Low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp with heat conductive component

• US 6,172,452 B1
• Filed: 07/16/1998
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electronics Corp (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakano, Kenji, Yukawa, Masao, Itaya, Kenji, Iida, Shiro
• Primary Examiner(s): DAY, MICHAEL HENRY
• Application Number:
  US09/116,753
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 313/490, 313/493, 315/108, 315/117
• US Class Current: 313/490
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/24 Means for obtaining or maintaining the desired pressure within the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/523 Heating or cooling particular parts of the lamp
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/72 having a main light-emitting filling of easily vaporisable metal vapour, e.g. mercury

Abstract

A low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp comprising a fluorescent tube having an amalgam container containing amalgam to control mercury vapor pressure at a steady lighting, a holder holding both ends of the fluorescent tube, a lighting circuit to light the fluorescent tube, a case accommodating the lighting circuit, and a base provided to the case, wherein the amalgam container and the base are connected with each other by a heat conductive component, so that the amalgam temperature is controlled at a proper value and the luminous efficiency is improved.

Claims

1. A low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp comprising a fluorescent tube having an amalgam container containing amalgam to control mercury vapor pressure at a steady lighting condition, a holder holding both ends of the fluorescent tube, a lighting circuit to light said fluorescent tube, a case accommodating said lighting circuit, and a base provided on said case, wherein said amalgam container and said base are thermally connected with each other by a heat conductive component, the heat conductive component being formed such that one end thereof is wound around the outer surface of the amalgam container while the other end is sandwiched between the case and the base and connected to the base, and the heat of the amalgam container to be radiated is conducted to the base via the heat conductive component.

2. The low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp of claim 1, further comprising a globe to accommodate said holder and to form an outer housing for said lamp together with said case.

3. The low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp of claim 1, wherein said heat conductive component comprises a metallic material.

4. The low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp of claim 3, wherein said metallic material is at least one material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper and aluminum.

5. The low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp of claim 1, wherein said heat conductive component comprises a heat conductive silicone rubber material.

6. The low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp of claim 1, wherein said heat conductive component comprises carbon.

7. The low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp of claim 1, wherein the area where the heat conductive component and the base contact each other is about 5 mm².

8. The low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp of claim 1, wherein the heat conductive component is a band of copper wires.

9. The low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp of claim 1, wherein the heat conductive component is covered with electric insulation.

10. The low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp of claim 1, wherein the heat conductivity K of the heat conductive component at 100°

C. has a value of K≧

200 (W·

m<sup>−

1</sup>·

K<sup>−

1</sup>).

11. A low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp comprising:

a fluorescent tube having an amalgam container containing amalgam to control mercury vapor pressure for steady lighting;

a lighting circuit to light the fluorescent tube;

a base to support the fluorescent tube and the lighting circuit; and

a heat conductive component for connecting the amalgam container and the base, the heat conductive component being formed such that one end thereof is wound around the outer surface of the amalgam container while the other end is sandwiched between the case and the base and connected to the base, and the heat of the amalgam container to be radiated is conducted to the base via the heat conductive component.