Fluorescent Lamp for Lighting Applications

• US 20070041182A1
• Filed: 07/20/2006
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TBT Asset Management International Limited
• Original Assignee: TBT Asset Management International Limited
• Inventors: Ge, Shichao, Lam, Victor
• Granted Patent: US 7,862,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/184
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 5/50 Means forming part of the tube or lamps for the purpose of providing electrical connection to it
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 5/54 supported by a separate part, e.g. base
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/307 with folded elongated discharge path
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/327 "Compact"-lamps, i.e. lamps having a folded discharge path
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/56 One or more circuit elements structurally associated with the lamp
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/70 Lamps with low-pressure unconstricted discharge having a cold pressure < 400 Torr
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/94 Paths producing light of different wavelengths, e.g. for simulating daylight

Abstract

A lighting device comprises a serpentine shaped CCFL, a driver driving the CCFL, a connector that allows the device to connect to and receive power from conventional power sockets, and a fixture that connects them into a single device. Such device can be used for general lighting purposes and replaces incandescent and other fluorescent lamps in current use without having to change electrical sockets. The fixture mechanically connects the CCFL, the driver and the connector to form an unitary mechanical structure. Preferably an air gap is maintained between the CCFL and the driver.

Claims

1. A CCFL device, comprising:

at least one layer of CCFL, said at least one layer having at least one CCFL in serpentine shape;

a driver supplying AC power to the at least one CCFL to cause it to generate light;

at least one fixture supporting the at least one CCFL and the driver;

a connector having a configuration adapted to be electrically and mechanically connected to a conventional electrical socket to support and power the device, said at least one fixture mechanically connecting said at least one CCFL, the driver and the connector to form a unitary mechanical structure.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one CCFL comprises elongated segments connected at their ends to form a serpentine shape, and adjacent segments being separated from each other by a distance smaller than twice an outside diameter of the segments.

3. The CCFL device of claim 1, said device comprising at least two layers of CCFL(s), each layer comprising at least one CCFL, said CCFL(s) emitting light of the same color temperature or different color temperatures, each of said at least two layers of CCFLs having a serpentine shape and being a substantially planar flat structure.

4. The CCFL device of claim 3, wherein said at least two CCFLs comprise phosphors of different color temperatures or at least one CCFL with low color temperature phosphor and at least one CCFL with mixture of blur-green phosphor.

5. The CCFL device of claim 3, said device comprising:

at least one set of red, green and blue light color emitting CCFLs, said driver controlling power supplied to the CCFLs to change the relative light intensities of the red, green and blue light emitted by the CCFLs so that the device is a light color variable lamp and/or a light color variable and dimmable lamp.

6. The CCFL device of claim 3, said CCFL fixture comprising at least one light outputting window, said window having substantially square, circle, rectangular or oval shapes.

7. The CCFL device of claim 3, wherein each of said at least two CCFLs comprises elongated segments connected at their ends to form a serpentine shape, said segments being substantially parallel to one another, the segments in said at least two CCFLs being substantially parallel to one another.

8. The CCFL device of claim 3, wherein each of said at least two CCFLs comprises elongated segments connected at their ends to form a serpentine shape, said segments being substantially parallel to one another, the segments in said at least two CCFLs being transverse to one another.

9. The device of claim 1, said fixture supporting said CCFL comprising at least one supporting structure or one supporting frame, said device further comprising at least one mechanical means or silicon type of adhesive means securing the at least one CCFL onto the supporting plate or frame.

10. The device of claim 9, said at least one supporting fixture comprising a transparent member supporting said at least one CCFL, said transparent member comprising a glass, metallic, ceramic or plastic material, said member comprising a solid or hollow body.

11. The device of claim 9, said supporting structure comprising a plate having one or more holes therein, or an array of transparent rods, or strips.

12. The CCFL device of claim 9, wherein said fixture comprises at least one light outputting window, said window comprising a glass, metallic, ceramic or plastic material that is square, circle, rectangular or oval in shape.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein said fixture comprises only one light outputting window, and a reflector surface facing the light outputting window with said at least one CCFL secured to it by at least one mechanical means or silicon type of adhesive, said reflector surface comprising a mirror or diffused reflector, having a concave, convex or rough surface finish.

14. The device of claim 1, said driver converting input electric power to an AC output in the range of about 5-3000 volts and at a frequency in the range of about 1 kc-800 kc.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said driver comprises at least one high voltage transformer and auxiliary components.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a conventional connector for general lighting.

17. A CCFL device, comprising:

at least one layer of CCFL, having at least one CCFL having a serpentine shape;

a CCFL driver, said driver supplying AC power to the at least one CCFL to cause it to generate light;

at least one fixture supporting the at least one CCFL and the driver in a manner such that the driver is separated from the at least one CCFL by at least an air gap; and

a connector having a configuration adapted to be electrically and mechanically connected to a conventional electrical socket to support and power the device, said at least one fixture mechanically connecting said at least one CCFL, the driver and the connector to form a unitary mechanical structure.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein said air gap is at least 0.5 mm.

19. The device of claim 17, said at least one fixture including a light reflective surface that reflects light generated by said at least one layer CCFL towards a light transmitting window.

20. The device of claim 17, said device comprising a first chamber containing the at least one CCFL layer, and a second chamber containing said driver.

21. The device of claim 20, said first chamber is enclosed by a housing comprising a glass, metallic or plastic material.

22. The device of claim 21, said housing having a face plate at a light outputting window, said face plate comprising a transparent, diffused or patterned material.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein said first chamber does not enclose the at least one layer of CCFL so that the at least one layer of CCFL is exposed to air in an open environment for better heat dissipation.

24. The device of claim 20, said first and second chambers being separated by said air gap.

25. The device of claim 24, further comprising mechanical connectors, said first and second chambers being mechanically connected and attached by said mechanical connectors to maintain said air gap between the two chambers.

26. The device of claim 25, said mechanical connectors having conduits therein, said device further comprising electrical connectors passing through said conduits connecting the driver and said at least one CCFL.

27. The device of claim 17, said unitary mechanical structure is of a shape similar to a shape of MR16, GX53 or PAR type of conventional reflector lamps.

28. The CCFL device of claim 17, said device comprising at least two layers of CCFLs, having at least one CCFL on each layer, emitting light of the same color temperature or different color temperatures, each of said at least two CCFLs having a serpentine shape and being a substantially planar flat structure.

29. The CCFL device of claim 28, wherein said at least two CCFLs comprise phosphors of different color temperatures or said at least two CCFLs comprise at least one CCFL with low color temperature phosphor and at least one CCFL with a mixture of blue-green phosphor.

30. The CCFL device of claim 28, said device comprising:

at least one set of red, green and blue light color emitting CCFLs, said CCFL driver controlling power supplied to the CCFLs to change the relative light intensities of the red, green and blue light emitted by the CCFLs so that the device is a light color variable lamp and/or a light color variable and dimmable lamp.

31. The CCFL device of claim 28, wherein each of said at least two CCFLs comprises elongated segments connected at their ends to form a serpentine shape, said segments being substantially parallel to one another, the segments in said at least two CCFLs being substantially parallel to one another.

32. The CCFL device of claim 28, wherein each of said at least two CCFLs comprises elongated segments connected at their ends to form a serpentine shape, said segments being substantially parallel to one another, the segments in said at least two CCFLs being transverse to one another.