Matsushita Electronics Corporation

Minoru Myojo

Toshiyuki Namura

Haruo Yamazaki

In a fluorescent lamp with amalgam, a surface of the amalgam is covered by a barrier having at least one opening through which mercury atoms can move to a discharge space of the lamp from the amalgam while the lamp is being lighted. When the lamp is switched off, the barrier restricts the return of the mercury atoms from the discharge space to the amalgam. The amalgam solidifies faster than all the mercury atoms return to the amalgam, so that a lot of mercury atoms remain in the discharge space. When the lamp is re-lighted, an initial mercury vapor pressure can be maintained. Thus, the lamp illuminates at a predetermined intensity of the luminance from the beginning of the re-lighting.

Discharge lamp having an amalgam within a barrier means

A discharge lamp or an electrodeless discharge lamp including a discharge gas filled inside a bulb, an electrode part present inside the bulb for emitting thermoelectrons into the discharge gas, and a cesium compound placed in a position other than the electrode part inside the bulb. According to this configuration, this discharge lamp has a short starting delay time even at a low temperature including room temperature, without using any starting auxiliary light source or a radioactive material. The cesium compound is contained on the surface of a metal mesh which is fixed via a supporting arm in a position avoiding the electrode part inside the bulb. It is preferable that the cesium oxide is in contact with the discharge space. In this way, starting property can be improved without using any starting auxiliary light source or a radioactive material. The electrodeless discharge lamp has the cesium compound at an optional position in the discharge space.

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Takatsuki, Japan

Minoru Myojo