US3906284A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp with amalgam
Assignee: Osram GmbH
•
Filing: 1974-07-23
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Granted: 1975-09-16
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Expires: 1994-07-23
Abstract
Abstract Mercury vapor discharge lamps of the fluorescent type having an improved amalgam. The amalgam is formed, in addition to mercury, of two amalgam-forming metals of which one is an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal (preferably magnesium). The invention also includes lamp components containing the improved amalgam on a surface thereof. The preferred amalgam-forming metals are indium in an amount of from 95 to 50 mole percent and magnesium in an amount of from 5 to 50 mole percent of the total amalgamforming constituents. Mercury is preferably in an amount between 5 and 40 mole percent of the total amalgam (mercury plus the amalgam-forming constituents).
Inventors
- 👤 Gunter Franck
- 👤 Lothar Busch
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 20:59
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J61/00; H01J61/70; H01J61/72
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp of the fluorescent type comprising an elongated light-transmitting envelope having electrodes sealed into its ends, and support for at least one amalgam which determines the equilibrium vapor pressure during operation of the lamp on an interior surface of said lamp, said amalgam comprising mercury, and an amalgam-forming composition containing at least two amalgam-forming metal constituents, the improvement wherein said amalgam-forming composition comprises a first amalgam-forming constituent selected from the group consisting of the alkali metals and the alkaline earth metals, and a second amalgam-forming metal constituent comprising indium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
95 words
A low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp of the fluorescent type comprising an elongated light-transmitting envelope having electrodes sealed into its ends, and support for at least one amalgam which determines the equilibrium vapor pressure during operation of the lamp on an interior surface of said lamp, said amalgam comprising mercury, and an amalgam-forming composition containing at least two amalgam-forming metal constituents, the improvement wherein said amalgam-forming composition comprises a first amalgam-forming constituent selected from the group consisting of the alkali metals and the alkaline earth metals, and a second amalgam-forming metal constituent comprising indium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The lamp of claim 1 wherein said second amalgam-forming constituent is at least one metal which form an alloy with said first amalgam-forming constituent, said alloy having a melting point which is lower than the melting point of said first amalgam-forming constituent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The lamp of claim 2 wherein said second amalgam-forming constituent also contains at least one metal selected from the group consisting of lead, cadmium and tin.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The lamp of claim 1 wherein said first amalgam-forming constituent is magnesium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The lamp of claim 2 wherein said first amalgam-forming constituent is magnesium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
The lamp of claim 3 wherein said first amalgam-forming constituent is magnesium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
The lamp of claim 6 wherein magnesium comprises between about 5 and 50 mole percent of the total of amalgam-forming constituents and indium comprises between about 95 and 50 mole percent of the total amalgam-forming constituents, and mercury comprises between about 5 and 40 mole percent of the total amalgam.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The lamp of claim 6 wherein said amalgam comprises mercury, indium and magnesium in a mole ratio of 1 mole of mercury, 6 moles of indium, and 1 mole of magnesium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The lamp of claim 6 wherein said amalgam comprises mercury, indium and magnesium in a mole ratio of 1 mole of mercury, 10 moles of indium, and 1 mole of magnesium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The lamp of claim 4 wherein at least one of said electrodes is supported by an electrode stem comprising a stem flare and a stem press seal and wherein said amalgam is in the form of an annulus on said stem flare.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The lamp of claim 4 wherein said electrodes are supported by electrode positioning means and wherein said amalgam is coated on a base sheet, said base sheet being supported by said electrode positioning means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The lamp of claim 7 wherein magnesium comprises between 10 and 30 mole percent of the total of magnesium and indium.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
AN ELECTRODE-CONTAINING COMPONENT FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS COMPRISING AN ELECTRODE CONNECTED TO AN ELECTRODE POSITIONING MEANS, AND HAVING AN AMALGAM WHICH DETERMINES THE EQUILIBRIUM VAPOR PRESSURE DURING OPERATION OF THE LAMP COATED ON AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID ELECTRODE POSITIONING MEANS, SAID AMALGAM COMPRISING MERCURY AND AN AMALGAMFORMING COMPOSITION CONTAINING AT LEAST TWO AMALGAM-FORMING
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
54 words
AN ELECTRODE-CONTAINING COMPONENT FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS COMPRISING AN ELECTRODE CONNECTED TO AN ELECTRODE POSITIONING MEANS, AND HAVING AN AMALGAM WHICH DETERMINES THE EQUILIBRIUM VAPOR PRESSURE DURING OPERATION OF THE LAMP COATED ON AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID ELECTRODE POSITIONING MEANS, SAID AMALGAM COMPRISING MERCURY AND AN AMALGAMFORMING COMPOSITION CONTAINING AT LEAST TWO AMALGAM-FORMING
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
The component of claim 13 wherein said first amalgam-forming constituent is magnesium.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
58 words
The component of claim 14 wherein said second amalgam-forming constituent is indium, and wherein magnesium comprises between about 5 and 50 mole percent of the total of amalgam-forming constituents, and indium comprises between about 95 and 50 mole percent of the total amalgam-forming constituents, and mercury comprises between about 5 and 40 mole percent of the total amalgam.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The component of claim 15 wherein said magnesium comprises between about 10 and 30 mole percent of the total of magnesium and indium.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
The component of claim 15 wherein said amalgam comprises mercury, indium and magnesium in a mole ratio of 1 mole of mercury, 6 moles of indium and 1 mole of magnesium.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
The component of claim 15 wherein said amalgam comprises mercury, indium and magnesium in a mole ratio of 1 mole of mercury, 10 moles of indium and 1 mole of magnesium.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
The component of claim 14 wherein said electrode positioning means comprises a stem flare and a stem press seal and wherein said amalgam-forming composition is in the form of an annulus on said stem flare.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The component of claim 15 wherein said electrode positioning means comprises a stem flare and a stem press seal and wherein said amalgam-forming composition is in the form of an annulus.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The component of claim 13 wherein said amalgam-forming composition is coated on a base sheet, said base sheet being supported by electrode positioning means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The component of claim 15 wherein said amalgam-forming composition is coated on a base sheet, said base sheet being supported by electrode positioning means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The component of claim 16 wherein said amalgam-forming composition is coated on a base sheet, said base sheet being supported by electrode positioning means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3263111A
Cited
US3629641A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-15 | 1979-03-17 | 1979-09-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-15 | 1983-03-17 | 1983-09-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-15 | 1987-03-17 | 1987-09-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |