JPS61185858A - Electrodeless discharge lamp device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To lower the starting voltage even for long or wide lamp thus to lower the output of high frequency power source while to uniform the light emission by arranging more than two pairs of conductors in a container while connecting respective conductor pair in parallel. CONSTITUTION:Conductors 4a, 4b and 4b, 4c are paired respectively to connect two pairs of conductors 4a-4b, 4b-4c in parallel to the output terminal of high frequency oscillation circuit 2. Upon throw-in of power source 1, high frequency voltage is applied between the conductors 4a, 4b and 4b, 4c to discharge the gas in a container 3 thus to emit the light. Since an oval tubular container 3 is splitted into two, the distances between the conductors 4a-4b and 4b-4c are shortened to require low output voltage of the high frequency oscillation circuit 2. While the leakage of high frequency current is low because of short inter-conductor distance and the uniformity of light emission is high.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Technical Field) The present invention involves sealing a discharge material such as a rare gas or metal vapor in a light-transmitting container such as a lamp bulb, and transmitting high-frequency waves to a conductor disposed outside the container. The present invention relates to a so-called electrodeless discharge lamp device in which a gas inside a container is discharged by applying a current, and the accompanying light emission or the ultraviolet rays generated by the light emission are converted into visible light by a phosphor and utilized.

(Background Art) Conventionally, a straight-tubular lamp bulb has been configured to generate a high-frequency electromagnetic field between two metal conductors fitted near the tube end to excite metal vapor sealed within the bulb and emit light. A so-called electrodeless discharge lamp device is known. FIG. 1 shows an example of such a conventional electrodeless discharge lamp device.
Its configuration is a power source 1, a high frequency oscillation circuit 2, an electrodeless fluorescent lamp 3, and a high frequency oscillation circuit 2 fitted to the electrodeless fluorescent lamp 3.
It consists of metal conductors 4a and 4b connected to.

In such an electrodeless fluorescent lamp device, when the power is turned on, the high frequency oscillation circuit 2 is activated and a high frequency electromagnetic field is generated between the metal conductors 4a and 4b. metal vapor such as mercury is excited,
The ultraviolet light emitted by the electrodeless fluorescent lamp 3
It is converted into visible light by the phosphor coated on the inner wall surface and emitted.

Such an electrodeless fluorescent lamp device has a very long life because it does not have an electrode with a filament inside the fluorescent lamp 3, and there is no reduction in luminous flux due to blackening near the tube end. However, in such an electrodeless discharge lamp device,
As the lamp length increases, the two metal conductors 4a
, 4b needs to be increased.

For this reason, the components used in the high frequency oscillation circuit 2 need to have a high withstand voltage, which poses a problem in that the device becomes large and expensive. Further, the high frequency waves applied to the metal conductors 4a and 4b do not necessarily flow within the lamp 3, and a portion of the waves leaks to the case outside the lamp 3. This effect increases as the lamp length increases, and there is also the problem that light emission becomes non-uniform depending on the portion of the lamp 3.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention was made to improve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to reduce the starting voltage of a lamp even if it is long or has a large area. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrodeless discharge lamp device which can lower the voltage of a high-frequency power supply and can uniformize light emission.

(Disclosure of the Invention) The present invention provides an electrodeless discharge lamp device in which a discharge body sealed in a translucent container is discharged and emitted light by applying a high frequency to a conductor disposed outside the translucent container. , two or more pairs of the conductors are arranged in the container, and
It is characterized by connecting each pair of conductors in parallel.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained based on examples. FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a power source, 2 is a high-frequency oscillation circuit, and 3 is a translucent container such as an electrodeless fluorescent lamp. A discharge body of gas and/or metal vapor is enclosed. 4a, 4b, and 4c are conductors that are fitted into the container. Here, the conductors 4a and 4c fitted at both ends of the container 3 are connected to one end 5a of the output terminal of the high frequency oscillation circuit 2, and the conductor 4b at the center of the container 3 is connected to the output terminal of the high frequency oscillation circuit 2. It is connected to the other end 5b. That is, the conductors 4a and 4b form one pair, and the conductors 4b and 4c form another pair, and the two pairs of conductors 4a-4b and 4b-40 are connected in parallel to the output terminal of the high-frequency oscillation circuit 2. be done.

Therefore, when the power source 1 is immersed, the high frequency voltage is applied to the conductor 4a,
4b and between the conductors 4b and 4c, and the container 3
Discharge the electric discharge body inside and emit light. 2 pairs of conductors 4
Since a-4b and 4b-4c divide the long cylindrical container 3 into two, the distances between the opposing conductors 4a-4b and 4b-4c are shortened. Therefore, the output voltage of the high frequency oscillation circuit 2 can be small. Furthermore, the leakage of high-frequency current is reduced because the distance between the conductors is short, and the uniformity of light emission is also good. In addition, two pairs of conductors 4a-4b, 4b-4c
are connected in parallel to the output of one high-frequency oscillation circuit 2, so it seems that the non-resistance characteristics of the discharge lamp will cause the shunt to each to be uneven, but in this electrodeless discharge lamp device, the Since capacitive impedance is formed between the conductors 4a, 4b, 4c and the discharge path in the container 3, this has a stabilizing effect and uniformity is maintained.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, which differs from the previous embodiment in that conductors are provided at four locations, ie conductors 4a, 4b, and 4c.

4d constitutes three pairs of conductors consisting of 4a-4c, 4b-4d, and 4a-4d, dividing the container 3 into three. The conductors 4a and 4c are connected to one end 5a of the output terminal of the high frequency oscillation circuit 2, and the remaining conductors 4b and 4d are connected to the other end 5b of the output terminal. Note that, as in this embodiment, the conductor 4a.

By making the shapes of 4b, 4c, and 4d not like endless strips but having a C-shaped cross section with a partial frontage, even if the conductor 4 is installed in the middle of the long cylindrical container 3, the opening direction of the conductor 4 The linear light emission is continuous, which is desirable in terms of design, and
This is convenient when used as a light source for image reading in copying machines and the like.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment, in which the container 3 has a rectangular flat plate shape, and conductors 4a, 4b, 4c are placed at the four corners of the container 3.
4d, two diagonally arranged conductors 4a and 4c are connected to one end 5a of the output terminal of the high frequency oscillation circuit 2, and the other two diagonally arranged conductors 4b, 4
d is connected to the other end 5b of the output terminal of the high frequency oscillation circuit 2. Therefore, the conductors 4 at adjacent corners form a pair, and when the power source 1 is turned on, discharge occurs at the adjacent corners, and light emission spreads over the entire flat plate surface.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the present invention is an electrodeless device in which a discharge body sealed in a translucent container is discharged and emitted light by applying a high frequency to a conductor disposed outside the translucent container. In the discharge lamp device, the electrodeless discharge lamp can be started even when the output voltage of the high-frequency power source is low by arranging two or more pairs of the above-mentioned conductors with respect to the above-mentioned container and connecting each pair of conductors in parallel. It can be turned on. Therefore, according to the present invention, even in an electrodeless discharge lamp having a long length or a wide area container, the starting voltage can be lowered, the voltage of the high frequency power supply to be supplied can be lowered, and the light emission can be made more uniform. It is possible to provide an electrodeless discharge lamp device that can achieve

Furthermore, as mentioned above, since the output voltage of the high-frequency power supply can be set low, the withstand voltage of parts such as coils and capacitors used in the high-frequency power supply can be small, and special measures have been taken to ensure the withstand voltage when holding the conductors and containers mentioned above. This method has the additional effect of reducing the size of the entire device without requiring a 100% power supply, and also reducing handling safety problems such as high voltage leaks and electric shocks.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram showing a conventional example, and FIGS. 2 to 4 are simplified diagrams each showing an embodiment according to the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Power supply, 2... High frequency oscillation circuit, 3... Container, 4... Conductor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In an electrodeless discharge lamp device in which a discharge body sealed in a translucent container is discharged and emitted light by applying high frequency to a conductor disposed outside a translucent container, the conductor is An electrodeless discharge lamp device characterized in that two or more pairs of conductors are arranged in a container and each pair of conductors is connected in parallel.