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:
Feb. 02, 1999
Filed:
Jul. 17, 1996
Thomas Farkas, Guilderland, NY (US);
Timothy A Taubert, Kirtland, OH (US);
George A Farrall, Rexford, NY (US);
Gordon A Grigor, Cleveland Heights, OH (US);
David O Wharmby, Ilkley, GB;
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
An electrodeless gas discharge lamp includes a vitreous envelope containing a discharge medium. An excitation coil is positioned in relation to the vitreous envelope so as to excite the discharge medium therein. The excitation coil is adapted to be driven by an RF oscillator. The excitation coil has first and second ends and is effective for exciting the discharge medium to emit light with electromagnetic fields that are generated by the excitation coil. The excitation coil includes a first wire wound generally helically from the first end to the second end in a first helical direction to form first winding turns, and further includes a second wire wound generally helically from the first end to the second end in second helical direction opposite to that of the first helical direction to form second winding turns. Preferably, a generally cylindrical former is provided for holding the first and second wires between the first and second ends of the coil. Such former includes a positioning arrangement for maintaining specific positions of the first and second wires with respect to each other along the former.