The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 20, 1993
Filed:
Oct. 09, 1991
Richard A Fowler, Ipswich, MA (US);
Robert P Bonazoli, Hamilton, MA (US);
GTE Products Corporation, Danvers, MA (US);
Abstract
A mercury vapor discharge lamp having an envelope of light-transmitting vitreous material containing an inert starting gas and a quantity of elemental mercury at least partially convertible to soluble mercury. Enclosed within the lamp is an amount of chemical agent suitable for electrochemically reducing a substantial portion of the soluble mercury to elemental mercury when the lamp is pulverized as a result of disposal. Preferably, the chemical agent is an element (i.e., copper or iron) which has an electrode potential for oxidation reactions higher than mercury. In a preferred embodiment, the chemical agent is sealed within an enclosure (e.g., glass) which is rupturable upon pulverization of the lamp. The sealed enclosure is disposed within the envelope or external to the envelope, such as within a cavity defined by a lamp base member. In another embodiment, the chemical agent is mixed with the basing cement used to secure the lamp bases to the envelope.