One Or More Rare Gases Patents (Class 313/643)
  • Patent number: 5606220
    Abstract: A lamp for providing visible light which utilizes a fill containing selenium and/or sulfur, or compounds of these substances. The lamp is excited such that the excited fill emits radiation from elemental selenium and/or elemental sulfur which is in a continuous band principally within the visible range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1997
    Assignee: Fusion Systems Corporation
    Inventors: James T. Dolan, Michael G. Ury, Charles H. Wood
  • Patent number: 5592052
    Abstract: A fluorescent lamp (2) having at least two phosphor coatings (12) on the surface of the sealed lamp bulb, typically an inner surface. There is variable driving means which preferentially activates one phosphor and not the other phosphors, at one arrangement or setting or configuration of the driving means, while at another setting the driving means activates in addition a different or several different phosphors. Each phosphors may be a blend of phosphors and the phosphors and/or blends may be overcoated upon one another forming multiple layers or all mixed together and applied as a one layer coating on the lamp surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works R&D Laboratory
    Inventors: Jakob Maya, Jagannathan Ravi
  • Patent number: 5557168
    Abstract: A panel-shaped gas-discharging type display device includes an anode and a cathode having a special shape to enhance discharging in an airtight chamber formed by two substrates. A gas containing an ultraviolet emission gas such as Xe and Kr and a fluophor for emitting a light are put together into the airtight chamber. Because of the shape of the cathode, more discharging occurs than with conventional devices. More ultraviolet emission from the discharging excites the fluophor to create a visible radiation. Therefore, the brightness of the device increases. Since the cathode is coated with an emitter material incapable of absorbing the ultraviolet emission gas, discharging is not obstructed by reduction of the ultraviolet emission gas, and the color of the visible radiation is stably maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Okaya Electric Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumio Nakajima, Satoshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5545948
    Abstract: A glass tube lamp matrix device includes a working gas container set and a glass tube matrix. The working gas container set includes a plurality of parallel first elongated containers in a plane and a plurality of parallel second elongated containers crossing the first elongated containers in a plane and forming an angle therewith. Each of the first and second elongated containers contains a working gas therein. The glass tube matrix includes a plurality of thin glass tubes, each of which having two open ends which are fluidly and respectively communicated with one of the first elongated containers and one of the second elongated containers, thereby filling the glass tubes with the working gas. Each of the glass tubes has a cross-sectional area much smaller than that of the first and second elongated containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Chilong Data Products Corp.
    Inventor: Adam Mii
  • Patent number: 5541481
    Abstract: A cadmium rare gas discharge lamp of the short arc type that has a high power of the spectra in a wavelength range of 210 nm to 230 nm and a stable lamp voltage in lighting operation for a long period. An arc tube 1 is provided within which are disposed opposed, spaced apart electrodes 2, 3 and thermal insulation films 6, 7. A rare gas is encapsulated together with metal cadmium and a quartz glass is used for the material of the arc tube whose OH radical has a weight content of no more than 200 ppm. Electrodes 4 and 5 are spaced apart no more than 10 mm, so that with a lamp current at least 20 amperes, an arc of the electrode-stable type is formed and radiant light of Cd ions obtained. For the encapsulated rare gas, in one embodiment at least one of the rare gases neon, argon or krypton, are used and are encapsulated at a gas pressure of 35 kPa to 2.5 MPa at a standard temperature of 25.degree. C. The arc tube 1 is formed of quartz glass, electrodes 2 and 3 are placed opposite one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: Ushiodenki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akiyasu Yamaguchi, Yukio Yasuda, Hiromitsu Matsuno, Tatsushi Igarashi
  • Patent number: 5537008
    Abstract: An incandescent lamp which is operable at about 200-275 V is obtainable by enclosing a filling composition consisting of about 80-95% by volume of krypton gas and about 5-20% by volume of nitrogen gas in a glass envelope bearing a tungsten filament and an inner volume of about 0.2-1.2 ml/operating wattage in an amount of about 0.7-0.9 ml/ml of the inner volume. The incandescent lamp exhibits satisfactory luminous characteristics and an extended life expectancy without causing arc discharge even when operated at a voltage of about 200-275 V. Thus a lighting device which comprises such an incandescent lamp as the luminous source and a power source capable of energizing it at a voltage of about 200-275 V is very useful in general and special illumination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Ken Hayashibara
    Inventors: Osamu Matsuda, Takahiro Yaguchi
  • Patent number: 5528109
    Abstract: An addressing structure uses an ionizable gaseous mixture having a decreased decay time to address data storage elements (16) defined by the overlapping areas of multiple column electrodes (18) on a first substrate (48) and multiple channels (20) on a second substrate (54). Each of the channels contains the ionizable gaseous mixture and includes a reference potential electrode that receives a data signal and a row electrode that receives a data strobe signal. The ionizable gaseous mixture contains an ionizable gaseous medium and ionized particles that are collisionally matched with the ionizable gaseous medium to produce an decreased decay time of the ionizable gaseous mixture. The decreased decay time of the ionizable gaseous mixture provides an addressing structure having high-speed addressing capabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin J. Ilcisin, Paul C. Martin, Thomas S. Buzak
  • Patent number: 5523655
    Abstract: A nearly pure neon is described along with a method of operating the lamp. A phosphor is coated on the lamp wall. By properly stimulating the neon, ultraviolet light may be emitted, that can stimulate the phosphor to a first light emission. The lamp may then be operated to produce a visible light emission that is the result of neon emission or of intermediate combinations of the neon and phosphor emissions. A single neon lamp may then produce in one instance, an amber color, or in other instance, a red color without the cold environment problems typical of a mercury based lamp. The output efficiency is enhanced when the lamp is formed as an aperture lamp. The narrow source is also useful as a source in reflector and lens systems. High pressure neon lamps offer a small source size, direct color with no filtering, good tolerance of impact and jarring, moderate cost, and increased vehicle styling potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: Osram Sylvania Inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Jennato, Harold L. Rothwell, Jr., George J. English
  • Patent number: 5493170
    Abstract: A reflector lamp having a lens of vitreous material fused to a reflector body of vitreous material. An inner reflector surface of the reflector body includes a reflective coating having a first coating portion extending from the rim of the reflector body and a second coating portion extending from a location spaced from the rim towards a basal end of the reflector body. The second coating portion is a layer of silver and the first coating portion is a layer of material other than silver, such as aluminum, having a higher resistance to damage by high heat in the rim area during fusing of the lens to the reflector body. Higher efficacies are achieved with the silver layer spaced from the rim than with silver covering the entire reflector surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Philips Electronics North America Corporation
    Inventors: Jack R. Sheppard, David R. Woodward, James A. Cinalli, Douglas W. Shriver, Walter A. Boyce, Edmund R. Kern
  • Patent number: 5479072
    Abstract: A high intensity metal halide arc discharge lamp, such as an electrodeless lamp wherein RF energy is inductively coupled to the arc discharge, contains a halide of neodymium alone or in combination with other metals such as one or more rare earth metals, Na, Cs and is essentially mercury free (i.e., <1 mg per cc of arc chamber volume).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James T. Dakin, Tommie Berry, Jr., Mark E. Duffy, Timothy D. Russell
  • Patent number: 5449978
    Abstract: Disclosed is a lighting device to emit a light which substantially does not delay the latency of P300 wave in human ERP. Such a light hardly reduces human recognition and judgement when used in illumination. This renders the lighting device very useful in various illuminations directed to improve the efficiency and accuracy in visual tasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Ken Hayashibara
    Inventors: Osami Matsuda, Naoto Ogimoto, Hiroyoshi Iwashima
  • Patent number: 5432408
    Abstract: A filling composition consisting essentially of about 20-75% by volume of xenon gas and about 15-80% by volume of nitrogen gas exhibits excellent luminous characteristics and an extended life expectancy but hardly causes arc discharge when enclosed in incandescent lamp. Incandescent lamps using the filling composition emit a light which is natural, appropriately high in color temperature, excellent in color rendering properties and gentle to the eye when operated at a voltage exceeding their rating but not exceeding 150% thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1995
    Assignee: Ken Hayashibara
    Inventors: Osamu Matsuda, Takahiro Yaguchi
  • Patent number: 5404076
    Abstract: A high power lamp which utilzes a lamp fill containing sulfur or selenium, or compounds of these substances. An electrodeless lamp utilizing such a fill at a pressure at least as high as 1 atmosphere is excited at a power density in excess of 50 watts/cc. An arc lamp utilizing the fill at a pressure at least as high as 1 atmosphere is excited at a power density of at least 60 watts/cm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Assignee: Fusion Systems Corporation
    Inventors: James T. Dolan, Michael G. Ury, Charles H. Wood
  • Patent number: 5387837
    Abstract: A low pressure discharge lamp having a tubular discharge vessel (1). At each of its end portions (2, 3) the vessel (1) is fused to a respective metal tube (5) having an uncovered outer surface outside the vessel. A sealed glass tube (6) is fused to the metal tubes (5). Ignition aids (18, 28, 40) may also be present. The simple construction of the lamp permits manufacture and high lamp quality, even at long lengths and/or small diameters of the discharge vessel. The lamp may have an ionizable filling of rare gas or may also contain mercury. A fluorescent powder may also be present in the discharge vessel. The lamp (72) and a luminaire (70, 71) mounting the lamp may be used for display or signalling purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Bauke J. Roelevink, Paulus Q. J. Nederpel, Franciscus A. S. Ligthart
  • Patent number: 5382880
    Abstract: Disclosed is a lighting device to emit a light which substantially does not delay the latency of P100 wave in human VEP. Such a light hardly causes eyestrain when used in illumination. This renders the lighting device very useful in various illuminations directed to retaining healthy eyes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Ken Hayashibara
    Inventors: Masakazu Mitsuhashi, Osamu Matsuda
  • 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: 5359262
    Abstract: A low wattage sub-miniature, tungsten-halogen lamp having high efficacy and long life. The lamp has a cylindrical envelope in the T-1 to T-11/4 range containing a fill gas having a halogen minor constituent and an inert gas major constituent. The lamp operates at high fill gas pressures, and lower halogen gas content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: Welch Allyn, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean A. Bell, John W. Harkins
  • Patent number: 5343114
    Abstract: A high-pressure glow discharge lamp (1) having a planar discharge vessel (2) which is sealed in a vacuumtight manner, which surrounds a discharge space (3) filled with a gas mixture which forms excimers, and whose parallel walls (4, 5) are formed from a dielectric material. The surfaces (6, 7) of the walls (4, 5) remote from the discharge space (3) are provided with planar electrodes (8, 9). At least one (5) of these walls with its associated electrode (8) is at least partly transparent to the generated radiation. The gas mixture includes at least one of the rare gases Xe, Kr and Ar for forming an excimer and at least one of the halogens I.sub.2, Br.sub.2, Cl.sub.2 and F.sub.2. The partial pressure of the substance forming the excimer is at least 10 and at most 600 mbar in the case of Xe and/or Kr and at least 10 and at most 1000 mbar in the case of Ar. The partial pressure of the halogen is between 0.05 and 5% of the partial pressure of the substance forming the excimer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Claus Beneking, Horst Dannert, Manfred Neiger, Volker Schorpp, Klaus Stockwald
  • Patent number: 5266867
    Abstract: A gas discharge tube using a tunnel effect type electron emitting device as a cathode is provided. The electron emitting device comprises a conductive metal base and a dielectric film formed preferably of a material containing MgO as a main component on the metal base. The dielectric film faces an anode and is exposed to a gas in the tube. In the cathode of this structure, discharge is effected at a relatively low DC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Assignee: Matsushita Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Sakurai
  • Patent number: 5207503
    Abstract: A festoon style lamp containing xenon gas. The xenon lamp (22) has cylindrical, conical tipped end caps (36a) and (36b), a tungsten filament (34), and a cylindrical bulb (32). The end caps (36a) and (36b) are made of conductive material such as aluminum or nickel-plated brass, and are designed to adapt the lamp to fit into spade shaped contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Lucifer Lighting Company
    Inventor: Donald D. McLaughlin
  • Patent number: 5191460
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for high speed transmission of data in the solar blind region is disclosed. An ultraviolet source is modulated to permit digital transmission of data. The source includes an electrodeless capsule of UV transmitting material filled with iodine vapor. A means of energizing the iodine vapor into a plasma state is provided by a magnetron, power triode or solid state supply. A circuit to modulated the energizing means is used to impress upon the plasma discharge the encoded data. Filtering means surround the capsule to filter out the plasma background noise. The advantages of the UV communications method and apparatus described are increased pulse rate, faithful conversion of electrically pulsed data into optical pulses with decreased error rate, decreased probability of interception and non-line of sight communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1993
    Assignee: GTE Laboratories Incorporated
    Inventor: Walter P. Lapatovich
  • Patent number: 5187415
    Abstract: A low-pressure rare gas discharge lamp wherein a light emitting gas composed substantially 100% of rare gases is sealed in a bulb and light emitted is from the gas by electric discharge. An isolation film for the light emitting gas from the bulb is provided at least on the inner surface portion of the bulb which portion surrounds a positive column. In another embodiment, a hot cathode type low-pressure rare gas discharging fluorescent lamp includes a glass bulb, a pair of electrodes including an electrode acting as a hot cathode at least in a stable discharging state, the paired electrodes being provided within the glass bulb, a fluorescent substance layer formed on the inner surface of the glass bulb, and a light emitting gas sealed in the interior of the glass bulb. The fluorescent substance layer is rendered luminous by radiation emitted from the light emitting gas. A partial pressure of the sealed, light emitting gas is not higher than 5 Torr, and the light emitting gas includes at least krypton.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Osawa, Katsuo Murakami, Seishiro Mitsuhashi, Yujiro Kamano, Toshihiko Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 5159237
    Abstract: A green-light-emitting rare gas discharge lamp includes a glass tube filled with at least one selected from the group consisting of xenon, neon, helium, argon and krypton as a rare gas capable of emitting vacuum ultraviolet rays of a wavelength of not more than 200 nm, and includes on an inner surface of the glass tube a layer of a green-light-emitting phosphor having terbium-activated yttrium silicate, whereby it is intended to obtain enhanced performance as a green-light-emitting light source and to put the discharge lamp to practical use as a green-light-emitting light source for office automation equipment, for instance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Ishikawa, Katsuo Murakami, Seishiro Mitsuhashi, Takashi Osawa, Yujiro Kamano, Yoshinori Anzai, Takeo Saikatsu, Hiromi Adachi
  • Patent number: 5153482
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high-pressure sodium discharge lamp provided with a discharge vessel having a ceramic wall and enclosed with intervening space by an outer bulb. The discharge vessel is provided with two electrodes whose respective tips have a mutual distance D. The discharge vessel has a substantially circular cross-section with an interior diameter d.sub.i over the distance D. Under nominal operating conditions, according to the invention, the wall has a wall load of at least 60 W/cm.sup.2, the space between the outer bulb and the discharge vessel contains a gas filling, and D/d.sub.i being >6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Robertus A. J. Keijser, Monique M. F. Eerdekens
  • Patent number: 5113119
    Abstract: An electrodeless high pressure discharge lamp contains a halide or oxyhalide of W, Ta, Re, or rhenium oxide in such a quantity that a supersaturated metal vapor arises in the discharge, by which metal particles are formed. Owing to their high temperature these particles generate thermal emission. The lamp has a high color temperature and a high color rendering index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1992
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Ulrich Niemann, Stephan Offermanns, Bernhard Weber
  • Patent number: 5043627
    Abstract: A high-frequency fluorescent lamp (10) that is energized by an electronic high-frequency ballast (50). The two ends of the lamp are hermetically sealed by a set of base assemblies (14). Each assembly consists of an end cap (16) and a non-thermionic, high-frequency radiating element (18) that includes an integral input power pin (20). The radiating elements function as cathode/antennas that operate within a pressurized noble gas environment without the need for mercury. Since there is no mercury to vaporize nor any thermionic emission, the lamps, upon the application of power, start immediately to emit a high-frequency signal. This signal directly bombards and excites the lamps phosphor coating which causes the phosphor to fluoresce and emit visible light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1991
    Inventor: Leslie Z. Fox
  • Patent number: 5027030
    Abstract: A glow discharge lamp includes a light-transmitting envelope containing a rare gas fill material. The envelope contains a spherical-shaped region having a predetermined internal radius R. A phosphor coating is disposed on the inner surface of the envelope. Anode and cathode electrodes are disposed within the envelope and spaced a predetermined distance d thereapart. The voltage drop of the cathode electrode is less than the excitation potential of the rare gas fill material. The anode electrode has a predetermined effective surface area S.sub.a such that the relationship Rd/S.sub.a is within the range of from about 5.0 to 11.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: Andre C. Bouchard, Radomir Lagushenko, Jakob Maya
  • Patent number: 5021718
    Abstract: A negative glow discharge lamp including a light transmitting envelope having supported therein electrode means for establishing a negative glow discharge in the lamp. The fill material includes a metal-based gas such as sodium which, upon excitation thereof, directly emits visible light. The sodium has a resonance radiation in the visible part of the spectrum. The cathode is a hot cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: Jakob Maya, Joseph D. Michael, Radomir Lagushenko
  • Patent number: 4978892
    Abstract: A single flash discharge tube system is provided that is capable of emitting artificial light of a controlled and variable spectral output to compensate for photographic film color variations and/or extremes in scene color temperature. The flash tube contains a mixture of two or more gasses with each gas in the tube having a different ionization potential. When ionized, each has or combination thereof produces light having a different spectral output. The ionization of each gas is controlled by a trigger voltage applied to the flash tube in accordance with a code on a film container indicative of the color balance of film contained therein and/or sensing apparatus that determines scene color temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1990
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventors: Stephanie Petrakos, John P. Gaewsky
  • Patent number: 4977346
    Abstract: A discharge lamp comprises an HPS discharge device within an outer envelope filled with inert gas. A normally nonconductive spark gap device within the outer envelope is connected across conductors used to apply a voltage to the HPS discharge device. The spark gap breaks down when the applied voltage exceeds a certain value to prevent breakdown through the inert gas within the outer envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1990
    Assignee: North American Philips Corp.
    Inventors: Ray G. Gibson, Joseph Droho
  • Patent number: 4972120
    Abstract: Improved efficacy and color rendition are achieved in a high intensity discharge, solenoidal electric field (HID-SEF) lamp by using a novel combination of fill ingredients, including lanthanum halide, sodium halide, cerium halide, and xenon or krypton as a buffer gas. The preferred lamp structure is that of a short cylinder having rounded edges in order to achieve isothermal lamp operation and further efficacy improvement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Harald L. Witting
  • Patent number: 4949003
    Abstract: A double jacket arc lamp is disclosed. A double jacket arc lamp may be formed with an electric lamp capsule having an inner light transmissive envelope with electrical leads extending from the inner envelope through a first seal, and a second light transmissive envelope sealed to the inner envelope at a second seal to substantially surround the electric lamp capsule and form an enclosed volume between a portion of the exterior of the inner envelope and the interior of the outer envelope, and leaving the leads unenclosed by the outer envelope. The lamp leads then pass through only one seal, and have no portions exposed in the intermediate insulating volume. The intermediate volume of the double jacket arc lamp may include a fill gas including a noninert component. In particular, the fill gas may include oxygen which is thought to have useful gettering and glass preservation attributes. The use of oxygen in the fill gas allows the lamp to operate at a higher temperature, and therefore more efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1990
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Cox, Stephen P. Senft
  • Patent number: 4939418
    Abstract: A particular gas mixture (90% N.sub.2 +10% Xe) in a triggerable spark gap discharger is disclosed which allows the spark gap to be triggered with a low main-gap voltage over a much wider range of trigger voltages (e.g., 16-30 or more kV), than with nitrogen (e.g., 19-22 kV) or other commonly used gases and mixtures. The improvement is important where triggerable spark gaps are used in protective circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force.
    Inventor: Roy E. Wootton
  • Patent number: 4937496
    Abstract: A xenon short arc discharge lamp has a lamp bulb (1) of quartz glass, into which two rod-shaped electrodes (4, 5) protrude, the spacing of which is shorter than the diameter of the shaft (8) of the cathode (5); the cathode (5) is provided with a conical, obtuse tip (9). By doping with a metal halide, such as thallium iodide, the spectral radiant intensity per unit area in the plasma zone immediately in front of the cathode (5) is increased substantially compared with an undoped xenon short arc discharge lamp, and as a result of a flow-controlled tungsten-halogen cycle process, a stabilized cathode spot operation is attained, and the inner wall of the lamp bulb (1) remains free of tungsten deposits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Assignee: W. C. Heraeus GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Neiger, Reiner Hoppstock, Bernd Kleiner
  • Patent number: 4929868
    Abstract: A glow discharge lamp having increased efficiency and including a light-transmitting envelope which contains a gas fill material. A pair of electrodes is disposed in the envelope. Lead-in wires couple to the electrodes and are hermetically sealed in the envelope. The gas fill material includes at least one noble gas and a quantity of nitrogen. The nitrogen is in an amount from 1.5 percent to less than 10 percent of the total fill material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventor: Andre C. Bouchard
  • Patent number: 4926095
    Abstract: A fluorescent gas-discharge color display panel, in which a fluorescent material is excited by a gas-discharge therein, contains a three-component gas mixture of neon, argon and xenon as the discharge gas. Typically, the argon gas component is in the range of from approximately 5 percent to approximately 80 percent, and that of the xenon gas from a minimum sufficient to maintain the Penning effect up to approximately 10 percent. The argon gas component contributes to the gas mixture producing a pure and high peak of green light spectrum and reduces the orange light spectrum emitted directly by the neon gas discharges. Other characteristics, such as operating voltages, brightness, luminous efficacy, and the panel operating life, are satisfactorily maintained. The improved color purity is advantageous for both single and multiple color display by the excited fluorescent material or materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Tsutae Shinoda, Toshiyuki Nanto
  • Patent number: 4924346
    Abstract: A gas discharge device is provided for protecting a telephone line from certain voltage surges. The gas discharge device provides low voltage surge protection from tip to ring but still retains higher voltage surge protection from tip or ring to ground. The device is a three terminal device constructed with a rod extending from the tip or ring toward the other tip or ring to control the electrical distance between the tip or ring. The ground element may be positioned at the other end of the device or it may be positioned intermediate the tip and ring so that the rod extends through an opening in the ground conductor. In either position, the distance between tip or ring and ground is greater than the distance between tip and ring, and thus the breakdown voltage is higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc.
    Inventor: John W. Capps
  • Patent number: 4924347
    Abstract: The device relates to a gas lightning arrester comprising a tight enclosure and at least two electrodes (2a, 2b). In the enclosure is placed a powdery mineral addition agent. This addition agent is a mixture of elementary or mixed metal oxides globally corresponding to the general formula Al X.sub.a Y.sub.b O.sub.c, in which formula X and Y respectively represent at least one alkaline or alkaline-earth metal, a is between 0.02 and 1.5, b is between 0 and 0.25 and c has the necessary value to comply with the valency rules. Can be used for the protection of the telephone lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: Compagnie Industrielle de Tubes et Lampes Electriques Citel
    Inventor: Michel Cantagrel
  • Patent number: 4914347
    Abstract: Hot-cathode discharge fluorescent lamps filled with low pressure rare gas being discharge fluorescent lamps filled with low pressure rare gas with a tube diameter of 16 mm or less provided with a pair of electrodes on both ends of a glass tube which operate as a hot-cathode in a stable discharge condition, having a fluorescent material layer on the inside surface of the bulb, filled with a luminous gas therein, and which is illuminated with irradiation from discharge in the luminous gas, in which at least one gas of He, Ne, Ar, and Kr are filled in addition to Xe as the luminous gas in an amount that the percentage of additional gas volume to total gas volume exceeds 50%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1990
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Osawa, Katsuo Murakami, Yoshinori Anzai, Takeo Saikatsu, Seishiro Mitsuhashi, Kazutoshi Ishikawa, Yujiro Kamano, Hiroshi Ito
  • Patent number: 4897578
    Abstract: The longevity of an incandescent electric lamp and its efficiency of light production are increased by utilizing a rectifier externally attached to the base of the lamp, and by employing within the glass envelope a gas mixture comprising 75% to 85% krypton and 15% to 25% nitrogen. By virtue of the placement, manner of attachment, and configuration of the rectifier, it dissipates heat to the ambient air and thereby operates at a reduced temperature which increases its performance and longevity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Inventor: Christopher F. Goad, Sr.
  • Patent number: 4896076
    Abstract: Highly efficient binary and ternary gas mixtures for use in diffuse glow discharge closing switches are disclosed. The binary mixtures are combinations of helium or neon and selected perfluorides. The ternary mixtures are combinations of helium, neon, or argon, a selected perfluoride, and a small amount of gas that exhibits enhanced ionization characteristics. These mixtures are shown to be the optimum choices for use in diffuse glow discharge closing switches by virtue of the combined physio-electric properties of the mixture components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Scott R. Hunter, Loucas G. Christophorou
  • Patent number: 4882520
    Abstract: A rare-gas arc lamp includes a pair of coil filaments disposed at the opposite ends of an elongated bulb for increasing an area of a positive column produced between the coil filament pair in a direction perpendicular to the elongated axis of the bulb, and a rare-gas mainly including xenon gas and having substantially no mercury therein sealed in the bulb at a prescribed pressure selected from the range between 20 Torr and 200 Torr. The combination of the coil filament pair and the xenon gas sealed in the bulb at a prescribed pressure in the range of 20 Torr to 200 Torr may reduce visible changes in a luminance distribution of the lamp when the positive column fluctuates during the operation of the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1989
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shinichi Tsunekawa, Masami Takagi
  • Patent number: 4877991
    Abstract: An improved optical radiation source for use in illumination that is obtained from a thinwall tubular arc lamp with a high input power density that delivers high brightness. It includes a constricting enclosure that exerts a compressive force upon the insulating tube forming the envelope of said lamp to counteract tensile strain in the tube caused by higher gas pressure within the tube and a higher thermal gradient within the walls of said tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1989
    Inventor: Walter L. Colterjohn, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4874984
    Abstract: A fluorescent lamp based on a phosphor excited by a molecular discharge is described. The fluorescent lamp comprises a fluorescent lamp coated with a manganese doped magnesium aluminate phosphor on the inside surface of the lamp envelope. The fluorescent lamp contains corrosion resistant filamentary electron emitting electrodes. The fluorescent lamp produces a plasma which emits 206 nm radiation from the molecular discharge of the iodine containing molecular vapors and inert gas fill which in turn excites the phosphor to emit visible light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1989
    Assignee: GTE Laboratories Incorporated
    Inventors: A. Gary Sigai, Walter P. Lapatovich, Michael N. Alexander
  • Patent number: 4874988
    Abstract: A pulsed metal halide arc discharge light source comprising a hermetically sealed light transmissive envelope with an anode and cathode protruding therein and an emissive material including at least one recrystallized metal halide salt covering the cathode. There is no mercury in the emissive material. During an application of a short-duration electrical pulse across the anode and cathode in a preferred embodiment of the invention, bright colored light is emitted from the lamp, the color of such emission being determined in large part by the choice of the metal halide salt or combination of metal halide salts employed in the emissive material and the duration of the electrical pulse, and the temperature of the emissive material remains less than one hundred degrees Centigrade. A lamp in accordance with the invention is particularly well suited for use as a signal lamp, such as a navigational beacon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1989
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: George J. English, Harold L. Rothwell, Jr., Donald F. Garrity, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4864191
    Abstract: A high-pressure sodium discharge lamp provided with a solid electrode consisting mainly of tungsten plus a small quantity of rhenium, and free of alkaline earth metals. The addition of rhenium suppresses sodium attack which caused the tip end of the electrode to break off before the desired lamp life was reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1989
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Martinus H. A. Van De Weijer, Joseph F. R. Eijsermans
  • Patent number: 4792724
    Abstract: Gas mixtures for use in spark gap closing switches comprised of fluorocarbons and low molecular weight, inert buffer gases. To this can be added a third gas having a low ionization potential relative to the buffer gas. The gas mixtures presented possess properties that optimized the efficiency spark gap closing switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1988
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Loucas G. Christophorou, Dennis L. McCorkle, Scott R. Hunter
  • Patent number: 4757236
    Abstract: High pressure xenon is used as a buffer gas in place of mercury in a high pressure sodium iodide arc discharge lamp. Xenon buffer gas has a more favorable influence than mercury on the sodium D-line spectrum and does not react with halides in the lamp fill. The use of xenon buffer gas increases the efficacy of the high pressure sodium iodide arc lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1988
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James T. Dakin, Peter D. Johnson
  • Patent number: 4748376
    Abstract: A tungsten halogen lamp is provided that incorporates therein means for reducing the lower operating temperature limit of the halogen cycle operating within the lamp's envelope. In addition, there is provided a halogen lamp fill gas mixture, which is comprised of an inert gas, a halogen or halide and a phorphorus-based compound and a carbon-containing compound that will reduce the lower operating temperature limit and greatly increase the efficiency of the halogen cycle, thereby allowing operation of a tungsten halogen lamp at temperatures about or below 400.degree.-500.degree. K. The compounds in the fill gas mixture have a phosphorus-to-carbon mass ratio of about 10:1 to about 1:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1988
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas G. Weld, Mark D. Beschle
  • Patent number: 4743807
    Abstract: The invention is a gas mixture for a diffuse discharge switch which is capable of changing from a conducting state to an insulating state in the presence of electrons upon the introduction of laser light. The mixture is composed of a buffer gas such as nitrogen or argon and an electron attaching gas such as C.sub.6 H.sub.5 SH, C.sub.6 H.sub.5 SCH.sub.3, CH.sub.3 CHO and CF.sub.3 CHO wherein the electron attachment is brought on by indirect excitation of molecules to long-lived states by exposure to laser light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1988
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Loucas G. Christophorou, Scott R. Hunter