Method for making a fluorescent lamp

• US 4,334,725 A
• Filed: 09/02/1980
• Issued: 06/15/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Ariga, Kazuo, Yoshida, Mitunari, Teshima, Toru, Oinuma, Norimasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, Mark
• Application Number:
  US06/183,294
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 313/493, 313/174, 313/220, 313/318, 316/17, 316/19, 29/25.13
• US Class Current: 445/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/26 Means for absorbing or adsorbing gas, e.g. by gettering; Means for preventing blackening of the envelope
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/30 Vessels; Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 9/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture , installation, removal, maintenance of electric discharge tubes, discharge lamps, or parts thereof; Recovery of material from discharge tubes or lamps

Abstract

A method for making a fluorescent lamp from a pair of molded, flat glass shells. Substantially semi-circular recesses are formed on each shell on bonding surfaces thereof opposite semi-circular recess formed on the other glass shell, so that when the shells are bonded together, a circular orifice is formed on the lamp. An exhaust tube is provided, and a stem is affixed to an end of the exhaust tube, and an electrode filament and a getter plate are secured to the stem. The shells are bonded together with a glass adhesive and simultaneously therewith, the exhaust tube is sealed into the orifice so that the getter plate and the electrode filament thereof are disposed within the space between the bonded shells. The gases within the space between the shells are exhausted and mercury and an inert gas are injected into this space. The exhaust tubes then are sealed.

Claims

1. A method of making a fluorescent lamp comprising the steps of:

molding a pair of similarly shaped glass shells having a flat configuration, each of said shells being formed with bonding surfaces peripherally thereof and with a pair of semi-circular recesses in said bonding surfaces, with each of said recesses being spaced from the other of said recesses;

affixing a stem to one end of each one of a pair of exhaust tubes;

supporting an electrode filament and a getter plate from each stem, the getter plate being electrically insulated from its associated exhaust tube and electrode filament;

connecting a pair of lead wires to each electrode filament, each pair of lead wires extending longitudinally of an associated one of the exhaust tubes;

coating interior surfaces of said shells with a fluorescent substance;

applying a low-melting point glass adhesive to said bonding surfaces of said shells;

bonding said shells together along said bonding surfaces by fusion welding to form an interior space, said shells being bonded together so that each recess formed on bonding surfaces of one of said shells is disposed opposite an associated recess formed on the bonding surfaces of the other of said shells to form a pair of circular openings;

sealing into each of said openings one of said exhaust tubes having a stem affixed thereto and an electrode filament and a getter plate supported from the affixed stem, and a pair of said lead wires connected to the supported electrode filament, the associated stem, getter plate and electrode filament being sealed with said space, said sealing step being simultaneous with said bonding step;

exhausting through said exhaust tube impure gases from said space;

injecting through said exhaust tube into said space a predetermined amount of mercury and an inert gas; and

closing said exhaust tube, said lead wires being adapted to be electrically connected to connector pins externally of said lamp.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said bonding step and said sealing step create an air-tight seal around said space.