JP4396577B2 - Metal vapor discharge lamp and lighting device using the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a metal vapor discharge lamp and an illumination device using the same.

  Recently, a metal vapor discharge lamp, such as a metal halide lamp, has been used as a light source for spotlight illumination used in stores and the like. When such a metal halide lamp is used for a spotlight in a store or the like, the compactness is particularly emphasized as compared with that for a downlight, and has the following configuration, for example.

  A substantially straight tubular outer tube (excluding the tip-off portion and the pinch seal portion) having a tip off portion at one end and a pinch seal portion (sealing portion) at the other end, and disposed in the outer tube And a G-shaped base attached to the end of the pinch seal portion of the outer tube via cement (adhesive) (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Such metal halide lamps are often used by being housed in a luminaire in which a front glass is attached to the light extraction port so that even if the arc tube breaks, the fragments are not scattered.

On the other hand, as a lighting fixture for a spotlight, there is also a lighting fixture of an open bottom type (no front glass). In such an open-type lighting fixture, in the unlikely event that the arc tube breaks, the outermost outer tube is not damaged, so that no light is emitted between the arc tube and the outermost outer tube. It is considered suitable to use a triple tube metal halide lamp provided with an inner tube surrounding the tube (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
JP 11-96973 A JP-A-8-236087

  The inventors of the present invention have realized a metal vapor discharge lamp that can ensure high safety even when used for a lighting device with an open bottom, while emphasizing compactness as a spotlight illumination, for example, the realization of a metal halide lamp. Tried.

  First, the present inventors basically used a lamp having a structure as shown in FIG. 6 of Patent Document 1 in order to ensure compactness, and further installed the outer tube of this lamp in order to ensure higher safety. A triple tube structure covered with another outer tube was made.

  However, in the finished product of the metal halide lamp having this triple tube structure, there are particularly those in which water droplets are attached to the inner surface of the outer tube (outer tube located at the outermost position), and the appearance quality is deteriorated and the commercial value is remarkable. The problem of declining occurred.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and a metal vapor discharge lamp capable of preventing moisture and the like from adhering to the inner surface of the outer tube and deteriorating appearance quality, and It aims at providing the used illuminating device.

  The metal vapor discharge lamp of the present invention has an outer tube having a closed portion at one end and an opening at the other end, and the arc tube is housed in the outer tube, and the arc tube is in an airtight space inside. An inner tube that is disposed, and a base that is fixed to the other end of the outer tube via an adhesive so as to be shut off from the outside air, and the base includes the outer tube and the inner tube. A vent hole is formed to connect the internal space located between the external space and the external space located outside the outer tube.

  In addition, the lighting device of the present invention includes the metal vapor discharge lamp and a lighting fixture having a socket to which the base is attached, and in a state where the base is attached to the socket, the ventilation hole has the external space side. The opening part located in contact | abuts on the surface of the said socket, and has the structure that it is obstruct | occluded.

  The present invention can provide a metal vapor discharge lamp capable of preventing moisture and the like from adhering to the inner surface of an outer tube and deteriorating appearance quality, and an illumination device using the metal vapor discharge lamp.

  In addition, the present invention can provide an illuminating device that can prevent the inclusion in the arc tube from leaking out of the illuminating device even if the arc tube is damaged.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the metal halide lamp 1 with a rated power of 70 W, which is the first embodiment of the present invention, has an overall length L ₁ (see FIG. 1) of 100 mm to 110 mm, for example, 105 mm, and an outer tube 2, an inner tube 3 accommodated in the outer tube 2, an arc tube 4 disposed in an airtight space inside the inner tube 3, and an end E attached to the outer tube 2, for example, E And a base 5 having a shape.

  The central axis X in the longitudinal direction of the outer tube 2, the central axis Y in the longitudinal direction of the inner tube 3, and the central axis Z in the longitudinal direction of the arc tube 4 are located on substantially the same axis. However, “substantially on the same axis” means that the members 2, 3, and 4 are assembled together, for example, except when the central axis X, the central axis Y, and the central axis Z are completely located on the same axis. This includes the case where the central axis X, the central axis Y, and the central axis Z are shifted due to variations occurring at the time.

The outer tube 2 is made of, for example, hard glass, has a closed portion 6 having a substantially hemispherical shape at one end, and has an opening 7 at the other end, and a portion other than the one end is substantially cylindrical. Is. As an example, the substantially cylindrical portion of the outer tube 2 has an outer diameter R ₁ (see FIG. 1) of 22 [mm] and a wall thickness t ₁ (see FIG. 1) of 1.5 [mm]. The inside of the outer tube 2 (excluding the inside of the inner tube 3 and the inside of the arc tube 4) is an atmospheric atmosphere.

  The outer tube is not limited to a substantially cylindrical straight tube except for one end portion as described above, and the outer tube 8 having a shape in which only the central portion bulges as shown in FIG. 4 may be of various known shapes such as the outer tube 11 having a shape in which the central portion swells most as shown in FIG. 4 and continuously decreases in diameter as it approaches the end portion.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inner tube 3 is made of, for example, quartz glass and the like, and has one end portion that is substantially flat, and a tip-off that is the remainder of the exhaust pipe (not shown) at the center. The maximum width W ₁ (see FIG. 1) having a portion 9 and being crush-sealed at the other end by a known pinch seal method is 16 [mm], and the maximum wall thickness t ₂ (see FIG. 2) is 4 [ mm] and a portion excluding both end portions is substantially cylindrical. As an example, the substantially cylindrical portion of the inner tube 3 has an outer diameter R ₂ (see FIG. 1) of 15.5 [mm] and a wall thickness t ₃ (see FIG. 1) of 1.25 [mm]. Further, the inside of the inner tube 3 is an airtight space in a vacuum atmosphere, for example.

  Note that the outer shape of the inner tube is not limited to a substantially cylindrical straight tube, except for the above-described both ends, and a shape in which only the center portion bulges, or the center portion bulges most and ends. Various known shapes, such as a shape that continuously decreases in diameter as it approaches, may be used.

  The arc tube 4 includes an envelope 14 made of a translucent ceramic of, for example, polycrystalline alumina, having a main tube portion 12a and thin tube portions 13a formed at both ends of the main tube portion 12a. In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the main pipe portion 12a and the narrow pipe portion 13a are formed separately and then integrated by shrink fitting. However, the shape and structure are not limited to those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and for example, a main tube portion 12 b and a thin tube portion 13 b as shown in FIG. 5 formed by integral molding may be used. The arc tube having various shapes and structures can be used.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the arc tube 4 is provided with a proximity conductor 15 for assisting the starting. Specifically, the proximity conductor 15 is wound or contacted along the outer surface of the main pipe portion 12a after one end thereof is wound around the end portion of the one thin pipe portion 13a on the main pipe portion 12a side. However, it extends toward the other narrow tube portion 13a, and finally the other end portion is wound around the end portion on the main tube portion 12a side of the other narrow tube portion 13a.

The maximum outer diameter R ₃ (see FIG. 1) of the main pipe portion 12a is, for example, 9.9 [mm]. Further, a pair of electrodes (not shown) are disposed in the main pipe portion 12a, and a predetermined amount of each of metal halide, rare gas, and mercury is enclosed. As the metal halide, sodium iodide, dysprosium iodide, or the like is used. The distance between the electrodes is, for example, 4.0 mm to 7.0 mm.

  In the narrow tube portion 13a, a power supply body 16 having an electrode attached to the distal end portion is inserted, and sealed at the end portion opposite to the main tube portion 12a by a sealing material 17 made of frit. A part of the sealing material 17 is interposed between the thin tube portion 13a and the power feeding body 16, and the remaining portion is present in a convex shape on the end surface of the thin tube portion 13a.

  A gap (not shown) exists between the narrow tube portion 13a and the power feeding body 16 except for a portion sealed by the sealing material 17.

  Of the end portions of the power supply body 16, the end portion on the opposite side to the electrode is led out from the end portion of the thin tube portion 13 a and is electrically connected to the power supply line 18. The power supply line 18 is electrically connected to the external lead wire 20 through the metal foil 19 sealed in the sealing portion 10. One external lead wire 20 is electrically connected to a shell portion 21 of the base 5 described later, and the other external lead wire 20 is electrically connected to an eyelet portion 22 of the base 5 described later.

  Note that the power supply line 18 is not necessarily made of a single metal wire, and may be made by connecting and integrating a plurality of metal wires.

  In addition, if at least one of the power supply lines 18 leaks the arc tube 4 at the end of its life, a discharge occurs between the other power supply line 18 having a different polarity at the time of start-up or restart. In order to prevent this, it is preferable to cover with a sleeve 23 made of, for example, quartz glass (shown only in FIG. 1).

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the base 5 is inserted into a base insulating portion 24 made of ceramic such as steatite and a socket (not shown) on the lighting fixture side and electrically connected thereto. And a base connection portion 25 having a shape.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the base insulating portion 24 is formed, for example, so as to protrude from the center portion of the bottom portion in the bottomed cylindrical portion 26 having a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom, and the bottomed cylindrical portion 26. And an inner tube holding part 27 having a substantially cylindrical shape.

  The bottomed cylindrical portion 26 and the inner tube holding portion 27 are integrally formed.

The bottomed cylindrical portion 26 has an outer diameter R ₄ (see FIG. 6) of 26 [mm], and a wall thickness t ₄ (see FIG. 6) of the outer wall forming the outer periphery thereof is, for example, 1.8 [mm]. is there.

  In addition, the shape, dimension, etc. of the bottomed cylinder part 26 are suitably changed according to the shape, dimension, etc. of the outer tube 2 or the inner tube 3.

The inner tube holding portion 27 has an outer diameter R ₅ (see FIG. 6) of 18 [mm], and a width W ₂ formed in the vertical direction including the central axis in the longitudinal direction of the substantially cylindrical body (see FIG. 6). 5 [mm], the length L ₂ (see FIG. 6) is 7 [mm], and the depth is 10 [mm]. Therefore, the inner tube holding portion 27 is formed of a shape obtained by cutting a substantially cylindrical body in half in the longitudinal direction (hereinafter referred to as “half-cylindrical body portion”).

  In addition, the shape, dimension, etc. of the inner tube holding part 27 are appropriately changed according to the shape, size, etc. of the outer tube 2 and the inner tube 3.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inner tube 3 is held on the base 5 by the inner tube holding portion 27. Specifically, the sealing portion 10 of the inner tube 3 is inserted into the groove portion 28 and fixed to the inner tube holding portion 27 via an inorganic adhesive 29 having a heat resistant temperature of 1000 ° C. or more, for example. The inorganic adhesive 29 is mainly composed of silica and alumina.

  On the other hand, the outer tube 2 has an end including the opening 7 inserted into a gap between the outer wall portion of the bottomed tube portion 26 and the inner tube holding portion 27, and the bottomed tube is inserted through the same inorganic adhesive 29. It is fixed to the portion 26 and the inner tube holding portion 27. At this time, the inorganic adhesive 29 is sufficiently injected into the gap between the bottomed cylindrical portion 26 and the inner tube holding portion 27, and the other end portion of the outer tube 2 is covered with this inorganic adhesion over the entire circumference. It is fixed to the bottomed cylinder part 26 and the inner tube holding part 27 through the agent 29 so as to be in close contact with each other. As a result, the internal space 30 located between the outer tube 2 and the inner tube 3 at the fixed portion between the outer tube 2 and the base 5 is blocked from the outside air. This is because even if the arc tube 4 is broken and the inner tube 3 is broken due to the broken pieces, mercury (mercury vapor) which is an enclosure from the gap between the outer tube 2 and the base 5 is fixed. This is to prevent leakage of the metal halide lamp 1 to the outside of the metal halide lamp 1 (external space located outside the outer tube 2).

  In the inner tube holding portion 27, each semi-cylindrical body portion has a round connecting the inner space 30 located between the outer tube 2 and the inner tube 3 and the outer space located outside the outer tube 3. In the form, straight vent holes 31 are formed. The opening on the outer space side of the vent hole 31 is located on the outer surface of the bottom portion of the bottomed cylindrical portion 26, and the opening on the inner space 30 side of the vent hole 31 is a semi-cylindrical body portion of the inner tube holding portion 27. It is located on the end face. The diameter of the air hole 31 is preferably 1.0 [mm] or more, for example, 1.5 [mm] in order to sufficiently obtain the moisture release action described later. It was confirmed that when the diameter of the vent hole 31 is less than 1.0 [mm], the water releasing action is remarkably reduced. Further, as described above, in the event that the arc tube 4 is broken and the inner tube 3 is broken due to the broken pieces, in order to prevent mercury vapor from leaking from the vent hole 30 to the external space, It is preferable to install a mercury adsorbing member capable of adsorbing mercury, such as activated carbon.

  The vent hole 31 is, for example, a round and straight hole. However, the shape of the vent hole 31 is not limited to this and may be an ellipse, a quadrangle, or the like, or may be bent. Further, the number of the vent holes 31 is not limited to two, but may be one or three or more. That is, the shape and number are not particularly limited. Furthermore, the arrangement position of the vent hole 31 is not necessarily formed in the inner tube holding portion 27, and it is sufficient that the inner space 30 and the outer space are connected. In the present embodiment, since the inorganic adhesive 29 is injected into the gap between the bottomed cylindrical part 26 and the inner pipe holding part 27, the inner pipe is prevented from being blocked by the inorganic adhesive 29. It is formed in the holding part 27.

  The base connection part 25 has a shell part 21 and an eyelet part 22 provided on the shell part 21 via an insulating part 32.

  The base connection portion is not limited to the E shape shown in FIG. 1, and various known shapes such as a pin-shaped swan type as shown in FIG. 5 and a G shape (not shown) are also used. be able to.

  Here, the assembly process of such a metal halide lamp 1 will be described.

  First, the inner tube 3 and the arc tube 4 are assembled in advance. In addition, an inorganic adhesive 29 is poured into the gap between the bottomed tube portion 26 of the base 5 and the inner tube holding portion 27 and the groove portion 28. Then, the sealing portion 10 of the inner tube 3 is inserted into the groove 28, and then the end including the opening 7 of the outer tube 2 is inserted into the gap between the bottomed tube portion 26 and the inner tube holding portion 27. . At this time, the inorganic adhesive 29 adheres to the inner surface and outer surface of the end including the opening 7 of the outer tube 2 over the entire circumference. Next, in order to dry and cure the inorganic adhesive 29, the temporarily assembled metal halide lamp 1 is left in an electric furnace having an internal temperature of, for example, 160 ° C. for 30 minutes or more. Thereafter, the inorganic adhesive 29 is cured, and the outer tube 2, the inner tube 3 and the base 5 are integrated via the inorganic adhesive 29, and the metal halide lamp 1 is completed.

  In addition, conditions, such as internal temperature in drying and hardening of the inorganic adhesive 29, time, are suitably changed according to the kind etc. of an inorganic adhesive.

  As described above, according to the configuration of the metal halide lamp 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, moisture (water vapor) is generated from the inorganic adhesive 29 when the inorganic adhesive 29 is dried and cured in this assembly process. Even after that, it is discharged to the external space through the vent hole 31 (moisture releasing action), and after the metal halide lamp 1 is completed, it is possible to prevent moisture and the like from adhering to the inner surface of the outer tube 2 to deteriorate the appearance quality.

  Here, an experiment was conducted to confirm the operational effects of the metal halide lamp 1 (hereinafter referred to as “the product of the present invention”) according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  For comparison, the metal halide lamp 1 has the same configuration as that of the metal halide lamp 1 with a rated power of 70 [W] according to the first embodiment of the present invention except that the vent hole 31 is not provided in the base 5. A metal halide lamp (hereinafter referred to as “comparative product”) having a rated power of 70 [W] was prepared.

  Ten products of the present invention and 10 comparative products were prepared, and the inner surface of the outer tube 2 of the completed lamp was visually observed.

  As a result, none of the products of the present invention had moisture adhering to the inner surface of the outer tube 2 in all ten. In the case of the product of the present invention, when the inorganic adhesive 29 is dried and cured, even if moisture (water vapor) is generated from the inorganic adhesive 29, it is released into the external space of the outer tube 2 through the vent hole 31. It is considered that the adhering to the inner surface of the outer tube 2 could be prevented. On the other hand, five of the ten comparative products had moisture adhering to the inner surface of the outer tube 2. In the case of the comparative product, moisture (water vapor) generated from the inorganic adhesive 29 remains in the inner space 30 located between the outer tube 2 and the inner tube 3 as it is, and at the same time as cooling the lamp, moisture on the inner surface of the outer tube 2 Seems to have adhered.

  It is considered that the moisture released from the inorganic adhesive 29 is adsorbed in the inorganic adhesive 29.

  Therefore, it was confirmed that the product of the present invention can prevent the appearance quality from being lost due to moisture adhering to the inner surface of the outer tube 2. However, according to the product of the present invention, even if a component other than moisture is generated from the inorganic adhesive 29, it is considered that it can be prevented from adhering to the inner surface of the outer tube 2.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the lighting device 33 according to the second embodiment of the present invention is a metal halide lamp 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as “lamp”) having a rated power of 70 W according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 1 ”), and a luminaire 34 having an open bottom surface for spotlights in which the lamp 1 is incorporated.

  Such an illuminating device 33 is attached to a ceiling (not shown). A ballast (not shown) for lighting the lamp 1 is attached to the ceiling or embedded in the ceiling. As the ballast, various known copper iron ballasts and electronic ballasts can be used.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the lighting fixture 34 is provided with a socket 35 into which the base connection portion 25 of the base 5 is inserted. The socket 35 is a main body portion 36, a first terminal portion 37 provided in the main body portion 36 and electrically connected to the shell portion 21, and a second terminal portion electrically connected to the eyelet portion 22. 38. Here, of the end surfaces of the main body portion 36, the end surface 39 on the side where the lamp 1 is attached is flat, and the outer surface of the bottom portion of the bottomed tubular portion 26 in a state where the base 5 is attached to the socket 35. Abut. As a result, the opening located outside the vent hole 31 (external space side) is closed by the end face 39.

  According to the configuration of the lighting device 33 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the vent hole 31 functions as a moisture release function in the assembly process of the lamp 1, and moisture or the like adheres to the inner surface of the outer tube 2. Thus, the appearance quality can be prevented from being impaired. Further, since the vent hole 31 is closed by the socket 35 during use of the lamp 1, even if the arc tube 4 is broken and the inner tube 3 is broken by the broken pieces, the mercury which is the enclosed material is used. It is possible to reliably prevent vapor or the like from leaking outside the lighting device 33 through the vent hole 31. However, if the lamp 1 is cooled, the mercury leaked into the outer tube 2 is solidified and adheres to the inner surface of the outer tube 2. When the damaged lamp 1 is removed from the lighting fixture 34, the mercury is illuminated. It is considered that there is no risk of leakage outside the device 33.

  In the second embodiment, the description has been given of the case where the lower surface opening type lighting fixture 34 for spotlights is used as the lighting fixture. The same effect can be obtained.

  In the first and second embodiments, the metal halide lamp 1 with a rated power of 70 [W] is described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the rated power is, for example, 20 [W] to 150 [W]. It can also be applied to metal halide lamps.

  The present invention can also be applied to applications that require preventing moisture or the like from adhering to the inner surface of the outer tube and deteriorating appearance quality.

1 is a partially cutaway front view of a metal halide lamp according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Similarly, partially cut out right side view of metal halide lamp Front sectional view of another outer tube that can also be used for metal halide lamps Front sectional view of yet another outer tube that can also be used for metal halide lamps Similarly, a partially cutaway front view of a variation of the metal halide lamp A perspective view of a base that is also used in a metal halide lamp. A perspective view of a base that is also used in a metal halide lamp. The front view of the illuminating device which is the 2nd Embodiment of this invention Similarly, the principal part expanded sectional view of an illuminating device

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Metal halide lamp 2, 8, 11 Outer tube 3 Inner tube 4 Light emission tube 5 Base 6 Closure part 7 Opening part 9 Tip-off part 10 Sealing part 12a, 12b Main pipe part 13a, 13b Narrow pipe part 14 Envelope 15 Proximity conductor Reference Signs List 16 Power Feeder 17 Sealing Material 18 Power Supply Line 19 Metal Foil 20 External Lead Wire 21 Shell Part 22 Eyelet Part 23 Sleeve 24 Base Insulating Part 25 Base Connection Part 26 Bottomed Tube Part 27 Inner Tube Holding Part 28 Groove Part 29 Inorganic Adhesive 30 Internal space 31 Ventilation hole 32 Insulating part 33 Lighting device 34 Lighting fixture 35 Socket 36 Main body part 37 First terminal part 38 Second terminal part

Claims (3)

An outer tube having a closed portion at one end and an opening at the other end, an inner tube housed in the outer tube, and an arc tube disposed in an internal airtight space; and a mouthpiece at the other end of the outer tube through an adhesive being solid wear,
The metal vapor discharge lamp is characterized in that a vent hole is formed in the base for connecting an internal space located between the outer tube and the inner tube and an outer space located outside the outer tube. .
The metal vapor discharge lamp according to claim 1, wherein a mercury adsorbing member is provided in the vent hole. A metal vapor discharge lamp according to claim 1 or 2, and a lighting fixture having a socket to which the base is attached,
In the state in which the base is attached to the socket, an opening located on the outer space side of the vent hole abuts on the surface of the socket and is closed.

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