Aperture-type Tube Patents (Class 313/488)
  • Patent number: 11881390
    Abstract: A closed loop tubular discharge assembly for an electrodeless light-emitting device and discharge reactor is disclosed. The discharge assembly comprises one or more tubular segments tubularly connected at their respective ends to form the closed loop tubular assembly, which hermetically encloses an ionizable gas. At least one of the one or more tubular segments forms a non-cylindrical, hollow-shaped tubular segment. In one embodiment, the non-cylindrical, hollow-shaped segment is formed by an internal tube at least partially enclosed within an external tube, forming a hollow-shaped discharge envelope enclosing the ionizable gas there between. When a discharge current circulates in the ionizable gas of the envelope, a hollow-shaped plasma is created in the envelope and surrounds the internal tube. This design has been shown to increase performance and provide several improvements over prior art devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Inventor: Pierre F Thibault
  • Patent number: 9332812
    Abstract: An illuminable bracelet generally includes a buckle, a band having a first end and a second end, a closure member disposed at the second end, a light source, and at least one logo disposed along an inner surface of the band. The band may be formed of a polymeric material that allows light from the light source in the buckle to permeate through the band, illuminating the band and the at least one logo of the band. The band may form a closed-loop when a closure member is used to secure the second end of the band to the buckle. Further, the buckle may have a switch that allows a user to control the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: SLIS INC.
    Inventor: Jiadong Ma
  • Patent number: 9125246
    Abstract: A method of inspecting a heatable glazing is disclosed. A heatable glazing comprises a heater array having at least one heater wire. The method comprises the steps of (i) illuminating the heatable glazing with a light source to produce a shadowgraph image of the heatable glazing; (ii) passing a sufficiently high electrical current through the heater array such that the heater wire is observable in the shadowgraph image of the heatable glazing, such a shadowgraph image of the heatable glazing being referred to as an active shadowgraph image of the heatable glazing; and (iii) capturing the active shadowgraph image of the heatable glazing with an imaging sensor. Apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: PILKINGTON AUTOMOTIVE DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventor: Ingo Bartsch
  • Patent number: 8604685
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes a glass bulb and a reflective film formed in a region having an angle of at least 230° on an outer peripheral surface of the glass bulb. The light emitting device can obtain the reflective film having a sufficient film thickness in a wide region on an outer peripheral surface of an electric discharge tube and has a uniform light intensity distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Ogino, Kiyoshi Tsutsumi, Toshiaki Murai
  • Patent number: 8362681
    Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting apparatus includes an elongated hollow wavelength conversion tube that includes an elongated wavelength conversion tube wall having wavelength conversion material, such as phosphor, dispersed therein. A semiconductor light emitting device is oriented to emit light inside the elongated hollow wavelength conversion tube to impinge upon the elongated wavelength conversion tube wall and the wavelength conversion material dispersed therein. The elongated hollow wavelength conversion tube may have an open end, a crimped end, a reflective end, and/or other configurations. Multiples tubes and/or multiple semiconductor light emitting devices may also be used in various configurations. Related assembling methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher P. Hussell, John Adam Edmond
  • Publication number: 20120007492
    Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting apparatus includes an elongated hollow wavelength conversion tube that includes an elongated wavelength conversion tube wall having wavelength conversion material, such as phosphor, dispersed therein. A semiconductor light emitting device is oriented to emit light inside the elongated hollow wavelength conversion tube to impinge upon the elongated wavelength conversion tube wall and the wavelength conversion material dispersed therein. The elongated hollow wavelength conversion tube may have an open end, a crimped end, a reflective end, and/or other configurations. Multiples tubes and/or multiple semiconductor light emitting devices may also be used in various configurations. Related assembling methods are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventors: Christopher P. Hussell, John Adam Edmond
  • Patent number: 8004172
    Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting apparatus includes an elongated hollow wavelength conversion tube that includes an elongated wavelength conversion tube wall having wavelength conversion material, such as phosphor, dispersed therein. A semiconductor light emitting device is oriented to emit light inside the elongated hollow wavelength conversion tube to impinge upon the elongated wavelength conversion tube wall and the wavelength conversion material dispersed therein. The elongated hollow wavelength conversion tube may have an open end, a crimped end, a reflective end, and/or other configurations. Multiples tubes and/or multiple semiconductor light emitting devices may also be used in various configurations. Related assembling methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher P. Hussell, John Adam Edmond
  • Publication number: 20090256466
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a globe shield and an inner disposed inside the shield, between which a low-pressured plasmic arc discharging zone is enclosed. Further, a glass division device near the inner in the discharging zone is coated with fluorescent powder on the surface thereof and is formed by glass or sheet glass having at least one opening defined on the glass to ensure the passage of air. The present invention advantages preferable ruminant efficiency as 15 to 20% higher as that of the conventional products, increasing the thermal resistance between the high-temperature circular discharging zone of the plasmic arc and the power coupler to decrease the heat generated by the corresponding radiation conduction for the inner, so that a large power is enabled by the present invention, accomplishing a performance of 200-300 W of the lighting power, and attaining a 75-85 Lm/W of the ruminant efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Inventor: Min CHEN
  • Patent number: 7501749
    Abstract: A light-emitting device (2) including a light-emitting element (2a), a first phosphor (2b), and a second phosphor (2c). The light-emitting element (2a) emits light L1 having a wavelength range within the visible region. Upon receipt of the light L1, or light L3 originating from the second phosphor (2c), the first phosphor (2b) emits light L2 having a wavelength range, which differs from that of the first light L1 and the third light L3, but falls within the visible region. Upon receipt of a specific wavelength component (ultraviolet light, or the like) included in external light, the second phosphor (2c) generates the light L3 whose wavelength range is substantially the same as that of the light L1, thereby radiating the first phosphor (2b) with the light L3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Takeda, Osamu Kuboyama
  • Patent number: 7336027
    Abstract: A plasma tube array according to the present invention includes plural light emitting tubes that have fluorescent material layers inside and are mutually lined up in parallel. The plasma tube array includes pairs of display electrodes that are formed along the respective fluorescent material layers. The fluorescent material layers are disposed in sequence in the longitudinal direction of the light emitting tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Shinoda Plasma Corporation
    Inventors: Yosuke Yamazaki, Manabu Ishimoto, Hitoshi Yamada, Hitoshi Hirakawa, Akira Tokai, Koji Shinohe, Kenji Awamoto
  • Patent number: 7119486
    Abstract: An electrodeless fluorescent lamp (10) having a burner (20), a ballast housing (30) containing a ballast (40) and a screw base (50) for connection to a power supply. A reentrant cavity (60) is formed in the burner (20) and an amalgam receptacle (70) containing amalgam (75) is formed as a part of the reentrant portion and in communication with the burner (20). A housing cap (80), formed of a suitable plastic, connects the burner (20) to the ballast housing (30) and a suitable adhesive (31) fixes the burner to the housing cap (80). An EMI cup (90) is formed as an insert to fit into the ballast housing (30), which also is formed of a suitable plastic, and has a bottom portion (100) and an EMI cap (110) with an aperture (120) therein closing an upper portion (140). The EMI cup (90) and the EMI cap (110) are preferably formed from 0.5 mm brass. The amalgam receptacle (70) extends through the aperture (120) and into the cup (90).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Osram Sylvania Inc.
    Inventors: Valery A. Godyak, Benjamin M. Alexandrovich, Alexander A. Sapozhnikov, Kenneth R. Hutcherson
  • Patent number: 6960874
    Abstract: A dielectric barrier discharge lamp (1) having a tubular discharge vessel (2) and a luminescent material layer on at least a part of the inner wall of the discharge vessel (2) and having elongate electrodes (3) is provided with a coating (10) on a partial region of the inner wall at least at one end of the tubular discharge vessel (2), which coating additionally covers an end of at least one elongate electrode (3) . The material of the coating (10) has a high secondary electron emission coefficient. As a result, the ignition behavior of the lamp is improved, in particular during ignition in darkness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fuer Elektrische Gluehlampen mbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Döll
  • Patent number: 6953952
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor element and a support member having a recess for housing the semiconductor element is disclosed. The support member includes lead electrodes and a support part holding the lead electrodes so that a surface of tip portions of the lead electrodes are exposed in a bottom of the recess. A main surface of the support member has at least a first main surface disposed adjacent to the recess and a second main surface disposed adjacent to the first main surface. The second main surface preferably has a protrusion and a further recess. The protrusion preferably forms an outer wall around a depression. The semiconductor device having this configuration has excellent and accurate positioning and can be strongly bonded with other members. The semiconductor device can also be obtained with a high process yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Nichia Corporation
    Inventor: Hideo Asakawa
  • Patent number: 6890087
    Abstract: A relatively small-diameter aperture fluorescent lamp is manufactured easily with high yield and at low cost. An aperture portion is formed in a manner that a thread-like member is inserted into a glass tube having an ultraviolet ray reflection layer and a phosphor layer formed on its inner surface, the glass tube is bent in a predetermined shape by using a bending jig, the thread-like member is pressed to the phosphor layer formed in a predetermined region in the bending member side of the glass tube while both ends thereof are pulled tight, the thread-like member is reciprocated, and phosphor of the phosphor layer in this region is exfoliated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shin-Ichirou Ono
  • Patent number: 6806647
    Abstract: A light source device includes at least one discharge tube, a discharge medium sealed inside the discharge tube, and first and second electrodes for exciting the discharge medium. The first electrode is arranged inside or outside the discharge tube, and the second electrode has a plurality of contact portions at which the second electrode is in contact with an outer surface of the discharge tube. The contact portions are located at different distances from the first electrode and are provided discontinuously. Thus, it is possible to provide a light source device with an improved light emission efficiency, and a liquid crystal display device in which the light source device is employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norikazu Yamamoto, Teruaki Shigeta, Nobuhiro Shimizu
  • Patent number: 6633117
    Abstract: A display device is provided in which a structure of a display tube is simplified so as to achieve a cost reduction and electric connection to a driving circuit is made easy. In the display device including a group of display tubes arranged in parallel for emitting light by gas discharge, plural transparent auxiliary electrodes for display are arranged in the length direction on the outer surface of the tubular vessel that defines a discharge gas space of each of the display tubes, so that the position of a discharge portion is determined. The auxiliary electrodes at the same position in the length direction of the vessel are connected to one another electrically via a band-like power supplying conductor provided on a front substrate, and a back substrate is arranged on which a band-like conductor is provided along each of the display tubes at the back side of the group of display tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Tsutae Shinoda, Akira Tokai, Hitoshi Yamada, Manabu Ishimoto
  • Patent number: 6558031
    Abstract: In a lighting system for motor vehicles, light from a HID or MPXL lamp is collected by a collector which surrounds the light source at least partly and is guided further to a separator of optical waveguide material, which separator forms a desired light beam via a specially shaped light outlet surface so as to obtain as high as possible a light output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Helmut Tiesler-Wittig
  • Publication number: 20020044457
    Abstract: A relatively small-diameter aperture fluorescent lamp is manufactured easily with high yield and at low cost. An aperture portion is formed in a manner that a thread-like member is inserted into a glass tube having an ultraviolet ray reflection layer and a phosphor layer formed on its inner surface, the glass tube is bent in a predetermined shape by using a bending jig, the thread-like member is pressed to the phosphor layer formed in a predetermined region in the bending member side of the glass tube while both ends thereof are pulled tight, the thread-like member is reciprocated, and phosphor of the phosphor layer in this region is exfoliated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Inventor: Shin-Ichirou Ono
  • Patent number: 6371627
    Abstract: A cold cathode tube having a fluorescent material coated along the inner wall thereof and the tube being filled with a small amount of gas, characterized in that the inner wall of the tube is coated with a ultra-violet ray reflective film capable of reflecting ultra-violet light, and the light emission surface at the inner side of the ultra-violet light reflective film does not coat with a fluorescent material, and the remaining region of the light emission surface at the outer wall is coated with a visible light-reflective layer. In addition, the length of the parallel section of the tube can be extended to increase lighting area, and thus the efficiency of light energy output is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Radiant Opto-Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Hsiu-Wen Chen, Kazuhiro Miyashita
  • Patent number: 6150758
    Abstract: A noble gas discharge lamp of the present invention comprises an outer enclosure comprising a light emitting layer comprising at least one fluorescent substance, the light emitting layer formed therein and a pair of outer electrodes having tape shapes comprise a metal, which are adhered to the entire length of the outside of the outer enclosure so as to separate one outer electrode and the other outer electrode at a certain distance, and to form a first opening portion and a second opening portion; wherein the coated amount of fluorescent substance is in a range of 5 to 30 mg/cm.sup.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Tamura
  • Patent number: 6051926
    Abstract: A noble gas discharge lamp of the present invention comprises an outer enclosure comprising a light emitting layer formed therein, and a pair of outer electrodes having tape shapes comprising a metal, which are adhered to the entire length of the outside of the outer enclosure so as to separate one outer electrode and the other outer electrode at a certain distance. The electrodes form a first opening portion and a second opening portion; wherein the outer enclosure is filled with at least one kind of noble gas under the confining pressure is in a range of 83 to 200 Torr. There is at least one nonlinear portion formed at at least one side portion of the outer electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Tamura
  • Patent number: 6034476
    Abstract: A noble gas discharge lamp of the present invention comprises an outer enclosure comprising a light emitting layer formed therein, and a pair of outer electrodes having tape shapes comprise a metal, which are adhered to the entire length of the outside of the outer enclosure so as to separate one outer electrode and the other outer electrode at a certain distance, and to form a first opening portion and a second opening portion; wherein the thickness of the outer enclosure is in a range of 0.2 to 0.7 mm, and at least one nonlinear portion is formed at at least one the side portion of the outer electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Tamura
  • Patent number: 6018218
    Abstract: A fluorescent lamp (1) includes a tubular glass bulb (2), an internal electrode (5) within the tubular glass bulb (2), a fluorescent layer (4) formed on an inner surface of the glass bulb (2), an external electrode (3) provided on an outer surface of the glass bulb (2), and a covering glass tube (6) is disposed over the total length of the internal electrode (5). The fluorescent lamp (1) further includes a fluorescent layer (7) disposed on the outer surface of the glass tube (6). The fluorescent lamp (1), as configured above, makes it unnecessary to form the internal electrode into a coil, and absorbs the difference in thermal expansion coefficients. This prevents the internal electrode (5) from resonating with vibrations from the outside and prevents contact of the fluorescent layer (4) by the internal electrode (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Terada, Kazuaki Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 5998921
    Abstract: A fluorescent lamp includes a tubular glass bulb, an internal electrode provided substantially along the central axis of the tubular glass bulb, a fluorescent layer provided on the inner surface of the tubular glass bulb, and an external electrode provided on the outer surface of the tubular glass bulb, wherein the internal electrode, having a coiled shape, is laid in the tubular glass bulb with an appropriate tension. According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent a sag in the internal electrode from occurring due to a difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the tubular glass bulb and a metallic member forming the internal electrode, and to prevent either the tubular glass bulb or the internal electrode from being broken because of an excessive stress, thereby overcoming the problem concerning such type of fluorescent lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomio Nakaya, Toshiyuki Terada, Mitsunari Yoshida, Tomonori Abe
  • Patent number: 5801493
    Abstract: A discharge vessel (10) closed in a gastight manner has a cavity (11) enclosing a discharge space provided with an ionizable filling. A coil (20) with a winding (21) of an electric conductor and an assembly (30) of a heat conductor (31) and one or several elongate cores (32) of soft-magnetic material are accommodated in the cavity. The cores (32) are arranged along a longitudinal axis (33) of the heat conductor (31) in one or several recesses (34) of the heat conductor which issue into a circumferential surface (36) of the assembly (30). The heat conductor (31) occupies at least half the circumference in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (33) of the assembly (30). The construction of the lamp according to the invention renders possible lamp operation at higher lamp powers also without the use of a heat pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Petrus H. Antonis, Gibbo J. Abrahamse, Hendrik J. Eggink, Marcellus H. Smulders
  • Patent number: 5645337
    Abstract: A backlighting unit for illuminating a planar display is provided, comprising an illumination source having a light emitting portion for emitting illumination toward the generally planar display, and a reflector for collecting the emitted illumination and reflecting the collected illumination toward the planar display, the reflector being positioned intermediate the illumination source and the display. The illumination source is a fluorescent lamp having an interior surface thereof substantially coated with a phosphor, and the light emitting portion is an aperture in the fluorescent lamp wherein no phosphor coating is present. The fluorescent lamp may be provided with a reflective wrap for increasing its illumination gain. A lens positioned between the reflector and the display receives the illumination reflected by the reflector and redirects the received illumination toward the display to provide even backlit illumination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: Interstate Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Philip Gleckman
  • Patent number: 5565685
    Abstract: A fluorescent lamp having multiple discrete zones with different levels of radiation intensity along its length has a tube with a fluorescent coating on the interior of the tube adapted to produce ultraviolet radiation of substantially uniform intensity. A reflective coating is provided along a finite length of the tube adjacent one end thereof and about only a portion of the circumference thereof to provide an increased intensity of radiation emanating from the uncoated portion of the periphery of the lamp in the finite portion due to reflection of radiation from the reflective coating. This lamp is especially useful in an array for a tanning chamber to provide a higher intensity of ultraviolet radiation in the facial area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Light Sources, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene Czako, Edward A. Stokes
  • Patent number: 5561345
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods of focusing and to steering a group of electrons emitted from an electron source to a shield. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes an electron source controlled by one or more voltages to emit electrons, a first electrode adjacent to one side of the source, and a second electrode, insulated from the first electrode, adjacent to an opposite side of the source. The shield has a shield voltage. The first and the second electrode have a first and a second voltage respectively to focus and steer a substantial portion of the emitted electrons towards the shield. One application of the present invention is in the area of flat panel displays with the shield being a screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Inventor: Huei-Pei Kuo
  • Patent number: 5552664
    Abstract: A fluorescent lamp having a logo, design or graphic information formed thereon. The glass envelope of the lamp is provided internally thereof with a coating of pigmented layer superimposed with a layer of a reflective material and one or more layers of a fluorescent material to generate the desired colored light when the lamp is energized. The logo or design is laser engraved onto the glass envelope of the lamp is a manner to ablate the respective layers of material wherever the laser beam engages the glass envelope. The arrangement is such that when the lamp is energized, the logo or design will be illuminated in the color of the light generated by the fluorescent material associated with the logo or design. In one form of the invention, multiple color light is generated by layering multiple coatings of fluorescent material internally of a lamp wherein each layer of fluorescent material will generate light of different colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Light Sources, Inc.
    Inventors: George Csoknyai, Arpad L. Pirovic
  • Patent number: 5514932
    Abstract: A low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp having a discharge vessel which is sealed in a gastight manner and encloses a discharge space which contains a filling of mercury and rare gas and in which an electric discharge is maintained. A portion of a surface of the discharge vessel facing the discharge space has a reflector layer of aluminum oxide particles which includes a comparatively great porportional weight of larger particles with a median diameter of 0.25 to 0.80 .mu.m and a comparatively small proportional weight of smaller aluminum oxide particles with a median diameter of 0.01 to 0.02 .mu.m, which smaller particles are present dispersed among the larger particles. The product of the median of the overall particle size distribution and the specific surface of all particles taken together is at least 4.times.10.sup.-3 m.sup.3 /kg. As a result, the lamp has a comparatively high luminous efficacy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Punt F. J. Willibrordus, Baaten P. M. Johannes
  • Patent number: 5272406
    Abstract: A source of red light includes a double-bore capillary tube having a pair of ends and a convoluted shape. A pair of electrodes is located at one end of the capillary tube and disposed within respective bores. An ionizable medium is enclosed within the capillary tube and includes neon at a pressure from about 300 to 600 torr. When energized, the ionizable medium generates an arc discharge between the electrodes consisting primarily of radiation in the range of from 590 to 670 nanometers. An outer jacket of vitreous material may surround the capillary tube and contain an inert gas (e.g., nitrogen) at a predetermined pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1993
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: Kirti B. Chakrabarti, Robert E. Levin
  • Patent number: 5266866
    Abstract: A low pressure gas discharge lamp comprises an elongated tube filled with a discharge gas. An inner electrode is disposed in a first end portion of the tube and an outer electrode is formed on an outer surface of the tube. The outer electrode has a belt shaped portion formed on the outer surface of the tube along an axial direction of the tube between the first end portion and a second end portion of the tube and a ring shaped portion formed on the outer surface of the tube around the second end portion of the tube. The ring shaped portion is connected to the belt shaped portion. The discharge is generated between the inner electrode and the outer electrode. The ring shaped portion of the outer electrode prevents the discharge from shifting from a central axis of the tube, and thus makes the lamp have an even brightness distribution along the axis of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Assignee: Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Masami Takagi, Hidehiko Noguchi
  • Patent number: 5256935
    Abstract: A cold cathode mercury vapor discharge lamp includes a bulb, a support wire within the bulb, and a cathode electrode having a pair of V-shaped electrode portions mounted in spaced, end to end relationship along the support wire. The electrodes include exterior surfaces facing towards the bulb walls, and interior surfaces facing towards the support wire. Getters are mounted on the exterior surfaces, and mercury discharge units are mounted on the interior surfaces. The two electrode portions are non-overlapping along the support wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1993
    Assignee: Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitomi Dobashi, Hisayuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 5142191
    Abstract: A subminiature aperture of fluorescent lamp is fabricated with press seals to facilitate accurate orientation of the aperture relative to an optical system. Flat surfaces of the press seal are accurately aligned relative to the aperture during manufacturing. The press seals can include detents for axial positioning of the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald G. Blaisdell, Robert Y. Pai, Joseph V. Lima
  • Patent number: 5138223
    Abstract: In a fluorescent lamp, a curved discharge path is constituted by a plurality of bulbs and a cap interconnecting end portions of the bulbs. Terminal electrodes are provided at end portions of the bulbs, which are situated at both ends of the discharge path. An intermediate electrode is arranged within the cap. A voltage is applied selectively between the intermediate electrode and the terminal electrodes, thereby selectively enabling the bulbs to emit light. The bulbs may have apertures having different widths and positions. Different types of phosphor layers may be formed on the inner surfaces of the bulbs, thereby selectively emitting light of different wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1992
    Assignee: Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Kimio Osada, Takeo Yasuda
  • Patent number: 5136206
    Abstract: Low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp with an emission spectrum according to a spectral energy distribution comprising the wavelength ranges 380-490 nm, 490-590 nm, and 590-700 nm, within which wavelength ranges mutually equal or substantially equal quantities of energy are emitted with a tolerance of 25% for the mutual ratios of equal energy of 1:1:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1992
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Martinus J. M. Van Heel, Theodorus F. Lamboo, Bauke J. Roelevink
  • Patent number: 5134336
    Abstract: A miniature, low-wattage fluorescent lamp includes a double-bore inner capillary tube having a pair of ends and a convoluted shape. The inner capillary tube is comprised of a vitreous material (e.g., quartz) which is capable of transmitting ultraviolet radiation. A pair of electrodes (e.g., mercury pool) is located at one end of the inner capillary tube and disposed within respective bores. An ionizable medium is enclosed within the inner capillary tube and includes an inert starting gas and a quantity of mercury. When energized, the ionizable medium generates an arc discharge between the electrodes consisting of ultraviolet radiation. A phosphor coating responsive to the ultraviolet radiation is disposed on an outer surface of the inner capillary tube and remote from the arc discharge. An outer jacket of vitreous material surrounds the inner capillary tube and contains an inert gas at a predetermined pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1992
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: Kirti B. Chakrabarti, Robert E. Levin
  • Patent number: 5081395
    Abstract: A fluorescent lamp having an improved starting performance, especially at low temperatures. A gas under a low pressure is sealed in a glass tube having a pair of electrodes mounted thereon, and a fluorescent material is coated on the inner surface of the glass tube, the fluorescent material being activated to emit light by a discharge between the pair of electrodes. A third electrode is provided between the pair of electrodes, the third electrode being connected to one of the pair of electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1992
    Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo K.K.
    Inventors: Ryoji Kikuchi, Shinyu Ikeda, Masataka Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 5059860
    Abstract: An illuminating light source for a color image recording device comprises a glass tube having a predetermined diameter, a reflecting film coated on an inner wall of the glass tube excepting a part thereof by coating, a fluorescent film formed on the reflecting film coated on the glass tube, wherein at least one of a ultraviolet ray absorbing film and the fluorescent film is formed on the part on which the reflecting film is not formed thereby to maintain a ratio of a bright line to a fluorescence being not more than 1.3 when a fluorescent lamp current is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Izumi Takashima
  • Patent number: 5003220
    Abstract: A tri-color lamp for use as an element in the optical presentation of information. The lamp includes a sealed envelope having a common envelope member and a plurality (e.g., three) of longitudinally extending leg members. A common electrode is located within the common envelope member and is spacedly located from opposing electrodes located within each of the leg members. A phosphor layer within the sealed envelope subtends at least the major body portion of each of the leg members such that the surface brightness of the phosphor layer as viewed through the end portions of the lamp is greater than the intensity of the external surface brightness of the phosphor layer on the major body portion. In the presentation of color information, each of the leg members is coated with respective phosphors emitting the primary colors red, green and blue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1991
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Fohl, Warren C. Gungle, Robert Y. Pai
  • Patent number: 4924141
    Abstract: An improved fluorescent lamp is disclosed. The lamp of the present invention includes an envelope containing an ionizable medium including mercury and having electrodes located within the envelope; an aluminum oxide reflector layer on the inner surface of the envelope, and a phosphor layer disposed on the reflector layer. The aluminum oxide reflector layer comprises particles of high purity aluminum oxide having an average particle size greater than 0.5 micrometer and less than or equal to about 1 micrometer and having a surface area of about 4 to 6 meter.sup.2 /gram. The aluminum oxide reflector layer preferably includes at least 95 weight percent alpha-alumina. Preferred coating weights for the reflector layer are from about 8.8 to about 11.1 milligram/square centimeter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: Fred R. Taubner, Richard L. Doucette, Gerald B. Fredrickson
  • 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: 4871941
    Abstract: In a gas discharge lamp of this invention, an internal electrode is provided in a tube bulb and an external electrode is provided on the outer surface of the bulb so as to cover it. A fluorescent material film is formed inside the bulb and is excited to emit visible light by a glow discharge, which is caused by applying a voltage between these electrodes. The fluorescent material film in the bulb has different thicknesses in the tube axial direction of the bulb to average the surface luminance of the gas discharge lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshitomi Dobashi, Akihiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 4864194
    Abstract: An electrodeless discharge lamp device has an envelope in which a gas that discharges to emit light upon application of a high frequency voltage is sealed, the envelope including two straight pipe parts forming a circulating discharge path, so that a high frequency electric current is caused to flow throughout the discharging gas in the entire envelope and a uniform discharge light emission can be attained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1989
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Kobayashi, Masaki Shinomiya, Tsutomu Kobayashi, Masahiro Higashikawa, Shin Ukegawa
  • Patent number: 4797594
    Abstract: An improved aperture fluorescent reprographic lamp is disclosed. The lamp of the present invention includes an elongated envelope containing an ionizable medium including mercury and having electrodes at each end of the envelope: a reflector layer on a major portion of the inner surface of the envelope, a phosphor layer disposed on and coextensive with the reflector layer, and a protective coating over at least the portion of the inner surface of the lamp envelope not covered with the reflector layer. The phosphor layer comprises particles of green-emitting zinc orthosilicate phosphor which are individually coated with a non-particulate, conformal aluminum oxide coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1989
    Assignees: GTE Laboratories Incorporated, GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: A. Gary Sigai, Fred R. Taubner
  • Patent number: 4786841
    Abstract: An arc discharge lamp having a sealed envelope including a major body portion and at least one minor transverse end portion. A non-specular light diffusing surface is axially located between the minor transverse end portion and one of the lamp electrodes. A phosphor layer within the sealed envelope subtends the major body portion of the envelope. The surface brightness of the phosphor layer as viewed through the minor transverse end portion of the envelope is greater than the intensity of the external surface brightness of the phosphor layer on the major body portion of the envelope during operation of the lamp. A lamp array for use as an element in a picture display is also disclosed including a plurality of sealed envelopes. In the case of a color presentation of information, one picture element is composed of three sealed envelopes phosphor coated with the primary colors red, green and blue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1988
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Fohl, Robert Y. Pai, Warren C. Gungle
  • Patent number: 4704562
    Abstract: An electrodeless metal vapor discharge lamp comprising a lamp vessel (1) which is sealed in a vacuum-tight manner and is further filled with a rare gas, which lamp is provided with a core (4) of magnetic material, in which a high-frequency magnetic field can be induced by means of an electric supply unit (7) and a winding (5) arranged to surround the core, an electric field being produced in the lamp vessel (1), the surface area of a cross-section orthogonal to the axis of the winding lying between 20 mm.sup.2 and 60 mm.sup.2, the lamp vessel (1) containing as rare gas krypton and/or argon at a pressure of at most 100 Pa, and the axial length of the winding lying between 8 and 15 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1987
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Pieter Postma, Patricius W. M. Lepelaars
  • Patent number: 4695763
    Abstract: A reflector type fluorescent lamp for use in an optical apparatus, such as a copying machine, has stripe shaped main aperture 3 and narrow stripe shaped sub-aperture 4, wherein the main aperture 3 has no reflective layer 5 and no phsophor layer 6, and the sub-aperture 4 has the phosphor layer 6; the light emitted from main aperture is used to illuminate a document to be copied and another light emitted from the sub-aperture 4 is used to erase electric charge on a photosensitive material drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1987
    Assignee: Matsushita Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Toshitaka Ogasawara, Kazumasa Nohmi, Masao Honmoh, Yukito Iseki
  • Patent number: 4661746
    Abstract: An electrodeless low-pressure discharge lamp comprising a lamp vessel (1) sealed in a vacuum-tight manner and filled at least with a metal vapor and a rare gas, the lamp being provided also with a cylindrical core (2) of magnetic material, such as ferrite, a winding (4) arranged to surround the core (2) and an electrical supply unit connected thereto for producing during operation of the lamp an electrical field in the lamp vessel (1). The supply unit is located in a thin-walled metal housing (8) provided in a wall portion (9) of synthetic material, which is partly of conical shape and is provided at its end with an Edison lamp cap (10), and the core (2) accommodates a rod-shaped or tubular body (11) of thermally conducting material connected to the housing (8). In order to improve the ignition properties of the lamp, an electrical insulator (12) is provided between the end of the body (11) and the wall of the housing (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1987
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Pieter Postma, Johannes A. J. M. van Vliet
  • Patent number: RE35142
    Abstract: A fluorescent lamp having an improved starting performance, especially at low temperatures. A gas under a low pressure is sealed in a glass tube having a pair of electrodes mounted thereon, and a fluorescent material is coated on the inner surface of the glass tube, the fluorescent material being activated to emit light by a discharge between the pair of electrodes. A third electrode is provided between the pair of electrodes, the third electrode being connected to one of the pair of electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryoji Kikuchi, Shinyu Ikeda, Masataka Nishiyama