Abstract: An induction RF fluorescent light lamp capable of providing increased structural support and axial alignment for a power coupler located in a re-entrant cavity of a lamp envelope of the induction RF fluorescent light lamp, the lamp envelope with re-entrant cavity both covered on a partial vacuum side with phosphor and filled with a working gas mixture, the re-entrant cavity having an open entrance end and a closed innermost end, and a pliable spacer positioned between and in contact with both the innermost end of the power coupler and the innermost end of the re-entrant cavity, the pliable spacer having a shape that both provides structural support to prevent movement of the power coupler with respect to the re-entrant cavity and to provide axial alignment of the power coupler to the re-entrant cavity.

Abstract: An apparatus for powering and TRIAC dimming of a gas discharge lamp includes an electronic ballast for powering a gas discharge lamp from a TRIAC based dimmer connected to an AC line, an EMI filter for protecting the AC line from EMI generated by the ballast and the lamp, a DC bus without a smoothing electrolytic capacitor, a resonant DC-to-AC inverter connected to the DC bus for powering the gas discharge lamp with a high frequency current, wherein an auxiliary DC-to-DC power supply input is connected to the DC bus and a first resonant tank having in series a first resonant inductor and a first resonant capacitor, wherein the gas discharge lamp is connected in parallel to the resonant capacitor.

Abstract: An induction RF fluorescent lamp configuration providing reduced EMI includes a lamp envelope with a re-entrant cavity both covered on a partial vacuum side with phosphor and filled with a working gas mixture, a tubular ferromagnetic core on the non-vacuum side said re-entrant cavity wound directly on the said core with two windings having different numbers of turns, a first active winding having one end connected to an RF ballast and the other end connected to local ground, and a second passive winding having one end grounded and the other end free.

Abstract: An induction RF fluorescent light lamp capable of providing increased structural support and axial alignment for a power coupler located in a re-entrant cavity of a lamp envelope of the induction RF fluorescent light lamp, the lamp envelope with re-entrant cavity both covered on a partial vacuum side with phosphor and filled with a working gas mixture, the re-entrant cavity having an open entrance end and a closed innermost end, and a pliable spacer positioned between and in contact with both the innermost end of the power coupler and the innermost end of the re-entrant cavity, the pliable spacer having a shape that both provides structural support to prevent movement of the power coupler with respect to the re-entrant cavity and to provide axial alignment of the power coupler to the re-entrant cavity.

Abstract: An apparatus for powering and TRIAC dimming of a gas discharge lamp includes an electronic ballast for powering a gas discharge lamp from a TRIAC based dimmer connected to an AC line, an EMI filter for protecting the AC line from EMI generated by the ballast and the lamp, a DC bus without a smoothing electrolytic capacitor, a resonant DC-to-AC inverter connected to the DC bus for powering the gas discharge lamp with a high frequency current, wherein an auxiliary DC-to-DC power supply input is connected to the DC bus and a first resonant tank having in series a first resonant inductor and a first resonant capacitor, wherein the gas discharge lamp is connected in parallel to the resonant capacitor.

Abstract: An induction RF fluorescent lamp configuration provides reduced EMI, including a lamp envelope with a re-entrant cavity both covered on the partial vacuum side with phosphor and filled with a working gas mixture, a tubular ferromagnetic core on the non-vacuum side said re-entrant cavity wound directly on the said core with two windings having different numbers of turns, a first active winding having one end connected to an RF ballast and the other end connected to local ground, and a second passive winding having one end grounded and the other end free.

Abstract: An arc discharge metal halide lamp for providing visible light comprising an arc discharge vessel which has capillary tubes therein in at least one of which there is a first electrical feedthrough extending through an interior passageway to have an interior end of that electrode positioned in the discharge region opposite the other the interior passageway of the other capillary and an exterior end thereof positioned outside the outer end of that capillary tube but joined to a cermet portion inside that tube. In an intermediate stage of fabricating the lamp, a bonding material ring of limited diameter is provided at the end of the capillary tube about the exterior end. In a completed lamp, the first electrical feedthrough has limited extent joints where its components are joined and, alternatively or in addition, has a limited offset between its components at a joint between them.

Abstract: An arc discharge metal halide lamp for use in selected lighting fixtures having a discharge chamber with light permeable walls of a selected shape bounding a discharge region of a selected volume through which walls a pair of electrodes are supported with ionizable materials being provided in the discharge region of the discharge chamber comprising at least one member selected from a group consisting of halides of cerium, dysprosium, holmium, lithium, sodium, praseodymium, thallium and thulium, and further comprising a halide of calcium in a selected fraction of that weight total of all halides present in the discharge chamber with this selection depending also on the addition or not of a halide of aluminum. Others of the foregoing halides that are present are provided in amounts with certain limits.

Abstract: This invention is about a CMH lamp arc tube seal construction where the feedthrough electrode contains a cermet in such a manner that the said cermet is either not exposed outside the ceramic capillary (which in most cases is polycrystalline alumina, PCA) or if it is exposed to the outside of the arc tube, the part that is exposed has no current carrying function. The invention provides safe ways of assembling the cermet so as to avoid breakage of the said cermet due to mechanical stresses in the electrical connections.

Abstract: An arc discharge metal halide lamp for providing visible light comprising an arc discharge vessel which has capillary tubes therein in at least one of which there is a first electrical feedthrough extending through an interior passageway to have an interior end of that electrode positioned in the discharge region opposite the other the interior passageway of the other capillary and an exterior end thereof positioned outside the outer end of that capillary tube but joined to a cermet portion inside that tube. In an intermediate stage of fabricating the lamp, a bonding material ring of limited diameter is provided at the end of the capillary tube about the exterior end. In a completed lamp, the first electrical feedthrough has limited extent joints where its components are joined and, alternatively or in addition, has a limited offset between its components at a joint between them.

Abstract: This invention is about a CMH lamp arc tube seal construction where the feedthrough electrode contains a cermet in such a manner that the said cermet is either not exposed outside the ceramic capillary (which in most cases is polycrystalline alumina, PCA) or if it is exposed to the outside of the arc tube, the part that is exposed has no current carrying function. The invention provides safe ways of assembling the cermet so as to avoid breakage of the said cermet due to mechanical stresses in the electrical connections.

Abstract: A lamp ballast for operating a high intensity discharge lamp includes an electronic ballast circuit to supply an operating voltage to the discharge lamp, and an igniter circuit to supply starting pulses to the discharge lamp in a cold state and to supply hot restrike pulses to the discharge lamp when the discharge lamp is in a hot state following turn-off. The hot restrike pulses are sufficient to maintain ionization in the discharge lamp but do not cause the discharge lamp to generate substantial light output.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for operating very high pressure short arc mercury discharge lamps primarily used for projection applications. The method includes controlling an alternating lamp current supplied to the lamp at a constant RMS value. In some embodiments, the lamp current is adjusted to a new constant RMS value to maintain lamp power between an upper power limit and a lower power limit. In other embodiments, lamp cooling is adjusted to maintain a wall temperature of the arc tube below a softening temperature.

Abstract: An electrodeless lamp includes a bulbous lamp envelope enclosing an inert gas and a vaporizable metal fill, the lamp envelope having a reentrant cavity; an electromagnetic coupler positioned within the reentrant cavity; and a cold spot structure configured for low temperature, low duty cycle operation and for room temperature, 100% duty cycle operation. In some embodiments, the cold spot structure includes a dimple in the lamp envelope, the dimple having a thinned sidewall. In further embodiments, a shield is positioned near the dimple to control cold spot temperature. In additional embodiments, the cold spot structure includes a heat sink attached to the exhaust tube of the lamp envelope and thermally isolated from the lamp base.

Abstract: An arc discharge metal halide lamp for use in selected lighting fixtures comprising a discharge chamber having light permeable walls of a selected shape including therein a pair of end region wall portions through each of which a corresponding one of a pair of electrodes are supported separated from one another by a separation length. The ratio of the separation length to the effective operation inner diameter of the chamber is greater than two. The lengths of the wall sides between the end wall portions is greater than the effective operation inner diameter. The end wall portions have inner surfaces of constant or smaller varying radii of curvature and they are separated from the interior ends of the electrodes by more than one millimeter. The discharge chamber can be constructed of polycrystalline alumina and contain metal halides.

Abstract: An electrodeless fluorescent lamp is provided with an improved profile. The lamp generally includes: a glass envelope filled with an inert gas and a metal vapor; a coating of phosphor disposed on an inner surface of envelope; and a means for exciting the gas within the glass envelope. To achieve a slimmer profile, the tubes defining the glass envelope have an oval cross-sectional shape.

Abstract: A lamp ballast for operating a high intensity discharge lamp includes an electronic ballast circuit to supply an operating voltage to the discharge lamp, and an igniter circuit to supply starting pulses to the discharge lamp in a cold state and to supply hot restrike pulses to the discharge lamp when the discharge lamp is in a hot state following turn-off. The hot restrike pulses are sufficient to maintain ionization in the discharge lamp but do not cause the discharge lamp to generate substantial light output.

Abstract: An arc discharge metal halide lamp for use in selected lighting fixtures having a discharge chamber with light permeable walls of a selected shape bounding a discharge region of a selected volume through which walls a pair of electrodes are supported with ionizable materials being provided in the discharge region of the discharge chamber comprising at least one member selected from a group consisting of halides of cerium, dysprosium, holmium, lithium, sodium, praseodymium, thallium and thulium, and further comprising a halide of calcium in a selected fraction of that weight total of all halides present in the discharge chamber with this selection depending also on the addition or not of a halide of aluminum. Others of the foregoing halides that are present are provided in amounts with certain limits.

Abstract: A high pressure discharge lamp system and a method for operating a high pressure discharge lamp are provided. The method includes rotating the discharge lamp around its longitudinal axis. The discharge lamp or a lamp assembly including the discharge lamp and a reflector may be rotated through specified angles at specified times or intervals, or upon the occurrence of specified events. The discharge lamp may be rotated when the lamp is deenergized or when the lamp is energized. The discharge lamp may be rotated by a predetermined angle before operation, after operation, or after a predetermined burn time. The lamp system includes a rotation mechanism coupled to the lamp assembly and configured to rotate the discharge lamp about its longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An arc discharge metal halide lamp having a discharge chamber with visible light permeable walls bounding a discharge region through which walls a pair of electrode assemblies are supported with interior ends thereof positioned in the discharge region spaced apart from one another. These electrode assemblies each also extend through a corresponding capillary tube affixed to the walls to have exterior ends thereof positioned outside the arc discharge chamber. At least one of these electrode assemblies comprises an electrode discharge structure with a discharge region shaft extending into the capillary tube corresponding thereto. A discharge region shaft extends outwardly in that corresponding capillary tube to be in direct contact with an interconnection shaft extending outside of that corresponding capillary tube to provide an exterior end of this electrode assembly, and which is in direct contact with a sealing cap over the end of the tube.