Patents by Inventor Richard Gilliard

Richard Gilliard has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8436546
    Abstract: An electrodeless plasma lamp and method of generating light are described. The lamp may comprise a lamp body, a source of radio frequency (RF) power and a bulb. The lamp body may comprise a solid dielectric material and at least one conductive element within the solid dielectric material. The source of RF power is configured to provide RF power and an RF feed configured to radiate the RF power from the RF source into the lamp body. The bulb is positioned proximate the lamp body and contains a fill that forms a plasma when the RF power is coupled to the fill from the lamp body. The at least one conductive element is configured to concentrate an electric field proximate the bulb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Luxim Corporation
    Inventors: Marc DeVincentis, Abdeslam Hafidi, Richard Gilliard, Dan O'Hare
  • Publication number: 20130052903
    Abstract: An electrodeless plasma lamp and method of forming a seal on an electrodeless bulb for use in the plasma lamp are described. The method may include providing a section of tube, cutting the tube to length, and sealing a first point on one end of the tube in a rounded fashion to form a first end of the electrodeless bulb. The cross-sectional diameter of an opposite end of the tube is reduced to form a tail on the electrodeless bulb. The tail is open to an interior portion of the bulb where the interior portion forms a cavity. One or more fill gases are injected into the cavity of the bulb. A first portion along the tail of the bulb is sealed thereby forming a truncated tail. A second point on the tail, intermediate between a terminal portion of the tail and a portion of the bulb containing the cavity, is sealed. The second point is sealed with a plasma torch by using an inert-gas element with a minimum of hydrogen gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: Luxim Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Gilliard, Abdeslam Hafidi, Thomas O'Halloran, John F. Waymouth
  • Publication number: 20120274209
    Abstract: An electrodeless plasma lamp is described comprising a lamp body including a solid dielectric material. The lamp includes a bulb received at least partially within an opening in the solid dielectric material and a radio frequency (RF) feed configured to provide power to the solid dielectric material. A conductive material is provided adjacent to the bulb to concentrate the power proximate the bulb. The conductive material may be located below an upper surface of the solid dielectric material. The conductive material may modify at least a portion of an electric field proximate the bulb so that the portion of the electric field is oriented substantially parallel to an upper surface of the lamp body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Luxim Corporation
    Inventors: Marc DeVincentis, Richard Gilliard
  • Publication number: 20120212128
    Abstract: An electrodeless plasma lamp and method of generating light are described. The lamp may comprise a lamp body, a source of radio frequency (RF) power and a bulb. The lamp body may comprise a solid dielectric material and at least one conductive element within the solid dielectric material. The source of RF power is configured to provide RF power and an RF feed configured to radiate the RF power from the RF source into the lamp body. The bulb is positioned proximate the lamp body and contains a fill that forms a plasma when the RF power is coupled to the fill from the lamp body. The at least one conductive element is configured to concentrate an electric field proximate the bulb.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: Luxim Corporation
    Inventors: Marc DeVincentis, Abdeslam Hafidi, Richard Gilliard, Dan O'Hare
  • Patent number: 8169152
    Abstract: An electrodeless plasma lamp is described comprising a lamp body including a solid dielectric material. The lamp includes a bulb received at least partially within an opening in the solid dielectric material and a radio frequency (RF) feed configured to provide power to the solid dielectric material. A conductive material is provided adjacent to the bulb to concentrate the power proximate the bulb. The conductive material may be located below an upper surface of the solid dielectric material. The conductive material may modify at least a portion of an electric field proximate the bulb so that the portion of the electric field is oriented substantially parallel to an upper surface of the lamp body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Luxim Corporation
    Inventors: Marc DeVincentis, Richard Gilliard
  • Patent number: 8143801
    Abstract: An electrodeless plasma lamp and method of generating light are described. The lamp may comprise a lamp body, a source of radio frequency (RF) power and a bulb. The lamp body may comprise a solid dielectric material and at least one conductive element within the solid dielectric material. The source of RF power is configured to provide RF power and an RF feed configured to radiate the RF power from the RF source into the lamp body. The bulb is positioned proximate the lamp body and contains a fill that forms a plasma when the RF power is coupled to the fill from the lamp body. The at least one conductive element is configured to concentrate an electric field proximate the bulb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Luxim Corporation
    Inventors: Marc DeVincentis, Abdeslam Hafidi, Richard Gilliard, Dan O'Hare
  • Publication number: 20110181184
    Abstract: An electrodeless plasma lamp is described comprising a lamp body including a solid dielectric material. The lamp includes a bulb received at least partially within an opening in the solid dielectric material and a radio frequency (RF) feed configured to provide power to the solid dielectric material. A conductive material is provided adjacent to the bulb to concentrate the power proximate the bulb. The conductive material may be located below an upper surface of the solid dielectric material. The conductive material may modify at least a portion of an electric field proximate the bulb so that the portion of the electric field is oriented substantially parallel to an upper surface of the lamp body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: Luxim Corporation
    Inventors: Marc DeVincentis, Richard Gilliard
  • Publication number: 20110043123
    Abstract: Electrodeless plasma lamp and fill is described. Power may be over coupled to the lamp during startup and a significant percentage of the power is reflected. In some examples, 40-80% of the power may be initially reflected and less than 100 watts of forward power may be provided to the lamp. A high pressure fill is used to increase resistance and coupling of power during startup. In one example, a fill of noble gas, Mercury and metal halide is used and the high pressure decreases the warm up time required to vaporize the Mercury and metal halide. In some embodiments, the pressure may be between 200 Torr to 3000 Torr. A combination of metal halides may be used to provide desired characteristics. For example, Aluminum Halide, Indium Halide and/or Thallium Halide may be combined with one or more metal halides having a metal from the Lanthanide series.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Inventors: Richard Gilliard, Abdeslam Hafidi
  • Patent number: 7880402
    Abstract: An electrodeless plasma lamp is described comprising a lamp body including a solid dielectric material. The lamp includes a bulb received at least partially within an opening in the solid dielectric material and a radio frequency (RF) feed configured to provide power to the solid dielectric material. A conductive material is provided adjacent to the bulb to concentrate the power proximate the bulb. The conductive material may be located below an upper surface of the solid dielectric material. The conductive material may modify at least a portion of an electric field proximate the bulb so that the portion of the electric field is oriented substantially parallel to an upper surface of the lamp body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Luxim Corporation
    Inventors: Marc DeVincentis, Richard Gilliard
  • Publication number: 20100315000
    Abstract: An electrodeless plasma lamp is described comprising a lamp body including a solid dielectric material. The lamp includes a bulb received at least partially within an opening in the solid dielectric material and a radio frequency (RF) feed configured to provide power to the solid dielectric material. A conductive material is provided adjacent to the bulb to concentrate the power proximate the bulb. The conductive material may be located below an upper surface of the solid dielectric material. The conductive material may modify at least a portion of an electric field proximate the bulb so that the portion of the electric field is oriented substantially parallel to an upper surface of the lamp body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: Luxim Corporation
    Inventors: Marc DeVincentis, Richard Gilliard
  • Patent number: 7719195
    Abstract: An electrodeless plasma lamp is described comprising a lamp body including a solid dielectric material. The lamp includes a bulb received at least partially within an opening in the solid dielectric material and a radio frequency (RF) feed configured to provide power to the solid dielectric material. A conductive material is provided adjacent to the bulb to concentrate the power proximate the bulb. The conductive material may be located below an upper surface of the solid dielectric material. The conductive material may modify at least a portion of an electric field proximate the bulb so that the portion of the electric field is oriented substantially parallel to an upper surface of the lamp body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Luxim Corporation
    Inventors: Marc DeVincentis, Richard Gilliard
  • Publication number: 20100102724
    Abstract: A ceramic body electrodeless lamp and a method to produce the lamp are provided. In an example embodiment, the ceramic body electrodeless lamp may include an open tubular arm body, a filler rod formed to have an outer diameter sized to fit at least partially within an inner diameter of the open tubular arm body, and a frit material to form a seal between the open tubular arm body and the filler rod once the frit material is melted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: Luxim Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Gilliard, Tom O'Halloran
  • Publication number: 20090284166
    Abstract: An electrodeless plasma lamp and method of generating light are described. The lamp may comprise a lamp body, a source of radio frequency (RF) power and a bulb. The lamp body may comprise a solid dielectric material and at least one conductive element within the solid dielectric material. The source of RF power is configured to provide RF power and an RF feed configured to radiate the RF power from the RF source into the lamp body. The bulb is positioned proximate the lamp body and contains a fill that forms a plasma when the RF power is coupled to the fill from the lamp body. The at least one conductive element is configured to concentrate an electric field proximate the bulb.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: Luxim Corporation
    Inventors: Marc DeVincentis, Abdeslam Hafidi, Gregg Hollingsworth, Richard Gilliard
  • Publication number: 20090167201
    Abstract: In one example embodiment, a drive probe is coupled to the lamp body to provide the primary power for ignition and steady state operation of the lamp. Feedback may be used to adjust frequency in response to changing conditions of the lamp during startup. A phase shifter may be used to adjust the phase of the power between ignition and steady state operation. A sensor may detect a lamp operating condition that automatically triggers a shift in phase after the fill in the bulb is vaporized. In another example embodiment, a method for sequentially optimizing the drive power and phase shift applied to the lamp is disclosed that may reliably regulate the lamp current consumption to desired startup and operational levels despite variations in lamp environmental conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Markus Duelli, Richard Gilliard, Abdeslam Hafidi, Gregg Hollingsworth
  • Publication number: 20070222352
    Abstract: An electrodeless plasma lamp is described comprising a lamp body including a solid dielectric material. The lamp includes a bulb received at least partially within an opening in the solid dielectric material and a radio frequency (RF) feed configured to provide power to the solid dielectric material. A conductive material is provided adjacent to the bulb to concentrate the power proximate the bulb. The conductive material may be located below an upper surface of the solid dielectric material. The conductive material may modify at least a portion of an electric field proximate the bulb so that the portion of the electric field is oriented substantially parallel to an upper surface of the lamp body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Inventors: Marc DeVincentis, Richard Gilliard