Patent US5841244A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5841244A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
RF coil/heat pipe for solid state light driver
Assignee: LG Electronics Inc
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Filing: 1997-06-18
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Granted: 1998-11-24
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Expires: 2017-06-18
Abstract
Abstract An electrodeless light bulb assembly including a case or housing supporting an electrodeless light bulb as well as a convection type heat exchanger. A solid state RF driver circuit is located inside the housing and connects to an excitation coil wrapped around the light bulb. The excitation coil comprises a metal heat pipe so as to provide an efficient thermal transport mechanism for the heat generated by the coil and the heat radiated thereto from the electrodeless bulb to the heat exchanger in addition to generating an RF excitation field for the electrodeless light bulb.
Inventors
- 👤 Robin E. Hamilton
- 👤 Paul G. Kennedy
- 👤 Raymond A. Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 21:44
CPC Classifications
F; F28; F28D; F28D15/00; F28D15/02; F28D15/04; H; H01; H01J; H01J61/00; H01J61/02; H01J61/52; H01J61/523; H01J65/00; H01J65/04; H01J65/042; H01J65/048; H05; H05B; H05B41/00; H05B41/14; H05B41/24; H05B41/26; H05B41/28; H05B41/2806; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B20/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
Apparatus for exciting a high intensity electrodeless light bulb, comprising: a housing on which an electrodeless light bulb is mounted and including a heat exchanger; a driver circuit for exciting the said light bulb and including an excitation coil having relatively high heat conducting properties wrapped around said light bulb and extending to and terminating at said heat exchanger, said coil being operable not only to generate a magnetic excitation field for said light bulb, but also to transfer heat generated along the length of said coil and heat radiated from said light bulb to said heat exchanger.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
98 words
Apparatus for exciting a high intensity electrodeless light bulb, comprising: a housing on which an electrodeless light bulb is mounted and including a heat exchanger; a driver circuit for exciting the said light bulb and including an excitation coil having relatively high heat conducting properties wrapped around said light bulb and extending to and terminating at said heat exchanger, said coil being operable not only to generate a magnetic excitation field for said light bulb, but also to transfer heat generated along the length of said coil and heat radiated from said light bulb to said heat exchanger.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said excitation coil comprises a heat pipe having a heat input zone located along the length of said coil and a heat output zone located at said heat exchanger.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said heat pipe includes a length of metal tubing having an inner wall surface including wicking material in contact with a working fluid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said working fluid comprises a volume of liquid which is vaporizable by the heat generated by said coil and said light bulb.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said heat exchanger includes a base member secured to a side of said housing and a set of heat dissipating elements extending therefrom.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said set of said heat dissipating elements comprises a set of fins.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said set of fins are cooled by natural convection.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein heat generated in said driver circuit is also dissipated by said heat exchanger.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said driver circuit is thermally coupled to said heat exchanger.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said driver circuit includes a substrate with solid state circuit elements thereon and wherein said substrate is thermally coupled to said base member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said substrate includes a plurality of passages for the flow of a coolant therethrough.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 and additionally including means for circulating the coolant through said passages.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein said passages are connected to a source of coolant in a closed circulating loop.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 13 wherein said circulating loop includes a pump.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein said passages comprise a set of microchannels formed in the bottom of said substrate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein said set of microchannels comprises a plurality of mutually parallel microchannels.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said electrodeless light bulb is generally spherical in shape.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 17 wherein said electrodeless light bulb is mounted in stand-off relationship with housing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 18 wherein said light bulb is secured to one end of a post whose other end is secured to one wall of said housing.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 17 wherein said light bulb is filled with a gaseous mixture which emits substantially white light when excited by an RF field.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-11-23 | 2002-05-25 | 2002-11-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-11-23 | 2006-05-25 | 2006-11-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-11-23 | 2010-05-25 | 2010-11-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |