General Electric Company

Edward J Collins

Vaughn C Sterling

Mary E Suster

Harihar D Chevali

Laszlo V Lieszkovszky

Ludwig Skilskyj

Leonard E Hoegler

Vincent H Weber

Walter R Chapman, Jr

Joseph Feldman

William R Walters

Gerald A Johnson

William A Lenkner

Jacob Brann

Benton A Lee

Daniel L Connell

Donald C Medved

David H Green

A method to eliminate filament hot shock in lamp filaments, particularly in compact filament light sources such as high efficiency infrared reflective coated halogen lamps, during installation or during energization comprising a voltage reduction circuit that reduces the voltage applied to the lamp filaments for a predetermined period of time and a timing circuit that is activated each time the lamp is energized and controls the predetermined period of time during which the voltage reduction circuit reduces voltage applied to the lamp filaments. Optionally, a one time latch circuit may be included that enables the timing circuit upon energization and disables it after the voltage reduction circuit has operated continuously for the predetermined period of time, and forever thereafter.

Reduced voltage and time delay to eliminate filament hot shock

A reflector lamp (,) has a forward parabolic section (,) and a rear concave section (,), which may be parabolic, ellipsoidal, or spherical. A light source (,), such as the filament of a halogen lamp, is axially aligned with the axis of the reflector (LA) and is centered at the focal point of the forward and rear sections. The parabolic forward section is fluted to spread the light reflected therefrom smoothly in a beam of light, minimizing the center hot spot. The rear section, which is not fluted, directs the light reflected therefrom within the desired beam angle, resulting in little wasted light being emitted outside the desired beam angle.

Spot par reflector lamp

A lamp inlead assembly for a light source having a lamp envelope with at least one end region in which the lamp inlead assembly is sealably disposed includes and outer lead wire member to which power to the light source is coupled, an inner lead wire member to which the light generating device is connected, whether incandescent or discharge, and a thin foil member disposed therebetween on which the inner and outer lead wire members are fixedly secured. The thin foil member is constructed of molybdenum and is essentially uniform in thickness throughout. At least one trough is formed in the foil member and is effective so as to: increase the surface area of the foil member and thus improve its current carrying properties without increasing the dimensional space within the end region of the lamp area to accommodate such increased surface area, provide increased rigidity for the foil member so that such foil member can be adapted for handling by high speed automated manufacturing equipment, and, with one trough centrally disposed along the width dimension of the foil member, insure that the positioning of the lead wire members relative to the foil member is maintained throughout the manufacture of both the lamp inlead assembly itself as well as the manufacture operations involving the insertion of the inlead assembly and sealing thereof into the light source.

Lamp inlead assembly having a formed foil arrangement

A modified conductive ink is provided for a photoflash array having a plurality of high voltage flash lamps connected to a lamp firing circuit pattern deposited on a circuit board with radiation-sensitive switches and fuse elements being connected in said circuit pattern for sequential firing of said flash lamps, said fuse elements being provided by narrowing the width of the circuit pattern at the fuse locations and undergoing thermal decomposition activated with radiation, wherein the improvement comprises a modified carbon ink containing a particulated electrically conductive material such as conductive powdered carbon incorporated therein. Increased electrical conductivity is provided at the fuse locations before thermal decomposition of the fuse elements takes place together with increased residual electrical resistance being provided by the thermally decomposed fused elements.

Conductive ink for flash lamp array circuit

A flash lamp array circuit having radiation-sensitive switches and fuse elements being connected in the conductive carbon ink circuit pattern wherein each of said fuse elements comprises a plurality of spaced apart strips to provide more reliable thermal decomposition and increased electrical conductivity.

Flash lamp array circuit with improved fuse means

A flash lamp array having a plurality of high-voltage flash lamps in front of a reflector unit and a circuit board behind the reflector unit and carrying a plurality of circuit runs of relatively high resistance inexpensive material such as powdered carbon and including a common or 'ground' circuit run connected to a lead-in wire of each lamp. The common circuit run is made wider than the other circuit runs, and preferably covers a major portion of the circuit board area. This reduces the possibility of accidental flashing of lamps by electrostatic electricity.

Flash lamp array having printed circuit

Improved fuse arrangement used with the circuit board to provide more reliable sequential firing in a flash lamp array. The circuit board includes a lamp firing circuitry along with radiation switches connected in said circuitry and a more reliable series connected fuse arrangement to cooperate with said radiation switches in the circuit operation. The individual fuse elements are constructed as an integral part of the lamp firing circuit pattern deposited on the circuit board at circuit locations wherein the underlying circuit board substrate has a thickness less than the substrate thicknesss elsewhere and desirably cooperate in raising the dielectric breakdown voltage characteristic of the fuse combination.

Photoflash lamp array circuit board having radiation sensitive fuse

Improved fuse elements used with the circuit board to provide more reliable sequential firing in a flash lamp array. The circuit board includes a lamp firing circuitry along with radiation switches connected in said circuitry and more reliable fuse elements cooperate with said radiation switches in the circuit operation. The improved fuse elements are constructed as an integral part of the lamp firing circuit pattern deposited on the circuit board at circuit locations wherein the underlying circuit board substrate has a thickness less than the substrate thickness elsewhere to enhance melting or thermal decomposition of the circuit board substrate.

Reflective coating means are provided to replace the conventional reflector cavities surrounding each photoflash lamp of a multilamp photoflash array. A reflective adhesive coating for this purpose can be applied to each photoflash lamp around a portion of the lamp circumference to reflect the light outwardly in a desired direction. A reflective adhesive coating can also be applied to the circuit board member used with a photoflash lamp array to provide sequential firing of flash lamps as an alternate means to provide the desired light reflection and without need for individual lamp processing in achieving this result. The coating material comprises light reflective particulate solids bonded to the substrate with an adhesive binder.

Photoflash lamp array having reflective coating means

A photoflash lamp unit is described having a plurality of flash lamps fired individually and in sequence to include a plurality of switching devices each connected in the electrical circuit so as to interrupt the circuit path to a lamp that is flashed in response to the radiation emitted therefrom but still provide a circuit path to other unflashed lamps in the electrical circuit. In this manner, the desired firing sequence can be carried out although a particular flash lamp in the electrical circuit fails to fire because of defects other than a before-flash shorted condition and a more reliable switching arrangement is thereby provided. The construction of said individual combined radiation and voltage responsive switch device comprises a mass of switch material connected in the electrical circuit across spaced apart electrical terminals and which is disposed to receive radiant energy emitted by an associated lamp primarily in a predetermined region of the switch body for thermochemical decomposition in said region. Another region in the mass of switch material is simultaneously converted to provide a low resistance path in the electrical circuit.

Photoflash lamp unit utilizing radiation and voltage responsive switch

Reflecting coating means are provided to replace the conventional reflector cavities surrounding each photoflash lamp of a multilamp photoflash array. A reflective adhesive coating for this purpose can be applied to each photoflash lamp around a portion of the lamp circumference to reflect the light outwardly in a desired direction. A reflective adhesive coating can also be applied to the circuit board member used with a photoflash lamp array to provide sequential firing of flash lamps as an alternate means to provide the desired light reflection and without need for individual lamp processing in achieving this result. The coating material comprises light reflective particulate solids bonded to the substrate with an adhesive binder.

An electrically insulative adhesive coating for a circuit board used with a photoflash lamp array to provide sequential firing of the flash lamps. The circuit board includes the lamp firing circuitry along with switching elements connected in said circuitry and the insulative coating prevents electrical shorting of the circuitry. In a preferred embodiment, the coating material may be an organic polymer and may be provided with openings to permit radiation transfer from the flashing lamps to the underlying switches which are radiation-responsive.

Photoflash lamp array circuit board having electrical insulation

Fuse elements are used with a circuit board to provide more reliable sequential firing in a flash lamp array. The circuit board includes the lamp firing circuitry along with radiation switches connected in said circuitry and the fuse elements cooperate with said radiation switches in the circuit operation. Fuse elements are deposited on the circuit pattern adjacent to the flash lamps for actuation by radiation being emitted therefrom and the activated fuse elements interrupt the circuit path by thermal action. In a preferred embodiment, the circuit board is constructed from an organic polymer and the fuse elements are deposited at circuit locations wherein the underlying substrate has a thickness less than the substrate thickness elsewhere to produce holes in the circuit board by melting or thermal decomposition.

Flash lamp array sequencing circuits in which the lamps are provided with heat-sensitive switch material on the outside surface of the bulbs and extending between lead-in wires. The switch material initially has a relatively high impedance, and changes to a relatively low impedance between the lead-in wires when heated by the lamp when it is flashed. A coating of lacquer or plastic is provided over the bulb and switch material.

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Mentor-on-the-Lake, OH, United States of America

Edward J Collins