High intensity navigation light

• US 4,219,871 A
• Filed: 05/22/1978
• Issued: 08/26/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Larrimore, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Engle, Samuel W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miles, Edward F.
• Application Number:
  US05/908,350
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 362/261, 362/263, 362/363, 362/264, 362/294, 362/373, 362/804, 362/35, 362/62, 362/145, 362/267
• US Class Current: 362/264
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 45/04 the devices being intended to indicate the vessel or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/12 by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 27/02 Cable inlets
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/506 of globes, bowls or cover glasses
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/75 with fins or blades having different shapes, thicknesses or spacing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/763 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/767 the planes containing the fins or blades having directions perpendicular to the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/00 Gas-tight or water-tight arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/005 Sealing arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2107/20 for water vehicles

Abstract

A high intensity running light fixture capable of submersion to substantialepths includes tungsten-halogen lamps housed in glass globe sealed to a heat dissipating base. The fixture avoids reduction in light transmittance of the globe by the improvement wherein a finned heat collector is disposed in the upper regions of the globe, with fins in close proximity to the inner surface thereof, and is connected by thermally conductive pillars to the base.

Claims

1. A watertight light fixture for use in preventing collision at sea, said light fixture comprising:

a rigid metal base member adapted to be mounted on a ship or vessel;

a hollow glass globe formed with a closed upper end portion and an open lower end, said globe having light transmissivity characteristics that vary in amount and chromaticity with changes of temperature and which lie in predetermind desired ranges only when the temperature of said globe is below a predetermined temperature;

means, cooperating with said globe and said base member, for securing said open end of said globe against said base member in a direct heat transferring relation thereto;

incandescent lamp means, disposed within said globe, for emanating light energy including light within said predetermined range of chromaticity;

heat collector means, disposed within the upper region of said globe and adjacent to the inner surface of said closed upper end portion of said globe, for extracting thermal energy therefrom; and

heat conductor means, connected between said heat collector means and said base member, for transferring said thermal energy to said base member for dissipation to a cooler ambient medium, whereby said globe is maintained below said predetermined temperature.

2. A light fixture as defined in claim 1 and wherein said heat collector means is formed of a rigid, thermally conductive metal and comprises:

a horizontal plate portion;

a plurality of heat collecting fins extending upwardly from said plate portion, the free edge of each of said fins running in closely spaced relation to said interior surface of said closed upper end portion of said globe.

3. A light fixture as defined in claim 2, and wherein:

said heat conductor means comprises pillar means rigidly supporting said plate portion in spaced relation to said base member, said pillar means being rigidly fixed to said base member; and

said incandescent lamp means being disposed between said plate portion and said base member.

4. A light fixture as defined in claim 3 and further comprising:

lamp support means fixed to said pillar means; and

lamp socket means mounted on said support means;

said incandescent lamp means being mounted in said socket means.

5. A light fixture as defined in claim 4, and further comprising:

reflector means disposed between said plate portion and said lamp support means and operative to redirect a portion of said light energy from said lamp means through said globe.

6. A light fixture as defined in claim 5, and wherein:

said globe comprises an outwardly directed flange around said open end; and

said means for securing said open end of said globe to said base member comprises an annular nut surrounding said flange and threadedly engaging said base member.

7. A light fixture as defined in claim 6, and wherein said base member comprises:

external heat radiating fins;

an opening for accommodating electrical cable means for energizing said lamp means; and

gland means in said opening for effecting a watertight seal between said cable means and said base member.

8. A navigation light fixture including a heat conductive metal base, a dome-shapted globe of colored glass mounted on said base, and a high intensity incandescent lamp disposed within said globe, wherein the improvement comprises:

a heat collector disposed in said globe and adjacent to the inner surface of the upper portion thereof;

heat conductive column means supporting said heat collector relative to said base and operative to conduct thermal energy from said collector to said base; and

said base comprising heat dissipating fins thereon for effecting transfer of said thermal energy to ambient air, whereby said glass globe is maintained at a temperature below a predetermined temperature above which light of predetermined chromaticity characteristics that is transmitted through said globe from said lamp is reduced below a predetermined critical value.

9. A navigation light fixture as defined in claim 8, and wherein:

said globe comprises a hemispherical upper end wall; and

said heat collector comprises a plurality of spaced, parallel fins the peripheries of which are curved to lie in substantially uniformally spaced relation to the inner surface of said hemispherical upper end wall.

10. A navigation light fixture as defined in claim 9, and further comprising:

a nut member comprising a plurality of heat dissipating fins, said nut member securing said globe to said base and operative to conduct thermal energy from the lower portion of said globe to ambient air portion of said globe to ambient air and to said base.