JP3241750B2 - Tube manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a bulb, such as a fluorescent discharge lamp, a flash discharge tube or a flash light bulb, in which a desired gas is sealed in a bulb which is an envelope. More particularly, the present invention relates to a manufacturing method and a manufacturing apparatus capable of filling a desired filling gas at a high filling pressure inside the valve.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a so-called tube such as a fluorescent discharge lamp or a flash discharge tube have been disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 63
As disclosed in US Pat. No. 4,386,631, a manufacturing method and apparatus using a center valve are very general and well known.

A manufacturing method using this center valve is as follows.
2, 3 and 4, the manufacturing apparatus includes a rotary side center valve 1 that rotates intermittently and a fixed side on which the center valve 1 is mounted. A center valve 2 is provided with a plurality of heads 3 arranged around an upper surface of a rotary table (not shown) which rotates intermittently with the rotary side center valve 1.

[0004] A plurality of heads 3 are connected to a valve 4 which is an envelope of a tube via, for example, an exhaust pipe 5.
As shown in a partially schematic plan view in FIG. 2, the intermittent rotation operation in the direction of arrow X on the fixed side center valve 2 of the rotation side center valve 1 sequentially causes the positions A,
B, C, etc.

At a position corresponding to each of the above-mentioned positions of the fixed side center valve 2, for example, position A, as shown in FIG. Vacuum system 6 consisting of a vacuum pump, etc.
In the next position B, as shown in a partial cross-sectional view of a main part of FIG. 4, a desired gas such as an inert rare gas is filled in the evacuated valve. Is formed via an orifice valve O.

[0006] Therefore, the appropriate head 3 is moved to the rotating side center.
When the valve 1 comes to the position A with the intermittent rotation, the inside of the valve 4 mounted on the appropriate head 3 is evacuated by the vacuum system 6.

When the center valve 1 on the rotating side is rotated intermittently in the direction of the arrow X for one pitch from the position A and the valve 4 comes to the position B, the inside of the valve 4 is directly connected to the gas filling system 7, and the valve is connected. 4 is filled with a desired filling gas.

Thereafter, each time the rotary side center valve 1 rotates intermittently by one pitch, the head 3 is sent to a predetermined position C or the like. If the work alone is not sufficient, the work of refilling the desired filled gas, the work of forming the valve 4 into a desired shape, and the like are performed.

[0009]

The above-described manufacturing method and apparatus are a conventionally known method and apparatus for manufacturing a bulb using a center valve. Here, for example, an inert rare gas is used. Looking at the work of filling the desired filled gas into the valve, it is clear that the operation is performed via the rotary side and fixed side center valves 1 and 2.

Therefore, it is necessary to isolate the space between the two center valves 1 and 2 from the outside in order to maintain the airtightness of the filling operation. Usually, the two center valves 1 and 2 use highly viscous oil. Is in close contact.

However, in recent years, there has been a strong demand for a bulb having a smaller size and a higher light intensity, and there has been a tendency to increase the filling pressure of a desired filling gas filled in the bulb. In consideration of the above, the conventional manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus described above have the following disadvantages.

That is, the conventional rotary side and fixed side center valves 1 and 2 in the conventional manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus.
The airtightness is ensured by using oil as described above. On the other hand, the pressure resistance against airtightness by using the oil is limited, and as a result, the airtightness is sealed in the valve. When the filling pressure of the filling gas is increased, the airtightness is broken, and there is a risk that a disadvantage that a filling pressure equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure cannot be obtained may occur.

[0013] Specifically, in a very general manufacturing method using a center valve, 2.5 kg /
About ² cm ² is the limit of the sealing pressure, and there is a disadvantage that the sealing pressure cannot be further increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and a method and apparatus for manufacturing a bulb capable of filling a sealed gas, for example, an inert rare gas, at an extremely high pressure in a valve. The purpose is to provide.

[0015]

According to the method of manufacturing a tube according to the present invention, the inside of the bulb, which is the envelope of the tube, is evacuated via a center valve, and the evacuation of the evacuation is performed before the evacuation.
A first step is carried out without passing through the center valve, and a second step is carried out in which a desired filling gas is filled in the evacuated valve without passing through the center valve.

A tube manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention is connected to a center valve having a rotating side and a fixed side, and intermittently rotating in conjunction with the center valve on the rotating side and connecting to a valve which is an envelope of the tube. A plurality of heads, a vacuum system connected to the center valve on the fixed side, a vacuum pump or the like that evacuates the bulb of the bulb to create a vacuum state, and a desired system in the evacuated valve. A gas filling system for filling a filling gas, and a gas filling system, which are arranged between the head and the center valve on the rotating side, and by controlling connection between the two, the valve and the cells on the rotating side and the fixed side are controlled.
The connection with the vacuum system via the
A first control valve for controlling without passing through a tar valve;
A second control valve and a rotary joint are provided between the head and the gas filling system and control connection between the two.

[0017]

According to the method of manufacturing a bulb according to the present invention, in the gas filling operation in the second step of filling a desired filling gas into the valve, the evacuation is interrupted without passing through the center valve.
In this state, the operation is performed without passing through the center valve, and therefore, the above-mentioned operation does not affect the oil-tight holding configuration of the center valve, and as a result, the encapsulation enclosed in the valve is performed. It is possible to manufacture a tube in which the gas filling pressure can be set to a high pressure.

Since the apparatus for manufacturing a bulb according to the present invention is constructed as described above, the first control valve is opened while the second control valve is closed, so that the vacuum of the valve by the vacuum system is reduced. Pulling is performed through the center valve and the first
By opening the second control valve while the control valve is closed, the operation of supplying the desired sealed gas into the valve is performed via the rotary joint. That is, by the operation of the first and second control valves, the operation of filling the desired filling gas into the valves is performed without passing through the center valve. Therefore, the rotating side center valve and the fixed side center valve are operated. The hermeticity between the valves is not impaired by the above operation, and as a result, it is possible to provide a tube in which the sealing pressure of the desired sealing gas can be extremely increased.

[0019]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining an embodiment of a tube manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention.
Those having the same reference numerals as in FIG. 4 and FIG. 4 are components having the same function.

As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus for manufacturing a tube according to the present invention comprises the center valves 1 and 2 on the rotating side and the fixed side, similarly to the conventional apparatus described above. 2 is connected to the vacuum system 6 at an appropriate position.

The rotary side center valve 1 is connected to a plurality of heads 9 intermittently rotating in conjunction with the rotary side center valve 1 via a first solenoid valve 8 as a first control valve. I have.

The plurality of heads 9 are also connected to a rotary joint 11 via a second solenoid valve 10 serving as a second control valve, and the rotary joint 11 is connected to a bulb valve 4. The inside is connected to a gas filling system 12 for filling a desired filling gas, for example, an inert rare gas. That is, there is a low load between the head 9 and the gas filling system 12.
The tally joint 11 and the second solenoid valve 10 are connected in series.

Hereinafter, a description will be given of the operation of an embodiment of a tube manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention having the above-described structure shown in FIG.

Now, the head 9 equipped with the valve 4 for filling a desired filling gas is connected to the vacuum system 6 of the fixed center valve 2 by the intermittent rotation of the rotating center valve 1. Suppose you have moved to

At this time, when the second solenoid valve 10 is closed and the first solenoid valve 8 is opened, the head 9 moves through the vacuum system 6 via the rotary side and fixed side center valves 1 and 2.
Will be directly connected.

Therefore, the valve 4 mounted on the head 9 is evacuated by the vacuum system 6. The evacuation operation by the vacuum system 6 is the same as the operation by the conventional apparatus described above.

After sufficient evacuation of the valve 4 has been performed, the first solenoid valve 8 is closed, and then the second solenoid valve 10 is opened at the position where the evacuation was performed or another position. Then, the head 9 equipped with the valve 4 is connected to the gas filling system 12 via the second solenoid valve 10 and the rotary joint 11 this time.

In this state, when the gas filling system 12 starts operating, the desired filling gas, for example, a desired inert rare gas, is filled in the valve 4 by the second solenoid valve 10 and the rotary. This will be performed via the joint 11.

At this time, the first solenoid valve 8 is closed, and the desired filling operation of the filling gas is not transmitted to the center valves 1 and 2 via the head 9.
Second solenoid valve 10 and rotary joint 11
Needless to say, the pressure resistance against the airtightness can be set higher than that between the rotating side and fixed side center valves 1 and 2.

Therefore, even if the gas filling pressure by the gas filling system 12 is set to be high, the airtightness of the gas filling path is not easily destroyed. As a result, the rotary side and fixed side center valves 1, 2 Thus, a tube in which a desired filling gas can be filled with a higher filling pressure in the valve 4 can be manufactured as compared with a conventional apparatus that performs a gas filling operation via a gas.

In other words, according to the method and the apparatus for manufacturing a bulb according to the present invention, the operation of enclosing a desired sealed gas into a bulb, which is an envelope of the bulb, can be performed independently of the evacuation operation. And without the intervention of the rotary-side and fixed-side center valves 1, 2.

The above-described embodiment is a second control valve which is provided in series between the head 9 and the gas filling system 12 and controls the connection between the two during the filling operation of the filling gas. Although only the solenoid valve 10 is used, for example, as shown by a broken line in FIG. 1, a third solenoid valve 13 is configured as the second control valve in addition to the second solenoid valve. The second solenoid valve may be used for controlling the filling of a desired first filling gas, and the third solenoid valve 13 may be used for controlling the filling of a desired second filling gas. By configuring the second control valve as described above, for example, an operation of enclosing different types of encapsulation gas in the valve, or an operation of enclosing the same type with different encapsulation pressures can be easily realized.

The above-described embodiment is an example in which the head 9 is directly connected to the bulb 4 which is an envelope of the bulb. For example, although not shown, the bulb is disposed inside. Even when a hermetic chamber is formed and the head 9 is connected to the hermetic chamber, the same operation and effect as in the previous case can be obtained. That is, the head 9 and the valve 4 may be indirectly connected via the airtight chamber.

[0034]

According to the method for manufacturing a bulb according to the present invention, the step of enclosing a desired sealed gas, for example, an inert rare gas, into a valve which is an envelope of the bulb is independent of the evacuation step. Since it can be performed by a route and without passing through a center valve, the sealed pressure of the sealed gas can be managed regardless of the pressure resistance of the airtightness between the rotating side and the fixed side of the center valve. As a result, This has the effect that the sealing pressure of the sealing gas in the valve can be set high.

Further, in the apparatus for manufacturing a tube according to the present invention, the operation of enclosing a desired gas such as an inert rare gas into a valve which is an envelope of the tube is independent of the evacuation operation. Since it can be performed by a route and without passing through a center valve, the sealing pressure of the sealing gas can be set and realized regardless of the pressure resistance of the airtightness between the rotating side and the fixed side of the center valve. As a result, there is an effect that a bulb having a high sealing pressure of the sealing gas can be manufactured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an embodiment of a tube manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial schematic plan view showing an example of a conventional manufacturing apparatus using a center valve disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-43863.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view at an A position of the example of the manufacturing apparatus in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view at a B position of the example of the manufacturing apparatus in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Rotation side center valve 2 Fixed side center valve 4 Valve 6 Vacuum system 8 First solenoid valve 9 Head 10 Second solenoid valve 11 Rotary joint 12 Gas filling system 13 Third solenoid valve

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] An evacuation of a bulb, which is an envelope of a bulb, is performed through a center valve, and the evacuation is interrupted.
First step and method of manufacturing a tube and a second step for encapsulation of desired fill gas into the center the evacuated within valve without passing through the valve for without going through the center valve. 2. A center valve comprising a rotating side and a fixed side, a plurality of heads intermittently rotating in conjunction with the rotating side center valve and being connected to a bulb which is an envelope of a bulb. A vacuum system connected to the fixed-side center valve and configured to include a vacuum pump or the like that evacuates the bulb of the bulb to create a vacuum state, and a gas for sealing a desired sealing gas into the evacuated valve. An enclosing system, disposed between the head and the center valve on the rotating side,
By controlling the connection between the two, the valve and the circuit
The vacuum system via the center valve on the transfer side and the fixed side
Control without the two center valves
An apparatus for manufacturing a bulb, comprising: a first control valve, which is provided, and a second control valve and a rotary joint, which are provided between the head and the gas filling system and control connection between the two. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first control valve is formed by an electromagnetic valve. 4. A second control valve is disposed between the head and the rotary joint, and controls a second solenoid valve for controlling charging of a desired first charging gas, between the head and the rotary joint. 3. The apparatus for manufacturing a bulb according to claim 2, further comprising a third solenoid valve arranged to control the filling of a desired second filling gas.