Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems – Pulsating or a.c. supply – Induction-type discharge device load
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-31
2004-06-01
Wong, Don (Department: 2821)
Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems
Pulsating or a.c. supply
Induction-type discharge device load
C313S231610
Reexamination Certificate
active
06744221
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrodeless lighting system and a bulb therefor and particularly, to an electrodeless lighting system and a bulb therefor, capable of emitting light in case of re-lighting.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, an electrodeless lighting system is a device for emitting visible rays or ultraviolet rays by applying microwave to an electrodeless lamp, as a microwave generated in a magnetron is transmitted to a resonator though a waveguide and applied to an electrodeless bulb installed inside the resonator and filled material which is filled in the bulb is plasma polymerized. Therefore, the system has longer life span than that of incandescent lamp or fluorescent lamp which is generally used, and has higher lighting effect.
An example of the electrodeless lighting system will be described with reference to
FIGS. 1 and 2
.
FIG. 1
is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a general electrodeless lighting system according to the conventional art and
FIG. 2
is a partial cut-away detailed view of a bulb in FIG.
1
.
The conventional electrodeless lighting system includes a casing
10
, a high voltage generator
20
positioned on the inner front surface of the casing
10
for generating high voltage, a magnetron
30
positioned at a predetermined interval from the high voltage generator
20
, for generating microwave by the high voltage generated in the high voltage generator
20
, a waveguide
40
fixed on the front surface of the casing
10
and protruded to the outside of the casing
10
, for guiding the microwave generated from the magnetron
30
, a resonator
50
installed at the front outer side of the casing
10
so that it is connected with the waveguide
40
, for resonating the microwave guided through the waveguide
40
and at the same time, preventing leakage of microwave to the outside, a bulb
60
mounted to be capable of rotating inside the resonator
50
, for generating light as the filled material is excited by the microwave, and a reflector
80
positioned at the circumference of the bulb
60
, for reflecting light which is generated from the bulb
60
to the front.
Also, a fan housing
110
installed at the rear side of the casing
10
so that heat generated in the high voltage generator
20
and magnetron
30
is protected, for sucking external air, a cooling fan
100
positioned in the fan housing
110
, for sucking external air and a fan motor
101
for rotating the cooling fan
100
, are positioned inside the casing
10
.
The bulb
60
is positioned at the outer side of the exit
70
which is formed in the waveguide
40
and as shown in
FIG. 2
, includes a bulb portion
62
which is formed in a globular shape having a filling space
61
therein, and a bulb stem
63
which is lengthened and formed in a rod shape having a predetermined length at a side of the bulb portion
62
. The bulb stem
63
is connected to the rotation shaft
91
passing through the waveguide
40
with reference to FIG.
1
. The rotation shaft
91
is connected to a bulb motor
90
which is positioned between the fan housing
110
and the waveguide
40
.
Therefore, the rotation shaft
91
is rotated by the operation of the bulb motor
90
, the bulb is rotated by rotation of the rotation shaft
91
and accordingly, the bulb
60
is cooled.
In the filling space
61
of the bulb
60
, primary emission fills which lead light emission by forming plasma in the operation, such as halogen compounds or sulfur (S), Selenium (Se), and the like, inert gas for forming plasma at the initial stage of light emission, such as argon (Ar), Xenon (Xe), Kripton (Kr) and the like and additives for easing lighting by helping initial discharge or adjusting a spectrum of the generated light, are filled in the bulb.
The operation of the electrodeless lighting system will be described.
Firstly, when a power source is applied, a high voltage is generated in the high voltage generator
20
and a microwave is generated in the magnetron
30
by the high voltage impressed.
The microwave generated in the magnetron
30
is transmitted to the resonator
50
through the waveguide
40
and a strong electric field is distributed in the resonator
50
. The material which is filled inside the bulb
60
is discharged by the electric field and at the same time, evaporated, thus to generate plasma.
Namely, the inert gas which is filled in the bulb
60
is discharged by a strong electric field distributed inside the resonator
50
and plasma is formed as the main luminous material is evaporated by heat which is generated by discharge of the inert gas. Then, light is emitted maintaining discharging by the microwave which is continuously supplied to the resonator
50
.
Also, light which is emitted is reflected by the reflector
80
and thrown forwards.
Simultaneously, as the bulb
60
is rotated by operating the bulb motor
90
, the bulb
60
is cooled and an external air flows to the inside of the casing
10
as the cooling fan
100
is rotated by operating the fan motor
101
, thus to cooling the high voltage generator
20
and magnetron
30
.
However, the conventional electrodeless lighting system has a disadvantage that re-lighting is not directly conducted but in several tens of seconds or several minutes, if the bulb
60
is re-lit after light-out of the bulb
60
under the lighting condition.
The disadvantage is caused since a sufficient mean free path of an electron having energy which is needed for plasma discharging can not be secured as the pressure of the neutral gas which is filled inside the bulb
60
is too high. Particularly, even though 5% of light efficiency is increased in case of using Xenon (Xe) as the inertia gas than in case of using just argon (Ar), discharging becomes more difficult under the condition of high voltage because of the large collision cross section of Xenon (Xe).
On the other hand, as a conventional method for reducing the time required for lighting, the internal pressure of the bulb
60
can be lowered by cooling by directly blowing a strong wind. However, the conventional method caused problems of an increase in the cost for mounting an additional device for blowing the strong wind, reliability of the additional device, utilization of the circumference of the electrodeless lighting system, and light shading which is discharged by the additional devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrodeless lighting system, capable of minimizing the time required for lighting of a bulb.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided an electrodeless lighting system, including a waveguide having an outlet which is installed being protruded from the inside of a casing to the outside of the casing, for transmitting a microwave generated in the magnetron, a resonator fixed at the outer side of the outlet of the waveguide, for forming a resonant region in which the microwave is resonated, a bulb for generating light as plasma is generated by an electric field which is formed inside the resonator and a lighting promoting means positioned inside the bulb, for concentrating the electric field so that light is rapidly emitted when the microwave is applied.
Also, the conductive member includes a basic member having a predetermined diameter and length to maintain a physical shape and a conductive layer made by coating a conductive material on the basic member, for concentrating the electric field.
The conductive member of the electrodeless lighting system in accordance with the present invention further includes a protection layer for preventing the conductive member from having a reaction directly with plasma on the conductive layer.
With the electrodeless lighting system in accordance with the present invention, convenience of a user can be achieved and reliability of lighting can be increased, since electric field is concentrated at both end
Choi Joon-Sik
Jeon Hyo-Sik
Jeon Yong-Seog
Kim Hyun-Jung
Lee Ji-Young
Dinh Trinh Vo
LG Electronics Inc.
Wong Don
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