RF FEED CONFIGURATIONS AND ASSEMBLY FOR PLASMA LAMP

• US 20110043111A1
• Filed: 10/16/2007
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Luxim Corporation (CVCIGP II Luma Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Luxim Corporation (CVCIGP II Luma Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kim, Jae Won, DeVincentis, Marc, Hollingsworth, Gregg
• Application Number:
  US12/445,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20110043111A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/32
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 65/042 by an external electromagnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps

Abstract

Systems and methods for lamp assembly and connection of radio frequency feeds to lamp body are described. In an example embodiment, a circuit board is positioned transverse to a lamp body and one or more radio frequency probes extend from the edge of the circuit board into the lamp body. In another embodiment, portions of a circuit board may form traces that extend into a lamp body. In other embodiments, radio frequency probes may extend from the front surface or back surface of a circuit board into a lamp body. A lamp housing may provide a support, ground and heat sink for lamp components.

Claims

1-36. -36. (canceled)

37. An electrodeless plasma lamp comprising:

a lamp body;

a bulb proximate to the lamp body;

a lamp drive circuit;

a circuit board including at least a portion of the lamp drive circuit; and

an RF feed coupled to the circuit board and extending into the lamp body, wherein a plane defined by the circuit board intersects the lamp body.

38. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 37, wherein the plane substantially bisects the lamp body.

39. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 37, wherein the lamp body comprises a solid dielectric material.

40. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 37, wherein the RF feed is parallel to the plane of the circuit board.

41. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 37, wherein the RF feed extends past the edge of the circuit board into the lamp body.

42. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 37, wherein

the lamp body comprises a dielectric material having a relative permittivity greater than 2;

and

the lamp drive circuit is configured to couple power into the lamp body through the RF feed at a frequency that forms a standing wave within the lamp body.

43. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 37, wherein

the lamp body comprises a dielectric material having a relative permittivity greater than 2;

and

the lamp drive circuit is configured to couple power into the lamp body through the RF feed at a frequency within the resonant bandwidth of a resonant mode for the lamp body.

44. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 43, wherein the resonant mode is the fundamental resonant mode for the lamp body.

45. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 43, wherein the RF feed comprises a trace on the circuit board.

46. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 37, wherein the RF feed comprises a trace on the circuit board.

47. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 37, further comprising a second RF feed coupled to the circuit board and extending into the lamp body.

48. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 47, wherein the second RF feed is a feedback probe.

49. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 37, further comprising a second RF feed extending into the lamp body, wherein the second RF feed comprises a trace on the circuit board.

50. An electrodeless plasma lamp comprising:

a lamp body;

a bulb proximate the lamp body;

a lamp drive circuit;

a circuit board containing at least a portion of the lamp drive circuit; and

a portion of the circuit board extending into the lamp body and forming an RF feed for coupling power from the lamp drive circuit into the lamp body.

51. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 50, further comprising a second portion of the circuit board extending into the lamp body and forming a second RF feed.

52. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 51, wherein the second RF feed obtains feedback from the lamp body and provides the feedback to the lamp drive circuit.

53. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 50, wherein

the lamp body comprises a dielectric material having a relative permittivity greater than 2;

and

the lamp drive circuit is configured to couple power into the lamp body through the RF feed at a frequency that forms a standing wave within the lamp body.

54. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 50, wherein

the lamp body comprises a dielectric material having a relative permittivity greater than 2;

and

the lamp drive circuit is configured to couple power into the lamp body through the RF feed at a frequency within the resonant bandwidth of a resonant mode for the lamp body.

55. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 54, wherein the resonant mode is the fundamental resonant mode for the lamp body.

56. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 50, wherein the lamp body comprises a solid dielectric material and the portion of the circuit board extends into an opening formed in the solid dielectric material.

57. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 50, wherein the RF feed is a linear probe.

58. The electrodeless plasma lamp of claim 50, wherein:

the lamp body provides a resonant structure comprising the solid dielectric material and an electrically conductive material; and

the RF feed configured to couple power from the drive circuit to the resonant structure at a frequency that is within the resonant bandwidth of the resonant structure.