Discharge lamp with integral starter
US4355261A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 15, 1980 |
| Grant date | Oct 19, 1982 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 15, 2000 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J61/541
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A low wattage high intensity discharge lamp having a quartz arc tube and a glow starter disposed within a bulbous glass envelope containing an inert gas, such as argon, at subatmospheric pressure. The starter within the envelope comprises a first bimetal connected to one of the arc tube lead-in wires, a second bimetal connected to one end of a conductive support wire sealed through the bulbous envelope, and a fixed first contact attached to another conductive support wire sealed through the bulbous envelope and also connected to the other lead-in wire of the arc tube. The bimetals are electrically connected together at one end which makes a normally closed contact with the fixed contact in the quiescent state of the starter. Energization of the lamp causes short circuit current to flow through the starter to cause flexing of the second bimetal for separating the bimetals from the fixed contact to provide an open circuit thereat and produce a high voltage pulse switching transient across the arc tube electrodes. Upon starting of a discharge in the arc tube, the lamp current flow through the starter is operative to maintain the bimetals separated from the fixed contact. The amplitude…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.