JPS61224236A - Manufacture of curved fluorescent lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate manufacture of three dimensionally curved fluorescent lamp having many curved portions by preparing an approximately planar glass bulb formed with a zigzag discharge path through communication between plural linear portions and curved portions then thermally softening the curved portion of said bulb and bending. CONSTITUTION:Upon blowing in of pressurized gas through discharge tube 5 into U-shaped glass bulb 3, joints 1d-3d, 3d are formed. Then the joints 1d-3d, 3d are fused to position three continuous U-shaped glass bulbs 1-3 in same plane P-P. Then the communicating sections 8, 8 are bent in the arrow direction under still soft condition or after thermally softening if they 8, 8 are cooled and hardened. Consequently, respective U-shaped glass bulb 1-3 is positioned at every other side of hexagonal shape resulting in a three dimensional multi- bent fluorescent lamp.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a glass bulb having a plurality of straight parts and a plurality of bent parts communicating with each other to form a meandering discharge path. The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a fluorescent lamp.

[Technical background of the invention]

Fluorescent lamp equipment, which houses a curved fluorescent lamp inside a bulb-shaped globe, can provide high illuminance because the curved tube fluorescent lamp is small and highly efficient, and is rapidly becoming an alternative light source to incandescent light bulbs. It is becoming popular.

As shown in FIG. 8, curved tube fluorescent lamps have conventionally been used in a so-called saddle-shaped fluorescent lamp (a so-called saddle-shaped fluorescent lamp 80 is known), in which two U-shaped bulbs are connected in an H-shape at one end. There is.

This lamp has a substantially U-shape as shown in FIG. 9 in its top view, and is smaller and more efficient than straight tube fluorescent lamps or annular fluorescent lamps, and achieves high illuminance.

In order to further reduce the size of the saddle-shaped fluorescent lamp 80, improve accommodation in the globe, and further increase light efficiency by increasing the light emitting length, the lamps shown in FIGS.
Development of a multi-shaped fluorescent lamp 90 as shown in the figure is being considered. The fluorescent lamp shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 has three U-shaped bulbs connected at each other's ends and formed into a substantially hexagonal shape as shown in the top view in FIG. 11. It is. Such a multi-shaped fluorescent lamp 90
Since the meandering discharge path is compacted in an extremely small space, the light emission length becomes long and high efficiency is also possible.

[Problems with background technology]

In the case of the saddle-shaped fluorescent lamp 80 shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. It is possible to form the shape by bending the curved portions closer to each other.

However, in the case of the three-dimensional polygonal fluorescent lamp 90 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, it is impossible to bend and shape a single straight glass bulb.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention was made based on these circumstances, and its purpose is to easily mold even a three-dimensional multi-shaped fluorescent lamp as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. The present invention is intended to provide a method for manufacturing a curved tube fluorescent lamp.

(Summary of the Invention) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a substantially planar crow bulb in which a plurality of substantially parallel linear portions are connected to a plurality of bent portions to form a meandering discharge path. and a step of heating and softening the bent part and bending it so that the straight part is located at the apex of a substantially polygonal shape so as to round off the substantially plane surface including the meandering discharge path. It is characterized by what it did.

[Embodiments of the invention]

The present invention will be explained below based on an embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5.

In FIG. 1, 1, 2.3 are respectively pre-defined U-shaped W
A glass bulb made in '7 is shown.

The U-shaped glass bulbs 1゜2 shown on the left and right are
Each has straight parts 1a, lb, 2a, 2b,
These straight portions 1a, lb, 2a, 2b are communicated by U-shaped bent portions 1c, 2c. The U-shaped glass bulbs 1.2 shown on the left and right sides are one straight portion 1a.

The end of 2a is open, and the other straight part 1
b, the end of 2b is closed. And these U
A phosphor coating 4 is formed on the inner surface of the shaped glass bulb 1.2.

The U-shaped glass bulb 3 shown in the center includes straight portions 3a and 3b, which are connected by a U-shaped bent portion 3C. The ends of each straight portion 3a, 3b of this U-shaped glass bulb 3 are closed. However, an exhaust pipe 5 is connected to an end of one straight portion 3a. Using this exhaust pipe 5, a phosphor coating 4 is also formed on the inner surface of this U-shaped glass bulb 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, the three U-shaped glass bulbs 1, 2.3 prepared in advance as described above are heated at the portions to be joined by a gas burner 6.6.

The portion to be joined is formed on the side surface facing the adjacent bulbs when the U-shaped glass bulbs 1, 2.3 are arranged on the same plane. When heating the portion to be joined by the gas burner 6.6, pressurized gas such as air or inert gas is blown into each valve 1.2.3. The U-shaped glass bulbs 1 and 2 shown located on the left and right are located on one straight portion 1a.
, Since the ends of 2a are open, pressurized gas is blown from these open ends, and the U shown in the diagram is located at the center.
Pressurized gas is blown into the shape glass bulb 3 from the exhaust pipe 5. Then, when the parts to be joined heated by the gas burner 6.6 soften, the softened wall surfaces are blown outward by the pressure of the pressurized gas blown into the inside, and the parts to be joined are heated by the gas burner 6.6. Joint part 1 (as shown in Fig. 2)
1, 2 (1, 3d, 3d are formed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the above-mentioned joint parts 1d and 2d.

3d, fuse 3d comrades together. That is, the joint portion 1d,
2d.

3d and 3d are heated and melted by a gas burner 7.7, and their ends are abutted against each other.

In this way, three U-shaped glass bulbs 1°2.3
communicate with each other through fused joints 1d, 2d, 3d, and 3d, and these fused joints 1d.

2d, 3d, 3d become communication parts 8, 8, and the straight parts 1b, 2b, 3b, as if they were U-shaped curved parts.
3b are communicated to form a meandering discharge path of one °C length as a whole. Moreover, the three U-shaped glass bulbs 1, 2.3 connected in this way are located within the same plane P--P, as shown in FIG.

Next, while the communicating parts 8,8 are still soft, or if they have been cooled and hardened, they are heated and softened by the gas burner 7.7 shown in FIG. Bend it in the direction of the arrow in Figure 4.

Then, each U-shaped glass bulb 1, 2.3 is arranged at a position on every other side of a substantially hexagonal shape, as shown in FIG. 5, and the three-dimensional shape shown in FIGS. It is formed into a shape similar to the multi-curved fluorescent lamp 90. Although FIG. 5 is shown as a bottom view, the shape is the same in the top view.

Therefore, according to the above method, a three-dimensional polygonal fluorescent lamp in which a plurality of U-shaped glass bulbs are arranged in a polygonal shape can be easily obtained.

In the above embodiment, a case was explained in which a plurality of glass bulbs formed in advance into a U-shape were joined together as shown in FIG. 3, but the present invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. Using the molds 11 and 12 shown in FIG. 7, the bulb 10 having the meandering discharge path shown in FIG. 7 on the same plane may be integrally molded. When the U-shaped defining portions 10a and 10b of the valve 10 are heated and softened by a gas burner 7.7 and bent as shown by the arrow in FIG. A dimensional polygonal fluorescent lamp 90 is obtained.

In this method, since the bulb 10 having the meandering discharge path on the same plane is integrally molded using the molds 11 and 12, the number of steps is small and manufacturing is easy.

In addition, the valves in the state shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. It may be slightly curved. That is, it suffices if it is substantially flat, even if it is somewhat curved.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, a substantially planar glass bulb in which a meandering discharge path is formed by connecting a plurality of straight portions with a plurality of bent portions is made in advance, and the bent portions of the bulb are By heating and softening and bending, the surface including the meandering discharge path is bent and formed into a substantially polygonal shape, so it is a three-dimensional multi-curved fluorescent lamp with many bent parts. It can also be easily molded.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 5 are explanatory diagrams showing one embodiment of the present invention in the order of steps, Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of a mold used in another embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 7 is the mold. Figure 8 is a perspective view of a conventional saddle-shaped fluorescent lamp.
FIG. 9 is a plan view thereof, FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a polygonal fluorescent lamp to which the present invention is directed, and FIG. 11 is a plan view thereof. 1.2.3... U-shaped glass bulb, 8, 8... Communication portion, 10... Meandering glass bulb, 90... Polygonal fluorescent lamp. Applicant's Representative Patent Attorney Takehiko Suzue Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure s 8 Figure s 9 Figure

Claims (1)

[Claims] A step of making a substantially planar glass bulb in which a plurality of substantially parallel straight portions are connected by a plurality of bending portions to form a meandering discharge path, and the bending portions are heated and softened to bend them. A method for manufacturing a curved tube fluorescent lamp, comprising the step of forming the substantially flat surface including the meandering discharge path so that the linear portion is located at the apex of a substantially polygonal shape.