Bulb-type lamp and manufacturing method for the bulb-type lamp

• US 6,736,526 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2002
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kakuno, Yoshinori, Matsuba, Tetsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ward, John Anthony
• Application Number:
  US10/100,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20020141190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 362/294, 362/373, 362/260, 362/26, 362/261, 362/186, 313/493, 313/634, 313/318.02, 315/56, 315/58
• US Class Current: 362/260
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 5/60 for fastening by mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 9/247 specially adapted for gas-discharge lamps

Abstract

To provide a bulb-type lamp in which a globe is fixed to a case without a tilt, and a manufacturing method for the bulb-type lamp. The globe is bonded to a connector using a thermosetting resin, in a state where a neck part of the globe is inserted in a groove of the connector without contacting the bottom of the groove. The connector is then fixed to the case by means of a fitting construction. This makes it unnecessary to perform a heating process to cure an adhesive after an envelope is formed by the globe and the case. Hence the tilting of the globe caused by the thermal expansion of air in the envelope can be prevented.

Claims

1. A bulb-type lamp comprising:

a globe having a constricted neck part at one end;

a connector having a ring-shaped groove in which the neck part of the globe can be inserted, wherein the globe is bonded to the connector in a state where the neck part is inserted in the groove;

a holder having a stand that supports an electric ballast; and

a case having an opening, and holding the holder in a state where the holder is inserted in the case through the opening with the electric ballast being inserted first,

wherein in the opening of the case, the connector to which the globe is bonded is fixed to one of the case and the holder by a fitting construction.

2. The bulb-type lamp of claim 1,

wherein the globe is bonded to the connector in a state where the neck part which is inserted in the groove is kept from contact with a bottom of the groove.

3. The bulb-type lamp of claim 1,

wherein the fitting construction includes a depression and a projection that fit together, the depression and the projection each being provided at a different one out of (a) the connector and (b) one of the case and the holder.

4. The bulb-type lamp of claim 1 being a bulb-type fluorescent lamp in which a fluorescent tube is supported by the stand of the holder,

wherein the globe is a hollow spherical member having an open end at which the neck part is formed,

a light diffusion film is formed on an internal surface of the globe using an adhesive, and

the adhesive used for forming the light diffusion film is also used for bonding the globe to the connector.

5. The bulb-type lamp of claim 4,

wherein the connector is a ring having an inner wall and an outer wall which together form a U-shaped cross section, with the ring-shaped groove being present between the inner wall and the outer wall, and

the globe is bonded to the connector using part of the adhesive which is gathered in the groove.

6. The bulb-type lamp of claim 5,

wherein an arch-shaped leaf spring is formed by cutting part of the inner wall of the connector, and

the leaf spring presses the neck part which is inserted in the groove, to temporarily tack the connector to the globe until the adhesive gathered in the groove hardens.

7. The bulb-type lamp of claim 5,

wherein the inner wall of the connector has a smaller height than the outer wall of the connector.

8. The bulb-type lamp of claim 4,

wherein a depression and a projection that fit together are each provided at a facing portion of a different one of the connector and the holder, so that the connector and the holder move in conjunction with a rotation of the globe which is bonded to the connector.

9. The bulb-type lamp of claim 1 being an electrodeless discharge lamp in which a core supporter is supported by the stand of the holder, and a coil form on which an induction coil is wound is supported by the core supporter.

10. In a light emitting bulb, the improvement comprising:

a globe having a light emitting diffusing coated surface;

a support member for mounting the globe; and

an adhesive for bonding the support member to the globe, the adhesive having a light diffusing characteristic wherein the adhesive coats the light emitting surface of the globe for diffusing the light and also provides the bonding of the globe to the support member.

11. The light emitting bulb of claim 10 wherein the support member has a ring configuration with a u-shaped cross section, an inner wall of the support member has a height lower than an outer wall to enable any overflowing adhesive to flow over the inner wall.

12. The light emitting bulb of claim 11 wherein the support member has a plurality of spring projections to hold the globe.

13. A method of assembling a light emitting bulb with a light diffusing globe comprising the steps of:

positioning the globe adjacent a support member;

coating an interior surface of the globe with an adhesive having a light diffusing characteristic; and

continuing the coating step after the interior surface of the globe is coated to provide sufficient adhesive between the globe and the adjacent support member to bond the globe to the support member with the adhesive.

14. The method of claim 14 further including drying the adhesive without heating.

15. A bulb-type lamp assembly formed by modular components, comprising:

a globe having a transparent body for transmitting light with an opening having a peripheral connector affixed to and extending about the opening, the opening of a size to receive a light emitting member, the globe connector having an exterior surface with a first fastening unit comprising one of a projecting fastener member and a fastener depression;

a holder supporting a light emitting member; and

a case member having an opening for supporting the holder, the case member having an interior surface with a second fastening unit comprising one of a projecting fastener member and a fastener depression of a configuration to cooperatively secure the first fastening unit of the globe connector to the case member by relatively forcing the globe connector exterior surface into the case member interior surface, with the holder captured between the globe connector and the case member, to enable an automatic fastening by engagement of the respective projecting fastener member with the fastener depression whereby the bulb-type lamp is provided with a fitting construction without additional fasteners.

16. The bulb-type lamp assembly of claim 15 wherein the globe connector has an interior surface with radially inward projections and the holder has complementarily depressions to receive the projections and prevent relative rotation.

17. The bulb-type lamp assembly of claim 15 wherein the transparent body of the globe is coated with a light diffusing adhesive mixture that also bonds the peripheral connector to the globe.