US2873510A - Method of manufacturing seals for electric discharge tubes - Google Patents

Method of manufacturing seals for electric discharge tubes Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US2873510A
US2873510A US532520A US53252055A US2873510A US 2873510 A US2873510 A US 2873510A US 532520 A US532520 A US 532520A US 53252055 A US53252055 A US 53252055A US 2873510 A US2873510 A US 2873510A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
layer
glass
copper
copper oxide
gold
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
US532520A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Duran Johannes Christian
Bakker Martinus Antonius Maria
Pieter Geert Van Zanten
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.)
US Philips Corp
North American Philips Co Inc
Original Assignee
US Philips Corp
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 US Philips Corp filed Critical US Philips Corp
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2873510A publication Critical patent/US2873510A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
    • C03C—CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GLASSES, GLAZES OR VITREOUS ENAMELS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF GLASS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF FIBRES OR FILAMENTS MADE FROM GLASS, MINERALS OR SLAGS; JOINING GLASS TO GLASS OR OTHER MATERIALS
    • C03C27/00—Joining pieces of glass to pieces of other inorganic material; Joining glass to glass other than by fusing
    • C03C27/04—Joining glass to metal by means of an interlayer
    • C03C27/042—Joining glass to metal by means of an interlayer consisting of a combination of materials selected from glass, glass-ceramic or ceramic material with metals, metal oxides or metal salts
    • C03C27/046—Joining glass to metal by means of an interlayer consisting of a combination of materials selected from glass, glass-ceramic or ceramic material with metals, metal oxides or metal salts of metals, metal oxides or metal salts only
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J5/00—Details relating to vessels or to leading-in conductors common to two or more basic types of discharge tubes or lamps
    • H01J5/32—Seals for leading-in conductors

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a seal for an electric discharge tube, and in particular to a seal comprising a contact member sealed in glass, with at least the surface of the contact member projecting from the tube consisting of gold or a gold alloy.
  • Such gold-coated contact members can be sealed in glass satisfactorily if the coeficients of thermal expansion of the core material of the member and the glass correspond with one another, such contact members, particularly pinshaped members, suffer from the disadvantage that the glass is liable to crack when the member is subjected .to lateral forces. It was found that this was caused by insufficient adherence of the glass to the gold. It was known that the adherenceof the glass could be strongly improved if oxides are present on a metal surface. Hence, it has been proposed to coat the surface of copper-plated or silver-plated conductors with a thin layer of chromium, which during the scalingin process is entirely or partially converted into chromium oxide.
  • chromium instead of chromium, onemay also use iron, aluminium, manganese or cobalt.
  • these metals have the disadvantage that they and their oxides can only be removed from the parts of the contact members projecting beyond the seal with difiiculty, particularly if they are coated over a layer of gold.
  • the gold is employed to obtain a corrosion-resistant surface which makes a reliable contact with, for example, suitable contact springs. Consequently, this gold surface must be exposed and cleaned by removal of any oxides thereon.
  • the oxide layer have a controlled thickness which is accurately determined, since an oxide layer which is too thick may give rise to leakage due to the fact that the oxide layer does not sufiiciently adhere to the base layer and is not entirely dissolved in the glass.
  • thegold is provided with a layer of copper oxide, which, after the tube envelope has been sealed off, is preferably removed from the portion of the contact member which projects beyond the tube.
  • the copper oxide can be provided by coating the gold layer on the contact member with a copper layer, of, for example, from 5 to microns thick, which copper layer during the heating in the sealing-in process is en- I tirely oxidized to form copper oxide.
  • This thin film of oxide also protects the base metal from attack by combustion gases and the like.
  • the copper oxide film can subsequently be removed from the gold-plated parts of the contact member which project beyond the seal, together with any remaining copper, by pickling in a suit able bath of, for example, concentrated HCl, diluted with alcohol to about twice or three times its volume.
  • gold and copper may be coated att O 2,873,510 Patented Feb. 17, 1959 simultaneously on the core material of the contact member by electro-deposition.
  • a sufiicient amount of copper oxide is produced at the surface to ensure good adherence of the glass.
  • the desired result is obtainable even if the layer contains only 1% of copper. In this event also, the oxides can subsequently be removed from the surface outside of the seal.
  • the core material may be coated with a copper-gold compound, for example AuCu or AuCu
  • a copper-gold compound for example AuCu or AuCu
  • AuCu or AuCu The electric resistance of gold-copper compounds is a minimum at this molecular ratio.
  • a surface copper oxide layer is produced during the sealing-in process, which subsequently can be readily removed from the surface projecting beyond the seal by pickling. Since such a layer of high electric conductivity contains a comparatively small amount of gold, it is cheap and consequently may be made comparatively thick without the tube becoming too expensive. This ensures better protection for the core metal.
  • the wear resistance of such a layer is higher, not only because the layer is thicker but also because it is harder.
  • Reference numeral 1 designates the tube envelope, which is closed off by a base disc 2 made of glass, e. g. lead glass.
  • a base disc 2 made of glass, e. g. lead glass.
  • sealed-in contact pins 3 which may, for example, consist of ferrochromium and are coated with a layer of gold 4.
  • inter-mediate layers which preferably contain cobalt, may be interposed.
  • copper oxide 5 is dissolved in the glass so that satisfactory adherence of the glass to the gold layer 4 is obtained.
  • the pins 3 are connected to an electrode system 6.
  • the pins 3, of chromeiron containing 25% chromium are first coated with a gold layer of about 2 microns thick. Then, the pins are copper plated to a thickness of about 5 microns. The pins 3 are then mounted in apertures in the glass base 2, and the assembly heated at 800 C. for about 1 to, 2 minutes to cause thepins 3 to be fused vacuum-tight into the glass base 2. During this heating, sealing-in process, the copper layer is converted to copper oxide, which at the area of the seal dissolves partly in the glass to improve the adherence. Thereafter, the base 2 is sealed to the envelope 1 and the latter evacuated and sealed off.
  • the exposedends of the pins 3 are placed for a short time in a pickling bath, which readily removes the copper oxide layer on the pins 3, leaving a clean, gold surface on the portions of the pins projecting from the completed tube.
  • This operation can be done as an alternative also to a ready performed tube.
  • a method of providing a metal contact member sealed in a glass wall ofa discharge tube comprising the steps of coating said metal member with a layer consisting of AuCu; placing aportion of said coated metal member in contact with said glass wall; thereafter heating the member to. convert a portion of the copper in said AuCu into a thin external layer of copper oxide and simultaneously to fuse the member into the glass wall, and to dissolve in said glass substantially all of the copper oxide in the. seal region; and'thereafter removing the copper oxide from the portion of the member projecting from the Wall.
  • a method of providing a metal contact member sealed in a glass wall of a discharge tube comprising the steps of coating said metal member with a layer consisting of AuCu placing a portion of said coated metal member in contact with said glass wall; thereafter heating the member to convert at least a portion of the copper 'in said, AuCu into a thin'externa'l'layer of copper oxide and simultaneously to fuse the member into the glass wall, and to dissolve in said glass the copper oxide in the seal region; and thereafter removing the copper oxide from the portion of the member projecting from the wall.
  • a method of sealing a metal contact member con-- sisting essentially of an iron-nickel alloy in a glass wall of a discharge tube comprising the steps of coating said metal member with a layer of AuCu; placing a portion of said coated metal member in contact with the glass Wall; thereafter heating the coated metal member to convert a portion of the copper in said AuCu into a thin external layer of copper oxide and simultaneously to fuse the memher into the glass wall, and to dissolve in the glass substantially all of the copper oxide. in'the seal region; and thereafter'pickling the portionof the memberprojecting from, the glass Wall to remove the copper oxide therefrom.
  • a method of sealing a metal contact member consisting essentially of an iron-nickel alloy in a glass Wall of a discharge tube comprising the steps of coating said metal member with a layer :of a gold compound selected from the group consisting of AuCu and AuCu placing a portion of said coated metal member in contact with the glass; thereafter heating the coated metal member to convert a potrion of the copperin said gold-copper compound into a thin external layer of copper oxide and simultaneously to fuse the member into the glass wall, and
  • a method of sealing a metal contact member consisting'essentially of an iron-nickel alloy in a glass Wall of a discharge tube comprising the: steps of coating said metal member with a layer of AuCu yplacing a portion of said coated metal member in contact with the glass Wall; thereafter heating the coated metal member to convert a portion of the copper in said AuCu into a thin external layer of copper oxide and simultaneously to fuse the member into the glass wall, and todissolve in the glass substantially all of the copper oxide in the seal region; and thereafter pickling the portion-of the member projecting from theglass Wall to remove the copperoxide therefrom.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Vessels And Coating Films For Discharge Lamps (AREA)
  • Joining Of Glass To Other Materials (AREA)
  • Manufacture Of Electron Tubes, Discharge Lamp Vessels, Lead-In Wires, And The Like (AREA)
US532520A 1954-09-08 1955-09-06 Method of manufacturing seals for electric discharge tubes Expired - Lifetime US2873510A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL333345X 1954-09-08

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2873510A true US2873510A (en) 1959-02-17

Family

ID=19784446

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US532520A Expired - Lifetime US2873510A (en) 1954-09-08 1955-09-06 Method of manufacturing seals for electric discharge tubes

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US2873510A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BE (1) BE541097A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CH (1) CH333345A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE1052580B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3100813A (en) * 1959-01-12 1963-08-13 Sprague Electric Co Capacitor sealing means
US4420869A (en) * 1983-03-21 1983-12-20 Interceram, Inc. Method of manufacturing a thyrister housing
US20020190646A1 (en) * 2001-05-03 2002-12-19 General Electric Company Control of leachable mercury in fluorescent lamps
US6515421B2 (en) 1999-09-02 2003-02-04 General Electric Company Control of leachable mercury in fluorescent lamps
US20070267956A1 (en) * 2004-08-02 2007-11-22 Hans Heidbuchel Lamp Comprising a Base That is Mounted Without Cement

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL173107C (nl) * 1972-09-12 1983-12-01 Philips Nv Ontladingsbuis.
DE19915920A1 (de) * 1999-04-09 2000-10-19 Heraeus Gmbh W C Metallisches Bauteil und Entladungslampe

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1140134A (en) * 1914-12-30 1915-05-18 Commercial Res Company Incandescent lamp.
US1498908A (en) * 1915-01-23 1924-06-24 Gen Electric Evacuated container
US1575994A (en) * 1923-11-09 1926-03-09 Electron Relay Company Lead-in wire and gas-tight seal and method of making the same
US2229436A (en) * 1940-09-21 1941-01-21 Gen Electric Method of making metal-enclosed vacuum tubes
US2426467A (en) * 1945-07-18 1947-08-26 Gen Electric Gold-copper solder
US2446277A (en) * 1945-09-24 1948-08-03 Eitel Mccullough Inc Glass to metal seal in electrical devices
US2520663A (en) * 1943-04-06 1950-08-29 Hartford Nat Bank & Trust Co Glass to metal seal for high-frequency electric discharge tubes
US2555877A (en) * 1945-07-20 1951-06-05 Sylvania Electric Prod Glass-to-metal seal

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE738827C (de) * 1939-02-28 1943-09-10 Telefunken Gmbh Glas-Metalleinschmelzung fuer Vakuumroehren

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1140134A (en) * 1914-12-30 1915-05-18 Commercial Res Company Incandescent lamp.
US1498908A (en) * 1915-01-23 1924-06-24 Gen Electric Evacuated container
US1575994A (en) * 1923-11-09 1926-03-09 Electron Relay Company Lead-in wire and gas-tight seal and method of making the same
US2229436A (en) * 1940-09-21 1941-01-21 Gen Electric Method of making metal-enclosed vacuum tubes
US2520663A (en) * 1943-04-06 1950-08-29 Hartford Nat Bank & Trust Co Glass to metal seal for high-frequency electric discharge tubes
US2426467A (en) * 1945-07-18 1947-08-26 Gen Electric Gold-copper solder
US2555877A (en) * 1945-07-20 1951-06-05 Sylvania Electric Prod Glass-to-metal seal
US2446277A (en) * 1945-09-24 1948-08-03 Eitel Mccullough Inc Glass to metal seal in electrical devices

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3100813A (en) * 1959-01-12 1963-08-13 Sprague Electric Co Capacitor sealing means
US4420869A (en) * 1983-03-21 1983-12-20 Interceram, Inc. Method of manufacturing a thyrister housing
US6515421B2 (en) 1999-09-02 2003-02-04 General Electric Company Control of leachable mercury in fluorescent lamps
US20020190646A1 (en) * 2001-05-03 2002-12-19 General Electric Company Control of leachable mercury in fluorescent lamps
US6853118B2 (en) * 2001-05-03 2005-02-08 General Electric Company Control of leachable mercury in mercury vapor discharge lamps
US20070267956A1 (en) * 2004-08-02 2007-11-22 Hans Heidbuchel Lamp Comprising a Base That is Mounted Without Cement
US8125133B2 (en) 2004-08-02 2012-02-28 Osram Ag Lamp comprising a base that is mounted without cement

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CH333345A (de) 1958-10-15
DE1052580B (de) 1959-03-12
BE541097A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3531853A (en) Method of making a ceramic-to-metal seal
US3200310A (en) Glass encapsulated semiconductor device
US2873510A (en) Method of manufacturing seals for electric discharge tubes
US3753026A (en) Quartz lamp seal
US2229436A (en) Method of making metal-enclosed vacuum tubes
US1575994A (en) Lead-in wire and gas-tight seal and method of making the same
US2398449A (en) Method of making hermetic seals
US3153839A (en) Method of forming vacuum seals
US3555667A (en) High temperature,electrically conductive hermetic seals
US5013615A (en) Glass to metal seal
US8277274B2 (en) Apparatus and methods for use of refractory abhesives in protection of metallic foils and leads
US3535099A (en) Method of forming a hermetic enclosure for electronic devices
US2683835A (en) Electron tube structure
US2955385A (en) Method of making glass-to-metal seals
US3379822A (en) Electric conductor suitable for being sealed in the wall of an electric discharge tube
US2377164A (en) Electrical assembly
US2651144A (en) Glass-to-metal seal
US3329854A (en) Electron tube with inert oxide coating on the envelope
JP2771145B2 (ja) 耐腐食性リードフレーム
US3924792A (en) Method of manufacturing a vacuum-tight electric leadthrough in an electric discharge tube
US2759252A (en) Method for sealing an iron member to a glass part
US3865970A (en) Vacuum-tight electric leadthrough in an electric discharge tube
US1816424A (en) Glass seal
US3404968A (en) Glass-to-metal seals and method for making same
US3666547A (en) Photo-cathodes for electronic discharge tubes