JP2008258178A - Fluorescent discharge tube - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fluorescent discharge tube which can increase the amount of a fluorescent substance disposed on a surface of an air-tight container. <P>SOLUTION: The fluorescent discharge tube 10 is configured such that a pair of discharge electrodes 20, 20 and a discharge gas are enclosed inside the air-tight container 18 composed of a translucent material through which light such as ultraviolet light and visible light to excite the phosphor 30 is transmitted, and that a fluorescent sheet 32 obtained by making the phosphor 30 deposited and carried on the surface of fibers 28, the surface of which 28 per unit volume is very large, constituting a nonwoven fabric 26 is coated on the outer surfaces of straight tubes 12, 12 of the air-tight container 18. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a fluorescent discharge tube in which a fluorescent material such as a phosphor or fluorescent glass is arranged on the surface of an airtight container constituting the discharge tube, and in particular, increases the amount of the fluorescent material arranged on the surface of the airtight container. The present invention relates to a fluorescent discharge tube.

Fluorescent materials such as phosphors and fluorescent glass have the property of emitting light by converting the wavelength of the light into visible light such as a predetermined wavelength when irradiated with light such as ultraviolet rays. Is disposed on the surface of an airtight container of a discharge tube and used for a light source or the like.
FIG. 11 shows an example of such a conventional fluorescent discharge tube. The fluorescent discharge tube 70 has a pair of discharge electrodes 74 in an airtight container 72 formed by sealing both ends of an ultraviolet transmitting glass tube. And an ultraviolet radiation gas are sealed, and the outer surface of the hermetic vessel 72 is coated with a phosphor 76 in layers.
In this fluorescent discharge tube 70, when a discharge is generated between the pair of discharge electrodes 74, 74, electrons collide with the ultraviolet radiation gas to generate ultraviolet rays of various wavelengths. The light is transmitted to the phosphor 76 and irradiated to the phosphor 76, so that the wavelength is converted into light such as visible light having a predetermined wavelength and emitted.

By the way, since the luminance of the light emitted from the phosphor 76 is substantially proportional to the amount of the phosphor 76, in order to improve the luminance of the fluorescent discharge tube 70, the phosphor disposed on the surface of the hermetic container 72. It is desirable to increase the amount of 76 as much as possible.
However, in the conventional fluorescent discharge tube 70, since the phosphors 76 are arranged in layers on the surface of the hermetic container 72, the amount of the phosphors 76 that can be arranged on the surface of the hermetic container 72 is limited. there were.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to realize a fluorescent discharge tube capable of increasing the amount of a fluorescent substance disposed on the surface of an airtight container.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the fluorescent discharge tube according to the present invention, a plurality of discharge electrodes and a discharge gas are enclosed in an airtight container made of a translucent material, and the surface of the airtight container is sealed. The fiber constituting the nonwoven fabric is covered with a fluorescent sheet carrying a fluorescent material such as a fluorescent material or fluorescent glass.

  A woven fabric formed by weaving a string made of an aggregate of a large number of fibers in a substantially lattice shape and carrying a fluorescent substance on the string may be joined to the outer surface of the fluorescent sheet.

  In the fluorescent discharge tube of the present invention, since the surface of the hermetic container is coated with a fluorescent sheet in which a fiber constituting a nonwoven fabric having a very large surface area of fibers per unit volume is loaded with a fluorescent substance, the hermetic container The amount of fluorescent material disposed on the surface of the substrate can be dramatically increased.

  When a woven fabric formed by weaving a string composed of a large number of fibers in a substantially lattice shape and carrying a fluorescent substance on the string is bonded to the outer surface of the fluorescent sheet, the fibers constituting the nonwoven fabric The intensity | strength of the said fluorescent sheet which carry | supports a fluorescent substance can be improved.

Hereinafter, embodiments of a fluorescent discharge tube according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 and 2 show a first fluorescent discharge tube 10 according to the present invention, and the first fluorescent discharge tube 10 transmits light such as ultraviolet rays and visible light that excites a phosphor to be described later. A pair of substantially cylindrical straight pipe portions 12 and 12 made of a translucent material to be made, a curved pipe portion 14 that connects the straight pipe portions 12 and 12 in communication, and an opening of the straight pipe portions 12 and 12 are melt-sealed. An airtight container 18 composed of a sealed sealing part 16, a pair of discharge electrodes 20, 20 disposed in the vicinity of both end sealing parts 16 in the airtight container 18, and a connection to each discharge electrode 20 The lead wire 22 is provided.
The hermetic container 18 is filled with a predetermined discharge gas that emits light such as ultraviolet light and visible light that excites the phosphor. The discharge gas that emits ultraviolet rays corresponds to ultraviolet radiation gas obtained by mixing argon and mercury, or ultraviolet radiation gas mainly composed of xenon.
The discharge electrode 20 is made of molybdenum, tungsten, or the like. The distal end portion is exposed in the straight tube portion 12, and the proximal end portion is embedded in the sealing portion 16 of the airtight container 18. One end of a lead wire 22 is connected to the proximal end portion of the discharge electrode 20 embedded in the sealing portion 16, and the other end of the lead wire 22 is led out of the hermetic vessel 18.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, on the outer surface of the straight pipe portions 12 and 12 constituting the airtight container 18, a phosphor 30 as a fluorescent material is attached to the surface of the fibers 28 constituting the nonwoven fabric 26. The supported fluorescent sheet 32 is covered.
As shown in FIG. 6, in addition to the case where the phosphor 30 is deposited and supported in a dense layer state on the surface of the fiber 28, there is a minute gap between the particles of the phosphor 30 on the surface of the fiber 28. In some cases, it may be roughly deposited and supported in the existing state (not shown).

The non-woven fabric 26 is formed by three-dimensionally intertwining a large number of fibers 28, a large number of voids 34 (see FIG. 5) are formed between the fibers 28, and a large number of fibers 28 are three-dimensionally formed. Since they are intertwined, the surface area of the fibers 28 per unit volume is extremely large.
Note that the total surface area of the fibers 28 constituting the nonwoven fabric 26 can be arbitrarily increased or decreased by appropriately adjusting the fiber density of the fibers 28 constituting the nonwoven fabric 26, the thickness of the nonwoven fabric, the basis weight, and the like.

The fiber 28 is a resin fiber such as nylon, polyester, acrylic, polypropylene,
It consists of cellulose-based chemical fibers such as rayon, short fibers such as glass fibers, metal fibers, etc. The diameter is 5 to 20 μm and the length is about 0.5 to 20 mm.
Of course, it is also possible to use fibers 28 made of long fibers having a length of about 50 to 100 mm.

When the phosphor 30 is irradiated with light such as ultraviolet rays, the phosphor 30 converts the wavelength of the light into light such as visible light having a predetermined wavelength. For example, the phosphor 30 having the following composition can be used.
As a phosphor 30 for red light emission that converts light such as ultraviolet rays into red visible light, M ₂ O ₂ S: Eu (M is any one of La, Gd, and Y), 0.5 MgF ₂ .3.5MgO. _{GeO 2: Mn, 2MgO · 2LiO} 2 · Sb 2 O 3: Mn, Y (P, V) O 4: Eu, YVO 4: Eu, (SrMg) 3 (PO 4): Sn, Y 2 O 3: Eu , CaSiO ₃ : Pb, Mn and the like.
Further, as a phosphor 30 for green light emission for converting light such as ultraviolet rays to green visible _{light, BaMg 2 Al 16 O 27:} Eu, Mn, Zn 2 SiO 4: Mn, (Ce, Tb, Mn) MgAl 11 O ₁₉ , LaPO ₄ : Ce, Tb, (Ce, Tb) MgAl ₁₁ O ₁₉ , Y ₂ SiO ₅ : Ce, Tb, ZnS: Cu, Al, ZnS: Cu, Au, Al, (Zn, Cd) S: Cu , Al, SrAl ₂ O ₄ : Eu, SrAl ₂ O ₄ : Eu, Dy, Sr ₄ Al ₁₄ O ₂₅ : Eu, Dy, Y ₃ Al ₅ O ₁₂ : Tb, Y ₃ (Al, Ga) ₅ O ₁₂ : There are Tb, Y ₃ Al ₅ O ₁₂ : Ce, Y ₃ (Al, Ga) ₅ O ₁₂ : Ce, and the like.
Furthermore, as a phosphor 30 for blue light emission that converts light such as ultraviolet light into blue visible light, (SrCaBa) ₅ (PO ₄ ) ₃ Cl: Eu, BaMg ₂ Al ₁₆ O ₂₇ : Eu, (SrMg) ₂ P ₂ O ₇ : Eu, Sr ₂ P ₂ O ₇ : Eu, Sr ₂ P ₂ O ₇ : Sn, Sr ₅ (PO ₄ ) ₃ Cl: Eu, BaMg ₂ Al ₁₆ O ₂₇ : Eu, CaWO ₄ , CaWO ₄ : Pb There are blue phosphors, ZnS: Ag, Cl, ZnS: Ag, Al, (Sr, Ca, Mg) ₁₀ (PO ₄ ) ₆ Cl ₂ : Eu, and the like.
Various colors can be developed by appropriately selecting and mixing the phosphor 30 for red light emission, the phosphor 30 for green light emission, and the phosphor 30 for blue light emission.
The phosphor 30 includes organic and inorganic fluorescent dyes and organic and inorganic fluorescent pigments.

Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing the first fluorescent discharge tube 10 by covering the outer surfaces of the straight tube portions 12 and 12 of the airtight container 18 with the fluorescent sheet 32 will be described.
First, a large number of composite fibers 38 (see FIG. 7) having a predetermined length obtained by coating fibers 28 made of a high melting point material such as polypropylene with fibers 36 made of a low melting point material such as polyethylene are prepared. Is used to form a sheet-like aggregate (web) composed of a large number of these composite fibers 38.

  Next, the sheet-like assembly is coated on the outer surfaces of the straight pipe portions 12 and 12 of the airtight container 18, and in this state, the melting point of the fiber 36 made of a low-melting-point material constituting the composite fiber 38 is higher, In addition, the sheet-like assembly made of the composite fiber 38 is heated at a temperature lower than the melting point of the fiber 28 made of the high-melting material, so that only the fiber 36 made of the low-melting material is melted. Is sprayed onto the aggregate.

  As a result, the intersecting portion of the fibers 28 made of the high melting point material is bonded via the melted fibers 36 made of the low melting point material, so that the nonwoven fabric 26 is formed and the particulate phosphor 30 is melted. The fluorescent sheet 32 is formed by being bonded and supported on the surface of the fiber 28 constituting the nonwoven fabric 26 via the fiber 36 made of the low melting point material, and the fluorescent sheet 32 is further made of the fiber 36 made of the melted low melting point material. The first fluorescent discharge tube 10 is completed by adhering to the outer surfaces of the straight tube portions 12 and 12 of the hermetic container 18 through.

  In the above manufacturing method, the composite fiber 38 in which the fiber 28 made of the high melting point material is coated with the fiber 36 made of the low melting point material is used, and only the fiber 36 made of the low melting point material is melted to function as an adhesive. The formation of the nonwoven fabric 26, the formation of the fluorescent sheet 32 carrying the phosphor 30 on the surface of the fibers 28 constituting the nonwoven fabric 26, and the adhesion between the fluorescent sheet 32 and the outer surfaces of the straight tube sections 12 and 12 of the airtight container 18 Since it can carry out substantially simultaneously, it is very easy to manufacture.

  In addition to the above manufacturing method, for example, the non-woven fabric 26 is dipped in a phosphor dispersion and then dried, so that the phosphor 30 is attached to and supported on the surface of the fibers 28 constituting the non-woven fabric 26 to obtain a fluorescent light. After the sheet 32 is formed, the fluorescent sheet 32 may be coated on the outer surfaces of the straight pipe portions 12 and 12 of the airtight container 18 with an adhesive.

  In the first fluorescent discharge tube 10, when a discharge is generated between the pair of discharge electrodes 20, 20, electrons collide with the discharge gas, and ultraviolet light, visible light, or the like that excites the phosphor 30. Of light is generated. The generated light passes through the airtight container 18 and is irradiated to the phosphor 30 on the surface of the fiber 28 constituting the nonwoven fabric 26 of the fluorescent sheet 32, and is converted into light such as visible light having a predetermined wavelength and emitted. It is.

Thus, in the first fluorescent discharge tube 10, the nonwoven fabric 26 in which the surface area of the fibers 28 per unit volume is extremely large is formed on the outer surface of the straight tube portions 12, 12 constituting the airtight container 18. Since the surface of the fiber 28 is coated with a fluorescent sheet 32 having the phosphor 30 supported thereon, the phosphor 76 is layered on the surface of the hermetic container 72 as in the conventional fluorescent discharge tube 70. The amount of the phosphor 30 arranged on the surface of 18 can be dramatically increased.

In order to improve the strength of the fluorescent sheet 32 formed by supporting the phosphor 30 on the surface of the fiber 28 constituting the nonwoven fabric 26, as shown in FIG. 8, a sheet-like structure having the phosphor 30 supported on the surface is used. After the woven fabric 40 is joined to the outer surface of the fluorescent sheet 32, the fluorescent sheet 32 joined to the woven fabric 40 may be coated on the outer surfaces of the straight tube portions 12 and 12 of the airtight container 18. .
The woven fabric 40 weaves a string 42 made of a collection of fibers formed by winding a large number of fibers (not shown) such as resin fibers, glass fibers, and metal fibers, in a substantially lattice shape, It is formed by carrying the phosphor 30 on the surface of the string 42 constituting the woven fabric 40 (FIG. 9). In the woven fabric 40, a large number of voids 44 are formed between the strings 42.
In FIG. 8, the case where the woven fabric 40 is joined to the bottom surface of the fluorescent sheet 32 is shown. However, the woven fabric 40 is joined to the top surface of the fluorescent sheet 32, or the outer surface of the fluorescent sheet 32 is attached to the top surface. You may join in the state coat | covered with the woven fabric 40. FIG.

The woven fabric 40 and the outer surface of the fluorescent sheet 32 can be joined through, for example, an adhesive (not shown).
In the case of manufacturing the first fluorescent discharge tube 10 using the above-described composite fiber 38, the intersecting portion of the fibers 28 made of the high melting point material is bonded through the fibers 36 made of the molten low melting point material. In this way, the nonwoven fabric 26 is formed, and bonded and supported on the surface of the fibers 28 constituting the nonwoven fabric 26 via the fibers 36 made of a low melting point material in which the particulate phosphor 30 is melted. The bottom surface is bonded to the outer surface of the straight pipe portions 12 and 12 of the hermetic container 18 through the fibers 36 made of a molten low melting point material, and the woven fabric 40 is bonded to the outer surfaces of the straight pipe portions 12 and 12 through the fibers 36 made of a molten low melting point material. Then, it may be bonded to the upper surface of the fluorescent sheet 32.

FIG. 10 shows a second fluorescent discharge tube according to the present invention. The second fluorescent discharge tube 46 includes a rear substrate 50 made of a light-transmitting material having a plurality of first strip discharge electrodes 48 arranged on one side, and a plurality of second strip discharge electrodes 52 on one side. A front substrate 54 made of a light-transmitting material arranged in parallel is arranged so that the first strip-shaped discharge electrode 48 and the second strip-shaped discharge electrode 52 intersect each other with a predetermined gap therebetween, and the peripheral edges of both substrates are lowered. A hermetic seal is formed through a sealing material 56 such as a melting point glass to form an airtight container 57, and a predetermined discharge that emits light such as ultraviolet rays and visible light that excites the phosphor 30 in the airtight container 57. Filled with gas.
Barrier ribs 58 made of low melting point glass or the like are disposed between the adjacent first strip-shaped discharge electrodes 48.

  Further, the outer surfaces of the front substrate 54 and the rear substrate 50 constituting the hermetic container 57 are coated with the phosphor sheet 32 in which the phosphor 30 is attached and supported on the surface of the fibers 28 constituting the nonwoven fabric 26. Yes.

  In the second fluorescent discharge tube 46, when a discharge is generated between the first strip-shaped discharge electrode 48 and the second strip-shaped discharge electrode 52, electrons collide with the discharge gas, and the phosphor 30 Light such as ultraviolet light and visible light that excites the light is generated. The generated light is transmitted through the airtight container 57, irradiated to the phosphor 30 on the surface of the fiber 28 constituting the nonwoven fabric 26 of the fluorescent sheet 32, and is converted into light such as visible light having a predetermined wavelength and emitted. It is.

  Thus, even in the second fluorescent discharge tube 46, as with the first fluorescent discharge tube 10, the outer surface of the front substrate 54 and the rear substrate 50 constituting the hermetic container 57 is placed on the outer surface per unit volume. Since the surface of the fiber 28 constituting the nonwoven fabric 26 having an extremely large surface area of the fiber 28 is coated with the phosphor sheet 32 formed by supporting the phosphor 30, the amount of the phosphor 30 arranged on the surface of the airtight container 57 is dramatically increased. Can be increased.

  In the second fluorescent discharge tube 46 as well, as in the first fluorescent discharge tube 10, a sheet-like woven fabric 40 carrying the phosphor 30 on the surface is provided on the outer surface of the fluorescent sheet 32. After being joined, the phosphor sheet 32 joined with the woven fabric 40 may be coated on the outer surfaces of the front substrate 54 and the back substrate 50 constituting the airtight container 57.

In the above description, the case where the fluorescent sheet 32 is coated on the outer surface of the straight tube portions 12 and 12 constituting the hermetic container 28 of the first fluorescent discharge tube 10 has been described as an example. The inner surface of 12 may be covered with a fluorescent sheet 32.
Similarly, in the second fluorescent discharge tube 46, the fluorescent sheet 32 may be coated on the inner surfaces of the front substrate 54 and the rear substrate 50 constituting the airtight container 57.

Further, in the above description, the case where the phosphor 30 is supported on the “surface” of the fibers 28 constituting the nonwoven fabric 26 has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, for example, transparent The phosphor 30 may be supported on the fibers 28 constituting the nonwoven fabric 26 by kneading and mixing the particulate phosphor 30 with the translucent fibers 28 made of resin or the like.
In this case, for example, after mixing a predetermined amount of a particulate phosphor in an uncured transparent resin, the transparent resin is stretched and cured, and then cut into a predetermined length to obtain the phosphor 30. A large number of fibers kneaded and mixed may be formed, and the nonwoven fabric 26 may be formed using a large number of fibers mixed and mixed with the phosphor 30.

As the fluorescent material, not only the above-described phosphor 30, but also all light that converts the wavelength of this light into light such as visible light having a predetermined wavelength when irradiated with light such as ultraviolet light such as fluorescent glass or fluorescent resin. Contains substances.
The fluorescent glass is a transparent body formed by adding a fluorescent material to a glass material, and the fluorescent resin is a transparent body formed by adding a fluorescent material to a resin material such as an epoxy resin. The fluorescent sheet 32 can be formed by forming the fluorescent glass or the fluorescent resin in the form of particles and adhering and supporting the fluorescent glass or fluorescent resin on the surface of the fibers 28 constituting the nonwoven fabric 26.

Further, the fluorescent sheet 32 can be formed by forming the nonwoven fabric 26 using fluorescent fibers (not shown) made of fluorescent glass or fluorescent resin.
Below, the formation method of the fluorescent fiber which consists of fluorescent glass by the sol-gel method is demonstrated. As described above, the fluorescent glass is a transparent body formed by adding a fluorescent material to a glass material. As the glass material, for example, oxide glass, silicate glass, or fluorophosphate glass can be used. As the fluorescent material, for example, rare earth divalent and trivalent Eu, Tb, Sm, etc., or Mn, Zn, etc. can be used alone or in combination. The atoms of these elements constituting the fluorescent material are normally in a cation state and are excited by irradiation with light such as ultraviolet light to emit visible light of a color unique to the ion.

The sol-gel method uses a metal alkoxide such as SiO ₂ , ZnO, and Y ₂ O ₃ as a starting material to synthesize glass using its hydrolysis and polymerization reaction. The fluorescent material can be uniformly added.
First, metal alkoxides such as SiO ₂ , ZnO and Y ₂ O ₃ , metal organic compounds such as metal acetylacetonate and metal carboxylate, water for hydrolysis of the metal organic compounds, methanol, DMF (dimethyl) A solvent such as formamide), a regulator of hydrolysis and polymerization reaction of the above metal organic compound such as ammonia, and a fluorescent material (emission center) of rare earth elements such as divalent and trivalent Eu, Tb and Sm. Prepare and produce a fluorescent glass material in a homogeneous and transparent solution state.

Next, by heating the fluorescent glass material in a solution state at a relatively low temperature of, for example, about 200 ° C., the solvent is evaporated and the hydrolysis / polymerization reaction of the metal organic compound is partially advanced, A fluorescent glass material in a solution state is made into a viscous sol.
Next, after stretching the viscous sol-like fluorescent glass material, it is heated and baked at a temperature of 800 ° C. to 1000 ° C. to completely progress the polymerization of the fluorescent glass material, thereby forming a gel-like elongated fluorescent fiber. If this fluorescent fiber is cut into a predetermined length, a large number of fluorescent fibers made of fluorescent glass can be formed.
When the nonwoven fabric 26 is formed using a large number of fluorescent fibers made of such fluorescent glass, the fluorescent sheet 32 is completed.

It is a front view which shows typically the 1st fluorescence discharge tube which concerns on this invention. It is a partial expanded sectional view which shows typically the straight pipe | tube part of the airtight container in a 1st fluorescence discharge tube. It is a perspective view which shows a fluorescent sheet typically. It is the elements on larger scale which show a fluorescent sheet typically. It is an enlarged view which shows typically the fiber which comprises a fluorescent sheet. It is sectional drawing which shows typically the fiber which comprises a fluorescent sheet. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows a composite fiber. It is a front view which shows typically the state which joined the woven fabric which carry | supported the fluorescent substance on the surface to the outer surface of a fluorescent sheet. It is a top view which shows typically the woven fabric which carry | supported the fluorescent substance on the surface. It is sectional drawing which shows typically the 2nd fluorescence discharge tube which concerns on this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the conventional fluorescent discharge tube.

Explanation of symbols

10 First fluorescent discharge tube
12 Straight pipe section
18 Airtight container
20 Discharge electrode
26 Nonwoven fabric
28 fibers
30 phosphor
32 Fluorescent sheet
38 Composite fiber
40 Woven fabric
46 Second fluorescent discharge tube
48 First strip discharge electrode
50 Back board
52 Second strip discharge electrode
54 Front board
57 Airtight container

Claims (2)

  A plurality of discharge electrodes and discharge gas are enclosed in an airtight container made of a translucent material, and a fluorescent material such as a fluorescent substance or fluorescent glass is supported on the fiber constituting the nonwoven fabric on the surface of the airtight container. A fluorescent discharge tube coated with a fluorescent sheet.   The woven fabric formed by weaving a string made of an aggregate of a large number of fibers in a substantially lattice shape and carrying a fluorescent substance on the string is bonded to the outer surface of the fluorescent sheet. Fluorescent discharge tube.

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