Electric lamp and discharge devices – With luminescent solid or liquid material – With gaseous discharge medium
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-08
2001-02-27
Patel, Nimeshkumar D. (Department: 2879)
Electric lamp and discharge devices
With luminescent solid or liquid material
With gaseous discharge medium
C313S161000, C313S634000, C313S160000, C315S039000, C315S248000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06194828
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to electrodeless gas discharge lamps and more particularly to the configuration and arrangement of the induction coil and the envelope in which the discharge gas is sealed.
2. Related Prior Art
Various arrangements for the induction coil and envelope of gas discharge lamps are known and generally involve locating the induction coil external of the envelope in closely adjacent relationship therewith. The envelope often has a generally cylindrical shape and is surrounded by a helically coiled induction wire. When energized, the coil excites the gas within the envelope to discharge illumination. The light which is emitted is blocked somewhat in the radial direction by the induction coil but not in the axial direction of the free end of the envelope. In many applications that employ this type of coil and envelope arrangement, the light is intended to be directed axially rather than radially and thus the blockage of light in the radial direction by the coil does not inhibit the performance of the light.
In another known arrangement, a flat spiral induction coil is supported adjacent a flat envelope and the light which evolves is emitted forwardly of the envelope, but is blocked in the opposite axial direction by the presence of the coil on the backside of the envelope. In these known applications, such blockage of the light by the coil does not present a problem since the light is intended to be directed in the forward direction only.
In other lighting applications, such as emergency flasher beacon lights of the type used, for example, on road construction pylons, barriers, signs and the like, the light is directed in opposite axial directions from a central incandescent light source through a pair of axially oppositely disposed lenses of the device. The incandescent lamp is often powered by a battery housed within a lamp base which mounts the incandescent lamp and lenses. Both the incandescent lamp and battery have a limited operating life, and as such the present emergency flasher beacons require periodic maintenance which adds cost and inconvenience to their usage.
It would be desirable to replace the incandescent lamp source with an electrodeless gas discharge lamp source since it would eliminate the presence of an electrode (i.e., a filament) which is the principal cause for the failure of incandescent lamps. An electrodeless gas discharge lamp source would further draw far less power than a comparable incandescent lamp and its usage would prolong the operating life of the battery, minimizing or altogether eliminating the requirement for frequent maintenance associated with the known incandescent beacon flashers.
There does not currently exist, however, an electrodeless gas discharge light source suitable for such a double-sided lighting application. In the case of the discharge lamps described above, the induction coil in each case would interfere with the emittance of light through at least one of the lenses and as such would impair the performance of the light.
The present invention is directed at providing such an electrodeless gas discharge lighting configuration suitable for double-sided lighting applications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES
An electrodeless gas discharge lamp assembly constructed according to the present invention includes a lamp base, a pair of light-transmitting lenses mounted on the base in axially opposed relation to one another, and is characterized by an electrodeless gas discharge illumination source including a generally flat spiral induction coil disposed between the lenses having axially opposite sides, and a pair of generally flat gas discharge envelopes disposed between the lenses on the opposite sides of the coil each having sealed therein an ionizable gas inductively excitable to discharge illumination by operation of the coil.
Such an axially sandwiched arrangement of the coil and the two envelopes has the advantage of exciting the gas in both envelopes with a single coil, directing the light in axially opposite directions without obstruction from the coil. While not limited in its application, the invention is particularly well suited for emergency flasher or beacon-type lights wherein the light from the central source is transmitted in a)dally opposite directions through the opposed lenses of the device. The electrodeless gas discharge light source has the further advantage over conventional incandescent lamp sources of minimizing or all together eliminating the need to periodically replace the light source and prolonging the life of the battery of such assemblies by operating at a relatively lower rate of energy consumption.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3636396 (1972-01-01), Gruzdev
patent: 5349271 (1994-09-01), van Os
patent: 5500574 (1996-03-01), Popov
patent: 5619103 (1997-04-01), Tobin
patent: 5734221 (1998-03-01), van Os
Bodem, Jr. Jack D.
Kohne Robert L.
Federal-Mogul World Wide Inc.
Haynes Mack
Patel Nimeshkumar D.
Reising Ethington, Barnes, Kisselle, Learman & McCulloch, P.C.
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