Abstract: A low-wattage mercury vapor discharge fluorescent lamp is provided. The lamp has a discharge sustaining fill of mercury vapor and an inert gas having 1-100 mole % xenon, balance comprising a rare gas or rare gas mixture, such as krypton or argon. The fill gas has a total pressure of 0.5-4 torr, and the lamp being adapted to operate below 10 watts per foot of arc length.

Abstract: The invention relates to a high temperature material modified to exhibit enhanced IR emittance in the wavelength range where a black body operating at the same high temperature exhibits peak emittance, to a light-transmissive body comprising the high temperature material, to a high intensity lamp comprising the high temperature material, and to a method of preparing the same.

Abstract: A low watt ceramic metal halide lamp has a body with a discharge chamber disposed therein. First and second hollow legs extend from the discharge chamber and received first and second electrode assemblies, respectively, therethrough with first ends of the electrode assemblies disposed in spaced relation in the discharge chamber. Use of thin legs limits heat flux from the discharge chamber. Preferably, thin legs are defined by a load dissipation factor of the ceramic part being less than 0.065 mm2/watt. In addition, thermal conductance along the leg is controlled via a load dissipation factor of the molybdenum mandrel portion of the electrode assembly being maintained less than 0.0008 mm2/watt.

Abstract: The invention relates to a high temperature material modified to exhibit enhanced IR emittance in the wavelength range where a black body operating at the same high temperature exhibits peak emittance, to a light-transmissive body comprising the high temperature material, to a high intensity lamp comprising the high temperature material, and to a method of preparing the same.

Abstract: The invention relates to a high temperature material modified to exhibit enhanced IR emittance in the wavelength range where a black body operating at the same high temperature exhibits peak emittance, to a light-transmissive body comprising the high temperature material, to a high intensity lamp comprising the high temperature material, and to a method of preparing the same.

Abstract: A low-wattage mercury vapor discharge fluorescent lamp is provided. The lamp has a discharge sustaining fill of mercury vapor and an inert gas having 1-100 mole % xenon, balance comprising a rare gas or rare gas mixture, such as krypton or argon. The fill gas has a total pressure of 0.5-4 torr, and the lamp being adapted to operate below 10 watts per foot of arc length.

Abstract: A method and system to supply current to a high pressure lamp is provided, the method and system comprising an alternating lamp current waveform with a half cycle mean amplitude I1 and a half cycle time duration T, a current pulse waveform including at least one current pulse with a half cycle mean amplitude I2 and at least one current pulse occurring after the trailing edge of a half cycle of the alternating lamp current, the pulse having a half cycle duration of Tp. These waveforms are combined to generate a current waveform including a current pulse waveform, the current pulse waveform starting after a time delay Td from the trailing edge of a half cycle of the alternating lamp current waveform, the time duration Tp of the at least one current pulse lasting less than the remaining time before the leading edge of the second half cycle of the alternating lamp current waveform.

Abstract: A high intensity discharge lamp, the lamp including a light emitting vessel having a wall made of ceramic material that defines an inner space with a first end portion having a respective first opening formed therein and a second end portion having a respective second opening formed therein, two discharge electrodes, with a first electrode extending therethrough the first opening of the first end portion of the vessel and a second electrode extending therethrough the second opening of the second end portion of the vessel, together forming a gap between ends of the discharge electrodes positioned within the vessel, wherein the light emitting vessel defines an inner space characterized by an inner diameter ranging from and including 1 millimeters to 3 millimeters and an inner length between and including 5 millimeters to 10 millimeters, wherein the wall of the vessel has a thickness ranging between and including 0.3 millimeters to 0.

Abstract: Fluorescent lamps that comprise a glass envelope with an exterior surface and first and second electrodes located within the glass envelope include a transparent electrically conductive material affixed to the exterior surface of the glass envelope. The transparent electrically conductive material extends between the vicinity of the first electrode and the vicinity of the second electrode, thereby providing a path for an electric current to pass between the first and second electrodes and reduce the open circuit voltage required to start the fluorescent lamp. The transparent electrically conductive material affixed to the exterior surface of the glass envelope can comprise one or more stripes of the material so that less than the total exterior surface area of the glass envelope is covered by the transparent electrically conductive material.

Abstract: A metal halide lamp (10) includes a light-transmissive envelope (12) which encloses a metal halide pool (30) for generating a discharge when spaced apart electrodes (20, 22) within the envelope are supplied with an electric current. A multi-layer coating (40) is deposited on a surface (42) of the envelope. The coating includes several layers of at least two materials of different refractive index, which, in combination, reflect radiation in the UV region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Rather than optimizing the coating for a normal (i.e., 0°) angle of incidence on the coating, the multi-layer coating is optimized at an angle which is selected to be within 10° of the mean angle (?) of incidence of the UV radiation on the arctube surface, thereby increasing the amount of UV radiation which is returned to the metal halide pool.

Abstract: A significant reduction in thermal energy loss along the legs or ends of the arctubes in a CMH lamp is achieved in the present invention. The diameter of a mandrel (36, 40) is significantly reduced for CMH lamps. Either a single overwind (32) or multiple overwind layers (42) are used. Since the thermal conductivity of the mandrel greatly exceeds that of the overwind, the axial thermal conductivity will scale like the cross sectional area of the mandrel alone.

Abstract: A significant reduction in thermal energy loss along the legs or ends of the arctubes in a CMH lamp is achieved in the present invention. The diameter of a mandrel (36, 40) is significantly reduced for CMH lamps. Either a single overwind (32) or multiple overwind layers (42) are used. Since the thermal conductivity of the mandrel greatly exceeds that of the overwind, the axial thermal conductivity will scale like the cross sectional area of the mandrel alone.

Abstract: A high brightness discharge light source having improved thermal balance characteristics includes a lamp envelope having an arc chamber formed therein and a pair of electrodes extending into opposite ends of the arc chamber so as to be displaced from one another by a distance of no greater than 4 mm. A fill disposed within the arc chamber is excited to a discharge state upon the introduction of an excitation energy coupled through the pair of electrodes. The light source is operated vertically so that one of the electrodes is disposed at the top region and the other electrode is disposed at the bottom region of the arc chamber. The arc chamber is formed having a diameter dimension which is just larger than the spacing between the electrodes, and a height dimension which is approximately twice the diameter dimension. The diameter dimension is substantially uniform along the length of the arc chamber.

Abstract: A metal halide arc tube is provided having a light-transmitting envelope and electrodes for generating an arc discharge within a sealed chamber of the envelope. The envelope includes a transparent film at a cold region of the sealed chamber where metal halides migrate and condense. The transparent film transmits visible radiation and absorbs ultraviolet radiation emitted by the arc to impose an additional heat load on the cold region so that a high metal halide vapor pressure can be maintained. The temperature of a hot region of the envelope can be maintained at a lower level by reducing power input or increasing chamber surface area. Preferably, the transparent film reflects infrared radiation emitted by the light source back to the arc to increase efficiency and further increase the temperature of the cold region due to decreased thermal emittance. The transparent film is preferably a dichroic coating having alternating layers of high and low index of refraction refractory materials.

Abstract: A linear double ended lamp can be modified into a number of non-linear arrangements by heating selected regions of the lamp ends to the softening temperature and bending the lamp ends to a desired angular configuration. Preferably, the lamp ends are bent across the sealing foil that is hermetically sealed to the lamp envelope. One or both ends of the lamp can be bent as desired to define a variety of configurations. According to the method of forming the bent double ended lamp, selected regions of the lamp are raised above the softening temperature while the remainder of the lamp is maintained at a lower temperature. Preferably, the lamp ends are bent along an axis offset and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lamp to prevent accumulation of material.

Abstract: Disclosed are optical couplers and optical coupling systems for coupling a source of non-coherent light to a light distribution harness, wherein the couplers are polygonal in cross section to increase light mixing. The couplers have inlet and outlet arms, and an intermediate bend region configured to achieve compactness and minimal light loss through the bend region. In one embodiment, the bend region is an integral part of the coupler, with the inlet arm having a different cross-sectional dimension from the outlet art in such manner that substantially all light directed from the inlet portion to the bend portion reaches the outlet arm portion, and light rays parallel to the inlet axis are reflected in the bend portion to be directed substantially parallel to the outlet axis. In a second embodiment, the bend region comprises a prism having a pair of parallel spaced surfaces, and inlet, outlet, and third surfaces that are non-parallel to the spaced surfaces.

Abstract: An optical couplers and optical coupling system for coupling a source of non-coherent light to a light distribution harness, wherein the couplers are polygonal in cross section to increase light mixing, and the coupler has inlet and outlet arms, and an intermediate bend region configured to achieve compactness and minimal light loss through the bend region. In one embodiment, the bend region is an integral part of the coupler, with the inlet arm having a different cross-sectional dimension from the outlet art in such manner that substantially all light directed from the inlet portion to the bend portion reaches the outlet arm portion, and light rays parallel to the inlet axis are reflected in the bend portion to be directed substantially parallel to the outlet axis. In a second embodiment, the bend region comprises a prism having a pair of parallel spaced surfaces, and inlet, outlet, and third surfaces that are non-parallel to the spaced surfaces.

Abstract: An interference filter or coating is provided in a predetermined pattern on a lamp envelope. The coating is comprised of alternating layers of high and low index of refraction materials applied to a vitreous outer surface of a lamp envelope. The coating may be geometrically symmetric or asymmetric, continuous or discontinuous with respect to the coating itself or the envelope to which it has been applied. The envelope can be masked prior to deposition of the coating so that removal of the mask leaves the filter in the desired pattern. The preferred process for forming the coating includes forming a boric oxide mask on a portion of the envelope, applying the coating over the mask and removing the coating from masked areas of the envelope by dissolving the mask in an aqueous solution.

Abstract: A lamp-to-light guide coupling arrangement includes an electrodeless high intensity discharge lamp comprising an arc tube with an ionizable fill, and an excitation circuit for electrically exciting the ionizable fill to induce therein a light-producing arc discharge. The coupling arrangement further includes a coupling device comprising a generally tubular, hollow body that has an inlet end for receiving light from the arc discharge and a larger, outlet end. The coupling device further comprises an interiorly directed reflector on a surface of the hollow body for reflecting visible light. Such coupling device is shaped so as to receive light at one solid angle over an area of the inlet end and to transmit light at a smaller solid angle but over a larger area of the outlet end. The coupling device is preferably formed from dielectric material. The reflector preferably comprises a refractory optical interference filter.

Abstract: An interference filter or coating is provided in a predetermined pattern on a lamp envelope. The coating is comprised of alternating layers of high and low index of refraction materials applied to a vitreous outer surface of a lamp envelope. The coating may be geometrically symmetric or asymmetric, continuous or discontinuous with respect to the coating itself or the envelope to which it has been applied. The envelope can be masked prior to deposition of the coating so that removal of the mask leaves the filter in the desired pattern. The preferred process for forming the coating includes forming a boric oxide mask on a portion of the envelope, applying the coating over the mask and removing the coating from masked areas of the envelope by dissolving the mask in an aqueous solution.