Gas discharge lamp with ignition assisting electrodes, especially for automobile headlights

• US 6,906,462 B1
• Filed: 05/28/2000
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Gorille, Ingo
• Primary Examiner(s): Glick, Edward J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KEANEY, ELIZABETH MARIE
• Application Number:
  US09/979,729
• Time in Patent Office: 1,843 Days
• Field of Search: 313/607, 313/631, 313/634, 313/635, 313/244, 313/283, 313/284, 313/285, 313/286, 313/291, 313/574, 313594-595
• US Class Current: 313/607
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/547 using an auxiliary electrode outside the vessel H01J61/544 takes precedence

Abstract

The gas discharge lamp has a burner, which has a discharge vessel with a void, in which a filling of gas and other substances is disposed. Two electrodes protrude into the void, and between them, in operation of the gas discharge lamp, an electric arc develops. On the outside of the discharge vessel, in the region of the void, two auxiliary electrodes of opposite polarity are disposed facing one another. The auxiliary electrodes are formed by coating the outside of the discharge vessel with electrically conductive material. Prior to and optionally also during the ignition of the gas discharge lamp, high-frequency high voltage is applied to the auxiliary electrodes, which facilitates the ignition of the gas discharge lamp.

Claims

1. A gas discharge lamp, especially for headlights for vehicles, comprising a burner (12) including a discharge vessel (14) with a void (15), in which a filling of gas and other substances is disposed and into which at least two main electrodes (16,18) protrude, between which electrodes an electric arc forms in operation of the gas discharge lamp, and having at least one auxiliary electrode to improve the ignition performance of the gas discharge lamp, said at least one auxiliary electrode being disposed on the outside of the discharge vessel (14) in the region of the void (15), and at least one counterelectrode, and means for applying a high-frequency electrical voltage to said at least one auxiliary electrode and to said at least one counterelectrode at least prior to and/or during the ignition of the gas discharge lamp wherein said discharge vessel (14) is at least partly surrounded by a guard tube (26), and wherein the at least one auxiliary electrode is disposed between the outside of the discharge vessel (14) and the guard tube (26), said means for applying high-frequency electrical voltage to said at least one auxiliary electrode and to said at least one counterelectrode being controlled such that it does not generate an arc between said auxiliary electrode and said at least one counterelectrode.

2. A gas discharge lamp, especially for headlights for vehicles, comprising a burner (12) including a discharge vessel (14) with a void (15), in which a filling of gas and other substances is disposed and into which at least two main electrodes (16, 18) protrude, between which electrodes an electric arc forms in operation of the gas discharge lamp, and having at least one auxiliary electrode to improve the ignition performance of the gas discharge lamp, said at least one auxiliary electrode being disposed on the outside of the discharge vessel (14) in the region of the void (15), and at least one counterelectrode, and means for applying a high-frequency electrical voltage to said at least one auxiliary electrode and to said at least one counterelectrode at least prior to and/or during the ignition of the gas discharge lamp wherein said discharge vessel (14) is at least partly surrounded by a guard tube (26), and wherein the at least one auxiliary electrode is disposed between the outside of the discharge vessel (14) and the guard tube (26), said means for applying high-frequency electrical voltage to said at least one auxiliary electrode and to said at least one counterelectrode being controlled such that it does not generate an arc between said auxiliary electrode and said at least one counterelectrode, wherein said the at least one auxiliary electrode is formed by coating the outside of the discharge vessel (14) with electrically conductive material, and wherein the at least one auxiliary electrode comprises two auxiliary electrodes disposed, facing one another, on the discharge vessel (14).