JPS6358755A - Low pressure merchury vapor discharge lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve mechanical strength and control mutual positional relation with high accuracy while realizing further miniaturization by making opposing faces of adjoining glass tubes into flat surfaces and causing the flat surfaces to make surface contact between them. CONSTITUTION:Flat surfaces 5(a) and 5(b) are formed on mutually opposing faces of U-shaped glass tubes 2(a) and 2(b). And, respective flat faces 5(a) of the U-shaped glass tubes 2(a) and 2(b) are brought into mutual surface contact to be junctioned together by means of a connecting member 3. With such a structure, the adjoining glass tubes 2(a) and 2(b) are brought into mutual contact between the flat surfaces 5(a) and 5(b) with no stress concentrated on any specific point even if external force toward an arrow direction is applied, thereon, thus improving its mechanical strength. The contact surface resulting from the mutual surface contact can be utilized to control their mutual positional relation with high accuracy. In addition, a gap between the glass tubes 2(a) and 2(b) is eliminated to enable minituarization thereof.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp in which a meandering discharge path is formed by joining a plurality of glass tubes.

(Traditional Limb Techniques) In the well-known fluorescent lamp, which is a typical example of a low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp, the arc tube bulb is bent into a U-shape, W-shape, or saddle shape to make it more compact and There is a trend toward higher output.

The conventional structure will be explained using the saddle-shaped fluorescent lamp shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 as a representative example. That is, the saddle-shaped valve 40 is
Two approximately U-shaped glass tubes 41a.

41b are joined at the ends by fusion of the branch pipes to form a meandering discharge path as a whole,
Electrodes 42a and 42b are sealed at both ends of this discharge path.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the above conventional case, the U-shaped glass tubes 41a and 41b are spaced apart from each other, and when an external force in the direction of the arrow is applied, stress is generated in the fused portion 43, causing it to break. There were concerns and problems with low mechanical strength. Also, an adjacent glass tube 41a.

In some cases, the mutual positional relationship between the U-shaped glass tubes 41a and 41b cannot be determined with high precision, and a gap is created between the U-shaped glass tubes 41a and 41b, resulting in a large size.

The present invention aims to provide a low-pressure water vapor lamp with strong mechanical strength, a high jiff positional relationship between adjacent glass tubes, and a compact layer. It is.

[Structure of the Invention (Means for Solving Problems) The present invention is characterized in that the opposing surfaces of adjacent glass tubes are flat surfaces, and these flat surfaces are in surface contact with each other.

(Function) According to the present invention, since the adjacent glass tubes are in surface contact with each other with their flat surfaces, mechanical strength is improved, and since the adjacent glass tubes are in surface contact with each other, the positional relationship can be regulated with high precision. Since there is no gap between the glass tubes, it becomes possible to make it more compact.

(Embodiment of the Invention) The present invention will be described below based on a first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 1 shows a saddle-shaped fluorescent lamp, the saddle-shaped bulb 1 having a meandering structure as a whole made up of two generally U-shaped glass tubes 2a, 2b joined together at each end by a connecting member 3. This is to form a tli electric path. Mills 4a and 4b are sealed at both ends of the discharge path, and a phosphor coating (not shown) is coated on the inner surface of the bulb 1.

The U-shaped glass tubes 2a and 2b are provided with flat surfaces 5a on opposite sides thereof, as shown by the X diagonal lines in FIG.

5b (5b is shown in FIG. 3). and,
These U-shaped glass tubes 2a, 2b are joined together by the connecting member 3, with their flat surfaces 5a, 5b facing each other, as shown in FIG.

The connecting member 3 is made of glass or metal, and serves to mechanically connect the U-shaped glass tubes 2a and 2b to each other, and to electrically connect the ends thereof.

According to such a configuration, adjacent glass tubes 1a
, 1b are brought into surface contact with each other by the flat surfaces 5a and 5b, so even if an external force is applied in the direction of the arrow, there is no place where stress is concentrated, thus improving mechanical strength.

Furthermore, since they are in surface contact with each other, the mutual positional relationship can be regulated with high precision by these contact surfaces.

Furthermore, since there is no gap between the glass tubes 2a, 2a, it becomes possible to make the structure more compact.

Next, a description will be given based on a second embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 to 6.

In the figure, 10a, 10b, 10c and 1
0d and C are straight glass tubes each having a rectangular cross section.

These rectangular straight glass tubes 10a, 10b
.

The inner surfaces of +Oc and 10d are coated with a phosphor coating (not shown), and their flat surfaces are in surface contact with each other.

These rectangular straight glass tubes 10a, 10b
.

The upper ends of 10c and 10d are closed by an upper connecting member 11, and glass tubes 10a and 10b1 and 10c and 10d are connected to this upper connecting member 11, respectively, but there is a partition wall 12 that closes off between 10b and 10c. is formed. The upper connecting member 11 is joined to the upper ends of the rectangular straight glass tubes 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d using solder glass.

Square straight glass tubes 10a, 10b, 1
The lower ends of 0c and 10d are closed by a lower connecting member 13, and the lower ends of glass tubes 10a and 106 are closed to this lower connecting member 13, but 10b and 10c are connected to each other. Electrode mounts 14 and 14 located at the lower ends of the glass tubes 10a and 10d are sealed to the lower connecting member 13.

The lower connecting member 13 is also a rectangular straight glass tube 10a.
, 10b, 10c and 10d via solder glass, and lff1 mount 14.
The stem 15.15 of No. 14 is also joined to the hole 16.16 by means of solder glass.

Even in the second embodiment with such a configuration, the glass tubes 10a, lOb, +Oc and +Od
is formed into a square shape, and the adjacent glass tube 10a
110b, 10c, and 10d are in surface contact with each other on their flat side surfaces, so that mechanical strength is improved.

Moreover, since they are in surface contact with each other, the mutual positional relationship can be determined 11 with high precision by these contact surfaces.

Furthermore, glass tubes 10a, 10b, 10
Since there is no gap between c and 10d, it is possible to make the device compact, and since there is no gap between the discharge paths, it is possible to obtain a uniform light emitting surface as a whole.

In addition, glass tubes 10a, 10b, 10c
and +Od have the same cross-sectional shape, so they can be obtained from a long tube, and there is no need for troublesome work such as bending in the middle.

Furthermore, the present invention provides polygonal glass tubes 20a, 20b, 20c and 20, such as the hexagonal shape shown in FIG.
d are brought into surface contact with each other on each side, respectively, or oval glass tubes 30a and 30b shown in FIG.

The structure may be such that 30c and 30d are brought into surface contact with each other on each side.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, the opposing surfaces of adjacent glass tubes are flat surfaces, and these flat surfaces are in surface contact with each other, so that the contacting surfaces reinforce each other and increase mechanical strength. Furthermore, since the glass tubes are in surface contact with each other, the mutual positional relationship can be determined with high precision, and since there is no gap between the glass tubes, it is possible to make the glass tubes more compact.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a perspective view, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view, FIG. 3 is a sectional view, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are A second embodiment of the invention is shown, FIG. 4 is a perspective view, FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view, FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a third embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the invention. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 8 and 9 show a conventional structure, with FIG. 8 being a perspective view and FIG. 9 being a sectional view. 1... Arc tube bulb, 2a, 2b, 10a ~
10d, 20a to 20d, 30a to 30d...Glass tube, 5a, 5b...Flat surface. Applicant's representative Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue 2b Force → Co. -P Figure 1 Figure 2 a Third prisoner Figure 6 Figure 7 j Figure 8

Claims (1)

[Claims] A low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp formed by joining a plurality of glass tubes to form a meandering discharge path, characterized in that the opposing surfaces of adjacent glass tubes are flat surfaces, and these flat surfaces are in surface contact with each other. Low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp.