US2501375A - Electric discharge lamp - Google Patents

Electric discharge lamp Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US2501375A
US2501375A US650066A US65006646A US2501375A US 2501375 A US2501375 A US 2501375A US 650066 A US650066 A US 650066A US 65006646 A US65006646 A US 65006646A US 2501375 A US2501375 A US 2501375A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
discharge
glass
members
passage
crests
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
Application number
US650066A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Breadner Robert Leonard
Jenkins Henry Grainger
Simms Charles Henry
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
General Electric Co
Original Assignee
General Electric Co
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by General Electric Co filed Critical General Electric Co
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2501375A publication Critical patent/US2501375A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J61/00—Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
    • H01J61/96—Lamps with light-emitting discharge path and separately-heated incandescent body within a common envelope, e.g. for simulating daylight
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J61/00—Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
    • H01J61/02—Details
    • H01J61/04—Electrodes; Screens; Shields
    • H01J61/10—Shields, screens, or guides for influencing the discharge
    • H01J61/103—Shields, screens or guides arranged to extend the discharge path
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J61/00—Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
    • H01J61/02—Details
    • H01J61/30—Vessels; Containers
    • H01J61/32—Special longitudinal shape, e.g. for advertising purposes
    • H01J61/327—"Compact"-lamps, i.e. lamps having a folded discharge path

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to electric discharge lamps having long positive-column discharge paths and having their envelopes coated internally with fluorescent powder.
  • the invention is applicable both to cold cathode lamps of the kind usually operated from high voltage and and also to hot cathode lamps of the kind frequently operated from ordinary supplyvoltages.
  • the invention is therefore applicable to hot cathode lamps, in which the discharge passes through mercury vapour usually admixed with a few millimetres pressure of a rare gas such as argon, the discharge causing the powder coating on the envelope to fiuoresce.
  • a rare gas such as argon
  • These fluorescent lamps which are usually but not necessarily of circular cross-section, may vary, for example, from a few inches to several feet in length and from to 2" in mean diameter. They are usually made by mass production methods and are, therefore, generally straight lengths of tubing. Other shapes, such as grids, spirals, etc., have often been proposed but such shapes do not lend themselves readily to mass production methods and can be obtained, in general, only by manipulation :by skilled craftsmen. ihe operation becomes progressively more dimcult to perform as the diameter of the tubing is increased, and as the radius of curvature is decreased.
  • the simple straight tube has several practical disadvantages. As it may be several feet in length, it obviously requires considerable care in handling to avoid mechanical breakage.
  • the invention is concerned with discharge lamps of the type in which compactness is secured by giving the passage, through which the discharge passes between two electrodes located in said passage, a. spiral shape, in which the discharge passage is a channel formed between two vitreous components, one or both of the components having one or more upstanding ridges 66 which separate adjacent parts of the discharge passage from one another, in which the walls-of the discharge passage are coated with a luminescent material-and in which the discharge passage is provided with a gas and/0r vapour filling.
  • spiral is intended to include a helix and other intermediate shapes in which the centre line of the convolutions lies in a dished surface.
  • Lamps of the type described have already been proposed but for'various reasons have not been successful in providing an eflicient lamp of good appearance which is adapted to quantity production methods.
  • the vitreous material of the envelope should be reintively thin, that it should be in smooth curves, and that its general shape should be that of a surface of revolution.
  • the avoidance of sharp angles in the cross-section of the discharge path is also desirable if the fluorescent powder is to be applied uniformly. It h necessary that the discharge path should be; sealed along its length tov glass member in the general form of a surface of revolution located within an outer blown glass member in the general form of a surface of revolution, one or both of said members having a.
  • the grooved surface has a shape such that its section by a plane containing the axis of the members is wave-like or rippled, and the minimum radius of curvature of the surface of the waves or ripples at any point is at least equal to the maximum thickness of the glass at points away from the regions of sealing, the two members being sealed together along the crests of the waves or ripples, and tubulations, forming or connected to chambers containing the said electrodes, being connected to or near the ends of said discharge passage.
  • the lower limit given for the ratio or the radius of curvature of the waves or ripples to the thickness of the glass is not. in astrict sense, critical;
  • the maximum thickness of the glass means the maximum thickness at any place (on the rippled portion) not sealed to the other member. At places at which one member is sealed to the other, the "thickness to be attributed to either ceases to be definite. Generally, it is convenient that the smallest radius of the glass at the trough of a ripple (i. e. at the smallest diameter at the inner member, when the inner member is rippled, and at the largest diameter of the outer member, when theouter member is rippled), shall be at least five times the thickness at that point.
  • Fig. 4 is a view, also in sectional elevation, of a modified form of lamp according to the invention.
  • an inner component I is blown into a mould to the shape shown. It will be seen that it has the general shape of a cylinder with a domed or hemispherical end and the mould is so shaped as to give the surface of the inner member a wave-like or rippled form. The crests ll of the waves or ripples are separated by troughs I2 and extend around the member in the form of a spiral, in this example approximately a helix.
  • the inner member is next provided with tubulations l3 and M as shown in Fig. 2, these tubulations connecting with the two ends of the spiral groove or trough I2.
  • the sealing of the tubes l3 and H to the inner member may be performed in any known or suitable manner, for example by the method disclosed in British patent specification No. 534,952.
  • the inner member is then placed within an outer member l5 which is also blown into a mould to the same general shape as the inner member but has a plain, as distinct from a wave-like, surface.
  • the inner member is arranged to be an easy fit within the outer member.
  • the two components and i5 are then sealed together along the whole length of the crests it thus forming a discharge passage of approxi mately helical shape which is sealed along its whole length between the tubulations l3 and [4.
  • the sealing together may be performed by collapsing the outer component on to the crests H of the inner component in or by local and progressive melting with a small flame along the crests H. In the latter method, the continuous travel of the flame along the crests can be con trolled by well-known mechanical means.
  • Other methods of performing the sealing of the two components together will be obvious to those skilled in the art, for example the components may be suitably heated and rolled or tooled into contact.
  • Fig. 3 The result of the sealing operation is shown in Fig. 3.
  • the envelope is then coated internally with luminescent powder, for example by dusting using the method described in British patent specifications Nos. 421,932 and 460,756. Electrodes l6 and I? are then sealed through pinches formed in the lower ends of the tubulations l3 and I4, the envelope is evacuated, pro- 4 vided with a suitable gas and/or vapour filling, and sealed 05.
  • the minimum radius of curvature of the surface of the inner member In which is usually at the crests I I, is at least equal to the maximum thickness of the glass at any placeon the rippled surface not sealed to the outer'member.
  • the radius of curvature is a minimum at about the points I9 and this radius of curvature is made at least equal to the maximum thickness of the glass surrounding the passage excepting in the regions II where the two components are sealed together and the thickness is not definite.
  • the radius of curvature at the troughs I2 is preferably made at least five times the minimum thickness of the glass at any point away from the regions I i.
  • Fig. 4 corresponds to Fig. 2 and the subsequent operations described with reference to Fig. 3 may be performed on the embodiment of Fig. 4.
  • the minimum radius of curvature of the waves or ripples is usually. as before, at the crests 22 and this minimum radius is again made at least equal to the maximum thickness of the glass wall at any point away from the crests 22 where sealing takes place.
  • the minimum radius of curvature at the troughs 2i is also preferably made five or more times the maximum thickness of the glass wall at any point other than in the regions of sealing 22.
  • both members have the general form of cylinders with domed or hemi-spherical ends. Other shapes may, however, be employed so long as the general form is that of a surface of revolution.
  • An electric discharge lamp comprising a bulb composed of an inner and an outer glass member in nested relationship and in the general shape of coaxial cylinders closed at one end by domed portions, at least one of said members having a spiral groove in its surface extending to the tip of the domed portion thereof whereby the grooved surface has a shape such that its section by a plane containing the axis of the members is wave-like, said two members being hermetically sealed together along the crests of said waves and thereby forming a discharge passage of spiral shape therebetween, a gaseous filling in said discharge passage, electrode chambers extendin interiorly of the bulb from the open end thereof to the ends of said passage re spectively adjacent the said open end of the bulb and at the tip of the closed end thereof, and an electrode in each of said chambers.
  • An electric discharge lamp comprising a bulb composed of an inner and an outer glass member each in the general shape of a surface of revolution hermetically sealed together to form a discharge chamber, at least one of said members having a spiral groove in its surface, whereby the grooved surface has a shape such that its section by a plane containing the axis of the members is wave-like, and the minimum I radius of curvature of the surface of the waves at any point is at least 5 times the maximum thickness of the glass at points away from the regions of sealing, said two members being sealed together along the crests of said waves and there by forming a discharge passage of spiral shape, a luminescent material upon the walls of said passage, a gaseous filling in said discharge passage, an electrode chamber sealed to each end of said passage, and an electrode in each of said chambers.
  • An electric discharge lamp comprising a bulb composed 01' an inner and an outer glass member in the general shape of coaxial cylinders closed at one end by domed portions and hermetically sealed together to form a discharge chamber, at least one of said members having a spiral groove in its surface, whereby the grooved surface has a shape such that its section by a plane containing the axis of the members is wave-like, said two members being sealed together along the crests of said waves and thereby forming a discharge passage of spiral shape, a luminescent material upon the walls of said passage, a gaseous filling in said discharge passage, an electrode chamber sealed to each end of said passage, and an electrode in each of said chambers.

Landscapes

  • Vessels And Coating Films For Discharge Lamps (AREA)
  • Discharge Lamps And Accessories Thereof (AREA)
US650066A 1944-12-21 1946-02-25 Electric discharge lamp Expired - Lifetime US2501375A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB25632/44A GB590703A (en) 1944-12-21 1944-12-21 Improvements in and relating to electric discharge lamps

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2501375A true US2501375A (en) 1950-03-21

Family

ID=10230805

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US650066A Expired - Lifetime US2501375A (en) 1944-12-21 1946-02-25 Electric discharge lamp

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US2501375A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BE (1) BE463973A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ES (1) ES173962A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR922051A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB590703A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE838796C (de) * 1950-07-16 1952-05-12 Siemens Ag Gasentladungslampe
DE906245C (de) * 1950-06-22 1954-03-11 Paul Jahn Dipl Ing Lumineszenzlampe
US2965789A (en) * 1958-04-18 1960-12-20 Gen Electric Vapor pressure control in discharge lamps
US3899712A (en) * 1974-05-01 1975-08-12 Gen Electric Tapered helical compact fluorescent lamp
US3903447A (en) * 1971-10-22 1975-09-02 Westinghouse Electric Corp Single-ended electric discharge lamp having tubular envelope with partition means that provides a helical arc path
JPS52113584A (en) * 1976-03-19 1977-09-22 Matsushita Electronics Corp Lamp and its production method
US4187446A (en) * 1977-09-21 1980-02-05 Leo Gross Screw-in fluorescent lamp with magnetic arc spreading
US4311942A (en) * 1977-09-21 1982-01-19 Spellman High Voltage Electronics Corp. Compact fluorescent lamp and method and means for magnetic arc spreading
US4393325A (en) * 1979-08-15 1983-07-12 U.S. Philips Corporation Low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp with mercury amalgam
US5751104A (en) * 1995-03-31 1998-05-12 General Electric Company Compact fluorescent lamp having a helical lamp envelope
JP2002523870A (ja) * 1998-08-21 2002-07-30 コーニング インコーポレイテッド 小型蛍光灯用チャネル付ガラス物品
US20050088076A1 (en) * 2003-10-27 2005-04-28 Chi-Jung Chu Fluorescent lamp
US20050275351A1 (en) * 2004-02-10 2005-12-15 Shichao Ge Gas discharge fluorescent device with lamp support
US20070041182A1 (en) * 2005-07-20 2007-02-22 Shichao Ge Fluorescent Lamp for Lighting Applications
US7973489B2 (en) 2007-11-02 2011-07-05 Tbt Asset Management International Limited Lighting system for illumination using cold cathode fluorescent lamps
US8492991B2 (en) 2007-11-02 2013-07-23 Tbt Asset Management International Limited Lighting fixture system for illumination using cold cathode fluorescent lamps

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE898622C (de) * 1949-12-06 1953-12-03 Ulrich W Doering Elektrische Entladungsroehre mit einer Fuellung von Gasen und/oder Daempfen von niedrigem Druck
DE1017286B (de) * 1952-06-17 1957-10-10 Ing Karl Nowak Gasentladungslampe
DE968549C (de) * 1952-09-15 1958-03-06 Ing Karl Nowak Gasentladungslampe mit einem sich nahezu ueber die Lampenlaenge erstreckenden Einbaukolben
NL7812539A (nl) * 1978-02-14 1979-08-16 Philips Nv Lagedrukkwikdampontladingslamp.
GB9700426D0 (en) * 1997-01-10 1997-02-26 Light Years Ahead Ltd Light sources

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1870147A (en) * 1931-04-02 1932-08-02 Emanuel C Smally Illuminating device
US1984215A (en) * 1931-01-16 1934-12-11 Hotchner Fred Vacuum vessel and illuminating device
US2205672A (en) * 1938-10-13 1940-06-25 David F Sawyer Lighting element and fixture therefor
US2272513A (en) * 1938-05-19 1942-02-10 Ets Claude Paz & Silva Electric lamp
US2279635A (en) * 1941-01-07 1942-04-14 Fred J Mckane Luminous vapor lamp
US2316348A (en) * 1940-10-19 1943-04-13 Mahlck Gustave Lamp

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1984215A (en) * 1931-01-16 1934-12-11 Hotchner Fred Vacuum vessel and illuminating device
US1870147A (en) * 1931-04-02 1932-08-02 Emanuel C Smally Illuminating device
US2272513A (en) * 1938-05-19 1942-02-10 Ets Claude Paz & Silva Electric lamp
US2205672A (en) * 1938-10-13 1940-06-25 David F Sawyer Lighting element and fixture therefor
US2316348A (en) * 1940-10-19 1943-04-13 Mahlck Gustave Lamp
US2279635A (en) * 1941-01-07 1942-04-14 Fred J Mckane Luminous vapor lamp

Cited By (20)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE906245C (de) * 1950-06-22 1954-03-11 Paul Jahn Dipl Ing Lumineszenzlampe
DE838796C (de) * 1950-07-16 1952-05-12 Siemens Ag Gasentladungslampe
US2965789A (en) * 1958-04-18 1960-12-20 Gen Electric Vapor pressure control in discharge lamps
US3903447A (en) * 1971-10-22 1975-09-02 Westinghouse Electric Corp Single-ended electric discharge lamp having tubular envelope with partition means that provides a helical arc path
US3899712A (en) * 1974-05-01 1975-08-12 Gen Electric Tapered helical compact fluorescent lamp
JPS52113584A (en) * 1976-03-19 1977-09-22 Matsushita Electronics Corp Lamp and its production method
US4095135A (en) * 1976-03-19 1978-06-13 Matsushita Electronics Corporation Spherical-bulb fluorescent lamp
US4187446A (en) * 1977-09-21 1980-02-05 Leo Gross Screw-in fluorescent lamp with magnetic arc spreading
US4311942A (en) * 1977-09-21 1982-01-19 Spellman High Voltage Electronics Corp. Compact fluorescent lamp and method and means for magnetic arc spreading
US4393325A (en) * 1979-08-15 1983-07-12 U.S. Philips Corporation Low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp with mercury amalgam
US5751104A (en) * 1995-03-31 1998-05-12 General Electric Company Compact fluorescent lamp having a helical lamp envelope
JP2002523870A (ja) * 1998-08-21 2002-07-30 コーニング インコーポレイテッド 小型蛍光灯用チャネル付ガラス物品
US20050088076A1 (en) * 2003-10-27 2005-04-28 Chi-Jung Chu Fluorescent lamp
US20050275351A1 (en) * 2004-02-10 2005-12-15 Shichao Ge Gas discharge fluorescent device with lamp support
WO2005078763A3 (en) * 2004-02-10 2006-10-26 Tbt Asset Man Internat Ltd Gas discharge fluorescent device with lamp support
US20070041182A1 (en) * 2005-07-20 2007-02-22 Shichao Ge Fluorescent Lamp for Lighting Applications
US7862201B2 (en) 2005-07-20 2011-01-04 Tbt Asset Management International Limited Fluorescent lamp for lighting applications
US20110156609A1 (en) * 2005-07-20 2011-06-30 Tbt Asset Management International Limited Fluorescent lamp for lighting applications
US7973489B2 (en) 2007-11-02 2011-07-05 Tbt Asset Management International Limited Lighting system for illumination using cold cathode fluorescent lamps
US8492991B2 (en) 2007-11-02 2013-07-23 Tbt Asset Management International Limited Lighting fixture system for illumination using cold cathode fluorescent lamps

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB590703A (en) 1947-07-25
ES173962A1 (es) 1946-07-16
BE463973A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1946-04-30
FR922051A (fr) 1947-05-28

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US2501375A (en) Electric discharge lamp
US3501662A (en) Planar or three-dimensional fluorescent lamp and method of manufacture
US3899712A (en) Tapered helical compact fluorescent lamp
US1983362A (en) Electric incandescent lamp
US2501376A (en) Electric discharge lamp
US2339166A (en) Circular electric lamp
US2743388A (en) Electric lamp
US2973447A (en) Grooved lamp vapor pressure control
US3390296A (en) Electric discharge device having spaced electrodes sealed to opposite end of envelope
US3286118A (en) Electric incandescent lamps
US3121183A (en) Fluorescent lamp
US2391572A (en) Method for producing electronic devices
US3622947A (en) Lamp base extension
US2494857A (en) Method for making electric discharge lamps
US3271093A (en) Method for making incandescent lamps
US4117372A (en) Gas discharge lamp with double-electrode powered through a rectifier, and discharge-tight cross-connection of the electrode chambers, and a process for its manufacture
US2901648A (en) Reflector mercury lamp
US1951137A (en) Gaseous electric discharge device
US1935697A (en) Gaseous electric discharge device
US2004564A (en) Gaseous electric discharge lamp device
US2739261A (en) Tubular gas discharge lamp
US1935423A (en) Electric discharge device
US2096236A (en) Electrical discharge device
US3036236A (en) Electric lamp and method of manufacture
US2468221A (en) Electrode