Ion discharge tube employing cataphoretic techniques

Claim 2

In combination, a vapor ion discharge tube filled with at least two ionizable gases including ionized vapor of a normally nongaseous condensed material within said tube, said tube having a window for transmitting radiation from vapor molecules of said material in response to a discharge through said tube, and cataphoretic means responsive to energization thereof for establishing a discharge within said tube and for substantially preventing any accumulation of condensed vapor material on said window, wherein said tube includes a discrete vapor source of said material situated at a given position within said tube which is at some electrical potential during the presence of a discharge through said tube, wherein said cataphoretic means includes an electrode within said tube which is situated intermediate said window and said given position and electrical means to maintain said electrode at a sufficiently positive potential with respect to the potential at said given position to keep the number of vapor molecules in contact with said window below that required to effect condensation of said vapor material on said window, wherein said cataphoretic means includes a second electrode within said tube which is situated on the opposite side of said given position from said first-mentioned electrode, said electrical means being coupled to said second electrode for maintaining said second electrode at a negative potential with respect to the potential at said given position sufficient to maintain a discharge in the space between said source and said second electrode, and wherein said cataphoretic means includes a third electrode at said given position, said electrical means being coupled to said third electrode for maintaining said third electrode at a fixed potential.

Claim 3

In combination, a vapor ion discharge tube filled with at least two ionizable gases including ionized vapor of a normally nongaseous condensed material within said tube, said tube having a window for transmitting radiation from vapor molecules of said material in response to a discharge through said tube, and cataphoretic means responsive to energization thereof for establishing a discharge within said tube and for substantially preventing any accumulation of condensed vapor material on said window, wherein said tube includes a discrete vapor source of said material situated at a given position within said tube which is at some electrical potential during the presence of a discharge through said tube, wherein said cataphoretic means includes an electrode within said tube which is situated intermediate said window and said given position and electrical means to maintain said electrode at a sufficiently positive potential with respect to the potential at said given position to keep the number of vapor molecules in contact with said window below that required to effect condensation of said vapor material on said window, wherein said tube extends longitudinally from a first end thereof to a second end thereof and includes said window at said first end thereof and a second window at said second end thereof, wherein said tube includes a condenser portion situated at a second given position between said first given position and said second end, and wherein said cataphoretic means includes a second electrode situated at a distance from said second end which is no greater than the distance of said second given position from said second end, said electrical means being coupled to said second electrode for maintaining said second electrode at a negative potential with respect to the potential at said first-mentioned given position sufficient to maintain a discharge in the space between said vapor source and said condenser portion, whereby ionized vaporized material from said source is cataphoretically transported from said first-mentioned given position to said second given position and condensed in said condenser portion of said tube.

Claim 4

In combination, a vapor ion discharge tube filled with at least two ionizable gases including ionized vapor of a normally nongaseous condensed material within said tube, said tube having a window for transmitting radiation from vapor molecules of said material in response to a discharge through said tube, and cataphoretic means responsive to energization thereof for establishing a discharge within said tube and for substantially preventing any accumulation of condensed vapor material on said window, wherein said tube includes a discrete vapor source of said material situated at a given position within said tube which is at some electrical potential during the presence of a discharge through said tube, wherein said cataphoretic means includes an electrode within said tube which is situated intermediate said window and said given position and electrical means to maintain said electrode at a sufficiently positive potential with respect to the potential at said given position to keep the number of vapor molecules in contact with said window below that required to effect condensation of said vapor material on said window, wherein said tube extends longitudinally from a first end thereof to a second end thereof and includes said window at said first end thereof and a second window at said second end thereof, wherein said tube includes a condenser portion situated at a second given position between said first given position and said second end, and wherein said cataphoretic means includes a second electrode situated at a distance from said second end which is no greater than the distance of said second given position from said second end, said electrical means being coupled to said second electrode for maintaining said second electrode at a negative potential with respect to the potential at said first-mentioned given position sufficient to maintain a discharge in the space between said vapor source and said condenser portion, whereby ionized vaporized material from said source is cataphoretically transported from said first-mentioned given position to said second given position and condensed in said condenser portion of said tube.

Claim 5

The combination defined in claim 2, wherein said second electrode is situated intermediate said second given position and said second end.

Claim 6

The combination defined in claim 3, wherein said cataphoretic means further includes selectively operated means for reversing the polarity of the potential difference between said first-mentioned electrode and said second electrode, and wherein said vapor source is alternatively selectively operable as a second condenser and said condenser portion is alternatively selectively operable as a second vapor source, whereby said material may be cataphoretically transported in either direction between said first and second given positions.

Claim 7

The combination defined in claim 2, wherein said second electrode is located at said second given position.

Claim 8

The combination defined in claim 5, wherein said cataphoretic means includes a third electrode at said first-mentioned given position and a fourth electrode intermediate said second given position and said second end, said electrical means being coupled to said third electrode for maintaiNing said third electrode at a fixed potential and being coupled to said fourth electrode for maintaining said fourth electrode at a sufficiently positive potential with respect to the potential of said second electrode to keep the number of vapor molecules in contact with said second window below that required to effect condensation of said vapor material on said second window.

Claim 9

The combination defined in claim 2, including an auxiliary tube in which no discharge takes place interconnecting said condenser portion to said vapor source of said first-named tube for transporting said material from said condenser portion back to said vapor source in response to the cataphoretically produced difference in vapor pressure which exists between said second given position and said first given position of said first-named tube.

Claim 10

In combination, a vapor ion discharge tube filled with at least two ionizable gases including ionized vapor of a normally nongaseous condensed material within said tube, said tube having a window for transmitting radiation from vapor molecules of said material in response to a discharge through said tube, and cataphoretic means responsive to energization thereof for establishing a discharge within said tube and for substantially preventing any accumulation of condensed vapor material on said window, wherein said cataphoretic means includes alternating current generating means coupled to said gas in said tube for exciting said gas and producing a plasma therethrough, a first electrode situated at a given position within said tube in the region of said window a second electrode situated within said tube intermediate said window and said given position, and rectifying means connecting said first and second electrodes, said rectifying means being so poled as to cause said second electrode to be maintained at a positive potential with respect to said first electrode in response to the flow therebetween of plasma current produced by said alternating current generating means.

Claim 11

In combination, a vapor ion discharge tube filled with at least two ionizable gases including ionized vapor of a normally nongaseous condensed material within said tube, said tube having a window for transmitting radiation from vapor molecules of said material in response to a discharge through said tube, and cataphoretic means responsive to energization thereof for establishing a discharge within said tube and for substantially preventing any accumulation of condensed vapor material on said window, wherein said cataphoretic means includes alternating current generating means coupled to said gas in said tube for exciting said gas and producing a plasma therethrough, a first electrode situated at a given position within said tube in the region of said window a second electrode situated within said tube intermediate said window and said given position, and rectifying means connecting said first and second electrodes, said rectifying means being so poled as to cause said second electrode to be maintained at a positive potential with respect to said first electrode in response to the flow therebetween of plasma current produced by said alternating current generating means.

Claim 12

The combination defined in claim 8, wherein said tube extends longitudinally from a first end thereof to a second end thereof and includes said window at said first end thereof and a second window at said second end thereof, and wherein said cataphoretic means further includes a third electrode situated at a second given position within said tube in the region of said second window, a fourth electrode situated within said tube intermediate said third electrode and said second window, and second rectifying means connecting said third and fourth electrodes, said second rectifying means being so poled as to cause said fourth electrode to be maintained at a positive potential with respect to third electrode in response to the flow therebetween of plasma current produced by said alternating current generating means.

Claim 13

The combination defined in claim 9, wherein said first and third electrodes, respectively, are symmetrically disposed on either side of the middle of said tube and said second and fourth electrodes respectively are symmetrically disposed on either side of the middle of said tube.

Claim 14

The combination defined in claim 10, wherein said cataphoretic means includes a fifth electrode in the middle of said tube, and wherein said alternating current generating means includes in output transformer having a center-tapped secondary winding, one end of said secondary winding being connected directly to said first electrode and through said first-mentioned rectifying means to said second electrode, the other end of said secondary winding being connected directly to said third electrode and through said second rectifying means to said fourth electrode, and the center tap of said secondary winding being connected to said fifth electrode.

Claim 15

The combination defined in claim 10, wherein said alternating current generating means includes an output transformer having a secondary winding, one end of said secondary winding being directly connected to said second electrode and throUgh said first-mentioned rectifying means to said first electrode, and the other end of said secondary winding being directly connected to said fourth electrode and through said second rectifying means to said third electrode.