Abstract:
A lighting system includes an electrically insulating and transparent or translucent optical material having a plurality of compartments containing a luminous composition, forming a light-emitting material. Structure for passing radiation, preferably radio frequency radiation, through the compartments is provided such that the luminous composition in the compartments will emit light through the optical material. The luminous composition is preferably a gas that is entrained as bubbles in the optical material when it is in the liquid state. The optical material is hardened to seal within the luminous gas and to produce a light-emitting material. Electrodes are used to pass the RF radiation through the light-emitting material. The electrodes can be provided as an adhesive-backed foil which is attached to the light-emitting material.
Abstract:
A compact electrodeless fluorescent lamp has an A-line configuration including a globular upper portion which becomes narrower toward a lower portion, terminating in a narrow end. The narrow end of the A-line envelope is connected to a base. The alternating current energy source is electrically connected through the base, via a ballast, to the excitation coil. The ballast is integral with the lamp and is contained substantially within the re-entrant cavity.
Abstract:
An amalgam for a fluorescent lamp. The amalgam includes mercury, tin, lead, and another metal selected from the group consisting of silver, magnesium, copper, gold, platinum, and nickel.
Abstract:
A lamp apparatus for producing a beam of light that can be used as a part of a source for a projection system. The lamp apparatus of the present invention produces a beam of light originating from a small aperture. The apparatus includes an electrodeless lamp body in the form of elongated outer tube having a hollow interior. An inner sleeve fits or is deposited inside the outer tube, the inner sleeve having a fill containing generally cylindrically or spherical shaped bore. The sleeve provides temperature resistant and reflection properties. Electrodes positioned either internally or externally of the lamp body are provided for producing radio frequency energy that excite the fill contained in the bore of the inner sleeve to form a plasma light source of intense heat. The light thus generated by the plasma in a relatively large volume is constrained to exit through a small aperture at either one, or both, ends of the apparatus.
Abstract:
An electrodeless lamp comprises an envelope containing a fill and a substance for facilitating the starting of the lamp. An outer tube is secured to an outside portion of the envelope in proximity to the given region and an inner tube is disposed within the outer tube such that a fluid passageway is defined between an inner surface of the outer tube and an outer surface of the inner tube. A hollow retractable electrode is provided within the inner tube, the electrode having a first position in which its tip portion is in proximity to the given region of the envelope when the lamp is being started and a second position in which the tip portion is away from the envelope after the lamp is started. A source of cooling fluid is operably connected to the hollow electrode such that the cooling fluid is forced through the hollow electrode and exhausted through the fluid passageway. A power source is operably connected to the electrode in the first position for applying an electric field to the substance to cause a discharge of the fill. An excitation power source is coupled to the fill to sustain the discharge.
Abstract:
A lamp apparatus includes an electrodeless bulb that includes a chamber, a gas contained within the chamber in the bulb, and at least one reflector electrode adjacent the bulb for transmitting radio-frequency electromagnetic energy to the gas in the bulb to excite the gas and cause it to radiate light and for reflecting the light radiated from the bulb. Preferably, there are two reflectors electrodes. The bulb can advantageously be made of a tube, in which case the reflectors electrodes can be made shorter than the bulb and centered thereon so that the intense heat caused by the plasma when the gas is excited does not reach the ends of the bulb.
Abstract:
A method wherein the light in a sulfur or selenium lamp is reflected through the fill a multiplicity of times to convert ultraviolet radiation to visible. A light emitting device comprised of an electrodeless envelope which bears a light reflecting covering around a first portion which does not crack due to differential thermal expansion and which has a second portion which comprises a light transmissive aperture.
Abstract:
An electrodeless high intensity discharge (EHID) lamp is disclosed for photo optical applications, such as videoprojection. The lamp contains a specific chemical fill that makes it useful as a light source for videoprojectors. The chemical fill completely vaporizes during operation, and comprises AlI.sub.3, InI, and an iodide of a metal selected from the group consisting of Th, Hf and Zr.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a fluorescent lamp of the external electrode type and an irradiation unit using this fluorescent lamp. In a fluorescent lamp of the external electrode type, a glass tube with fluorescent material applied to its inside is hermetically filled with a suitable amount of rare gas, in the axial direction of the outside surface of the glass tube there is at least one pair of electrodes, and on the side which is opposite the aperture for emission of the light to the outside there is reflector material. The electrodes are at least partially translucent, and the reflector material is located in these translucent regions. In this way the electrostatic capacity of the lamp is not significantly reduced even if the electrodes are partially provided with translucent regions. The energy input into the lamp thus has a value which would be obtained essentially even if the translucent regions were absent. Therefore the light intensity can be increased according to the arrangement of the reflector material. The translucent regions can have any shapes, as in the form of slits, openings or the like. Furthermore, in a fluorescent lamp of the external electrode type the external electrodes exhibit light transmission. When the lamp is being operated the light is emitted to the outside from the aperture, and at the same time the light is emitted from the translucent regions which are located in the external electrodes. The light emitted from the translucent regions is reflected from a reflector device and is radiated from the opening of this U-shaped reflector device. Light intensity can be increased by the measure that the external electrodes of the lamp are partially translucent and that the light passed by the translucent regions is reflected by this reflector device and is radiated onto a region to be irradiated.
Abstract:
An electrodeless gas discharge lamp includes a vitreous envelope containing a discharge medium. An excitation coil is positioned in relation to the vitreous envelope so as to excite the discharge medium therein. The excitation coil is adapted to be driven by an RF oscillator. The excitation coil has first and second ends and is effective for exciting the discharge medium to emit light with electromagnetic fields that are generated by the excitation coil. The excitation coil includes a first wire wound generally helically from the first end to the second end in a first helical direction to form first winding turns, and further includes a second wire wound generally helically from the first end to the second end in second helical direction opposite to that of the first helical direction to form second winding turns. Preferably, a generally cylindrical former is provided for holding the first and second wires between the first and second ends of the coil. Such former includes a positioning arrangement for maintaining specific positions of the first and second wires with respect to each other along the former.