JPH06318431A - Base for lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a base for an electrodeless arc discharge bulb having an elongated tube-like stem, stretching through a pinch-sealed section or a press-sealed section of an outer envelope. CONSTITUTION: A base 10 has a pair of non-conductive members 12 that are fixed to engage with each other, in order to define an upper recessed part 30 and a lower axial center hollow 14. When a bulb is installed on the base, a pinch-sealed section is fixed in the recessed part, and a stem stretches through the center hollow. When the base is attached in an adapter and RF energy is supplied to the bulb, a startup auxiliary section in the system is excited via a conductive bushing 50 in the center hollow.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to non-conductive bases for electrodeless discharge bulbs. More particularly, the present invention has an outer envelope press-sealed onto a tubular light bulb stem having a start-up aid, wherein the base is fixed in a pressure-sealed portion of the light bulb like a clam shell to excite the light bulb. And a non-conductive base of an electrodeless arc discharge bulb having means for supplying RF energy to the starting aid.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION High intensity electrode type arc discharge bulbs such as high pressure sodium bulbs and metal halide bulbs are well known and include a light transmissive arc discharge chamber or tube which encloses and seals a pair of spaced electrodes therein. Have
Enclosed therein is an inert starting gas and a suitable fill such as one or more ionizable metals or metal halides. Two of the main sources of bulb failure are thermal and electrical stresses that cause electrode material sputtering onto the bulb envelope and electrode failure. Recently, a new type of high intensity arc discharge bulb called an electrodeless bulb has been developed. The bulb is generally shaped like a pillbox or flat sphere and has a light transmissive electrodeless arc chamber or arc tube containing a fill of an inert buffer gas and one or more metal halides. Radio frequency (RF) energy applied or supplied to the fill via capacitive or inductive coupling produces an arc that produces light. In the operation of such a light bulb via inductive coupling, the arc tube or chamber acts as a one-turn secondary coil of the transformer and is surrounded by an RF energy excitation coil that acts as the primary coil. Various embodiments of such light bulbs are described, for example, in US Pat.
810,938, 4,959,584, 5,0
39,903, 5,059,868, and 5,140,227. The electronics needed to initiate and sustain an arc in these bulbs are expensive and complex, and use a rather large copper or aluminum induction drive coil that acts as the primary coil to supply the required high frequency current. Need that. Therefore, a development has been made for a particularly high intensity type replaceable electrodeless discharge bulb that uses one or more metal halides as the arc-sustaining fill, where the bulb itself is both an electronic device and an induction drive coil. Is physically separated from. Such an attempt is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,584 as a luminaire with a replaceable electrodeless HID metal halide arc discharge bulb, in which the arc chamber is enclosed in a thermal jacket, which jacket is also Located within the outer envelope, the envelope has a conventional metal screw base and also has conductive leads through the base to the vicinity of the arc tube. US Pat. No. 5,059,
No. 868 discloses a HID electrodeless arc discharge bulb in which the arc chamber is supported within an outer envelope by a support rod having electrical leads that provide electricity to the arc chamber to initiate an arc. The arc chamber-outer chamber assembly is a conventional metal base with a pin at one end for locking into the socket. However, it is preferable to minimize the amount of metal in close proximity to the drive coil, as the metal (or conductor) absorbs energy from the drive coil, resulting in heating and loss of system efficiency.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is suitable for use in a light bulb having an envelope closed at one end by a pinch seal and a tubular stem extending beyond the pinch seal. It ’s about bulb bases,
It has been found to be effective for an electrodeless arc discharge lamp, especially for a high-luminance electrodeless arc discharge lamp having such a structure. The bulb base of the present invention has at least two non-conductive members that, when assembled in the engaged condition, define a bore extending axially from one end through a portion of the base. At the same time, a recess having an upward opening is defined in the remaining portion of the base, and the recess communicates with the bore. The inner hole constitutes a means for holding the light bulb sandwiched and sealed. When the bulb is mounted on the base, the sandwich closure of its envelope is retained in the recess and the stem extends into the bore. The bore is provided with conductive means for transmitting RF energy to the tubular portion of the bulb, the tubular portion extending within the bore. The base further comprises means for securing the base to a suitable fixture or lighting device. The fixture or lighting device has means for transmitting RF energy to the bulb and conductive means in the base. Often, the fixture or illuminator has an RF coil that encloses the bulb in the vicinity of the arc chamber and the base of the present invention accurately aligns the bulb with respect to the RF coil.

[0004]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The light bulb base of the present invention has a total of 10
And is formed by a pair of opposing and cooperating shell-like semi-cylindrical members 12 (other shapes can be used).
These semi-cylindrical members 12 engage to form a hollow cylindrical structure having a top 32 and a bottom 34 and a bore 14 as shown in FIGS. For example, a brass bushing 50 is retained. The pair of members 12 are identical and are aligned with each other along their faces 16 to form the base 10. The member is formed of a suitable non-conductive refractory material, which includes plastics and ceramic materials such as Delrin, Teflon, polysulfone, and Ceranize.
Trade name Vectra (Vectr)
a) Liquid crystal polymers such as A130, polyetherimides such as Ultem under the trade name GE, such as Supec under the trade name GE and Ryton under the trade name Philips. There is polyphenylene sulfide.
In one embodiment, each member 12 is formed of Delrin (DuPont) and is assembled with holes 19 and pins 18 molded as part of each member 12, ie, the pins 18 of one member are aligned with the other. Then, they are assembled by fitting them into the facing holes 19. The flat surface 16 shown in FIGS. 5-7 is provided with a thin layer of epoxy adhesive to provide a permanent bond. Other suitable means such as ultrasonic welding, heat welding, other adhesives, mechanical means may be used to assemble and secure the pair of clamp members 12 to form the base 10. Further, the pins 18 are preferably non-conductive but may be separate and not molded as part of one or both of the members. FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of an RF energy transfer means, such as a bushing 50 of brass or other suitable conductive metal.
The bushing 50 has a hollow cylindrical portion 52 having one end opened and a hollow hole 54 for receiving a stem 64 of a light bulb 60, as shown in FIG. 9, and a flat disk or flange portion 56 at the other end. . Instead of being solid as shown, the disc 56 may have holes inside to open both ends of the bushing 50. 10 and 11
Shows yet another embodiment of an RF energy transfer means, such as a conductive bushing half 80 molded within the recess 13 of the member 12. The other member 12 mated with this member 12 is also the same bushing half molded therein to form a bushing similar to the bushing 50 described above when the two members are assembled to form the base. Have. The half 80 has a half-disc or flange 81, but it can also be just a half cylinder without a flange. Yet another embodiment is a conductive metal plating 82 on the surface of the recess 13 as shown in FIG. Although not shown in FIG. 11, conductive plating 82 may also extend in a desired shape around the outer bottom of the member. However, in yet another embodiment, the RF energy transfer means forms part of the fixture or luminaire and forms part of the fixture when the base bulb assembly is inserted into the fixture or luminaire. A suitable RF energy transfer means is inserted into the base bore 14 and surrounds or contacts at least a portion of the bulb stem 64.

As shown in FIGS. 5-7, the bore 14 extends through the lower portion of the base but is defined by the mating recesses 13 formed in the pair of members 12. A concave surface portion 20 is formed at the upper end of the member above the concave portion 13 and the flat surface 16, and when fitted together, the concave surface portion 20 forms a large diameter concave portion 30 which is in open communication with the inner hole 14. Define. Floor 22 of recess 30
Immediately above, the opposite edges of the concave portion 20 are carved as indicated at 26 to form diametrically opposed and enlarged side openings in the recess 30. The edge 38 of the member above this removal 26 is retracted from the flat surface 16 and is shown in FIG.
When the pair of members are mated, as shown in FIG. 5, they form diametrically opposed slots 39. The inner surface of the upper side of the recess 30 is cylindrical as indicated by 28. Although the recess 30 is shown in this embodiment to be at least partially cylindrical, other shapes may be useful to some practitioners.

As shown in FIG. 3, an L-shaped keyway 36 is formed in the lower portion of each member near the bottom 34 to provide RF energy to a suitable fixture or lighting device, preferably a light bulb mounted to the base. It is adapted to receive a pin or other means that acts to secure the base 10 to the means equipped to do so. Other means may be used to secure the base to a fixture or lighting device, but the choice is practitioner's.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, an electrodeless arc discharge bulb 60 is shown having a sealed arc chamber 62, as disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,140,227. Closed tubular stem portion 6 containing a gas fill (not shown) that acts as a starting aid.
4 is attached to the arc chamber 62. This US patent is hereby incorporated by reference. Arc chamber 6
2 is sealed in an outer envelope 68 of fused silica, which is closed by a pinch closure 70 formed by pinching one end of the envelope 68 which is closed across the tubular stem 64. The tubular stem 64 then extends through the sandwich seal 70,
The other end is closed by the wall of arc chamber 62 as disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,140,227. The central portion of the sandwich closure 70 is substantially flat, with the sides 72 and the raised bottom 74 projecting across the longitudinal axis of the bulb 60 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 9, the light bulb 60 is mechanically fixed or seated in the base 10 by the recess 30 around the sandwiched seal 70.
The stem 64 extends into the bore 14 and the bore 54 of the metal bushing 50. A pair of opposed raised (or recessed) flat portions 78 are formed at predetermined positions within the sandwich sealing portion 70 during the sandwich sealing portion molding process, and each flat portion when the bulb is fully attached. Faces or adjoins the edge 38 of the base. The flat portion 78 is sandwiched between the hermetically sealed portions 7.
Molded in both sides of 0 and adjacent to both sides of the stem closure 76. If desired, a suitable adhesive or bonding agent may be applied to prevent the bulb 60 from moving within the base 10 to bond the four flat surfaces 78 of the sandwich closure to each of the corresponding flat surfaces 38 of the bulb base. You can

The embodiments described above are illustrative and do not limit the practice of the invention. Even slight deviations from these examples are acceptable within the scope of the invention, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a light bulb base of the present invention in an assembled state.

2 is a plan view of the base of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the base of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the RF energy transfer means of the base of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a front view of one of the two clamp members forming the base of the present invention.

6 is a side view of the clamp member of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the clamp member of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a side view of a light bulb effective for using the light bulb base according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a front view showing an assembly of a light bulb and a base.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing one of the two clamping members forming the base of the invention with different embodiments of the RF energy transfer means.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of one of the two clamping members forming the base of the invention with different embodiments of RF energy transfer means.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Base 12 Member 14 Medium Hole 19 Recess 50 Bushing 60 Light Bulb 68 Envelope

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Mark Elton Duffy United States, Ohio, Shaker Heights, Chadbourne Road, No. 3125 (72) Inventor Frederick Hetzzel North Ro, United States, Ohio Earlton, Knights Way, 10624 (72) Inventor David Jeffrey Marks United States, Ohio, Lakewood, Gladys Avenue, 1332 (72) Inventor Lawrence Thomas Maza Mayfield, Ohio, United States Heights, Ridgebury Boulevard, 6525 (72) Inventor Curtis Edward Scott United States, Ohio, Menthol, Lee Inst Valley View Court, 6066 (72) Inventor Michael Mathieu Seesen 5947, Gillette Drive, Menthol, Ohio, United States

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. At least two assembled in engagement.
A base for a light bulb comprising two non-conductive members, wherein the non-conductive member, when assembled in an engaged state, has a bore extending axially through the lower portion of the base and an upper portion of the upper portion of the base. A base for a light bulb, which defines an open recess, said recess comprising means for holding a light bulb. 2. The base according to claim 1, further comprising means for fixing the base to a fixture. 3. A conductive means is provided in the bore.
The base of the description. 4. The base according to claim 3, wherein the conductive means comprises a hollow metal cylinder. 5. The base of claim 4, wherein the cylinder has two halves, each of the halves being molded within each one of the two members. 6. The base according to claim 3, wherein said conductive means has a metal plated on the surface of said bore. 7. The base according to claim 2, further comprising means for holding the pressure sealing portion of the light bulb. 8. A light bulb having an elongated tubular stem extending through an outer envelope pressing closure, wherein the bulb closure is a recess in the base of any one of claims 1-7. A light bulb, fixed to, and having the tubular stem extending into a bore in the base. 9. A light bulb as claimed in claim 8 including conductive means in the bore of the base for supplying RF energy to the tubular stem of the light bulb. 10. A light bulb according to claim 8, wherein the light bulb is an electrodeless high-luminance discharge light bulb.