EP0220813A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for sealing the discharge tubes of metal halide high pressure discharge lamps
Assignee: GE Lighting Ltd
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Filing: 1986-08-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-08-28
Abstract
Abstract A high pressure metal halide discharge lamp is made in an extremely fast processing time. The lamp dose is sealed within the ceramic arc tube ny means of an electrically conductive cermet member which is sealed to the arc tube by first forming a glasely seal then quickly converting this to a highly refractory crystalline seal. The sealing process takes less than four minutes and avoids loss of the highly volatile metal halide dose as the arc tube complete with dose is heated to the softening temperature of the sealing material.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth Edward Brown
- 👤 Gary Kenneth Caunt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:24
CPC Classifications
C; C04; C04B; C04B37/00; C04B37/02; C04B37/023; C04B37/025; C04B37/003; C04B37/005; H; H01; H01J; H01J61/00; H01J61/02; H01J61/36; H01J61/361; H01J61/363; H01J9/00; H01J9/24; H01J9/32; C04B2237/00; C04B2237/02; C04B2237/10; C04B2237/30; C04B2237/32; C04B2237/34; C04B2237/343; C04B2237/40; C04B2237/401; C04B2237/405; C04B2237/50; C04B2237/76; C04B2237/765; C04B2237/84
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
A high pressure metal halide discharge lamp adapted to operate between 700°C and up to 1000°C, the discharge lamp comprising an arc tube of light transmitting ceramic material, electrodes spaced in said arc tube by an arc gap of less than 10mm, the are tube containing a metal halide dose, mercury and a rare gas for starting the lamp sealed within the ceramic arc tube by electrically conductive cermet end closure members in which the electrodes are located, at least one of the cermet end closure members being sealed to the end of the arc tube by means of a rapidly formed high softening temperature crystalline seal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
107 words
A high pressure metal halide discharge lamp adapted to operate between 700°C and up to 1000°C, the discharge lamp comprising an arc tube of light transmitting ceramic material, electrodes spaced in said arc tube by an arc gap of less than 10mm, the are tube containing a metal halide dose, mercury and a rare gas for starting the lamp sealed within the ceramic arc tube by electrically conductive cermet end closure members in which the electrodes are located, at least one of the cermet end closure members being sealed to the end of the arc tube by means of a rapidly formed high softening temperature crystalline seal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A high pressure metal halide discharge lamp according to claim 1 wherein the sealing composition comprises by weight from 51 to 62% Si0 2 , from 13 to 21% A1 2 O 3 and from 25 to 28% MgO.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A high pressure metal halide discharge lamp according to claim 2 wherein the sealing composition comprises by weight 28.00% MgO, 20.00% A1 2 0 3 and 52% Si0 2 .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A high pressure metal halide discharge lamp according to claim 3 wherein the sealing composition includes up to 20% of nucleating agent selected from, titania, zirconia or chromia.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A high pressure metal halide discharge lamp according to any preceding claim wherein the length of the arc tube is not greater than 30 mm.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of manufacturing a high pressure metal halide discharge lamp having an arc tube of light transmitting ceramic material, said lamp being adapted to operate between 700 C and up to about 1,000°C and have a fill comprising a metal halide dose, mercury and a rare gas and wherein at least one electrically conductive cermet end closure member, is sealed to an end of the arc tube by means of a rapidly formed high softening temperature crystalline seal, said method comprising the steps of first forming a glassy seal and then converting the glassy seal to a crystalline seal.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of manufacturing a high pressure metal halide discharge lamp having an arc tube of light transmitting ceramic material, said lamp being adapted to operate between 700 C and up to about 1,000°C and have a fill comprising a metal halide dose, mercury and a rare gas and wherein at least one electrically conductive cermet end closure member, is sealed to an end of the arc tube by means of a rapidly formed high softening temperature crystalline seal, said method comprising the steps of first forming a glassy seal and then converting the glassy seal to a crystalline seal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein the sealing of the end closure member is completed in less than four minutes,
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein the glassy seal is completed in 75 sees,
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein the step of converting the glassy seal to a high softening temperature crystalline seal is completed in one minute.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein the step of converting the glassy seal to a high softening-temperature crystalline seal is completed in less than one minute.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 6 including the step of cooling the glassy seal prior to heating the glassy seal to convert it to a high softening temperature crystalline seal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein the formation of a crystalline seal takes place in a single continuous step.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein the sealing of the arc tube is the final sealing step.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein the sealing composition comprises MgO, Si0 2 , Al 2 0 3 sealing material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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