Mercury Vapor Patents (Class 313/639)
  • Patent number: 5736813
    Abstract: The formation of leachable mercury upon disposal or during TCLP testing of mercury vapor discharge lamps is substantially prevented by incorporation of a pH control agent in the lamp structure or in the test solution to provide a pH of about 5.5 to about 6.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald Franklin Foust, Deborah Ann Haitko, David Key Dietrich
  • Patent number: 5729090
    Abstract: A sodium containing lamp constructed to include of a fused quartz or fused silica arc chamber wherein the fused quartz and/or fused silica contains less than about 0.05 parts per million sodium. The arc chamber of the invention demonstrates a resistance to sodium diffusion resulting in a longer lived lamp with excellent color maintenance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Curtis E. Scott, Joseph A. Shrawder, Mohan Rajaram
  • Patent number: 5698948
    Abstract: A metal halide lamp includes a discharge vessel with a ceramic wall and a filling which comprises besides mercury and a halogen also Na, Tl and one or several of the elements from the group formed by Sc, Y and lanthanides. The filling also contains Mg to improve lumen maintenance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Nancy J. Caruso
  • Patent number: 5691601
    Abstract: A metal-halide discharge lamp for photooptical purposes has a small electe spacing of less than 15 mm, preferably 2-8 mm, to provide an essentially pin-point light source, and a fill which contains AlI.sub.3 in an amount between 0.1 and 4.5 mg/cm.sup.3. Other filling components may in particular be halides of mercury, indium, thallium or cesium; up to 2 mg/cm.sup.3 of AlBr may be added. The lamp is particularly adapted for combination with a, preferably parabolic, reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft F. Elektrische Gluehlampen mbH
    Inventors: Anna-Maria Frey, Jurgen Maier, Manfred Pilsak, Ralf Seedorf, Clemens Barthelmes, Thomas Dittrich
  • Patent number: 5670844
    Abstract: A good discharge lamp which can emit light with wavelengths in the range of 220 nm in an amount sufficient for industrial applications and at the same time can adequately maintain a transmission factor of the radiant light and emits neither water nor hydrogen or the like during luminous operation is achieved by the fact that, in a discharge lamp in which a pair of electrodes are located adjacent to one another encapsulated within a quartz glass fluorescent tube together with mercury and an inert gas, the quartz glass contains an OH radical concentration of a weight of in the range of 300 to 800 ppm. Furthermore, the content of metallic impurities in the quartz glass is limited to a weight less than or equal to 1 ppm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Ushiodenki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukio Yasudaa, Kiyotada Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5668441
    Abstract: A high-pressure metal halide lamp which is particularly suitable for inclon in optical systems is run at specific power between 100 and 180 W per mm arc length. The lamp includes, per cm.sup.3 chamber volume, between 0.3 and 3 .mu.mol dysprosium, hafnium and lithium respectively and between 0.2 and 2 .mu.mol indium, whereby luminance of between 25 and 75 kcd/cm.sup.2 can be generated at color temperature of between 4500 and 7000 K. Light spots with a diameter of about 4 mm and a color reproduction index Ra of 80 are achieved by means of a special reflector. This makes it possible to use the lamp in combination with thin glass-fiber bunches for illumination purpose, e.g. in endoscopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fur Elektrische Gluhlampen mbH
    Inventor: Andreas Genz
  • Patent number: 5661365
    Abstract: A lamp for providing visible radiation includes tellurium or a tellurium compound in the fill. This substance is present in an amount such that when the fill is excited with sufficient power, substantially all of the radiation resulting from tellurium is emitted at wavelengths exceeding 400 nm. When tellurium is added to a sulfur or selenium based lamp for emitting visible radiation, the spectrum is shifted towards the red region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: Fusion Lighting, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Turner
  • Patent number: 5614151
    Abstract: A sanitizer uses a radiant energy source such as a microwave source to excite a gas contained in a bulb so that the gas produces ultraviolet radiation that can be used to sanitize substances exposed to the radiation. The ultraviolet radiation may also be used to generate ozone from oxygen in air or another gas containing oxygen and the ozone may be used by itself or in combination with ultraviolet exposure to sanitize substances. The bulb for generating ultraviolet radiation can be shaped so that substances to be sterilized are able to pass through the bulb, so that objects (even metal objects) are enclosed by the bulb and shielded from the radiant energy source, or so that the bulb is located at the end of a waveguide and can be positioned to sanitize inaccessible surfaces or substances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Assignee: R Squared Holding, Inc.
    Inventors: Thurston C. LeVay, James A. Rummel
  • Patent number: 5600204
    Abstract: A high-pressure sodium discharge lamp provided with a ceramic discharge vessel, in which sodium, mercury and xenon are present, of which the xenon is at a pressure at 300K of at least 26.7 kPa. The sodium and the mercury are present in a weight ratio Na/Hg which is at least 0.075 and at most 0.125. The lamp generates in the operating condition a spectrum, in which at a wavelength of 589.3 nm a self-absorption band is present, which is limited by spectral flanks each flank having a respective maximum. There is a wavelength difference .DELTA..lambda. of at least 3.5 nm and at most 6 nm between the maxima.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Cornelis A. J. Jacobs, Aldegondus W. Jansen, Jan A. J. Stoffels
  • Patent number: 5512800
    Abstract: In a metal halide lamp container 1 sealed with mercury and rare gas, GdX.sub.3, LuX.sub.3, and CsX where halogen is iodine, bromine, or their mixture are sealed in a total weight of 1 mg/cc or more, with the weight of CsX defined within a range of 15% or more to 50% or less of the total halides, and the weight ratio of GdX.sub.3 and LuX.sub.3 is set in a range of 0.1.ltoreq.GdX.sub.3 /LuX.sub.3 .ltoreq.10. In addition to GdX.sub.3, LuX.sub.3, and CsX, at least one of thallium halide and dysprosium halide is added. Or DyX.sub.3, LuX.sub.3, NdX.sub.3, and CsX where halogen is iodine, bromine or their mixture are sealed in the specified total weight, with the weight ratio of CsX defined in the above range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Omura, Masayuki Wakamiya, Munehiro Tabata, Nobuyoshi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 5510676
    Abstract: A high pressure sodium lamp includes discharge vessel (20) which is enclosed with intervening space (1) by an outer bulb (10), which space contains a gas-fill with at least 70 mol. % nitrogen gas. Electrodes (30a, 30b) are positioned in the discharge vessel (20) and are each connected to a current supply conductor (40a, 40b) which issues from the discharge vessel (20) at a respective end (21a, 21b) thereof. The discharge vessel (20) has between the electrodes (30a, 30b) a central portion (22) with length L and volume V. The discharge vessel (20) contains an amalgam containing a weight m.sub.Hg of mercury and a weight m.sub.Na r. of sodium, whereby the following relations are fulfilled: ##EQU1## in which m.sub.Hg and m.sub.Na are expressed in mg, and L and V are expressed in cm and cm.sup.3, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Eduardus J. E. Cottaar, Peter J. Vrugt
  • Patent number: 5497049
    Abstract: The high pressure mercury discharge lamp comprises a quartz glass lamp vessel (1) having a region (2) surrounding a discharge space (3), spaced-apart tungsten electrodes (4) defining a discharge path (5) disposed in the lamp vessel, and connected to current conductors (6) which extend from the lamp vessel to the exterior and a filling of mercury, rare gas and bromine. The lamp has an operating pressure of at least about 200 bar. The discharge space (3) is spheroidal in shape and has specified dimensions. The lamp consumes a power of 70 to 150 W. The lamp has favourable properties which render the lamp suitable for use in optical systems, e.g. for projection purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Hanns E. Fischer
  • Patent number: 5489819
    Abstract: The method of conducting a lighting operation of a metallic vapour discharge lamp, to maintain a suitable arc tube temperature, even if the lamp is operated at an input power higher than 160 W/cm of lighting length. A metallic vapour discharge lamp, in which mercury, rare gas, iron and halogen are encapsulated wherein an arc tube is used and which is operated with an internal pressure of 0.5 to 10 psi, an input power of higher than 160 W/cm of lighting length and within a heater having an air injection cooling system. The lamp characteristics are D.ltoreq.28 and simultaneously P/D.ltoreq.14, where the arc tube external diameter is designated D (mm) and the input power/cm of lighting length is designated P (W/m).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1996
    Assignee: Ushiodenki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Motohiro Sakai, Kazuhiro Goto
  • Patent number: 5479065
    Abstract: A metal halide discharge lamp operated from a D.C. power source, which is suitable for an optical light source, has a quartz arc tube. Anode and cathode electrodes are disposed in the arc tube. The gap length between electrodes is so short that the metal halide discharge lamp functions as a point light source. The arc tube contains an inert gas, mercury and metal halide additives including metal bromine. By utilizing the catephoresis effects, the transformation of silica (SiO.sub.2) of the arc tube to cristobalite or the formation of an opaque substance on the arc tube is prevented. Atomic percent of bromine to halogen contained in the arc tube is about 60% to 90% and a wall load developed in the arc tube is substantially greater than 40 W/cm.sup.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Sugimoto, Akihiro Ueda, Tadatoshi Higashi
  • Patent number: 5466990
    Abstract: A planar fluorescent and electroluminescent lamp having two pairs of electrodes. Planar electrodes on an outer surface of the lamp create a plasma arc by capacitive coupling. The planar electrodes also cause embedded phosphor to emit light on the electroluminescent phenomena. In one embodiment, a second chamber is on top of the first chamber and light passes from a primary chamber through the second chamber, and is emitted by the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: Winsor Corporation
    Inventor: Mark D. Winsor
  • Patent number: 5466987
    Abstract: A metal halide arc discharge lamp includes a metal halide arc tube located within a lamp envelope, a lamp stem having first and second stem leads extending therethrough, and a frame member mechanically connected between the first stem lead and a first end portion of the arc tube. A resistor can be connected between the second stem lead and a starting electrode lead for increased mechanical support. The resistor and the frame member provide the only mechanical support for the arc tube in the lamp envelope. The dome end of the arc tube is mechanically unsupported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: Osram Sylvania Inc.
    Inventor: Glen P. Williamson
  • Patent number: 5461281
    Abstract: To prevent attack on electrodes (4, 5) within a discharge vessel (2) by an ionizable metal halide fill, due to spurious or free oxygen arising within the lamp during operation thereof, which oxygen combines with the metal of the electrodes, and is then dissociated in the arc and re-deposited at the hottest part of the electrode, an oxygen removing getter material is introduced into the discharge vessel. Spurious oxygen arises due to emission of oxygen from the glass wall of the discharge vessel, typically quartz glass, and unavoidable contaminants of the fill substance. The getter material is, preferably, phosphorus, boron or aluminum, a halide of the foregoing, a tungsten boron compound, a tin phosphorus compound, or scandium or a rare earth. If the getter is a halide, iodine, bromine or chloride are suitable. The getter may be introduced in quantities of between 0.05 to 0.6%, depending on the getter substances and the fill composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft f. elektrische Gluehlampen mbH
    Inventors: Dietrich Fromm, Guenter Soehring, Richard Ullmann
  • Patent number: 5402037
    Abstract: An arc tube for a discharge lamp unit which emits light which is suitable in luminous flux, color temperature, and chromaticity. The arc tube is composed of a closed glass ball in which electrodes confront one another and which is sealingly charged with light emitting materials, namely, mercury and a metal iodide of NaI and ScI.sub.3 groups together with Xe inert gas. In accordance with the invention, the closed glass ball has a volume of 20 to 50 .mu.l, the density of the mercury in the closed glass ball is in a range of 2.times.10.sup.-2 to 4.times.10.sup.-2 mg/.mu.l, the density of the metal iodide is in a range of 6.times.10.sup.-3 to 12.times.10.sup.-3 mg/.mu.l, and the charged Xe gas pressure is 3 to 6 atm. These ranges make it possible to readily manufacture on a large scale arc tubes which are substantially equal in performance, being substantially uniform in tube voltage, luminous flux, color temperature and chromaticity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Irisawa, Yasuyoshi Numajiri, Kunimasa Mochiduki
  • Patent number: 5394059
    Abstract: In a metallic vapor discharge lamp, in whose arc tube provided with electrodes are encapsulated together with mercury and inert gas, whose quantity is adequate for maintaining arc discharges, an adequate quantity of iron and an adequate quantity of a metal, in which at least one of the metals tin, magnesium, bismuth, thallium, cadmium or manganese is selected, together with halogen, as a result of the fact that the encapsulated halogen at least contains bromine, whose weight ratio to the total halogen is 0.26%, the adhesion of iron to the inside of the arc tube is prevented and consequently a radiation intensity of the ultraviolet rays effective for curing paints or inks is maintained over a long period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: Oshiodenki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masachika Ohyama, Tetsuo Fuse, Motohiro Sakai, Kazuyuki Mori
  • Patent number: 5363007
    Abstract: To provide a fill in a low-power, high-pressure discharge lamp, which is capable of emitting light within a warm white light (WDL) color or neutral white light (NDL) color, that is, in the ranges of between about 2600 to 4600K, the fill has a relative relationship of sodium halide to scandium halide between 5:1 and 24:1, a relationship of sodium halide to thallium halide of 25:1 to 73:1, and a heat damming or heat retention or reflection coating (15, 16) is located at the end caps of the generally bulbous discharge vessel to provide for a cold spot temperature (Tc) of at least 800.degree. C., and preferably higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fuer Elektrische Gluehlampen mbH
    Inventors: Dietrich Fromm, Andreas Hohlfeld, Guenter Soehring
  • Patent number: 5319282
    Abstract: A planar fluorescent and electroluminescent lamp having two pairs of electrodes. Planar electrodes on an outer surface of the lamp create a plasma arc by capacitive coupling. The planar electrodes also cause embedded phosphor to emit light on the electroluminescent phenomena. In one embodiment, a second chamber is on top of the first chamber and light passes from a primary chamber through the second chamber, and is emitted by the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1994
    Inventor: Mark D. Winsor
  • Patent number: 5266864
    Abstract: A negative glow discharge lamp having improved efficacy enabled by reducing the anode work function by the introduction of a metal-based gas into the lamp envelope for absorption on the anode. The metal-based gas is preferably cesium but may also, for example, be sodium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph D. Michael, Radomir Lagushenko, Jakob Maya, Oscar Biblarz
  • Patent number: 5258687
    Abstract: In a mercury vapor arc discharge tube having a pair of electrodes, an emissive material disposed on the electrodes consists essentially of a single phase compound of Ba.sub.x Sr.sub.1-x Y.sub.2 O.sub.4 where x is from about 0.25 to about 0.95.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1993
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: George L. Duggan, David A. Goodman, Nanu Brates
  • Patent number: 5248913
    Abstract: To prevent ion migration from a discharge vessel (4) into an evacuated sp between the discharge vessel and an outer bulb (1), a shield wire (13) is interposed between the current supply lead (12) extending longitudinally within the outer bulb and the discharge vessel (4), and both the shield wire (13) and the current supply (12) are insulated by a high dielectric insulating material. A suitable material is a ceramic, like Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 or Ba.sub.2 TiO.sub.4, for example, as a single ceramic body with ducts for, respectively, the current supply lead (12) and the shielding wire (13), or, alternatively, to form separate ceramic sleeves (17, 18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1993
    Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fur elektrische Gluhlampen m.b.H.
    Inventor: Jurgen Heider
  • Patent number: 5239232
    Abstract: The high-pressure lamp has a fill including a metal halide of two groups, which the first group is a first rare earth halide of dysprosium, thulium and optionally holmium, and a second group of rare earth halide, namely cerium, neodymium, praseodymium, lanthanum; and an alkali metal halide, such as sodium halide and/or cesium halide, preferably iodide or bromide of sodium and/or cesium. The lamp has a high proportion of light radiation in the red range of the color spectrum to provide substantially improved color rendering indices, particularly in the Ra.sub.8 region, thereby providing better color balance, without loss of lifetime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fur elektrische Gluhlampen mbH
    Inventors: Juergen Heider, Achim Gosslar, Ulrich Henger
  • Patent number: 5229616
    Abstract: In an exposure light source for use in exposing a pattern onto a substrate, an exposure lamp substantially encloses only a single isotope of a specific metal. The single isotope emits far ultraviolet light which has a very narrow bandwidth when vaporized and excited in the exposure lamp. Preferably, the single isotope may have a nuclear spin equal to zero and is effective to make the bandwidth of the far ultraviolet light narrower. The single isotope may be determined in consideration of an abundance ratio of each isotope. The specific metal may be selected from a group consisting of mercury, lead, zinc, and cadmium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventor: Hideo Hara
  • Patent number: 5212424
    Abstract: Sodium metal has been found to be effective in gettering excess halogen present in metal halide lamps containing mercury, an inert starting gas and at least one ionizable metal halide for forming a light-emitting arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy D. Russell, Raymond A. Heindl
  • Patent number: 5192891
    Abstract: A metal halide lamp comprises a glass tube defining a discharge space and a pair of electrodes provided in the glass tube for generating a discharge therebetween. The metal halide lamp has mercury and halogen fillings comprising bromine and iodine contained in the glass tube. The mol ratio of the bromine to the halogen fillings is 0.3 to 0.7. The metal halide lamp has metal reacting with the halogen and emitting light in the glass tube by the discharge. The metal comprises tin, sodium, thallium and indium. The tin contained in the glass tube is at the amount of 1 to 14 .mu..multidot.mol per 1 cc of discharge space. Each mol ratio of the amount of the sodium, the thallium and the indium to the amount of the tin is not less than 0.2, respectively. The lamp has a color temperature of more than 4000.degree. K. without sacrificing efficiency or color rendition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1993
    Assignee: Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsuura, Shinji Inukai, Hisanori Sano
  • Patent number: 5187804
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of eliminating the cold spot zones presently used on Hg.sup.196 isotope separation lamps and filters by the use of a mercury amalgams, preferably mercury - indium amalgams. The use of an amalgam affords optimization of the mercury density in the lamp and filter of a mercury enrichment reactor, particularly multilamp enrichment reactors. Moreover, the use of an amalgam in such lamps and/or filters affords the ability to control the spectral line width of radiation emitted from lamps, a requirement for mercury enrichment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventor: Mark W. Grossman
  • Patent number: 5184044
    Abstract: A low watt metal halide discharge lamp for use in photo-curing photo-curable compositions. The lamp comprises an envelope made of light transmissive material having walls that define an arc chamber volume. Contained within the arc chamber volume is a fill of mercury, inert gas and a metal halide additive that includes indium iodide or indium triiodide. The mercury and metal halide are adapted to substantially vaporize during operation of the lamp and produce radiant energy substantially within the wavelength range between about 400 and 500 nm. Extending into the arc chamber volume is a pair of electrodes having electrode tips spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance. The lamp also includes a pair of inlead assemblies electrically coupled to a pair of electrodes respectively. The inlead assemblies pass from the electrodes through a sealed section to the exterior of the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Assignee: Welch Allyn, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian J. Thomas
  • Patent number: 5159229
    Abstract: A metal halide high intensity discharge lamp including a carbon monoxide additive in the arc tube fill to improve lumen maintenance is provided. The metal halide discharge lamp of the present invention comprises: an outer sealed glass envelope; a pair of electrical conductors sealed into and passing through the glass envelope; an arc tube disposed within the outer glass envelope, the arc tube including a pair of spaced electrodes therein with the electrodes being electrically connected to the electrical conductors such that one electrode is electrically connected to one electrical conductor; a chemical fill disposed within the arc tube, the chemical fill comprising mercury, metal halide additives, carbon monoxide, and a starting gas; and a support structure disposed within the outer glass envelope to support the arc tube therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: Edmund M. Passmore, William M. Keeffe
  • Patent number: 5150017
    Abstract: A high pressure sodium lamp having a fill within an elongated arc tube comprising an inert starting gas, mercury and sodium wherein said mercury and sodium being are in an amount less than two milligrams per cubic centimeter of said volume of the interior of the arc tube wherein the weight ratio of sodium to mercury is less than 1 to 20 whereby the lamp is saturated with sodium and unsaturated with mercury at said predetermined nominal output voltage and does not extinguish at an input voltage exceeding about 90 percent of said rated voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignees: GTE Products Corporation, GTE Sylvania N.V.
    Inventors: Rudy E. A. Geens, Elliot F. Wyner
  • Patent number: 5142188
    Abstract: Two series connected high pressure sodium arc discharge tubes include a saturated arc tube and an unsaturated arc tube. When the saturated arc tube voltage shifts in value due to changes in operating conditions, the other unsaturated arc tube voltage does not shift to compensate for the voltage increase. Because the unsaturated arc tube voltage does not shift, the rate of voltage shift of the saturated arc tube is smaller in magnitude than otherwise would occur if both arc tubes were saturated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: North American Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Jagannathan Ravi, Kris Aelterman
  • Patent number: 5136208
    Abstract: A prescribed amount of tin halide is sealed in the arc tube of a metal halide lamp wherein a given amount of metal halide including a target amount of halogen and at least a predetermined amount of rare earth metal is sealed in the arc tube thereof to maintain a high lumen maintenance factor for an extended operation period. The prescribed amount of tin halide is preferably within 4.6.about.234 mol % of the predetermined amount of rare earth metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1992
    Assignee: Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromichi Kawashima, Kazuo Honda, Youichiro Mitsuyuki, Yasuki Mori, Masakazu Shibuya, Mamoru Furuya
  • Patent number: 5120251
    Abstract: A negative glow discharge lamp having improved efficacy enabled by reducing the anode work function by the introduction of a metal-based gas into the lamp envelope for absorption on the anode. The metal-based gas is preferably cesium but may also, for example, be sodium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph D. Michael, Radomir Lagushenko, Jakob Maya
  • Patent number: 5109181
    Abstract: A high-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp whose envelope two tungsten electrodes disposed therein of tungsten and a filling containing a rare gas, a quantity of mercury larger than 0.2 mg/mm.sup.3 at a mercury a pour pressure of more than 200 bar and at least one of the halogens chlorine, bromine or iodine in a quantity between 10.sup.-6 and 10.sup.-4 .mu.mol/mm.sup.3. The wall load in operation is higher than 1 W/mm.sup.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Hanns E. Fischer, Horst Horster
  • Patent number: 5107178
    Abstract: A metal vapor discharge lamp comprises a light-emitting tube filled with bismuth together with mercury, a rare gas, iron and a halogen in the range of 1/20-6/1 in terms of the gram atom ratio of bismuth to iron (Bi/Fe). A metal vapor discharge lamp also comprises a long light-emitting tube having an inner diameter D of 18-35 mm, equipped with a pair of electrodes and having an electrode interval L of 750 mm or greater, filled with bismuth together with mercury in a sealed amount of 0.6-2.0 mg per cc of the internal volume of the light-emitting tube, a rare gas, iron and a halogen in the range of 1/20-6/1 in terms of the gram atom ratio of bismuth to iron (Bi/Fe).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Assignee: Ushio Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masachika Ohyama, Tetsuo Fuse, Akiyasu Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 5075587
    Abstract: A high-pressure metal vapor discharge lamp, for example and specifically a etal halide vapor discharge lamp, has a discharge vessel, in which electrodes are fitted from both ends, in form of an elongated ceramic hollow body, in which, in accordance with the invention, the ceramic is translucent, high-purity aluminum nitride (AIN). The end portions are closed off by closing electrodes in form of either solid pins or rods, from which electrode elements carried on shafts (13) extend, or a hollow tube (19) fitted into the end portion of the aluminum nitride discharge vessel and pinched and soldered shut. The solid or tubular closing elements can be inserted into a pre-sintered discharge vessel, preferably under inert atmospheric conditions, in a meticulously clean environment. For translucidness, the high-purity aluminum nitride should have less than 0.05% of metal cations, which may cause coloring or discoloration, less than 0.01% iron as two or three valent ions, and less than 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1991
    Assignee: Patent Treuhand Gesellschaft fur elektrische Gluhlampen mbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Pabst, Stefan Juengst, Dieter Brunner
  • Patent number: 5057743
    Abstract: A low wattage metal halide lamp having improved CRI is disclosed. The low wattage metal halide discharge lamp of the present invention comprises an outer sealed glass envelope; a pair of electrical conductors sealed into and passing through the glass envelope; an arc tube disposed within the outer glass envelope, the arc tube including a pair of spaced electrodes therein with the electrodes being electrically connected to the electrical conductors such that one electrode is electrically connected to one electrical conductor; a chemical fill disposed within the arc tube, the chemical fill comprising mercury, scandium metal, sodium iodide, scandium iodide, lithium iodide, and a starting gas; and a support structure disposed within the outer glass envelope to support the arc tube therein, the support structure being electrically isolated from the electrical circuit of the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1991
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: Zeya K. Krasko, William M. Keeffe
  • Patent number: 5028843
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a lighting lamp having a light-emitting tube in which lutetium (Lu), lithium (Li) and a halogen are sealed together with mercury and a rare gas. The lighting lamp satisfies the following conditions (1) and (2):(1) the proportion Li/Lu (the ratio in terms of the number of atoms of lithium to lutetium) is 0.5 to 1.5; and(2) the sealed amount of the halogen is the total of a stoichiometric amount of halogen in which the halogen form halides with lutetium and lithium to be sealed and an excess amount of 0.5.times.10.sup.-6 to 4.times.10.sup.-6 molecular mole/cc based on the internal volume of the light-emitting tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Assignee: Ushio Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mitsuo Narita
  • Patent number: 5021703
    Abstract: A metal halide high intensity discharge lamp including a carbon monoxide additive in the arc tube fill to improve lumen maintenance is provided. The metal halide discharge lamp of the present invention comprises: an outer sealed glass envelope; a pair of electrical conductors sealed into and passing through the glass envelope; an arc tube disposed within the outer glass envelope, the arc tube including a pair of spaced electrodes therein with the electrodes being electrically connected to the electrical conductors such that one electrode is electrically connected to one electrical conductor; a chemical fill disposed within the arc tube, the chemical fill comprising mercury, metal halide additives, carbon monoxide, and a starting gas; and a support structure disposed within the outer glass envelope to support the arc tube therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: Edmund M. Passmore, William M. Keeffe
  • Patent number: 5013968
    Abstract: Metal halide vapor arc lamps for reprographic and projection processes emitting in the blue, green and red bands with excellent primary color separation and having long life and lumen maintenance contain mercury, zinc, indium, lithium, thallium, a halogen and a rare earth metal such as lanthanum, scandium or dysporsium in the arc tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1991
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy D. Russell, Carl H. Hess, Paul G. Hlahol, Charles N. Stewart
  • Patent number: 4992700
    Abstract: Metal halide vapor arc lamps for reprographic and projection processes emitting in the blue, green and red bands with excellent primary color separation and having significant blue emission at a wavelength of about 450 nm, contain a fill of indium, zinc, lithium and thallium iodides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1991
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: William H. Lake
  • Patent number: 4963783
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for the photochemical isolation and separation of specific mercury isotopes from mixtures of mercury isotopes is disclosed. The system employs an electroded mercury photochemical lamp having a uniform, controlled output. The lamp is controlled by the use of a fluid heat transfer medium to control the partial pressure of mercury vapor within the lamp. This allows a means for controlling both the bandwidth and intensity of the lamp output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1990
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventor: Mark W. Grossman
  • Patent number: 4950059
    Abstract: A collimated light source is provided which combines the functions of lamp and integrating sphere into one unit for efficiently coupling radiant energy from a gas discharge to a lightguide. The light source is electrodeless and comprises an integrating sphere coated with a light-reflective material and containing a gaseous fill. To excite a discharge current in the fill, the sphere is encircled by a coupling coil driven by an RF power source, or the sphere is enclosed in a microwave cavity. Light exits from the sphere through a light-transmissive window to a lightguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Victor D. Roberts
  • Patent number: 4935668
    Abstract: A metal halide lamp having a vacuum shroud is disclosed. The vacuum shroud substantially eliminates the detrimental catephoresis effects of operating a metal halide lamp from a low frequency alternating current (A.C.) source or direct current (D.C.) sources, reduces the sodium migration losses typically experienced with a metal halide lamp, reduces the photoelectrons contribution to sodium losses for the metal halide lamp, reduces the detrimental effects of the hydrogen and water that may be within the general confines of such a metal halide lamp, and provides a containment function for an inner envelope that may be operated at a relatively high pressure and possibly experience rupturing to cause the dislodgment of the ruptured material to possibly fracture a glass member confining the metal halide lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard L. Hansler, Park French, John M. Davenport
  • Patent number: 4929869
    Abstract: In order to maintain an ultraviolet-ray intensity of a metal halide lamp for a long period, the present invention provides a high intensity discharge lamp comprising an arc tube having electrodes at its both ends, and a rare gas, mercury, iron, a halogen and silver enclosed in the tube, wherein a gram atom ratio of silver to iron is 0.05 to 0.2. The present invention also provides a high intensity discharge lamp comprising an arc tube having electrodes at its both ends, and a rare gas, mecury, iron, a halogen, tin and silver enclosed in the tube, wherein ([Fe]+[Sn])/[J]<0.5 and (2[Fe]+2[Sn]+[Ag])/[J]>1, where [Fe], [Sn], ]Ag] and [J] are, respectively, gram atoms of iron, tin, silver and the halogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Akihiro Yonezawa, Hiroki Sasaki, Yoichiro Mitsuyuki, Yasuki Mori, Toshihiko Ishigami
  • Patent number: 4924142
    Abstract: A low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp having a discharge vessel sealed in a gas-tight manner in which a discharge is present during operation of the lamp. The vessel contains a small quantity of an alloy comprising indium, tin and zinc forming an amalgam with mercury, the ratio between the atoms of indium and the atoms of tin in the amalgam-forming alloy being between 3:1 and 8:1, the ratio between the sum of the atoms of indium and tin and the atoms of zinc being between 95:5 and 99:1 and the ratio between the sum of the atoms of indium, tin and zinc and the atoms of mercury being between 95:5 and 99:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Lambert C. I. Kaldenhoven
  • Patent number: 4879493
    Abstract: Disclosed is a low-pressure discharge lamp comprising a discharge vessel defining an airtight space therein, at least one pair of electrodes disposed in the discharge vessel, and discharge gases enclosed in the discharge vessel, one of the electrodes which acts as an anode being located in a zone of negative glow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1989
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromistu Mastuno, Seiichi Murayama, Tetsuo Ono, Yoshio Watanabe
  • Patent number: RE34492
    Abstract: A .[.collimated.]. light source is provided which combines the functions of lamp and integrating sphere into one unit for efficiently coupling radiant energy from a gas discharge to a lightguide. The light source is electrodeless and comprises an integrating sphere coated with a light-reflective material and containing a gaseous fill. To excite a discharge current in the fill, the sphere is encircled by a coupling coil driven by an RF power source, or the sphere is enclosed in a microwave cavity. Light exits from the sphere through a light-transmissive window to a lightguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Victor D. Roberts