35 mm. The exhaust pipe 9 is used to calcinate and exhaust the phosphor so that the impurity gas can be easily discharged out of the bulb.

  At the time of manufacturing the electrodeless discharge lamp device, the phosphor film is dried by flowing air immediately after application of the phosphor on the inner surface of the bulb. However, as shown in FIG. Equivalent dryness can be achieved in time. In addition, the impure gas generated during the firing of the phosphor must be exhausted to the outside of the bulb sufficiently. By using this exhaust pipe, air can flow evenly on the left and right, and firing can be shortened. Will occur. In FIG. 3, the part shown in gray is the part to which the phosphor is applied.

  A core 2 surrounding the loop valve 1 is provided, and an induction coil 3 is wound around the core 2. The core 2 is disposed at a place other than the exhaust pipe 9. In FIG. 1, the core 2 is disposed at a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction, which is a connection portion of the valve 1. If it arrange | positions in this position, the discharge path formed in a bulb | bulb can be divided into 2 in comparable length. In this way, by arranging the pair of cores 2 at opposite locations near the center in the longitudinal direction of the bulb, a long electrodeless lamp with good luminous efficiency and starting characteristics can be obtained.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the core 2 has a cross section formed in a Japanese character shape. That is, a structure in which the inner region of the rectangular outer frame portion is divided into two by the middle foot portion in the longitudinal center portion of the outer frame portion, and through holes are provided between the middle foot portion and the outer frame portion, respectively. Have. Each straight tube portion of the valve 1 is inserted into each through hole. The outer frame portion surrounds the valve 1 so as to straddle both straight tube portions, and the middle foot portion is located between both straight tube portions. Such a core 2 can be realized by a well-known EI type core in which an I type core 2a and an E type core 2b are combined. If the thickness of the core 2 is constant, it is desirable from the viewpoint of preventing magnetic saturation that the width of the midfoot is about twice the width of the outer frame.

  A coil 3 is wound around a middle leg portion of the central portion of the core 2 in the longitudinal direction, and a lighting circuit 4 is connected to the coil 3. The lighting circuit 4 has a built-in high frequency power source and supplies high frequency power to the coil 3. The magnitude and phase of the output of the lighting circuit 4 and the number of windings and the winding direction of the coil 3 are set so that a discharge occurs in the bulb 1 and is maintained.

According to the above configuration, when the cross-sectional area of the middle leg portion of the core 2 is 12 cm ² , an efficiency of about 85 lm / W can be obtained by applying 120 W of power.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the same degree of efficiency can be obtained even if the connecting portion of the valve 1 is set as a substantially end portion in the longitudinal direction and the core 2 is disposed there. In the example of FIG. 5, the U-shaped valves 1 b and 1 c are connected at the core 2 portion to form a loop-shaped valve 1. The U-shaped valve 1b is formed with a longer linear portion than the U-shaped valve 1c.

  In FIG. 4, the shape of the core 2 is a Japanese character. However, as shown in FIG. 6, a toroidal core 2c may be used, and as shown in FIG. The same effect can be obtained when the core 2d having a shape surrounding the core is used.

  Further, the winding position of the coil 3 is the middle foot part sandwiched between the valves 1, but not limited to this, as long as at least a part of the core 2 is wound as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. High efficiency is obtained.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 10 shows a main configuration of the second embodiment. In the first embodiment described above, the curvature of the bent portion of the valve 1 is made substantially constant. A more specific configuration is shown in FIG. In this example, the core 2 is disposed at a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction, which is a connection portion of the valve 1. The valve 1 is formed in a loop shape by connecting U-shaped valves 1d and 1d at the core 2 portion. In this case, the efficiency is slightly improved as compared with the first embodiment, and an efficiency of about 87 lm / W is obtained.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 12, the same degree of efficiency can be obtained even if the connecting portion of the valve 1 is set as a substantially end portion in the longitudinal direction and the core 2 is disposed there. In the example of FIG. 12, U-shaped valves 1 e and 1 f are connected at the core 2 portion to form a loop-shaped valve 1. The U-shaped valve 1e is formed with a longer linear portion than the U-shaped valve 1f.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 13 shows the configuration of the third embodiment. This is characterized in that, in the first embodiment, the valve diameter at the opposite position in the vicinity of the connection portion of the valve 1 is reduced to φ25 mm, and the core 2 is attached at that position. FIG. 14 shows the shape of the valve 1. Here, the U-shaped valves 1g, 1g having a narrow connection portion 6 are connected by a broken line portion to form a loop-shaped valve 1. Thus, it becomes easy to connect the two valves 1g and 1g by reducing the valve diameter in the vicinity of the connecting portion 6 of the valve 1. Further, since the core loss can be reduced, the efficiency is improved as in the first embodiment.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 15, the same degree of efficiency can be obtained even if the connecting portion of the valve 1 is set as a substantially end portion in the longitudinal direction and the core 2 is disposed there. In the example of FIG. 15, the U-shaped valves 1 h and 1 i having a narrow connection portion are connected at the core 2 to form the loop-shaped valve 1. The U-shaped valve 1h is formed with a longer linear portion than the U-shaped valve 1i.

(Embodiment 4)
In the present embodiment, the second and third embodiments are combined. FIG. 16 is characterized in that the curvature of the bent portion of the valve 1 is substantially constant in FIG. 13 described above. FIG. 17 shows the shape of the valve 1. Here, a U-shaped valve 1j, 1j whose connection portion vicinity 6 is thin is connected by a broken line portion to form a loop-shaped valve 1.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 18, the same degree of efficiency can be obtained even if the connecting portion of the valve 1 is set as a substantially end portion in the longitudinal direction and the core 2 is disposed there. FIG. 18 is a graph in which the curvature of the bent portion of the valve 1 in FIG. 15 is made substantially constant, and U-shaped valves 1k and 1l whose connection portions are narrowed are connected at the core 2 portion. A shaped valve 1 is formed. The U-shaped valve 1k has a longer straight portion than the U-shaped valve 1l.

  In addition, an efficient lighting fixture is realizable by mounting the electrodeless discharge lamp apparatus of each above-mentioned embodiment in various lighting fixtures.

It is a front view which shows the structure of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a front view of the valve | bulb used for Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is principle explanatory drawing of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the core used for Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a front view which shows one modification of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows another example of the core used for Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows another example of the core used for Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the other way of winding of the coil in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the further another winding method of the coil in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a front view which shows the basic composition of the valve | bulb used for Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a front view which shows the structure of Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a front view which shows one modification of Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a front view which shows the structure of Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a front view of the valve | bulb used for Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a front view which shows one modification of Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a front view which shows the structure of Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is a front view of the valve | bulb used for Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is a front view which shows one modification of Embodiment 4 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Valve 2 Core 3 Coil 4 Lighting circuit (high frequency power supply)
9 Exhaust pipe

Claims (5)

A tubular body of translucent material, in which a discharge gas is enclosed, a loop-shaped bulb, a core made of a magnetic material surrounding a portion of the bulb, and an induction coil wound around at least a portion of the core; And a high-frequency power source for exciting and emitting a discharge gas by electromagnetic induction by flowing a high-frequency current through the coil, and having an exhaust pipe in the center near the bent portion at the end in the longitudinal direction of the bulb Discharge lamp device. 2. The electrodeless discharge lamp device according to claim 1, wherein a bulb diameter at an opposing position in the vicinity of the bulb connecting portion is reduced and a core is attached to the portion. 3. The electrodeless discharge lamp device according to claim 1, wherein the curvature of the bent portion of the bulb is substantially constant. 4. The electrodeless discharge lamp device according to claim 1, wherein the core is disposed in the bulb connecting portion. The lighting fixture which has an electrodeless discharge lamp apparatus in any one of Claims 1-4.

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