Neon fluorescent lamp and method of operating
First Claim
1. A method of generating light with a discharge lamp having an enclosed, substantially pure neon fill with a pressure not less than 20 Torr, the lamp having an enclosed phosphor that is responsive to neon stimulated to a particular energy level, the method comprising:
- a) supplying to the neon gas, pulsed electric energy with an on period, followed an off period to thereby cause the neon to stimulate the phosphor to emit light in a first visible wavelength region with a first chromaticity, and additionally supplying electric energy to stimulate the neon to emit visible light in a second wavelength region with a second chromaticity, b) combining the first chromaticity light and the second chromaticity light to give a combined light with a third chromaticity.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A nearly pure neon is described along with a method of operating the lamp. A phosphor is coated on the lamp wall. By properly stimulating the neon, ultraviolet light may be emitted, that can stimulate the phosphor to a first light emission. The lamp may then be operated to produce a visible light emission that is the result of neon emission or of intermediate combinations of the neon and phosphor emissions. A single neon lamp may then produce in one instance, an amber color, or in other instance, a red color without the cold environment problems typical of a mercury based lamp. The output efficiency is enhanced when the lamp is formed as an aperture lamp. The narrow source is also useful as a source in reflector and lens systems. High pressure neon lamps offer a small source size, direct color with no filtering, good tolerance of impact and jarring, moderate cost, and increased vehicle styling potential.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. A method of generating light with a discharge lamp having an enclosed, substantially pure neon fill with a pressure not less than 20 Torr, the lamp having an enclosed phosphor that is responsive to neon stimulated to a particular energy level, the method comprising:
- a) supplying to the neon gas, pulsed electric energy with an on period, followed an off period to thereby cause the neon to stimulate the phosphor to emit light in a first visible wavelength region with a first chromaticity, and additionally supplying electric energy to stimulate the neon to emit visible light in a second wavelength region with a second chromaticity, b) combining the first chromaticity light and the second chromaticity light to give a combined light with a third chromaticity.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of generating light with different chromaticities with a discharge lamp having an enclosed, substantially pure neon fill with a pressure not less than 20 Torr, the lamp having an enclosed phosphor that is responsive to stimulation by neon in particular energy levels, the method comprising:
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a) supplying to the neon gas, pulsed electric energy with an on period, followed an off period to thereby cause the neon to stimulate the phosphor to emit light in a first visible wavelength region with a first chromaticity, and additionally supplying electric energy to stimulate the neon to emit visible light in a second wavelength region with a second chromaticity, b) combining the first chromaticity light and the second chromaticity light to give a combined light with a third chromaticity; and c) adjusting the electric energy to shift between the conditions causing the neon to stimulate the phosphor, and the conditions causing the neon to emit visible light, to thereby adjust the amount of light produced with the first chromaticity, and the amount of light produced with the second chromaticity, thereby adjusting the chromaticity of the combined light with the third chromaticity. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of generating light with a discharge lamp having an enclosed, substantially pure neon fill with a pressure not less than 20 Torr, the lamp having an enclosed phosphor that is responsive to ultraviolet light emission by neon, the method comprising:
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a) supplying electric energy with a first energy pattern to cause the neon fill to emit ultraviolet light to stimulate the phosphor to emit light in a first wavelength region with a first chromaticity, and causing the neon gas additionally to emit light in a second wavelength region with a second chromaticity; and b) combining the first chromaticity light and the second chromaticity light to give a light with a third chromaticity.
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17. A method of generating light with a lamp having an enclosed, mercury free, substantially neon fill, the lamp having an enclosed phosphor that is responsive to radiation by the neon from the 3S energy level, the method comprising:
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a) supplying pulsed electric energy to the neon not at a rate from 1 to 50 kilohertz, and with a pulse width less than from 20 microseconds to thereby cause the neon to emit light predominantly in a first wavelength region with a first chromaticity, b) supplying electric energy to the neon that is both at a rate from 1 to 50 kilohertz, and with a pulse width of less than from 20 microseconds thereby causing the neon gas to stimulate the phosphor to emit light in a second wavelength region with a second chromaticity; and c) combining the first chromaticity light and the second chromaticity light to give a light with a third chromaticity. - View Dependent Claims (19, 21)
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18. A method of operating a lamp with an enclosed, mercury free, neon fill, the lamp having an enclosed phosphor that is responsive to the neon stimulated to a particular energy level, the method comprising:
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a) in a first condition, supplying electric energy to cause the neon to emit visible light with a first chromaticity, b) in a second condition, supplying electric energy to cause the neon to emit visible light and emit ultraviolet light to stimulate the phosphor to emit additional visible light thereby providing in combination visible light with a second chromaticity; and c) switching between the first condition, and second condition to cause the lamp to switch from emitting light of the first chromaticity to light of the second chromaticity. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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22. A method of operating a neon lamp comprising a glass defining an enclosed volume, a first electrode penetrating the glass envelope, a second electrode penetrating the glass envelope, a phosphor coating responsive to neon generated ultraviolet light, and a substantially pure neon fill positioned in the enclosed volume, comprising:
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applying pulsed electrical energy between the first electrode and the second electrode through the enclosed neon fill, the pulses having a crest factor greater than 1.41, and an energy content not less than the energy needed to stimulate a neon atom from ground state to the 3S state and not greater than the energy need to stimulate a neon atom from ground state to more than the 3P state, and the pulses being separated in time by a period greater than the average decay time of neon discharge to there by produce ultraviolet light to stimulated the phosphor. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 35, 36, 37)
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31. A method of operating a positive column neon rare gas discharge lamp having a gas fill including substantially pure neon and with no mercury, and an enclosed phosphor, the method comprising:
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a) supplying pulses of direct current with a duty cycle from 0.5 to 3.0 percent, and b) at a frequency from 10 to 50 kilohertz.
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32. A method of producing amber light by stimulating a first proportion of a neon volume to a predominantly 3S energy level in the presence of a green emitting phosphor sensitive to approximately 74 nanometer ultraviolet radiation, while simultaneously stimulating a second portion of the neon to emit neon red, whereby the red neon emission and the green phosphor emission are combined to form amber.
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33. A method of producing amber light by stimulating a first proportion of a neon volume to a predominantly 3P energy level decaying to the 3S energy level in the presence of a green emitting phosphor sensitive to approximately 74 nanometer ultraviolet radiation, while simultaneously stimulating a second portion of the neon to emit neon red, whereby the red neon emission and the green phosphor emission are combined to form amber.
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34. A neon lamp for producing amber light comprising a glass envelop defining an enclosed volume, a first electrode penetrating the glass envelope, a second electrode penetrating the glass envelope, the first electrode and the second electrode being sufficiently separated to form a positive column discharge therebetween, a phosphor coating responsive to neon generated ultraviolet light, and a substantially pure neon fill in the enclosed volume pressurized to 20 or more Torr.
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38. A rare gas discharge lamp comprising:
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a) an envelope formed of a light transmissive material, the envelope having a wall defining an enclosed volume, and having a diameter, b) a first cold electrode extending from the exterior through the wall to be in contact with enclosed volume, c) a second cold electrode extending from the exterior through the wall to be in contact with enclosed volume, d) a substantially pure neon gas fill with no effective amount of mercury, and at most only minor other fill components, captured in the enclosed volume capable of providing a first wavelength light output on a first condition of electrical stimulation between the electrodes, e) a phosphor coating enclosed in the envelope, the phosphor being responsive to the first wavelength light to produce a second wavelength light in the visible range. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 51)
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47. A rare gas discharge lamp comprising:
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a) an envelope formed of a light transmissive material, the envelope having a wall defining an enclosed volume, b) a first cold electrode extending from the exterior through the wall to be in contact with enclosed volume, c) a second cold electrode extending from the exterior through the wall to be in contact with enclosed volume, d) a neon gas fill with no effective amount of mercury, captured in the enclosed volume capable of providing a first wavelength light output on a first condition of electrical stimulation between the electrodes, and e) a phosphor coating enclosed in the envelope, the phosphor being responsive to the first wavelength light to produce a second wavelength light in the visible range, having a gap formed in the phosphor coating extending axially along the lamp to pass emissions from the phosphor surface, and emissions form the neon fill. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 52)
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Specification