US2409769A - Fluorescent glow lamp - Google Patents
Fluorescent glow lamp Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US2409769A US2409769A US547008A US54700844A US2409769A US 2409769 A US2409769 A US 2409769A US 547008 A US547008 A US 547008A US 54700844 A US54700844 A US 54700844A US 2409769 A US2409769 A US 2409769A
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- lamp
- electrode
- fluorescent
- coating
- glow
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
- H01J61/00—Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
- H01J61/70—Lamps with low-pressure unconstricted discharge having a cold pressure < 400 Torr
- H01J61/72—Lamps with low-pressure unconstricted discharge having a cold pressure < 400 Torr having a main light-emitting filling of easily vaporisable metal vapour, e.g. mercury
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
- H01J17/00—Gas-filled discharge tubes with solid cathode
- H01J17/02—Details
- H01J17/04—Electrodes; Screens
- H01J17/06—Cathodes
- H01J17/066—Cold cathodes
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
- H01J61/00—Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
- H01J61/02—Details
- H01J61/12—Selection of substances for gas fillings; Specified operating pressure or temperature
- H01J61/16—Selection of substances for gas fillings; Specified operating pressure or temperature having helium, argon, neon, krypton, or xenon as the principle constituent
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
- H01J2893/00—Discharge tubes and lamps
- H01J2893/0064—Tubes with cold main electrodes (including cold cathodes)
- H01J2893/0065—Electrode systems
- H01J2893/0066—Construction, material, support, protection and temperature regulation of electrodes; Electrode cups
Definitions
- This invention relates to electric glow lamps, and particularly to those of the fluorescent type.
- An object of the invention is to produce such a lamp which can be operated directly and efficiently from the usual 110 volt lighting circuits.
- a further object is to produce such a lamp with a uniform glow from a fluorescent material in or on the lamp bulb. Still another object is to produce such a lamp of small wattage.
- a feature of th invention is production of a fluorescent glow lamp without the usual mercury vapor filling.
- Other features are a cupped or hemispherical electrode an alkaline earth oxide coating on the outside of said electrode a zirconium coating on its interior surface, and a filling including krypton or xenon gas. All of these features are not necessarily present in each device of my invention, and other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a study of the specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:
- Figure 1 is a cut-away perspective view of a lamp according to my invention
- Figure 2 is a profile view in section of the electrode structure of the same lamp
- Figure 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of my lamp for use with direct current.
- Figure 4 is a profile section of the electrode structure of said lamp.
- the glass bulb l is coated on its interior surface with the fluorescent coating 2, which may comprise the usual inorganic fluorescent materials, such as manganese activated zinc silicate.
- the bulb I is closed at its neck by the stem 3, through which lead-in wires 4 and 5 are sealed.
- Hollow hemispherical electrodes 6 and I having flanges 8 and 9 are respectively each connected to and supported from, one of said leadin wires 4 and 5, extending completely across the corresponding electrode and being welded or attached to the flange at two diametrically opposite parts, as It and I1, l8 and I9, for resistance to mechanical shock.
- the hollow or open ends of the electrodes face each other and are spaced a short distance apart.
- a coating of powdered zirconium HI, I l is on the inside of each of said electrodes 6, 1 and a coating l2, [3 of one or. more of th alkaline earth oxides is on the outside of the electrodes 6, 1.
- the bulb is filled with inert gas at some millimeters of mercury pressure, for example, 25 millimeters.
- the lamp In operation, the lamp is connected to a source of voltage through a ballast resistor which may conveniently be placed in the base of the lamp,
- a ballast resistor which may conveniently be placed in the base of the lamp.
- the current density at the electrodes will ordicharge.
- the negative glow spreads all over the electrode and the radiation from the glow excites the fluorescent coating 2, giving off considerable light.
- Th gas pressure should be high enough to confine the glow to th lectrodes.
- a small amount of mercury vapor has been customarily used in the fluorescent lamp art to secure ultraviolet radiation, but I have secured better results in small bulbs without the presence of mercury, which tends to diminish the light output by condensing on th bulb I or coating 2.
- the bulb is evacuated in the usual manner prior to filling with the desired gas pressure, and I have found that a cold trap is desirable to keep mercury vapor from getting into the bulb from the mercury diffusion type exhaust pump.
- a cold trap is formed in the usual manner by cooling a small part of the exhaust line to condens out the mercury at that point, thereby preventing the vapor from entering the bulb being exhausted.
- Th zirconium is bestused in the form of a powder or dust, milled and suspended in a lacquer, such as a solution of nitrocellulose in amyl acetate,
- the oxide coating I 2, I3 is best applied by suspending powdered barium dioxide in a similar lacquer.
- the electrodes 6 and 1 may be heated to red heat by placing a high frequency induction coil around the bulb for a, time. This will break down the carbonates into oxides and will remove the lacquer also, leaving the powdered materials in a firmlyadherent coating On the electrode.
- the inert gas used is preferably neon, whose characteristic red light will supplement that produced by excitation of the coating 2.
- a small amount of krypton is preferably added to the neon. I have found neon at a pressure of 35 millimeters of mercury, with less than 1% of krypton effective for exciting the usual silicate and tun state fluorescent materials.
- the lamps of Figures 1 and 2 can be used on direct current, but in that case the negative glow will form on only one electrode and one-half of the lamp will thus appear dark.
- the construction of Figures 2 and 3 is better for direct current.
- the electrode I4 is the anode, and is supported from lead-in wire 5 to which it is welded.
- the electrode 6 is supported from, and perpendicular to, lead-in wire 4, by cross piece l5, attached to the flange 8 at two diametrically opposite places IE, IT.
- Brace 20 provides further mechanical support.
- the lamp voltage will be high unless the anode 14 has an appreciable area, say at least half the area of the other electrode 1.
- Anod [4 preferably has an area not greater than that of the other electrode 6.
- a negative discharge type glow lamp comprising a glass envelope having a base portion, an inert gas atmosphere in said envelope a coating of fiuorenscent. material on the inner wall of said envelope, a pair of hemispherical electrodes having their concaved faces facing and spaced a short distance apart, lead wires connected to said electrodes and extending through said base portion, said lead wires supporting said electrodes with th plane of their peripheral edges extending toward said base portion, and each lead wire to which each electrode is connected extending completely across the concave face of the hemispherical electrode and connected thereto at two diametrically opposite points on the peripheral edge of said hemispherical electrode, and an electron
Description
Oct. 22, 1946. w. E. LE YSHON FLUORESCENT GLOW LAMP Filed July 28, 1944 WILLIAM BLEYSHON mmvrolz ATTORNEY I Patented Oct. 22, 1946 UNITED STAT FLUORESCENT GLOW LAMP William E. Leyshon, Danvers, Mass, assignor to Sylvania Electric Products Inc., Salem, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 28, 1944, Serial No. 547,008
1 Claim. 1
This invention relates to electric glow lamps, and particularly to those of the fluorescent type.
An object of the invention is to produce such a lamp which can be operated directly and efficiently from the usual 110 volt lighting circuits.
A further object is to produce such a lamp with a uniform glow from a fluorescent material in or on the lamp bulb. Still another object is to produce such a lamp of small wattage.
A feature of th invention is production of a fluorescent glow lamp without the usual mercury vapor filling. Other features are a cupped or hemispherical electrode an alkaline earth oxide coating on the outside of said electrode a zirconium coating on its interior surface, and a filling including krypton or xenon gas. All of these features are not necessarily present in each device of my invention, and other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a study of the specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:
Figure 1 is a cut-away perspective view of a lamp according to my invention;
Figure 2 is a profile view in section of the electrode structure of the same lamp;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of my lamp for use with direct current; and
Figure 4 is a profile section of the electrode structure of said lamp.
In Figure 1, the glass bulb l is coated on its interior surface with the fluorescent coating 2, which may comprise the usual inorganic fluorescent materials, such as manganese activated zinc silicate. The bulb I is closed at its neck by the stem 3, through which lead-in wires 4 and 5 are sealed. Hollow hemispherical electrodes 6 and I having flanges 8 and 9 are respectively each connected to and supported from, one of said leadin wires 4 and 5, extending completely across the corresponding electrode and being welded or attached to the flange at two diametrically opposite parts, as It and I1, l8 and I9, for resistance to mechanical shock. The hollow or open ends of the electrodes face each other and are spaced a short distance apart. A coating of powdered zirconium HI, I l is on the inside of each of said electrodes 6, 1 and a coating l2, [3 of one or. more of th alkaline earth oxides is on the outside of the electrodes 6, 1. The bulb is filled with inert gas at some millimeters of mercury pressure, for example, 25 millimeters.
In operation, the lamp is connected to a source of voltage through a ballast resistor which may conveniently be placed in the base of the lamp, The current density at the electrodes will ordicharge. In the latter type of discharge, the negative glow spreads all over the electrode and the radiation from the glow excites the fluorescent coating 2, giving off considerable light. Th gas pressure should be high enough to confine the glow to th lectrodes.
A small amount of mercury vapor has been customarily used in the fluorescent lamp art to secure ultraviolet radiation, but I have secured better results in small bulbs without the presence of mercury, which tends to diminish the light output by condensing on th bulb I or coating 2. During manufacture the bulb is evacuated in the usual manner prior to filling with the desired gas pressure, and I have found that a cold trap is desirable to keep mercury vapor from getting into the bulb from the mercury diffusion type exhaust pump. A cold trap is formed in the usual manner by cooling a small part of the exhaust line to condens out the mercury at that point, thereby preventing the vapor from entering the bulb being exhausted.
Th zirconium is bestused in the form of a powder or dust, milled and suspended in a lacquer, such as a solution of nitrocellulose in amyl acetate, The oxide coating I 2, I3, is best applied by suspending powdered barium dioxide in a similar lacquer. During the exhaust process, the electrodes 6 and 1 may be heated to red heat by placing a high frequency induction coil around the bulb for a, time. This will break down the carbonates into oxides and will remove the lacquer also, leaving the powdered materials in a firmlyadherent coating On the electrode.
Where some material such as cadmium borate is to be used in the coating 2 to give a red or pink light, the inert gas used is preferably neon, whose characteristic red light will supplement that produced by excitation of the coating 2. A small amount of krypton is preferably added to the neon. I have found neon at a pressure of 35 millimeters of mercury, with less than 1% of krypton effective for exciting the usual silicate and tun state fluorescent materials.
The lamps of Figures 1 and 2 can be used on direct current, but in that case the negative glow will form on only one electrode and one-half of the lamp will thus appear dark. The construction of Figures 2 and 3 is better for direct current. The electrode I4 is the anode, and is supported from lead-in wire 5 to which it is welded. The electrode 6 is supported from, and perpendicular to, lead-in wire 4, by cross piece l5, attached to the flange 8 at two diametrically opposite places IE, IT. Brace 20 provides further mechanical support.
I have found that the lamp voltage will be high unless the anode 14 has an appreciable area, say at least half the area of the other electrode 1. Anod [4 preferably has an area not greater than that of the other electrode 6.
What I claim is:
A negative discharge type glow lamp comprising a glass envelope having a base portion, an inert gas atmosphere in said envelope a coating of fiuorenscent. material on the inner wall of said envelope, a pair of hemispherical electrodes having their concaved faces facing and spaced a short distance apart, lead wires connected to said electrodes and extending through said base portion, said lead wires supporting said electrodes with th plane of their peripheral edges extending toward said base portion, and each lead wire to which each electrode is connected extending completely across the concave face of the hemispherical electrode and connected thereto at two diametrically opposite points on the peripheral edge of said hemispherical electrode, and an electron
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US547008A US2409769A (en) | 1944-07-28 | 1944-07-28 | Fluorescent glow lamp |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US547008A US2409769A (en) | 1944-07-28 | 1944-07-28 | Fluorescent glow lamp |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US2409769A true US2409769A (en) | 1946-10-22 |
Family
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Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US547008A Expired - Lifetime US2409769A (en) | 1944-07-28 | 1944-07-28 | Fluorescent glow lamp |
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US (1) | US2409769A (en) |
Cited By (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2446157A (en) * | 1946-05-23 | 1948-07-27 | Sylvania Electric Prod | Electrode |
US2622221A (en) * | 1945-11-23 | 1952-12-16 | Westinghouse Electric Corp | Fluorescent discharge lamp |
US2838678A (en) * | 1953-03-30 | 1958-06-10 | Westinghouse Electric Corp | Infrared image pick-up and converter device |
US4000436A (en) * | 1973-05-31 | 1976-12-28 | Dai Nippon Toryo Co., Ltd. | Gaseous discharge luminous device |
US4532452A (en) * | 1983-10-31 | 1985-07-30 | Rca Corporation | Cathode structure for a cathodoluminescent display devices |
US5432403A (en) * | 1991-06-10 | 1995-07-11 | Gte Products Corporation | Negative glow discharge lamp having improved color stability and enhanced life |
US5866984A (en) * | 1996-02-27 | 1999-02-02 | General Electric Company | Mercury-free ultraviolet discharge source |
-
1944
- 1944-07-28 US US547008A patent/US2409769A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Cited By (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2622221A (en) * | 1945-11-23 | 1952-12-16 | Westinghouse Electric Corp | Fluorescent discharge lamp |
US2446157A (en) * | 1946-05-23 | 1948-07-27 | Sylvania Electric Prod | Electrode |
US2838678A (en) * | 1953-03-30 | 1958-06-10 | Westinghouse Electric Corp | Infrared image pick-up and converter device |
US4000436A (en) * | 1973-05-31 | 1976-12-28 | Dai Nippon Toryo Co., Ltd. | Gaseous discharge luminous device |
US4532452A (en) * | 1983-10-31 | 1985-07-30 | Rca Corporation | Cathode structure for a cathodoluminescent display devices |
US5432403A (en) * | 1991-06-10 | 1995-07-11 | Gte Products Corporation | Negative glow discharge lamp having improved color stability and enhanced life |
US5866984A (en) * | 1996-02-27 | 1999-02-02 | General Electric Company | Mercury-free ultraviolet discharge source |
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