JPS5917114Y2 - cold cathode discharge tube - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention relates to improvements in cold cathode discharge tubes such as lighting tubes for starting fluorescent lamps, neon tubes, and high-voltage protective precursors for televisions.

Generally, a lighting tube, which is a cold cathode discharge tube, is used as a starter for a fluorescent lamp, but the firing voltage in darkness is higher than that in a bright place.

This is because the number of initial electrons required to start a discharge decreases in the dark due to the interruption of light irradiation.

In order to eliminate this drawback of increased discharge starting voltage,
Conventional lighting tubes have a radioactive substance sealed inside the tube to prevent the initial number of electrons in the discharge space from decreasing and thereby prevent the discharge starting voltage from increasing.

However, conventional lighting tubes have disadvantages such as the fact that radioactive materials are sealed inside the tube, which poses a danger to working tools and makes it difficult to mass-produce them from the standpoint of safety management.

This idea was made in response to the above circumstances, and its purpose was to synthesize a case that could absorb external light and be positioned so that it could illuminate the electrodes without enclosing radioactive materials inside the discharge tube. Since it is made by mixing a phosphor with a resin material, the electrodes are irradiated with the phosphorescence of the phosphor even after external light has been cut off, so that discharge is good even in dark places and it is safe for the human body. On the other hand, the object of the present invention is to provide a cold cathode discharge tube that can be mass-produced without requiring any radioactive substances that are dangerous and require careful safety management.

Hereinafter, embodiments of this invention will be described based on the drawings.

First, an embodiment of this invention is applied to a lighting tube for starting a fluorescent lamp shown in the figure. In the figure, 1 is a case formed by screwing 1 and 2, is formed by mixing a synthetic resin material with a phosphor containing a trace amount of an activator such as zinc sulfide, cadmira j8 sulfide, barium sulfide, or strontium sulfide.

Further, a valve 3 is housed inside the case 1, and a stem 4 is sealed to an end of the valve 3.

A fixed electrode 5 and a movable electrode 6 are installed on this stem 4 and sealed inside the bulb 3. The fixed electrode 5 is connected to the cap 2 via the lead wire 5a, and the movable electrode 6 is connected to the lead wire. It is connected to the [] gold terminal 7 via 6a.

Furthermore, a bimetal piece 8 is attached to the movable electrode 6.

Further, the bulb 3 is filled with easily dischargeable gas such as argon.

When the lighting tube, which is a cold cathode discharge tube configured as described above, is energized, a voltage is applied to the fixed electrode 5 and the movable electrode 6, and glow discharge starts.

The heat of this glow discharge short-circuits the metal piece 8 to the fixed electrode 5, and this short-circuit heats the filament of the fluorescent lamp.

Further, due to this short circuit, the glow discharge is stopped, and the temperature of the bimetal piece 8 decreases, and the bimetal piece 8 separates from the fixed electrode 5 again.

At this moment, a kick voltage is applied to both ends of the fluorescent lamp, and the fluorescent lamp lights up.

In this case, is the voltage required to start this glow discharge higher in a dark place than in a bright place?
Case 1 has a mixture of phosphors, and when this phosphor is irradiated with external light, it absorbs and stores the external light, and even after the irradiation with this external light is stopped, it continues to be used for a long time. Continues to emit phosphorescence for hours.

Even when the lighting tube is energized, the phosphor irradiates the electrodes 5 and 6 with sufficient light.

For this reason, when discharging in a dark place, the voltage required to start discharge does not rise even once, resulting in a good glow discharge, and the lighting tube fully exhibits its function of starting the fluorescent lamp. Can be done.

Moreover, since there is no need to seal radioactive substances for irradiation into the bulb 3, there is no risk of exposure to radiation during work, safety management is easy, and lighting tubes can be mass-produced.

Furthermore, this invention is not limited to the lighting tube shown in the above embodiment, but can also be applied to other cold-negative discharge tubes, such as neon tubes, high-voltage protective precursors for televisions, and the like.

As detailed above, this device can absorb external light,
In addition, since the discharge tube case, which is located in a position where light can be irradiated to the electrodes, is made of a synthetic resin material mixed with phosphor, the phosphor remains phosphorescent for a long time even when external light irradiation is stopped. The discharge starting voltage of the discharge tube during lighting does not increase by irradiating the light emitting electrode with light.

For this reason, there is no need to encapsulate any radioactive materials, there is no danger to the working tools, and there are excellent practical effects such as mass production without the need for troublesome radiation safety management.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figure is a partially cutaway side view showing an embodiment of this invention. 1...Case, 3...Valve, 5...Fixed electrode.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A bulb containing easily dischargeable gas, a case surrounding the bulb, and a cap connected to the case, characterized in that the case is made of a synthetic resin material mixed with a phosphor. cold cathode discharge tube.