Gas discharge lamp, in particular for motor-vehicle headlights

US6445129B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Robert Bosch GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Hartmut Seiler · Reutlingen, DE
• Thomas Wizemann · Ludwigsburg, DE
• Ingo Gorille · Oberriexingen, DE
• Wolfgang Pfaff · Spaichingen, DE
• Wolfgang Schuetze · Lambach, DE
• Bernd Mueller · Leonberg, DE
• Robert Kern · Indianapolis, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 4, 1999
• Grant date: Sep 3, 2002
• Expiry date: Mar 4, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01J61/545
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A gaseous-discharge lamp, in particular for motor-vehicle headlamps, includes a burner vessel made of glass or the like that contains a gas. Into this burner vessel extend two main electrodes via two gas-tight electrode bushings. Between the end regions of the main electrodes arranged in the burner vessel, an arc gap is formed, along which an electric arc develops during operation. To achieve a smallest possible ignition voltage, an arrangement is provided for producing a creepage spark gap along the inner vessel wall and/or a spark gap that is shorter than the arc gap, serving as an ignition gap that is spatially separated from the arc gap.