Abstract: In the case of a sodium high-pressure lamp having a ceramic, tubular discharge vessel (1), an electrically conducting starting aid is fitted outside on the discharge vessel. Said aid comprises an axially parallel longitudinal strip (4) of prescribed width B to which a partial circle (6) surrounding the discharge vessel is attached approximately at the level of each electrode (2).

Abstract: A high pressure sodium discharge lamp includes first and second discharge devices electrically connected in series within an outer envelope. The discharge devices each include a discharge vessel enclosing a discharge space with an ionizable fill and first and second discharge electrode assemblies. The first discharge electrode assemblies of the discharge devices are connected so as to receive a starting pulse and lamp operating voltage. Each discharge vessel includes a first wall portion spaced from the first discharge electrode assembly and defining an ionizable gap therebetween. A conductive element bridges the discharge devices at the first wall portions and capacitively couples the first discharge electrode assemblies to induce ionization in one of the discharge devices in the ionizable gap between the first wall portion and first discharge electrode assembly.

Abstract: A discharge lamp or an electrodeless discharge lamp including a discharge gas filled inside a bulb, an electrode part present inside the bulb for emitting thermoelectrons into the discharge gas, and a cesium compound placed in a position other than the electrode part inside the bulb. According to this configuration, this discharge lamp has a short starting delay time even at a low temperature including room temperature, without using any starting auxiliary light source or a radioactive material. The cesium compound is contained on the surface of a metal mesh which is fixed via a supporting arm in a position avoiding the electrode part inside the bulb. It is preferable that the cesium oxide is in contact with the discharge space. In this way, starting property can be improved without using any starting auxiliary light source or a radioactive material. The electrodeless discharge lamp has the cesium compound at an optional position in the discharge space.

Abstract: A surge voltage protector having a tubular ceramic part as an insulator, and having metal electrodes soldered onto the end faces thereof. Each electrode is electrically connected in each case to an ignition aid applied at least to the inside wall of the ceramic part. The inside edges of the surfaces joining the ceramic part to the electrodes are each provided with a chamfer whose chamfer angle is 15.degree. to 60.degree. relative to the plane of the joining surfaces. The width projected onto the plane of the joining surface is 0.05 to 0.4 mm.

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.

Abstract: The present invention encompasses a high voltage switch utilizing first and second terminal electrodes and an intermediate electrode disposed therebetween. A high voltage pulse, applied to the intermediate electrode, initiates sequential overvoltaging of the region between one of the terminal electrodes and the intermediate electrode and, then between the intermediate electrode and the other electrode; thereby permitting electrical current to flow between the terminal electrodes. The geometry of the electrodes is chosen so as to yield a field enhancement factor between each region which is sufficiently low to permit highly reliable, predictable, and controllable sequential electrical breakdown.

Abstract: A high pressure sodium arc tube assembly includes a light-transmitting arc tube containing a fill material including sodium and mercury, a pair of electrodes sealed in opposite ends of the arc tube, and a filament or other resisitive member located within the arc tube and extending between opposite ends thereof. The filament is electrically connected to the electrodes. The filament provides a sufficient electric field and an abundance of electrons dispersed throughout the discharge region to initiate an arc discharge when the electrodes are energized. The filament is selected to produce an electric field in the discharge region prior to initiation of arc discharge of at least 20 volts per centimeter. After an arc discharge is initiated, the voltage between the electrodes drops, and the filament is partially short-circuited by the arc discharge. The filament provides fast initial starting and fast hot restarting, while eliminating the requirement for high voltage starting pulses.

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.

Abstract: A gas discharge over-voltage arrestor having a narrow tolerance range of response voltages due to the quality of a line or lines of ignition. A gas discharge over-voltage arrestor has one or more lines of ignition without additives and impurities and has a relatively narrow resistance tolerance given a defined nominal value of resistance whose tolerance range amounts to 1/2 a power of 10 in a logarithmic scale. Every line of ignition is produced by a non-contacting sputtering of carbon particles and is connected to the electrodes over its full width. A reduction in the variation of the response voltage is thereby achieved. The invention is particularly suitable for gas discharge over-voltage arrestors in a glass housing.

Abstract: The low pressure gas-filled thyratron is scalable in the long dimension. Internally the tube is formed as a tetrode, with an auxiliary grid placed between the cathode and the control grid. A DC or pulsed power source drives the auxiliary grid both to insure uniform cathode emission and to provide a grid-cathode plasma prior to commutation. The high voltage holdoff structure consists of the anode, the control grid and its electrostatic shielding baffles, and a main quartz insulator. A small gas flow supply and exhaust system is used that eliminates the need for a hydrogen reservoir and permits other gases, such as helium, to be used. The thyratron provides a low inductance, high current, long lifetime switch configuration; useful for switch-on applications involving large scale lasers and other similar loads that are distributed in a linear geometry.

Abstract: In a discharge tube lighting system for use in a vehicle, a heat generating element, which is made of metal material, is formed on an outer surface of a tube element of the discharge tube along the longitudinal direction of the tube element, and a temperature detecting element is provided on a surface of the heat generating element. The heat generating element is electrically driven to heat the discharge tube at a starting period of lighting the discharge tube when a temperature of the heat generating element detected by the temperature detecting element is lower than a predetermined temperature. The heat generating element is formed in a rectangular shape and conformally disposed on a portion of the tube. The heater element has first and second ends which are disposed with respect to the electrodes of the tube to cause an electric field to be provided between each electrode and the corresponding end of the heater element.

Abstract: Gas discharge display device having a gas-filled space gas-tightly closed on one side by a front plate and on a side opposite thereto by a back plate and subdivided by a control plate into a gas discharge space and a post-acceleration space, the control plate carrying electrode runs respectively addressable separately and forming a matrix as row conductors on one side of the control plate and as column conductors on the other side of the control plate, and having, together with the electrode runs, control through holes at intersection points of the matrix, a fluorescent screen disposed on the side of the front plate opposite the control plate and defining the post-acceleration space, the fluorescent screen having an anode layer thereon, and at least one insulated cathode on the side of the back plate and defining the gas discharge space, the control plate having, on the side thereof facing towards the post-acceleration space, a plate having a raster of holes formed therein coincident with a raster of the cont

Abstract: An electronic light emitter comprising an electric-discharge tube having a transparent tube, a cathode, an anode, a trigger electrode, and a reflector for forwardly reflecting light emitted from the discharge tube. A reflecting portion is formed on the transparent tube to reflect light impinging thereupon toward the reflector, thereby limiting the direction in which the light emitted from the discharge tube passes outwardly from the transparent tube. The reflecting portion is formed of conductive material and is used as the trigger electrode.

Abstract: In a cathodoluminescent lamp of the type having an electrically conductive coating forms the anode on the interior surface of the bulb wall, a phosphor coating overlies the anode coating and an electron emissive cathode below a grid, the lead to the anode passes through a glass tube, additional to the exhaust tube, incorporated in the pinched foot tube, and is sealed through the pinch, and the contact between the anode lead and the anode coating on the bulb is provided by a bent metal strip attached to envelope the neck and partially covered by the anode coating, which extends partly down the neck, the end of the anode lead being engaged with an upstanding portion of the contact strip.

Abstract: An electronic light emitter comprising an electric-discharge tube having a transparent tube, a cathode, an anode, a trigger electrode, and a reflector for forwardly reflecting light emitted from the discharge tube. A reflecting portion is formed on the transparent tube to reflect light impinging thereupon toward the reflector, thereby limiting the direction in which the light emitted from the discharge tube passes outwardly from the transparent tube. The reflecting portion is formed of conductive material and is used as the trigger electrode.

Abstract: A surge arrester, includes a gas-filled housing, copper electrodes disposed opposite each other in the housing, the electrodes each including a relatively thin-walled truncated conical part having a flange integral therewith and a solid cylindrical part, the cylindrical parts each having a respective end surface facing each other, the end surfaces being mutually spaced apart by a given distance and each having a trough-shaped axially-symmetrical depression formed therein, a highly active electrode activating compound filling each of the depressions, a tubular ceramic insulator at least partly surrounding the electrodes defining respective annular gaps between the insulator and each of the cylindrical parts having widths being substantially between 0.2 mm and 0.

Abstract: Surge voltage arrester with a gas-tight housing wherein two truncated cone-shaped electrodes are disposed respectively opposite one another and form a gap therebetween, the electrodes being received in opposite ends of a tubular insulating body and being formed with a bottom surface facing into the tubular insulating body and a lateral conical surface, including at least one strip of electrically conductive material serving as an ignition strip, said strip extending within the tubular body over part of the length thereof in direction from one to the other electrode, at least a part of the ignition strip terminating at a first distance opposite the lateral surface of the one electrode and at a second distance short of the bottom surface of the one electrode, at least one of the distances being shorter than the length of the gap.

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.