Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems – Special application – Vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-27
2002-06-11
Philogene, Haissa (Department: 2821)
Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems
Special application
Vehicle
C315S077000, C315S248000, C315S276000, C315S246000, C362S263000, C362S265000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06404132
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electric lighting system accessories for motor vehicles. Specifically, the present invention relates to an electric lighting system accessory for use with headlights on a motor vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electric lighting system accessory for use with headlights on a motor vehicle wherein the headlights incorporate at least one tubular plasma discharge lamp charged with an inert neon fluorescent gas. Even more specifically, the present invention relates to an electric lighting system accessory for use with headlights on a motor vehicle wherein the headlights incorporate at least one tubular plasma discharge lamp charged with an inert neon fluorescent gas, wherein the neon lighting system is able to use a DC power source from a motor vehicle battery through a cigarette lighter receptacle
2. Description of the Prior Art
The modification and adornment of motor vehicles with various types of accessories that are both functional and aesthetic are becoming increasingly common. Products designed for the automotive and electronic aftermarket include such accessories as neon license plate frames, undercar neon light kits, gear shift knobs, signs, speaker rings, various types of fog and driving lights, strobe lights, light dancers, lighted dice, and blacklights. These automobile accessories have contributed to a sprawling industry which reached astounding revenues of nearly 200 billion dollars in 1999, and which is expected to grow at an annual rate of from 3-5 percent annually over the next three years (revenue facts courtesy of LiteGlow Industries).
Aesthetically, the addition of accessory lighting systems to the exterior or interior of a motor vehicle can enhance the natural curves and contours of the body itself, and can accentuate certain areas by drawing visual attention to desired points of illumination.
Functionally, for the drivers of most motor vehicles, turning a comer or making a sharp turn at night can be hazardous. The headlights on most motor vehicles are at fixed positions and can thus fail to sufficiently irradiate in the direction the vehicle is proceeding. Thus, many accidents involving motor vehicles are the result of the drivers failing to recognize and thereby avoid each other. Fog and other aerosols such as dust have caused serious problems in vehicle navigation. Yellow light headlights are often used in these conditions on motor vehicles to illuminate the highway from a position close to the ground. This type of light penetrates the fog where human vision is most sensitive and from a position that reduces backscatter impact.
Conventional headlights merely illuminate an area approximately twenty-five (25) feet ahead of the vehicle. Thus, the driver is normally unaware of the surface conditions on either side or directly in front of the vehicle. Therefore many problems arise when the driver is simply unable to adequately detect glass, sand, potholes, water, loose gravel, pieces of tire, oil, rocks or other items and obstacles which may be disposed on the surface of the road. Serious injury or death may therefore be avoided by improved or proper illumination from the motor vehicle headlight area.
Typically, motor vehicle lighting systems such as tail lights, signals, markers, and headlights use incandescent bulbs as the illumination source. These types of lamps contain a filament that glows white hot when a sufficient electrical current is passed through it. Unfortunately, many disadvantages accompany their use. For example, the filaments used are universally considered to be relatively fragile, and therefore short-lived and requiring frequent and periodic replacement. This time-consuming and expensive maintenance is necessary to keep the vehicle in operative order, and many states have enacted strict laws to combat the driving of autos which have “burnt out” headlights. This problem relating to broken headlights is further exacerbated when the lamps are installed in vehicles that operate in abusive and bumpy terrain conditions, and is most prevalent in situations where an off-road, tractor trailer rig, construction, or heavy equipment vehicle is used. Incandescent headlights illuminate relatively slow and are limited in terms of their aesthetic appeal.
Therefore, various neon gas discharge lamps have been described, which illuminate faster and are more aesthetically pleasing than their incandescent counterparts. These neon lighting systems generally have an internal electrode contained within a sealed envelope of neon fluorescent gas, and is driven by a relatively high voltage ballast. The ballast operates to convert a relatively low voltage to a high voltage which is sufficient to cause the electrode to arc and excite the gas to glow discharge. However, such electrodes are similarly fragile and are prone to breakage, requiring periodic replacement. The ballast in question also has a limited life-span and also requires replacement from time to time. Additionally, the ballast draws extensively on the power source, which in this case is the 12 V DC battery of the car, and can severely strain the ability of the vehicle to function properly.
“Electrodeless” neon gas discharge lamps are also generally well known, wherein the neon gas is sealed within an envelope and surrounded by an RF induction coil that when energized produces RF emissions that excite the neon gas to discharge illumination. In these embodiments, there is no internal drive electrode or filament, thus making this type an attractive option for vehicle lighting systems because of their heightened longevity and consequent reduced need for expensive replacement.
The differing colors of neon discharge light systems are due to the specific and particular atomic emissions of adjustable chemical compositions and gas pressures of the neon plasma.
Varying light colors are thereby gauged by different choices of neon gases, and the use of phosphors. Mercury is often used because of its character as a strong emitter of ultraviolet (“UV”) light, and is most commonly used in neon lamps to gain the full range of available phosphor colors.
In common mercury vapor fluorescent lamps, the enclosed mercury vapor is stimulated to emit invisible ultraviolet light that in turn excites a phosphor coating on the lamp wall. The stimulated phosphor then emits the visible light.
Mercury free, rare gas, fluorescent lamps have been attempted. Argon, krypton, and xenon lamps have been operated with phosphors, under a variety of conditions. For neon, it is known that if the lamp was operated at less than five Torr, the gas atoms had sufficient time between collisions to emit UV light to stimulate a phosphor. Neon has a higher first energy band than the other rare gases, so when other rare gases, in concentrations higher than about one percent, are mixed with neon, the spectral output is substantially the result of the other, more easily emitting gases.
Additionally, curved, banded, hooped, or framed neon tube shapes have been described in order to mitigate the chances of breakage or excessive fragility of these tubes which could inhibit their overall productivity and economic efficiency.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,523,655 to Jennato, et al. (Jun. 4, 1996) describes a neon fluorescent lamp and method of operating the lamp. A phosphor is coated on the lamp wall. By properly stimulating the neon, ultraviolet light may be emitted, that can stimulate the phosphor to a first light emission. The lamp may then be operated to produce a visible light emission that is the result of neon emission or of intermediate combinations of the neon and phosphor emissions. A single neon lamp may then produce in one instance, an amber color, or in other instance, a red color without the cold environment problems typical of a mercury based lamp. The output efficiency is enhanced when the lamp is formed as an aperture lamp. The narrow source is also useful as a source in reflector and lens systems. However this application does not contemplate use
Lackenbach & Siegel LLP
Liteglow Industries, Inc.
Philogene Haissa
LandOfFree
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