Philips Electronics North America Corporation

Gregory J Nelson

Franciscus H Van Lierop

John S Bailey

Kevin D Provagna

James M Gensert

Daniel P Shippee

A ceramic metal halide arc tube is surrounded by a protective sleeve supported by a metal frame having current carrying wire frame members brazed into the metal ferrules of a PAR-lamp. Each frame member has an S-shaped bend which engages the lower end of the sleeve, and a spacer separates the upper ends of the frame to create a rigid self-supporting structure.

Metal halide lamp with metal frame supporting a protective sleeve

An HID lamp utilizes a wire frame member having an integral coil with spaces between windings to relieve thermal stress and provide shock absorption in a ceramic metal halide discharge lamp mounted concentrically in an elliptical-dimple (ED-type) glass envelope. The wire frame member has a first end welded to a current carrying support member embedded in the stem and a second end welded to an upper axial lead of the arc tube, the coil being situated about the dimple. The lower axial lead fixed relative to a second current carrying support member embedded in the stem, so that the coil compresses when the arc tube expands relative to the wire frame member.

HID lamp having arc tube mounting frame which relieves thermal stress

A quartz protective sleeve surrounding a ceramic metal halide arc tube is supported by a pair of frame members received inside the sleeve. A short frame member extends only partially into the sleeve, while a long frame member extends through the sleeve and includes a loop which engages a dimple at the top of the lamp envelope. The sleeve is fitted over the frame members, which are spring loaded apart. Axial positioning may be provided by terminals or other features fixed to the frame members. In an alternative embodiment, shoulders for positioning the sleeve and terminals for connecting to the arc tube are formed integrally with the frame members.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Gregory J Nelson