Electric lamp and discharge devices – With luminescent solid or liquid material – With gaseous discharge medium
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-06
2001-11-27
Patel, Nimeshkumar D. (Department: 2879)
Electric lamp and discharge devices
With luminescent solid or liquid material
With gaseous discharge medium
C313S113000, C313S114000, C313S117000, C313S513000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06323593
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of discharge lighting. In particular, it relates to discharge lighting with a unique channel configuration which, for reasons to be described herein, produces lamps which operate at high efficiency. They are particularly efficacious for the automotive and downlighting markets, to name just two.
Generally, there are two distinct types of lighting requirements, those in which direction of the light is relatively unimportant, and those in which the light must be directed in a particular manner subsequent to its generation. The present invention, while suitable for either application, is particularly well suited for the latter.
An example of the latter category is automotive lighting. After light is generated by the lamp, it must be focused/dispersed according to somewhat exacting standards. While the requirements for headlight sidemarkers, tail lights, brake lights, directionals, hazards, CHMSLs (center high-mounted stop lights), etc. are all different—they share the characteristic of needing to be directed in some specific manner.
Typically, these lights are constructed of a lamp element (for generating light) and a lens element (for directing the light). Lamp elements generally fall in to three categories: HID, incandescent, and discharge. Discharge lamps are generally characterized as having a sealed envelope filled with a gas which contains atoms/ions which emit light when excited.
Commonly assigned patent application Ser. No. 60/042,568 is directed to a discharge lamp formed by a plurality of glass layers with channels formed therebetween, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. It teaches the desirability of forming a secondary gas-containing channel to act as a reservoir to replenish the gas in the primary channel (the discharge channel). That innovation allows for the lamp to operate at low pressure which is desirable for high light output while solving the long-known, life-reducing problem of sputtering.
Although that design is a tremendous improvement over the previous state of the art, it is not perfect. There exists a need to provide a lamp which possesses longer life with no trapped air.
As mentioned above, there has been recent interest in the use of neon discharge lamps for automotive use. Plaguing this application are problems of light focus, power requirements, and lamp life.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a high efficiency discharge lamp.
It is another object of the invention to provide a discharge lamp with extended life.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a discharge lamp which will operate at low pressure.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a discharge lamp which contains essentially no trapped air.
It is another object of the invention to provide a discharge lamp which operates at low current.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a discharge lamp with a high reservoir to discharge channel volume ratio.
It is another object of the invention to provide a discharge lamp with the maximum possible reservoir volume.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a discharge lamp with an internal reflector surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects can be achieved through the methods and products described herein. Specifically, applicants have developed a novel discharge lamp which operates at a higher efficiency than has been heretofore realized, through use of combination of a discharge channel in communication with a large reservoir. This configuration offers numerous improvements over the prior art lamps.
In a first aspect, the invention relates to a discharge lamp comprising:
a plurality of glass sheets;
a plurality of channels formed therebetween containing at least one discharge channel in communication with at least one reservoir channel; and
a plurality of support pillars.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a discharge lamp in which at least one reservoir channel comprises all available glass surface area which is not being used for discharge channels or support pillars.
In an additional aspect, the invention relates to a long-life discharge lamp which operates at low pressures.
In yet another aspect, the invention relates to a discharge lamp with a high reservoir volume to discharge volume ratio.
It is a farther aspect of the invention to provide a discharge lamp which contains essentially no trapped air.
It is an additional aspect of the invention to provide a discharge lamp which contains an internal reflector surface.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3508103 (1970-04-01), Young
patent: 5834888 (1998-11-01), Allen et al.
patent: 5903090 (1999-05-01), Haag
patent: 98/44528 (1998-10-01), None
Anderson James Gary
Giles Edwin Quentin
Gossie Albert Mijo
Pujol Gilbert Dominique
Trentelman Jackson Phelps
Berck Ken A
Corning Incorporated
Gallo Christopher A.
Gheorghiu Anca C.
Pacella Patrick P.
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