JPH08180840A - Electrodeless discharge lamp device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To generate an initial electron required for initial discharge even at the starting in a dark place and shorten the time required for the starting by providing a starting auxiliary light source near a light emitting tube and emitting blur light to the light emitting tube to accelerate the starting. CONSTITUTION: A phosphor 1a is applied to the inner wall of a light emitting tube 1, and a discharge gas is sealed in the inner part. An induction coil 2 is wound around the light emitting tube 1. A starting auxiliary light source 4 for the light emitting tube 1 is also provided. In such an electrodeless discharge lamp device, a high frequency current is carried from a high frequency power source 3 to the induction coil 2 when a power source is inputted, and a blue LED which is the starting auxiliary light source 4 is lighted for about 10 seconds to irradiate the light emitting tube 1, and an initial electron required for starting is generated. The discharge gas in the light emitting tube 1 is excited and made luminescent by the high frequency electromagnetic field generated around the induction coil 2 by the high frequency current carried to the induction coil 2 to light a lamp.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrodeless discharge lamp device, and more particularly to an electrodeless discharge lamp device having improved startability in a dark place.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a discharge lamp such as a fluorescent lamp, in order to start the lamp, it is necessary to generate an initial discharge by utilizing initial electrons in the discharge space. In general, discharge lamps are
It is highly possible that initial electrons are generated in the discharge space due to the effect of light from the outside, and even if the electrons are blinking relatively frequently, the electrons that were discharged during the previous lighting are in the discharge space. And remain as initial electrons, and start-up is not a problem in either case. However, a long time has passed since the lamp was last turned on, and the initial start-up in a dark place is difficult to generate the amount of initial electrons required for the start-up, and the start-up time becomes long.

Therefore, in a fluorescent lamp having a preheat type electrode, the emitter of the filament, which is the electrode, is electrically heated to emit thermal electrons from the emitter to obtain initial electrons. In an electrodeless discharge lamp device using an electrodeless discharge lamp having no electrodes, such a method cannot be adopted.

Therefore, in the conventional electrodeless discharge lamp device, as a measure for improving the starting characteristics, a mixture of Kr and isotope radioactive gas as a gas sealed inside the arc tube of the electrodeless discharge lamp, As disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 60-34220, there is proposed one using a radioactive substance.

[0005]

However, in the conventional electrodeless discharge lamp device thus constructed, a radioactive substance is enclosed inside the arc tube in order to improve the starting characteristics. There has been a problem that radioactive substances have a risk of damaging the human body.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an electrodeless discharge lamp device having improved starting characteristics in a dark place without using a radioactive substance. It is in.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is, in the invention described in claim 1, an arc tube in which a discharge gas is enclosed and a phosphor 1a is applied to the inner surface. 1, an induction coil 2 arranged in the vicinity of the arc tube 1, and a high frequency power source 3 for supplying a high frequency current to the induction coil 2 by a high frequency electromagnetic field induced by the induction coil 2. In the electrodeless discharge lamp device that excites the discharge gas in the arc tube 1 to emit light, a start auxiliary light source 4 is provided near the arc tube 1 for irradiating the arc tube 1 with blue light at the time of starting to prompt the start. It is characterized by that.

Further, in the invention described in claim 2, in the electrodeless discharge lamp device according to claim 1, the emission spectrum of the starting auxiliary light source 4 has a peak wavelength between 420 nm and 490 nm. It is a feature.

Further, in the invention of claim 3, in the electrodeless discharge lamp device of claim 1 or 2, the starting auxiliary light source 4 is turned on only for a predetermined time at the time of starting. It is characterized by.

[0010]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the invention described in claim 1, the discharge tube 1 is provided with the discharge gas inside and the phosphor 1a is applied to the inner surface thereof, and the discharge tube 1 is provided with the discharge tube 1. A discharge gas in the arc tube 1 is provided with an induction coil 2 arranged in close proximity to the induction coil 2 and a high frequency power source 3 for supplying a high frequency current to the induction coil 2, and a high frequency electromagnetic field induced by the induction coil 2 In an electrodeless discharge lamp device that excites and emits
Since a starting auxiliary light source 4 is provided near the arc tube 1 to irradiate the arc tube 1 with blue light at the time of starting to prompt the start, the start is performed in a dark place after a long time has passed since the previous lighting. However, the blue light from the auxiliary starting light source 4 generates the initial electrons required for the initial discharge, which shortens the time required for starting.

Further, in the invention described in claim 2, in the electrodeless discharge lamp device according to claim 1, since the emission spectrum of the starting auxiliary light source 4 has a peak wavelength between 420 nm and 490 nm, In addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1, the initial electrons are generated more efficiently, and the time required for starting is further shortened.

Further, in the invention according to claim 3, in the electrodeless discharge lamp device according to claim 1 or 2, the starting auxiliary light source 4 is turned on only for a predetermined time at the start, The starting auxiliary light source 4 is turned off during the lighting, and the blue light from the starting auxiliary light source 4 is not mixed with the lighting light.

[0013]

1 and 2 show an embodiment of an electrodeless discharge lamp device according to the present invention. This electrodeless discharge lamp device comprises an arc tube 1, an induction coil 2, a high frequency power source 3, and And a starting auxiliary light source 4.

The arc tube 1 is made of a translucent material, the inner wall thereof is coated with the phosphor 1a, and a discharge gas containing mercury (Hg), argon (Ar) or the like is sealed inside. The induction coil 2 is wound around the arc tube 1 for several turns. Then, such an induction coil 2 oscillates at 13.56 MHz and the induction coil 2
Is electrically connected to a high-frequency power source 3 for supplying high-frequency power, and is mechanically supported together with the arc tube 1. In the vicinity of the arc tube 1, a blue LE that is a starting auxiliary light source 4 is provided.
D is directed toward the arc tube 1 so as to irradiate the arc tube 1.

The blue LED which is the auxiliary starting light source 4 is, for example, an InGaN / AlGaN double heterostructure high brightness blue diode, and has a forward current of 2 as shown in FIG.
It has a peak wavelength at 450 nm, half-width of 70 nm (width from 420 nm to 490 nm), and brightness of 1 cd / m ² at 0 mA and ambient temperature of 25 ° C. The lighting time is not particularly limited, but in order to avoid that the blue light is mixed with the light of the electrodeless discharge lamp and the light color is changed during lighting, it is turned off after being turned on for about 10 seconds. It is supposed to be.

In the electrodeless discharge lamp device thus constructed, when the power is turned on, a high frequency current flows from the high frequency power source 3 to the induction coil 2 and, at the same time, the starting auxiliary light source 4
The blue LED is turned on for about 10 seconds to illuminate the arc tube 1, and when there is a shortage of initial electrons in the arc tube 1, initial electrons required for starting are generated. Then, the high-frequency current flowing in the induction coil 2 excites the discharge gas in the arc tube 1 to emit light by the high-frequency electromagnetic field generated around the induction coil 2, thereby lighting the lamp.

With this configuration, in the electrodeless discharge lamp device according to this embodiment, even if the lamp is to be started in a dark place after a long time has passed since the last lighting, the starting assist The blue light from the blue LED, which is the light source 4, generates initial electrons necessary for the initial discharge in the arc tube 1, and the time required for starting can be shortened without using a radioactive substance that adversely affects the human body. The starting characteristics in place can be improved. Further, the starting auxiliary light source 4 is turned off during lighting of the electrodeless discharge lamp, and the blue light thereof does not mix with the light of the electrodeless discharge lamp during lighting and do not affect the light color or the like.

In fact, the inventor of the present invention, in the electrodeless discharge lamp device of this embodiment, the blue LED used in this embodiment as the starting auxiliary light source 4 and the luminance of 60 mcd / m centered at a wavelength of 540 nm.
^2. Green LED with a brightness of 592 nm and a brightness of 8.
A comparative experiment was conducted by preparing one using a 4 cd / m ² red LED and one not using a starting auxiliary light source.
The results shown in were confirmed.

[0019]

[Table 1]

Here, the lamp is the starting auxiliary light source 4
When using a blue LED and a red LED as well as when not using a starting auxiliary light source, leave it in the light for 12 hours without turning it on once, and if using the green LED, leave it in the light for 4 to 8 hours After that, 20 starting experiments were carried out in the dark. And in Table 1,
The average value and the maximum value of the starting time (the time required for the longest starting time) are shown. In the case of using a blue LED as the starting auxiliary light source 4, another type of LE is used.
D and a few ms compared to the one without starting auxiliary light source and 2
It was confirmed that the girder starting time was short and the effect was remarkable.

In the above embodiment, the starting auxiliary light source 4 is turned off about 10 seconds after the power is turned on. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The lighting state may be maintained as long as it is turned on. Further, in the above embodiment, the description has been given assuming that the induction coil 2 is wound around the arc tube 1, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the induction coil is arranged at one end side of the arc tube. Alternatively, the arc tube may be housed in an outer tube, and an induction coil may be wound around the outer tube. Furthermore, the gas sealed inside the arc tube is not limited to Hg-Ar,
Other discharge gas may be used. In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the starting auxiliary light source 4 is described as a blue LED having a peak wavelength at 450 nm and a half width of 70 nm (width from 420 nm to 490 nm), but the present invention is not limited to this. Any material having a peak wavelength between 420 nm and 490 nm may be used, and in that case, substantially the same effect as that of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

[0022]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, even when a long time has elapsed from the previous lighting and the engine is started in a dark place, the auxiliary light source for starting the light source is used. The blue light generates initial electrons necessary for the initial discharge, and the starting time can be shortened and the starting characteristics can be improved without using radioactive substances harmful to the human body.

Further, in the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1, the initial electrons are more efficiently generated, and the time required for starting can be further shortened.

According to the invention of claim 3, in addition to the effect of the invention of claim 1 or 2, the starting auxiliary light source is turned off during lighting, and the starting auxiliary light source emits light. There is also an effect that blue light is not mixed with the light being lit.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of an electrodeless discharge lamp device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a characteristic diagram showing an emission spectrum of a blue LED that is the above-mentioned starting auxiliary light source.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 arc tube 1a phosphor 2 induction coil 3 high frequency power supply 4 starting auxiliary light source

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An arc tube in which a discharge gas is enclosed and a phosphor is applied to the inner surface thereof, an induction coil arranged in the vicinity of the arc tube, and a high frequency current for flowing a high frequency current through the induction coil. In an electrodeless discharge lamp device, which comprises a power source and excites the discharge gas in the arc tube to emit light by a high-frequency electromagnetic field induced in the induction coil, blue light is emitted to the arc tube at the time of startup near the arc tube. An electrodeless discharge lamp device provided with a start auxiliary light source for irradiating and prompting a start. 2. The emission spectrum of the starting auxiliary light source is:
The electrodeless discharge lamp device according to claim 1, wherein the electrodeless discharge lamp device has a peak wavelength between 420 nm and 490 nm. 3. The electrodeless discharge lamp device according to claim 1, wherein the starting auxiliary light source is turned on only for a predetermined time at the time of starting.