Light source device including a gas discharge tube, a housing, and an insulating socket member

• US 7,781,948 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2006
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics KK
• Original Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics KK
• Inventors: Matsushita, Koji, Ueno, Kazuo, Adachi, Kouzou
• Primary Examiner(s): Guharay; Karabi
• Application Number:
  US11/883,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20080143232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• Field of Search: 313/634, 313/318.01, 313/609, 313/611, 313/613, 313/46, 313/25, 313/49, 362/294
• US Class Current: 313/25
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0005 of sources having contact pins, wires or blades, e.g. pinch sealed lamp F21V19/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/04 with provision for changing light source, e.g. turret auxiliary devices for cleaning, placing, or removing incandescent lamps H01K3/32, fluorescent lamps H01J9/006
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0291 Housings; Spectrometer accessories; Spatial arrangement of elements, e.g. folded path arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/10 Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for spectrometry or colorimetry
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 5/48 Means forming part of the tube or lamp for the purpose of supporting it
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/7614 the terminals being connected to individual wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/7635 the terminals being collectively connected, e.g. to a PCB

Abstract

The present invention relates to a light source apparatus with a structure that improves the positioning precision of a gas discharge tube and facilitates gas discharge tube maintenance work. The light source apparatus has a lamp container housing the gas discharge tube, and an insulating socket member that is fixed in a state of being positioned with respect to the lamp container and that is housed in the lamp container together with the gas discharge tube. The insulating socket member has a plane contacting portion put in plane contact with a stem portion of the gas discharge tube, and a pin socket member into which at least one of stem pins, held in the stem portion is inserted in an electrically contacting state. By the corresponding stem pin being inserted in the pin socket member, the gas discharge tube is fixed in a manner enabling attachment and detachment with respect to the insulating socket member, and the precision of positioning of the gas discharge tube with respect to the lamp container is thereby improved dramatically. Also, because the insulating socket member fixes the gas discharge tube in a detachable state, detachment of the gas discharge tube is facilitated and consequently, exchange of the gas discharge tube and other maintenance work are facilitated.

Claims

1. A light source apparatus comprising:

a gas discharge tube, having a stem portion that holds a plurality of stem pins in penetrating states;

a lamp container housing said entire gas discharge tube in an interior space defined by inside walls thereof; and

an insulating socket member disposed between said gas discharge tube and an inner wall of said lamp container and being fixed in a state of being positioned with respect to said lamp container,

wherein said lamp container includes a lamp fixing plate for fixing said insulating socket member to said lamp container, said lamp fixing plate having an opening that is provided at a center portion thereof and exposes a central portion of said insulating socket member,

wherein said insulating socket member is comprised of an electrically insulating material, said insulating socket member having a first surface holding said gas discharge tube, a second surface that opposes said first surface and is closely fixed to said lamp fixing plate, and a plurality of through holes communicating said first surface and said second surface,

wherein said insulating socket member, as a structure for fixing said gas discharge tube in a detachable state, has;

a plane contacting portion, corresponding to said first surface of said lamp fixing plate, put in plane contact with said stem portion of said gas discharge tube; and

a pin socket member provided in correspondence to one of said stem pins and in which the corresponding stem pin is inserted in an electrically connected state while part of the corresponding stem pin is inserted into one of said through holes from the first surface side of said insulating socket member and one end of said pin socket member is inserted into the one of said through holes, inserted with the part of the corresponding stem pin, from the second surface side of said insulating socket member, and

wherein the other end of said pin socket member protrudes from said second surface of said insulating socket member through said opening of said lamp fixing plate.

2. A light source apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a base having a surface on which said lamp container is fixed,

wherein said lamp container has a box-like shape and has wall surfaces that are substantially orthogonal to said base, and

wherein said insulating socket member is fixed to a wall surface of said lamp container.

3. A light source apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said gas discharge tube has an evacuation tube portion extending from said stem portion toward the exterior of said gas discharge tube, and

wherein said insulating socket member has an evacuation tube entry portion for entry of said evacuation tube portion.

4. A light source apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said insulating socket member has a stem pin entry portion for entry of at least one of said stem pins, and

wherein said pin socket member is inserted in and attached to at least one stem pin entry portion.

5. A light source apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lamp container has a light emitting portion that transmits light from said gas discharge tube, and

wherein said light source apparatus has a lens held in said light emitting portion.