Gte Products Corporation

Osram Sylvania Inc.

Gte Sylvania Incorporated

Gte Service Corporation

Elliot F Wyner

John A Scholz

Richard A Snellgrove

Nanu Brates

Robert B Dolan

John L Plumb

Rudy E Geens

Edward H Nortrup

Robert M White

David Alan Goodman

Robert S White

Ernest A Davey, Jr

P Bruce Newell

Fredrick W Paget

Richard A Parrott

Paul H Ingalls

John J Gutta

Alan J Daignault

Mary Berger

Elvery D Lowry

Timothy Gehling

Semyon Makhlis

An arc discharge lamp () having an arc tube () containing an arc generating and sustaining medium () and first and second spaced apart electrodes (), respectively. An envelope () surrounds the arc tube () and contains an atmosphere () within it. The atmosphere is of a composition and pressure that will provide a burst of UV radiation in response to a spark generated within the envelope () and, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, is selected from argon or nitrogen (with nitrogen being preferred) at a pressure of from 150 to 400 torr. First and second electrical lead-ins () are sealed within the envelope (), with the first lead-in () being electrically connected to the first electrode () and the second lead-in () being connected to the second electrode (), for example, by connector wire (). Means () is contained within the envelope () and exposed to the atmosphere () for generating a UV-producing spark within the atmosphere (). As shown in the embodiment of FIG.the means () comprises an isolated pin () mounted in the seal area () of the arc tube () adjacent the first electrode (), a resistor () electrically connected between the second lead-in () and the isolated pin (). A spark gap G is formed between the first electrode () and the isolated pin ().

Starting aid for discharge lamp

A metal halide arc discharge lamp () having a lamp envelope () and an arc tube () mounted within the envelope; a shroud () surrounding the arc tube (); electrical lead-ins () for supplying electrical energy to the arc tube (); and a chemical fill within the arc tube to produce light when an arc is formed within the arc tube; the improvement comprising: the shroud () having a given thickness T and a given inside diameter ID having a relationship such that T is less than 2 mm and ID/T is less than 22.

Metal halide arc discharge lamp

A mercury-free metal halide arc lamp having an arc vessel of fused silica, an aspect ratio greater than 5, and containing a noble gas such as xenon, argon or krypton and a metal halide. In a preferred embodiment, the arc vessel has a diameter of 8 mm and a length of 80 mm, a fill of sodium/scandium iodides and a buffer gas of xenon.

Mercury-free metal halide arc lamps

A high pressure sodium lamp ( ) having an evacuated glass envelope ( ) with a plurality of electrically conductive support members therein and extending therethrough. An elongated arc tube ( ) having a pair of electrodes ( ) extending therethrough is affixed to the electrically conductive support members within the glass envelope. A gas fill includes a quantity of mercury and sodium within the elongated tube. The arc tube is selected from a translucent material that, when the lamp is operating, will have a wall temperature of about 1250 degrees Celsius, a wall loading of from about 18.9 to about 22.2 w/cm sqr., and a power consumption of from 150 to 400 watts. Further, the amount of mercury is reduced from 14.4 mgs/arc tube to 10.8 mgs/arc tube, allowing lamps having power consumption from 150 to 400 watts to pass the Toxicity Characteristics Leaching Procedure (TCLP).

High pressure sodium lamp having reduced internal diameter

A long-life, environmentally disposable high pressure sodium lamp comprising: an arc tube capable of withstanding internal wall temperatures of 1250 to 1300&deg; C. and having electrodes sealed therein and being designed for operation at a given wattage; a discharge space within the arc tube and an arc generating and sustaining medium within the discharge space, the medium being mercury-free and containing sodium in an amount of about 0.02 mg to 0.06 mg/watt of designed operation, and xenon at a pressure of 100 to 200 Torr; mounting means supporting the arc tube within a glass outer envelope, the glass outer envelope being lead-free and arsenic-free; and an electrically conductive base closing the outer envelope and containing lead-in wires affixed to the electrodes, the lead-in wires being attached to the base by welding.

Mercury and lead free high pressure sodium lamp

A starting aid for a metal halide discharge lamp. An arc discharge tube is positioned in a hermetically sealed jacket. The jacket contains a partial pressure (e.g., 400 torr nitrogen) of a gas that will aid in starting the discharge and one of the arc tube lead-ins has an electrical conductor affixed thereto and exposed to the partial pressure of the gas. An outer conductor extends on the outside of the jacket and is electrically connected to the other lead-in. When voltage is applied to the electrodes a capacitive coupling takes place between the inner conductor and the outer conductor which generates a discharge that causes a breakdown in the arc generating and sustaining medium within the arc tube and causes the lamp to start.

Capacitive coupling starting aid for metal halide lamp

An electrode feedthrough assembly for a ceramic arc tube of the type used in high pressure sodium arc lamps. The electrode feedthrough assembly is particularly useful in an external reservoir arc tube wherein an interior region of a feedthrough tube is utilized as a reservoir for the lamp fill material. The electrode feedthrough assembly includes a feedthrough tube, an electrode assembly attached to the feedthrough tube and a connection wire. The feedthrough tube has a closed end external to the arc tube. The feedthrough tube and the closed end thereof are formed in a single process, preferably by deep drawing, without welding, crimping or fusing. Passages to the interior of the feedthrough tube are provided by crimping the electrode support rod to the feedthrough tube with a six jaw crimping arrangement wherein two of the crimping jaws are shorter than the other four. The connection wire is attached to the feedthrough tube and includes a portion on the axis of the tube. The connection wire assists in retaining the electrode feedthrough assembly in the arc tube during sealing.

Electrode feedthrough connection strap for arc discharge lamp

An arc tube for a high pressure metal vapor discharge lamp is provided. The arc tube of the present invention comprises a tubular ceramic envelope; a chemical fill within said envelope; a seal button at each end of said envelope; said seal button having an aperture therethrough for receiving a feedthrough member; a feedthrough member having an electrode projecting therefrom passing through said seal button aperture and being oriented such that the electrode projects into said tubular ceramic envelope, said feedthrough member being sealed into said seal button by means of a fritless seal between said seal button and said feedthrough; and sealing frit material sealing said seal buttons into the ends of said tubular ceramic envelope. A method for fabricating the above-described arc tube and high pressure metal vapor discharge lamp including the above-described arc tube is also provided.

Arc tube for high pressure metal vapor discharge lamp

Method for isolating arc lamp lead-in from frit seal

A high pressure sodium lamp having a fill within an elongated arc tube comprising an inert starting gas, mercury and sodium wherein said mercury and sodium being are in an amount less than two milligrams per cubic centimeter of said volume of the interior of the arc tube wherein the weight ratio of sodium to mercury is less than 1 to 20 whereby the lamp is saturated with sodium and unsaturated with mercury at said predetermined nominal output voltage and does not extinguish at an input voltage exceeding about 90 percent of said rated voltage.

High pressure sodium discharge lamp

An emissive material for use in a vapor discharge device including reacted Ba.sub.x Sr.sub.1-x Y.sub.2 O.sub.4 wherein X satisfies the following: 1&gt;X.gtoreq.0. A vapor discharge device is provided having an arc tube which includes electrodes therein coated with such emissive material.

Vapor discharge device with electron emissive material

An arc tube including a tubular ceramic envelope; a chemical fill within the envelope; a seal button at each end of the envelope, the seal button having an aperture therethrough for receiving a feedthrough member; a feedthrough member having an electrode projecting therefrom passing through the seal button aperture and being oriented such that the electrode projects into the tubular ceramic envelope; frit material sealing the seal buttons into the ends of the envelope and the feedthrough members into the seal buttons; and means for interrupting the seal interface between the feedthrough member and the frit material around the total circumference of at least a portion of the feedthrough member. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the means for interrupting the seal interface includes a coating disposed around the periphery, or circumference, of the feedthrough member. Such coating comprises a material, most preferably a metal or metal alloy, which is inert to reaction with said frit material, the feedthrough member, and the fill gas components and which has a thermal expansion properties compatible with the thermal expansion properties of both the feedthrough member and the frit material. A high pressure metal vapor discharge lamp including the arc tube of the present invention is also provided.

Arc tube and high pressure discharge lamp including same

An electric lamp includes a lamp assembly mounted in a lamp envelope including a reflector, a lens and a base for connection to an electrical source. The lamp assembly includes an arc tube having a longitudinal axis aligned with the optical axis of the reflector, an arc tube support strap attached to one end of the arc tube and including legs extending laterally in opposite directions from the axis of the arc tube, bulb spacers coupled to the legs of the support strap for positioning the arc tube relative to the lamp envelope, a light-transmissive shroud around the arc tube, and electrode supports coupled to the upper and lower electrode leads of the arc tube. The shroud includes an open end which abuts against the legs of the support strap and a domed end which substantially encloses one end of the arc tube. The electrode supports are electrically isolated from the support strap, the bulb spacers and the reflector. The shroud is secured between the support strap and one of the electrode supports. The domed end of the shroud is preferably located at the lens end of the arc tube, but can also be located at the base end of the arc tube.

Metal halide lamp assembly

A high pressure metal vapor lamp including an outer protective envelope having a lens and a reflector member having a base for connecting the lamp to a source of electrical power. An elongaated arc tube is provided extending cross-axially relative to the axis of the lamp, the arc tue being supported by leads extending from the base. A pair of barium flash getters is provided extending from respective ends of the arc tube towards, and in close proximity to, the lens and facing the reflector member.

High pressure metal vapor lamp with outer protective envelope and

A starting and operating circuit for high pressure discharge lamps including a pair of input terminals for connection to an alternating current supply and a pair of output terminals for connection across the lamp. A ballast inductor is connected at its ends in series between one of the input terminals and one of the output terminals and a pulse generator is connected between the output terminals. The pulse generator comprises a non-linear capacitor (NLC) and a semiconductor bipolar thyristor (commonly known as a SIDAC) connected in series, the non-linear capacitor and bipolar thyristor being connected in parallel with the discharge lamp.

Growing community of inventors

Peabody, MA, United States of America

Elliot F Wyner