US3311439A - Method of filling electric incandescent lamps, discharge tubes or the like with gas and of sealing the same - Google Patents

Method of filling electric incandescent lamps, discharge tubes or the like with gas and of sealing the same Download PDF

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Publication number
US3311439A
US3311439A US267246A US26724663A US3311439A US 3311439 A US3311439 A US 3311439A US 267246 A US267246 A US 267246A US 26724663 A US26724663 A US 26724663A US 3311439 A US3311439 A US 3311439A
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United States
Prior art keywords
gas
lamp
tube
sealing
inert
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Expired - Lifetime
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US267246A
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English (en)
Inventor
Pace Henri
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FABRIQUES REUNIES DE LAMPES ELECTRIQUES
FABRIQUES REUNIES DE LAMPES ELECTRIQUES SA
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FABRIQUES REUNIES DE LAMPES ELECTRIQUES SA
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J9/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture, installation, removal, maintenance of electric discharge tubes, discharge lamps, or parts thereof; Recovery of material from discharge tubes or lamps
    • H01J9/40—Closing vessels
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J9/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture, installation, removal, maintenance of electric discharge tubes, discharge lamps, or parts thereof; Recovery of material from discharge tubes or lamps
    • H01J9/38—Exhausting, degassing, filling, or cleaning vessels
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J9/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture, installation, removal, maintenance of electric discharge tubes, discharge lamps, or parts thereof; Recovery of material from discharge tubes or lamps
    • H01J9/38—Exhausting, degassing, filling, or cleaning vessels
    • H01J9/395—Filling vessels

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method of filling an electric incandescent lamp, a discharge tube or the like with a gas and of sealing the same, in which the interior of an open lamp or tube is traversed by a flow of an inert gas at above atmospheric pressure, for example nitrogen gas so that at least the ambient air cannot enter into the lamp or tube, this flow being maintained until the lamp or tube is sealed.
  • an inert gas at above atmospheric pressure, for example nitrogen gas so that at least the ambient air cannot enter into the lamp or tube, this flow being maintained until the lamp or tube is sealed.
  • Such a method is known and is used, for example, for filling of an electric incandescent lamp or the like with a gas without preliminary pumping. A small excessive pressure can be obtained in the lamp or tube then.
  • the desired filling gas for example iodine vapour
  • the inert gas which thus also flows through the lamp or tube.
  • this method is less efiicient for filling a lamp with precious filling gases.
  • the invention has for its object to provide such as improvement of said method that it can be employed for the manufacture of lamps or tubes having filling gas formed mainly by a precious rare gas, for instance xenon or krypton, the loss of this precious gas occurring in the sealing operation being substantially negligible.
  • a precious rare gas for instance xenon or krypton
  • the method according to the invention is characterized in that prior to sealing a quantity of a comparatively precious, inert rare gas, e.g. xenon or krypton gas is introduced into the lamp or tube said gas being condensed on a wall portion strongly cooled by e.g. liquid nitrogen in the interior of the lamp or tube, said gas staying in the lamp or tube after sealing. Consequently the functions of rinsing or protecting and filling are separated from each other.
  • a cheap, inert gas e.g. nitrogen gas may be used, whereas a given quantity of a precious, inert rare gas e.g. the readily condensable xenon or krypton can be used for filling; there will be substantially no loss of this gas.
  • An advantage of the use of xenon or krypton and of a cooling agent e.g. liquid nitrogen consists in that after sealing and after removal of the cooling agent a pressure of several atmospheres can be formed in the lamp or tube at room temperature. It should be noted that it is known per se to obtain a final pressure in a closed container by means of a cooling agent, said pressure exceeding slightly the atmospheric pressure.
  • the invention also provides a device for carrying out the method according to the invention.
  • This device which comprises, as is known, a hollow needle to be introduced into the unsealed lamp or tube, through which needle a gas under excessive pressure can be introduced and which needle can be withdrawn when the lamp or tube is sealed, has the feature that the hollow needle has two or more separate longitudinal channels.
  • This hollow needle can be inserted into the lamp or tube via an exhaust tube or another unsealed portion.
  • FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a tubular lamp not needle 18.
  • FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5, 6, 7 are plan views and side elevations respectively of three preferred hollow needles, each having two separate gas-supply channels and FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment of an electric incandescent lamp provided with an exhaust tube.
  • a tube 12 sealed previously at one end, can be held by means of a bracket 13 in the manner shown in FIG. 1 with respect to a head 14.
  • the lower end of the tube 12 has a metal strip 10, which constitutes the connection between a current supply Wire 1a and an incandescent body 17; the strip 10 is completely surrounded by the glass material of the tube 12.
  • the head 14 comprises a resilient member 15, which holds a second current supply wire 16, which is connected via a further metal strip 11 with the incandes cent body 17.
  • a hollow needle 18, which is vertically movable.
  • the flames emanating from one or more burners are indicated by arrows :by means of which flames the upper end of the tube 12 can be sealed off. While the hollow needle 18 is moved upwardly, the upper end may assume the same shape as the lower end of the tube 12.
  • the undesirable atmosphere of the tube 12 is expelled by means of an inert rinsing gas before the tube 12 is sealed with the aid of the flames.
  • nitrogen gas is used.
  • the nitrogen gas supplied through the hollow needle 18 can leave the tube, while it expels the undesirable atmosphere of the tube.
  • the arrangement is such that at least the ambient air cannot penetrate into the tube. Consequently, the lamp is rinsed without pumping.
  • a filling gas e.g. an active vapour is added to the rinsing gas.
  • the mixture is introduced into the tube 12 through the hollow
  • provisions are made that, during the sealing operation, the mixture introduced through the hollow needle 18 continues passing through the tube until the latter is sealed at its upper end and the hollow needle 18 has been moved upwardly. This gives rise to a loss of active vapour.
  • the filling gas is precious, e.g. in the case of xenon or krypton, the loss of said gas renders the known gas-filling method fairly costly.
  • this loss is reduced to a negligible extent.
  • the previous inert rare gas, xenon or krypton is first separated from the supply of the cheaper inert gas e.g. nitrogen gas.
  • the cheaper inert gas e.g. nitrogen gas.
  • use may be made of a hollow needle having one of the shapes shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 or 5, 6, 7. These needles have two separate longitudinal channels 18a and 18b. Through the channel 18a the cheaper nitrogen gas is supplied, whereas the supply of a given quantity of the precious xenon or krypton is introduced through the channel 18b.
  • the glass envelope 21 of a lamp shown in FIG. 8 has two pinches in which metal strips 22 and 23 connecting an incandescent body 24 and current supply wires 26 and 27 are completely surrounded by glass material.
  • the lamp has furthermore an exhaust tube 28, through which rinsing and filling can be performed and which is sealed in the last stage of the manufacture. Like the lamp described in FIG. 1, this lamp can be filled with xenon or krypton.
  • a method of filling an electric lamp with gases and sealing the same comprising introducing an inert gas under pressure exceeding atmospheric pressure into said lamp until said lamp is sealed thereby preventing the penetration of ambient air into said lamp, introducing a quantity of an inert rare gas into said lamp prior to sealing and while the flow of said inert gas in said lamp is maintained, and cooling at least a part of said lamp whereby the inert rare gas is condensed thereon, said inert rare gas remaining inside said lamp during the sealing operation.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Manufacture Of Electron Tubes, Discharge Lamp Vessels, Lead-In Wires, And The Like (AREA)
US267246A 1962-03-22 1963-03-22 Method of filling electric incandescent lamps, discharge tubes or the like with gas and of sealing the same Expired - Lifetime US3311439A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR891886A FR1326443A (fr) 1962-03-22 1962-03-22 Procédé et appareil pour remplir une enveloppe de gaz inerte et de vapeur active à une pression relativement élevée par simple introduction sans pompage

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3311439A true US3311439A (en) 1967-03-28

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US267246A Expired - Lifetime US3311439A (en) 1962-03-22 1963-03-22 Method of filling electric incandescent lamps, discharge tubes or the like with gas and of sealing the same

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3311439A (fr)
ES (1) ES286217A1 (fr)
FR (1) FR1326443A (fr)
GB (1) GB980477A (fr)
NL (1) NL142821B (fr)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3589791A (en) * 1969-09-02 1971-06-29 Zenith Radio Corp Processing of cathode-ray tubes
EP0116271A2 (fr) * 1983-01-12 1984-08-22 Hamai Electric Lamp Co., Ltd. Méthode et machine pour la fabrication de lampes de petite dimension remplies de gaz
US4509928A (en) * 1983-03-30 1985-04-09 Gte Products Corporation Method of making high pressure tungsten halogen lamps
EP1390963A1 (fr) * 2001-05-30 2004-02-25 Advanced Lighting Technologies, Inc. Lampes a decharge de haute intensite, tubes a arc et procedes de fabrication
EP1493169A1 (fr) * 2002-04-09 2005-01-05 Advanced Lighting Technologies, Inc. Lampes a decharge d'intensite elevee, tubes a arc et procedes de fabrication associes

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3683974A (en) * 1970-10-08 1972-08-15 Ppg Industries Inc Method for purging and filling multiple glazed units

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1789556A (en) * 1925-09-16 1931-01-20 Rainbow Light Inc Method of manufacturing gas-filled envelopes
US1839867A (en) * 1930-01-09 1932-01-05 Grigsby Grunow Co Radio apparatus
US1932138A (en) * 1931-06-26 1933-10-24 Frank Kimbrough Method of making signs
US2683837A (en) * 1951-01-12 1954-07-13 Gen Electric Electron emissive composition and method of application
US2883571A (en) * 1958-03-03 1959-04-21 Gen Electric Electric incandescent lamp
US2935825A (en) * 1956-02-28 1960-05-10 Gen Electric Co Ltd Manufacture of electric incandescent lamps and similar devices
US3028712A (en) * 1959-06-01 1962-04-10 Gen Electric Apparatus for gas filling electric lamps
US3091718A (en) * 1960-07-08 1963-05-28 Duro Test Corp Constant lumen maintenance lamp
US3093430A (en) * 1961-04-25 1963-06-11 Gen Electric Gas and vapor filling method for electric lamps or similar devices

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1789556A (en) * 1925-09-16 1931-01-20 Rainbow Light Inc Method of manufacturing gas-filled envelopes
US1839867A (en) * 1930-01-09 1932-01-05 Grigsby Grunow Co Radio apparatus
US1932138A (en) * 1931-06-26 1933-10-24 Frank Kimbrough Method of making signs
US2683837A (en) * 1951-01-12 1954-07-13 Gen Electric Electron emissive composition and method of application
US2935825A (en) * 1956-02-28 1960-05-10 Gen Electric Co Ltd Manufacture of electric incandescent lamps and similar devices
US2883571A (en) * 1958-03-03 1959-04-21 Gen Electric Electric incandescent lamp
US3028712A (en) * 1959-06-01 1962-04-10 Gen Electric Apparatus for gas filling electric lamps
US3091718A (en) * 1960-07-08 1963-05-28 Duro Test Corp Constant lumen maintenance lamp
US3093430A (en) * 1961-04-25 1963-06-11 Gen Electric Gas and vapor filling method for electric lamps or similar devices

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3589791A (en) * 1969-09-02 1971-06-29 Zenith Radio Corp Processing of cathode-ray tubes
EP0116271A2 (fr) * 1983-01-12 1984-08-22 Hamai Electric Lamp Co., Ltd. Méthode et machine pour la fabrication de lampes de petite dimension remplies de gaz
EP0116271A3 (en) * 1983-01-12 1985-07-03 Hamai Electric Lamp Co., Ltd. Method of and apparatus for manufacturing small-size gas-filled lamps
US4509928A (en) * 1983-03-30 1985-04-09 Gte Products Corporation Method of making high pressure tungsten halogen lamps
EP1390963A1 (fr) * 2001-05-30 2004-02-25 Advanced Lighting Technologies, Inc. Lampes a decharge de haute intensite, tubes a arc et procedes de fabrication
EP1390963A4 (fr) * 2001-05-30 2006-02-08 Advanced Lighting Tech Inc Lampes a decharge de haute intensite, tubes a arc et procedes de fabrication
EP1493169A1 (fr) * 2002-04-09 2005-01-05 Advanced Lighting Technologies, Inc. Lampes a decharge d'intensite elevee, tubes a arc et procedes de fabrication associes
EP1493169A4 (fr) * 2002-04-09 2006-08-23 Advanced Lighting Tech Inc Lampes a decharge d'intensite elevee, tubes a arc et procedes de fabrication associes

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR1326443A (fr) 1963-05-10
ES286217A1 (es) 1963-10-16
GB980477A (en) 1965-01-13
NL142821B (nl) 1974-07-15

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