US5013975A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrodeless discharge lamp
Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co Ltd
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Filing: 1989-11-21
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Granted: 1991-05-07
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Expires: 2009-11-21
Abstract
Abstract An electrodeless discharge lamp includes a lamp tube coated on inner surface with a fluorescent material and filled with mercury vapor and a rare gas where the gas provides an excitation luminescence of the same series of color as luminous color of the fluorescent material. The gas and vapor in the tube effectively maintain the luminescence of the lamp over a wide ambient temperature range where the rare gas provides luminescence of a selected color at lower temperatures and the mercury vapor and fluorescent material provide luminescence of the same color in the middle and higher temperature ranges.
Inventors
- 👤 Shin Ukegawa
- 👤 Masaki Shinomiya
- 👤 Masahiro Higashikawa
- 👤 Tadao Uetsuki
- 👤 Koichi Kobayashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 02:54
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J65/00; H01J65/04; H01J65/042; H01J65/048
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
137 words
An electrodeless discharge lamp comprising a lamp tube formed of a light transmitting material, an induction coil means in proximity to an outer periphery of said lamp tube which conducts a high frequency electric current upon excitation by a high frequency source, a fluorescent material applied to an inner surface of said lamp tube, mercury vapor in said lamp tube having an excitation luminescence upon conduction of high frequency current by said induction coil means and a rare gas in said lamp tube which together with said mercury vapor generates an excitation luminescence of the same series of color as the color series of the visible light emitted by said fluorescent material, said fluorescent material and said gaseous composition being capable of sustaining substantially stable luminescence and substantially stable color over a wide range of ambient temperatures.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
137 words
An electrodeless discharge lamp comprising a lamp tube formed of a light transmitting material, an induction coil means in proximity to an outer periphery of said lamp tube which conducts a high frequency electric current upon excitation by a high frequency source, a fluorescent material applied to an inner surface of said lamp tube, mercury vapor in said lamp tube having an excitation luminescence upon conduction of high frequency current by said induction coil means and a rare gas in said lamp tube which together with said mercury vapor generates an excitation luminescence of the same series of color as the color series of the visible light emitted by said fluorescent material, said fluorescent material and said gaseous composition being capable of sustaining substantially stable luminescence and substantially stable color over a wide range of ambient temperatures.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The lamp according to claim 1, wherein said fluorescent material is for a red color luminescence, and said rare gas is neon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The lamp according to claim 2, wherein said neon gas is filled under a pressure 0.3-3.0 Torr.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The lamp according to claim 2, wherein said rare gas includes a relatively small amount of argon gas.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The lamp according to claim 4, wherein said argon gas is added to said neon gas by a relatively small amount, and said neon and argon gases in total are filled under a pressure below 0.3 Torr.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The lamp according to claim 1, which further comprises a temperature control means provided for controlling the coldest point temperature in said lamp tube.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The lamp according to claim 1, wherein said rare gas further includes mercury amalgam added to said mercury vapor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
149 words
An electrodeless discharge lamp comprising a lamp tube formed of a light transmitting material, an induction coil means in proximity to an outer periphery of said lamp tube which conducts a high frequency electric current upon excitation by a high frequency source, a fluorescent material applied to an inner surface of said lamp tube, and a gaseous composition including mercury vapor and a rare gas in said lamp tube for an excitation luminescence upon conduction of said high frequency current through said induction coil means over a temperature range from below 0° C. to at least 60° C., said rare gas generating an excitation luminescence of a color series the same as the color series of the visible light emitted by said fluorescent material, said fluorescent material and said gaseous composition being capable of sustaining substantially stable luminescence and substantially stable color over a wide range of ambient temperatures.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
149 words
An electrodeless discharge lamp comprising a lamp tube formed of a light transmitting material, an induction coil means in proximity to an outer periphery of said lamp tube which conducts a high frequency electric current upon excitation by a high frequency source, a fluorescent material applied to an inner surface of said lamp tube, and a gaseous composition including mercury vapor and a rare gas in said lamp tube for an excitation luminescence upon conduction of said high frequency current through said induction coil means over a temperature range from below 0° C. to at least 60° C., said rare gas generating an excitation luminescence of a color series the same as the color series of the visible light emitted by said fluorescent material, said fluorescent material and said gaseous composition being capable of sustaining substantially stable luminescence and substantially stable color over a wide range of ambient temperatures.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
An electrodeless discharge lamp according to claim 8 operable over an ambient temperature range of -+° C. to 140° C.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
An electrodeless discharge lamp according to claim 9 where the rare gas is neon for producing excitation luminescence in the red color series.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
An electrodeless discharge lamp according to claim 9 where the rare gas is neon and argon and the lamp is startable with low starting voltage at low ambient temperature in said temperature range.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
An electrodeless discharge lamp according to claim 9 further including a Bismuth-Indium-Mercury amalgam in said lamp tube.
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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) | 1994-05-06 | 1994-11-05 | 1995-05-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-05-06 | 1998-11-05 | 1999-05-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-05-06 | 2002-11-05 | 2003-05-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |