US3771009A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrode discharge device with electrode-activating fill
Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Inc
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Filing: 1971-12-27
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Granted: 1973-11-06
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Expires: 1991-12-27
Abstract
Abstract An electric discharge device comprising a sealed lighttransmissive envelope having a pair of electrodes spaced therein, and a quantity of material within the envelope for facilitating an arc discharge between the electrodes, the quantity of material including, as the primary light-emitting material, at least one high melting, relatively non-volatile metallic iodide complexed with an iodide of a Group IIIA element to give a volatile complex having the general formula LnMxI3x 3, where Ln represents a lanthanide element or a Group IIIB element; M represents a Group IIIA element selected from the group consisting of boron, aluminum, indium and gallium, particularly aluminum; and x 3 to 4. The use of this complex eliminates the need to use a heating element adjacent to but outside the sealed envelope to maintain sufficient amounts of the metallic iodide in the vaporous state, but, in addition and quite unexpectedly, it has been found that its use eliminates the need to pre-activate the spaced electrodes with an electron-emissive material, such as thorium.
Inventors
- 👤 H Silver
- 👤 A Heller
- 👤 P Gardner
- 👤 G Argue
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 00:50
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J61/00; H01J61/02; H01J61/12; H01J61/125
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
29 words
The discharge device of claim 1 wherein Ln is selected from the group consisting of cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
10 words
The discharge device of claim 1 wherein Ln is thulium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
10 words
The discharge device of claim 1 wherein Ln is dysprosium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
10 words
The discharge device of claim 1 wherein Ln is cerium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
10 words
The discharge device of claim 1 wherein M is aluminum.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The discharge device of claim 1 wherein Ln is selected from the group consisting of thulium, dysprosium, and cerium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The discharge device of claim 1 wherein Ln is thulium and M is aluminum.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The discharge device of claim 1 wherein M is selected from the group consisting of gallium and indium.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
The discharge device of claim 1 wherein said complex is present in said envelope in a quantity sufficient to provide 0.03 - 0.25 mg of the metallic element represented by the symbol Ln per cc. of envelope volume.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The discharge device of claim 1 wherein said fill further includes a small quantity of a noble gas.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The discharge device of claim 11 wherein said noble gas is argon.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The discharge device of claim 1 wherein said fill further includes a small quantity of mercury.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The discharge device of claim 1 wherein said mercury generates, during operation of said device, a pressure up to about 10 atmospheres.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The discharge device of claim 1 wherein said fill includes a small quantity of NaA1I4.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
The discharge device of claim 1 wherein said sealed envelope is positioned within an outer transparent envelope, said complex being sufficiently volatile during operation of said device that the need to provide a heating element in the space between said sealed and outer envelopes is eliminated.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
The discharge device of claim 1 wherein essentially stoichiometric amounts of complex-forming materials are added to said envelope, whereby during operation of said device said volatile complex is found in the absence of a substantial excess of a rare earth halide material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
131 words
An electric discharge device comprising a sealed light-transmissive envelope; a pair of unactivated electrodes spaced within said sealed envelope, said electrodes being initially free of electron emissive material which would function to loweR the operating potential of the device during operation; and a fill within said envelope, said fill including at least one volatile complex having the general formula LnMxI3x 3, where Ln represents a lanthanide element, M represents a Group IIIA element selected from the group consisting of boron, aluminum, gallium, and indium, and x equals 3 to 4, said complex serving to activate said electrode during operation of said device whereby the need to initially provide electron-emissive material activated electrodes is eliminated, said volatile complex being present in sufficient quantity to constitute the primary light-emitting component of the fill.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
10 words
The discharge device of claim 18 wherein M is aluminum.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The discharge device of claim 18 wherein M is selected from the group consisting of gallium and indium.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The discharge device of claim 18 wherein Ln is selected from the group consisting of thulium, dysprosium, and cerium.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The discharge device of claim 18 wherein Ln is thulium and M is aluminum.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The discharge device of claim 18 wherein said complex is present in said envelope in a quantity sufficient to provide 0.03 - 0.25 mg of said lanthanide element per cc. of envelope volume.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
46 words
The discharge device of claim 18 wherein said sealed envelope is positioned within an outer transparent envelope, said complex being sufficiently volatile during operation of said device that the need to provide a heating element in the space between said sealed and outer envelopes is eliminated.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
42 words
The discharge device of claim 18 wherein essentially stoichiometric amounts of complex-forming materials are added to said envelope, whereby during operation of said device said volatile complex is found in the absence of a substantial excess of a rare earth halide material.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-11-05 | 1977-05-07 | 1977-11-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-11-05 | 1981-05-07 | 1981-11-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-11-05 | 1985-05-07 | 1985-11-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |