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US4672271A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus and method for automatic operation of a high pressure mercury arc lamp

Assignee: SAC Corp
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Filing: 1985-04-15
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Granted: 1987-06-09
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Expires: 2005-04-15
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Abstract

Abstract Apparatus and method for automatic control of with a high pressure mercury arc lamp is described. The apparatus includes a control unit that monitors the current and the voltage supplied to the arc lamp. A temperature measuring device is coupled to a portion of the lamp for monitoring the temperature. The control device controls a flow of air past the lamp by controlling the power to a fan motor or by controlling the flow of air by controllable dampers. After equilibrium conditions are established, the control unit determines and stores the equilibrium values of current and voltage. Thereafter the control unit monitors the values of current and voltage periodically. When these measured voltage and current values are outside of predetermined limits, the control unit initiates shut down operation of the lamp.

Inventors

  • 👤 Gary Gear
  • 👤 Steven S. Wiseman

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 19:53
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70008; G03F7/70016; H; H05; H05B; H05B41/00; H05B41/14; H05B41/36; H05B41/38; H05B41/39; H05B41/392

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 81 words
For use with a high pressure mercury arc lamp, control apparatus comprising: a temperature measuring device coupled to a lamp for measuring the temperature of said lamp; cooling mechanism for forcing air to flow by said lamp; and a control unit coupled to said temperature measuring device and to said cooling mechanism, said control unit measuring both voltage and current being supplied to said lamp, said control unit and said temperature measuring device forming a temperature feedback loop for said lamp.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 81 words
For use with a high pressure mercury arc lamp, control apparatus comprising: a temperature measuring device coupled to a lamp for measuring the temperature of said lamp; cooling mechanism for forcing air to flow by said lamp; and a control unit coupled to said temperature measuring device and to said cooling mechanism, said control unit measuring both voltage and current being supplied to said lamp, said control unit and said temperature measuring device forming a temperature feedback loop for said lamp.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 34 words
The control apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cooling mechanism can be a fan apparatus, said control unit controlling power to said fan or controlling an effective aperture for air flowing past said lamp.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 49 words
The arc lamp control apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control unit is coupled to a power supply supplying voltage and current to said arc lamp, said control unit providing a signal disabling said power supply when said voltage or current have one of a set of predetermined values.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 49 words
The arc lamp control apparatus of claim 3 wherein said control unit maintains said lamp temperature for a preselected period of time, said control unit further comprising apparatus for establishing said predetermined values during said preselected period of time by measuring the voltage, current and temperature of said lamp.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 58 words
The control apparatus of claim 1 wherein said temperature measuring device includes: a metallic housing unit adapted to be inserted in an aperture in an arc lamp mounting nut; a teflon sleeve generally enclosing said housing unit; at least one thermistor unit is said housing unit; and an insulation material securing said thermistor unit in said housing unit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 80 words
Apparatus for controlling the operation of a high pressure mercury arc lamp comprising: temperature measuring means coupled to a lamp; air flow means for controllably forcing air past said lamp; and current and voltage sensing means for sensing current and voltage applied to said lamp, control means coupled to said temperature measuring means, said current and voltage sensing means and said air flow means for controlling a temperature measured by said temperature measuring means by controlling said air flow means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 80 words
Apparatus for controlling the operation of a high pressure mercury arc lamp comprising: temperature measuring means coupled to a lamp; air flow means for controllably forcing air past said lamp; and current and voltage sensing means for sensing current and voltage applied to said lamp, control means coupled to said temperature measuring means, said current and voltage sensing means and said air flow means for controlling a temperature measured by said temperature measuring means by controlling said air flow means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 21 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said control means further includes means for disabling said lamp when predetermined conditions are detected.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 36 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said control means includes means for measuring and storing equilibrium values of current and voltage, wherein said predetermined conditions are values different from said equilibrium values of a preestablished amount.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 27 words
The apparatus of claim 6 further including means for initiating a flow of said forced air after said arc lamp temperature measuring means measures a pre-established temperature.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 19 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said cooling mechanism can be a fan means and an aperture control means.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 64 words
The method of operating a high pressure mercury arc lamp comprising the steps of: coupling a temperature measuring device to a lamp; coupling an electrical power measuring device to said lamp; maintaining a temperature of said lamp at a predetermined value by using signals from said temperature measuring device and said power measuring device to control a cooling flow of air past said lamp.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 64 words
The method of operating a high pressure mercury arc lamp comprising the steps of: coupling a temperature measuring device to a lamp; coupling an electrical power measuring device to said lamp; maintaining a temperature of said lamp at a predetermined value by using signals from said temperature measuring device and said power measuring device to control a cooling flow of air past said lamp.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 40 words
The method of operating a high pressure mercury arc lamp of claim 11 further comprising the step of: determining an equilibrium values for current and for voltage applied to said lamp when said lamp is at said predetermined temperature value.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 48 words
The method of operating a high pressure mercury arc lamp of claim 12 further comprising the step of: removing said lamp current and said lamp voltage when at least one of said lamp current and said lamp voltage differs for said determined equilibrium value by a pre-selected amount.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method of operating a high pressure mercury arc lamp of claim 11 further comprising the step of: beginning said cooling flow of air after said lamp has reached a selected temperature.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 44 words
The method of operating a high pressure mercury arc lamp of claim 12 further including the step of: monitoring said lamp voltage and said lamp current for a pre-established period of time; and using values from said monitoring step to determine the equilibrium values.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method of operating a high pressure mercury arc lamp of claim 11 further including the step of calibrating said temperature measuring device when said lamp has achieved recommended operating conditions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 30 words
The method of operating a high pressure mercury arc lamp of claim 11 further including the step of mounting said temperature measuring device in a mounting nut of said lamp.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2279941A Cited
US3467937A Cited
US4283658A Cited
US4312224A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-06-08 1990-12-08 1991-06-09 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-06-08 1994-12-08 1995-06-09 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-06-08 1998-12-08 1999-06-09 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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