Patent · US Expired

Lamp utilizing fiber for enhanced starting field

US6628079B2 · kind B2 · utility

14Cited by
15References
76Claims
0Family size

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Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 20, 2001
Grant dateSep 30, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 20, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J65/04
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A discharge lamp bulb includes a light transmissive envelope and at least one conductive fiber disposed on a wall of the envelope, where the fiber has a thickness of less than 100 microns. The lamp may be either electrodeless or may include internal electrodes. Suitable materials for the fiber(s) include but are not limited to carbon, silicon carbide, aluminum, tantalum, molybdenum, platinum, and tungsten. Silicon carbide whiskers and platinum coated silicon carbide fibers may also be used. The fiber(s) may be aligned with the electrical field, at least during starting. The lamp preferably further includes a protective material covering the fiber(s). For example the protective material may be a sol gel deposited silica coating. Noble gases inside the bulb at pressures in excess of 300 Torr can be reliably ignited at applied electric field strengths of less than 4×105 V/m. Over 2000 Torr xenon, krypton, and argon respectively achieve breakdown with an applied field of less than 3×105 V/m.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.