Abstract: The present invention comprises a compact electrodeless fluorescent lamp that includes a transparent envelope containing a fill of inert gas along with a vaporizable metal such as mercury. An induction coil is operated by a driver circuit, and is positioned inside of a reentrant cavity in the envelope with an adjacent permeable magnetic field manipulation structure having a shunting surface ending at a shunting surface periphery. A thermally and electrically conductive primary cooling structure is positioned adjacent the magnetic field manipulation structure to extend within the shunting surface periphery while being separated from the induction coil thereby. A further component cooling structure is provided to at least partially enclose the driver circuit connected to the induction coil.

Abstract: An electrodeless fluorescent lamp employs a glass envelope made from a single linear tube or bulb and a reentry cavity disposed on the envelope axis and sealed to the envelope. The envelope is filled with inert gas and mercury vapor. Phosphor and protective coatings are disposed on the inner surfaces of the envelope and the cavity. An induction coil of A few turns made from silver coated copper wire is wrapped around the envelope in its axial direction. The inductively-coupled axially uniform plasma is generated inside the envelope. The discharge electric field and current form a closed-loop path inside the envelope along its walls. The introduction of the reentry cavity decreases the lamp wall loading without loosing lamp power efficiency and efficacy. The lamp is operated at frequencies from 50 kHz to 200 MHz and RF power from 5 W to 2000 W without the use of ferrite inside of the reentry cavity.

Abstract: A metal halide lamp of about 90% reduced mercury content with performance (efficacy, CCT, CRI) equivalent to a standard commercial metal halide lamp. The lamp comprises an arc shaped tube disposed within an outer jacket and including a fill of a metal halide and not more then about 2.7 mg mercury/cc of arc tube. The arc tube has an inner diameter to arc gap ratio of between about 0.10 and 0.16 and the wall loading of the reduced mercury lamp being equivalent to a standard metal halide lamp of about 20 W/cm2. The metal halide comprises Na and/or Sc iodides of various ratios depending on the color temperature desired, and a rare gas such as Xe, Kr, Ar in pressures of 10-300 torr dependent on the power loading and desired operating voltage of the lamp.

Abstract: A thallium-free high pressure ceramic metal halide lamp having superior dimming characteristics with a fill composition comprising MgI2 and CeI3. In addition, the fill chemistry comprises NaI and the halides of rare earth metals such as Dy, Ho and Tm.

Abstract: A dimmable electrical discharge lamp providing radiation and having a CRI of over 90 and a color temperature of between about 3000-4000° K even when dimmed by up to 40% of its rated power. The lamp contains a fill of a mixture of cesium, mercury and a rare gas. The fill is enclosed in a hermetically sealed polycrystalline alumina arc tube having an electrode at each end and the arc tube is enclosed in an outer jacket. The lamp is provided with a circuit for providing current to the arc tube. A low frequency wave simmer current is provided and one or more current pulses are superimposed on the simmer current. The gradient of the leading edge of the pulse is short whereby to generate a high electrical field and cause a high degree of ionization of the cesium.

Abstract: An electrodeless compact fluorescent lamp operated at a frequency from 50 KHz to 1000 KHz and RF power from 10 W to 40 W is described. The lamp includes a bulbous glass envelope (1) filled with rare gas and metal vapor, reentrant glass cavity (2), an induction coil (6) made from Litz wire, a ferrite assembly comprising a ferrite core (7) and MnZn ferrite disk (11), a cooling structure comprising a metal (or ceramic) tube (8) positioned inside the ferrite core (7) and a metal (or ceramic) unit (9) that transmits the heat from the cavity and ferrite assembly to the Edison socket (10), a thermal shield (12), and a driver and matching network located inside the lamp base (13). A protective coating (15) and phosphor coating (16) are coated on the inner surface of the envelope (1) and reentrant cavity (2). The reflective coating (17) made from alumina is coated on the inner surface of the cavity (2) and on the outer surface of the envelope bottom (4).

Abstract: In a conventional electrodeless discharge lamp, a large amount of magnetic field leaks from at light-transparent envelope, and the efficiency of conversion from electric power to light energy is low. In a electrodeless discharge lamp in which light-emitting gases in a light-transparent envelope are excited with a magnetic field generated from a coil, end portions of a magnetic material included in the coil are substantially axially disposed in the light-transparent envelope. As a result, the magnetic flux which leaks outside the light-transparent envelope is decreased so the density of the magnetic flux in the envelope is increased and the efficiency of the lamp is improved.

Abstract: A method and system of modifying one feature of a high-pressure lamp without significantly affecting the other features, the features including the luminosity, the color rendering index, the color temperature, or the deviation from the black body locus (DUV). An arc discharge is initiated within the arc tube with a ballast imposing an alternating current waveform on the electrodes. In this way, the electrodes change from positive to negative in each cycle of operation. The waveform of each cycle is modified through the ballast to energize one electrode as positive or negative for a longer time than the other electrode, thereby altering the temperature distribution within the arc tube by changing the cold spot and hot spot temperatures in a lamp which has modifiable emission features.

Abstract: A discharge lamp adapted to operate on DC current and being equivalent to an AC-operated ceramic metal halide lamp in different operating positions. The lamp comprises a ceramic arc tube with a fill of mercury, rare gas and metal halides. The arc tube is sealed with an anode and a cathode and has at least one metal heat shield on the cathode side of the ceramic DC metal halide arc tube to achieve operation of the lamp with universal orientation. Each of the two electrodes sealed into the arc tube are different, the anode being formed of tungsten with a ball shaped tip and the cathode being formed of a thoriated tungsten rod and a wound coil of the rod.

Abstract: An electrodeless inductively-coupled fluorescent lamp which operates at radio frequencies and contains an induction coil (1) which is inserted in a reentrant cavity (2) of the envelope (7) and is spread along the length of the reentrant cavity (2). The coil (1) is disposed within a cylinder (14) of thermally conductive metal. The use of the spread coil provides for reduction of starting and operation voltages of the lamp and results in lowering of the energy of ions bombarding the inner surface of the envelope (7) and the cavity (2) and therefore improves lamp maintenance and increases lamp life.

Abstract: This invention relates to dimmable metal halide lamps using ceramic arc tubes for the application of energy saving, mood control, and constant light output over the life of the lamp. Under dimmed conditions, as low as 50% of rated wattage, the color temperature (CCT) can remain substantially the same and be perceived by the viewer as a constant color light source. Furthermore, the invention improves the color rendering index (CRI) and the efficacy of the lamp under dimmed operation. Such improvements are provided by placing a metal shield on an end of the arc tube, whereby the emissivity of the shield is lower than the emissivity of the ceramic in the arc tube, whereby cold spot temperature in the lamp is increased, even under dimmed conditions.

Abstract: An electrodeless lamp includes an envelope (1) containing a fill of discharge gas, a magnetic core (7), an induction coil (6) wound around the magnetic core (7), a driver circuit for supplying an electric current to the induction coil (6) to operate the electrodeless lamp, a socket (10) for receiving electrical power supplied to the electrodeless lamp, and a heat conduction means (8,9,8,9) thermally coupled to the magnetic core (7) for conducting heat generated in the magnetic core (7) to the ambient atmosphere to dissipate heat therein, or coupled to the socket (10) for conducting heat generated in the magnetic core (7) to the socket to dissipate heat therethrough.

Abstract: An electrodeless fluorescent lamp and fixture which operates at the frequency range of 50-1000 KHz and power from 20 to 200 W is disclosed. The lamp includes a bulbous envelope (1) filled with rare gas and metal vapor and a reentrant cavity (5). The inner walls of the envelope are coated with phosphor (2) and a protective coating (3). An induction coil (9), made from multiple strands of wire having very low resistance at frequencies below 1000 KHz, together with a ferrite core (10), having high permeability and low power losses, generates an inductively-coupled plasma in the envelope volume. The plasma generates visible and UV radiation that is converted into visible light by the phosphor coated on the envelope walls. A metallic cylinder (13), placed inside the ferrite core (10), removes the heat generated by the plasma from the coil and ferrite core and redirects the heat to the lamp base and thence to the lamp fixture.

Abstract: A compact fluorescent lamp is designed to imitate an incandescent lamp in size, shape and luminosity. The lamp includes a bulbous envelope (14) having an external shape of an incandescent lamp (10) on a standard Edison-type base (11) that enables it to be substituted for standard 60, 75 and 100 W incandescent lamps. A low-pressure fluorescent lamp (18) having a coiled tubular envelope with an outer diameter less than about 7 mm, an inner diameter between about 1 and 5 mm, and a length between about 50 and 100 cm is wound in a coil around the axis of the bulbous envelope (14) and is disposed within the bulbous envelope. The tubular envelope is formed of soft glass and has a fluorescent phosphor coating disposed on the inner surfaces. Electrodes (14) with external electrical contacts are disposed at each end of the envelope. A ballast (12) is disposed within the bulbous envelope. The ballast is electrically connected to the lamp (15), whereby to control current in the fluorescent lamp.

Abstract: A discharge lamp (10) based on microwave excitable sulfur gas with enhanced red component of visible light emission from the lamp as a whole, the lamp having an arc discharge tube (18) light source, microwave excitation means (M) and an outer inert zone around the arc discharge tube having a layer of phosphor (16) selected to absorb a portion of blue-green spectral component of the arc discharge tube emission and emit a concentrated red region of spectral range of light to combine with non-red spectral components of light passing through the phosphor. The phosphor can be essentially homogeneous material or may comprise a mixture of distinct phosphor types and/or a multi-layered array.

Abstract: An integrally molded flat fluorescent lamp comprising a convoluted channel member (11) formed of vitreous glass with convoluted channel (14) fabricated by employing a combination of vacuum-assisted sag molding, press molding and blow molding techniques. While the part (11) is molten, a planar member (13) is fused to it by pressing the parts (11 and 13 at 15) together to form a closed glass envelope. The inside of the envelope is coated with a phosphor layer and preferably the external surface of the envelope is coated with a reflective layer. A pair of electron-emissive electrodes are fused to openings (12) in the envelope. They are sealed through glass flares at the two holes integral to the envelope. The envelope is evacuated and filled with a rare gas and mercury to a suitable pressure and sealed off to form a lamp.

Abstract: A substantially flat, gas filled, arc discharge fluorescent lamp having an internal path in which the arc travels, where the path is formed by vertical sections between a substantially flat top and bottom surface. The path length can be controlled along with the height of the lamp to provide a wide range of lumens per unit volume while improving lamp life at low cost. A reflective coating, formed adjacent to the phosphor coating within the path, directs light to where wanted, while obviating the need for a separate reflector in the lamp fixture. One application of the present inventive lamp is to replace incandescent lamps by virtue of being mechanically interchangeable by virtue of having the flexibility for accommodating a small ballast within the lamp assembly.

Abstract: This invention relates to electrodeless fluorescent RF lamp which includes bulbous lamp envelope (10, 20) with a top, a bottom and a fill of rare gas and vaporizable amalgam (14) therein. A reentrant cavity (11, 21) is disposed adjacent the bottom of the envelope (10 a, 20a) and at least one tubulation (12, 22) extends from the envelope to hold at least a portion of the vaporizable amalgam. An induction coil (2) is disposed on lead wires and coupled with a radio frequency excitation generator for generation of a plasma to produce radiation. At least the major portion of the cold spot where the amalgam resides is maintained at a temperature between about 60.degree. and 140.degree. C. during operation of the lamp, by utilizing a portion of the induction coil to warm up to amalgam.

Abstract: A flat compact fluorescent lamp is disclosed. The lamp contains a fill of rcury and inert gas. It includes a top panel and bottom glass panel and a convoluted glass partition having a substantially planar upper surface disposed between the inner surfaces of the top and bottom panels. The partition forms a convoluted channel having an initial and a terminal end. One edge of the partition is integrally molded with the bottom panel and a peripheral portion is joined to the inner surface of the top panel. An inner portion of the partition can engage the inner surface of the top panel. The inner portion has a predetermined width at the point of its engagement and a predetermined spacing between the point and the top panel. A layer of frit of predetermined thickness is used to join the peripheral portion of the convoluted partition to the inner surface of the top panel.

Abstract: An electrodeless fluorescent lamp and fixture is disclosed which operates at radio frequencies and contains a bifilar coil to reduce RF voltage between the plasma and the coil and a metallic cylinder (10) to remove heat from a said bifilar coil. The bifilar coil consists of two windings. The primary (induction) winding (6) is used to generate RF electrical azimuthal field in the bulb volume needed to maintain the inductively-coupled RF plasma. The second (bifilar) winding (18) has essentially the same number of turns and is wound on the inductive winding (6), but in the direction opposite to that of the primary (inductive) winding. The RF current flowing in the inductive winding (6) induces an RF voltage of the opposite polarity in the bifilar winding (18), so two adjacent turns of both windings have equal (or nearly equal) but of opposite sign RF potentials with respect to the plasma.