CA1275686C - Metal vapor discharge lamp having an electrode-supporting tube hermetically sealed through heat fusion - Google Patents
Metal vapor discharge lamp having an electrode-supporting tube hermetically sealed through heat fusionInfo
- Publication number
- CA1275686C CA1275686C CA000497595A CA497595A CA1275686C CA 1275686 C CA1275686 C CA 1275686C CA 000497595 A CA000497595 A CA 000497595A CA 497595 A CA497595 A CA 497595A CA 1275686 C CA1275686 C CA 1275686C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- tube
- electrode supporting
- discharge lamp
- metal vapor
- vapor discharge
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 title claims abstract description 95
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 95
- 230000004927 fusion Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 29
- 230000008093 supporting effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 197
- 239000000919 ceramic Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 62
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 claims description 40
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 34
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 claims description 25
- MJGFBOZCAJSGQW-UHFFFAOYSA-N mercury sodium Chemical group [Na].[Hg] MJGFBOZCAJSGQW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 14
- 229910001023 sodium amalgam Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 14
- 238000010891 electric arc Methods 0.000 claims description 10
- 229910052724 xenon Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 10
- FHNFHKCVQCLJFQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N xenon atom Chemical compound [Xe] FHNFHKCVQCLJFQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 10
- 239000011261 inert gas Substances 0.000 claims description 8
- PNEYBMLMFCGWSK-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium oxide Inorganic materials [O-2].[O-2].[O-2].[Al+3].[Al+3] PNEYBMLMFCGWSK-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 8
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 6
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 6
- DGAQECJNVWCQMB-PUAWFVPOSA-M Ilexoside XXIX Chemical compound C[C@@H]1CC[C@@]2(CC[C@@]3(C(=CC[C@H]4[C@]3(CC[C@@H]5[C@@]4(CC[C@@H](C5(C)C)OS(=O)(=O)[O-])C)C)[C@@H]2[C@]1(C)O)C)C(=O)O[C@H]6[C@@H]([C@H]([C@@H]([C@H](O6)CO)O)O)O.[Na+] DGAQECJNVWCQMB-PUAWFVPOSA-M 0.000 description 5
- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 description 5
- 230000000712 assembly Effects 0.000 description 5
- 229910052758 niobium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 5
- 239000010955 niobium Substances 0.000 description 5
- GUCVJGMIXFAOAE-UHFFFAOYSA-N niobium atom Chemical compound [Nb] GUCVJGMIXFAOAE-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 5
- 229910052708 sodium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 5
- 239000011734 sodium Substances 0.000 description 5
- XKRFYHLGVUSROY-UHFFFAOYSA-N Argon Chemical compound [Ar] XKRFYHLGVUSROY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 238000003466 welding Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000002411 adverse Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 description 3
- QSHDDOUJBYECFT-UHFFFAOYSA-N mercury Chemical compound [Hg] QSHDDOUJBYECFT-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 229910052753 mercury Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 229940041669 mercury Drugs 0.000 description 3
- 229910052786 argon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 238000005520 cutting process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000008030 elimination Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000003379 elimination reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000008020 evaporation Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000001704 evaporation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000001771 impaired effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 235000008645 Chenopodium bonus henricus Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 244000138502 Chenopodium bonus henricus Species 0.000 description 1
- ZOKXTWBITQBERF-UHFFFAOYSA-N Molybdenum Chemical compound [Mo] ZOKXTWBITQBERF-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000011109 contamination Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000006866 deterioration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000002474 experimental method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- -1 i.e. Chemical compound 0.000 description 1
- 239000012535 impurity Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000008018 melting Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000002844 melting Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052750 molybdenum Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000011733 molybdenum Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000012811 non-conductive material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920000136 polysorbate Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 230000001105 regulatory effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Landscapes
- Vessels And Coating Films For Discharge Lamps (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A metal vapor discharge lamp has a luminous tube constituted by a translucent ceramic tube member, end caps hermetically fixed to both ends of the translucent ceramic tube member, and electrode supporting tubes hermetically inserted into respective end caps. One of the electrode supporting tubes serves also as an exhaust tube for evacuation and also as a reservoir for a metal charged in the luminous tube. The outer end extremity of this electrode supporting tube is hermetically sealed through fusion by application of heat. This hermetic seal is formed by fusing the end of the electrode supporting tube by application of heat thereto, while keeping a heat-shielding/absorbing plate held in close contact with the electrode suporting tube.
A metal vapor discharge lamp has a luminous tube constituted by a translucent ceramic tube member, end caps hermetically fixed to both ends of the translucent ceramic tube member, and electrode supporting tubes hermetically inserted into respective end caps. One of the electrode supporting tubes serves also as an exhaust tube for evacuation and also as a reservoir for a metal charged in the luminous tube. The outer end extremity of this electrode supporting tube is hermetically sealed through fusion by application of heat. This hermetic seal is formed by fusing the end of the electrode supporting tube by application of heat thereto, while keeping a heat-shielding/absorbing plate held in close contact with the electrode suporting tube.
Description
~ ~t7~
The present invention relates to a metal vapor dis-charge lamp having a translucent ceramic luminous tube and also to a method of producing such a metal vapor discharge lamp. More particularly, -the inventlon is concerned with a luminous tube of the type mentioned above, provided wi-th heramic electrode sup--porting tubes attached to both ends thereof, as well as method of producing such a luminous tube.
The present invention wi:ll be illustrated by way of the accompanying drawings in which:-Fig. 1 is a plan view of a luminous tube incorporatedin a conventional metal vapor discharge lamp;
Fig.s 2A and 2B are an enlarged plan view and a sec-tional view of a hermetically sealed portion of an electrode sup-porting tube in the luminous tube shown in Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a plan view of a luminous tube of a known metal vapor discharge lamp proposed by the present inventors;
Fig. 4 is a partly-sectioned plan view of an example of the luminous tube incorporated in a metal vapor discharge lamp in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 5 is a sectional view of an end cap holding an exhaust electrode supporting tube;
Fig. 6 is a sectional view of an end cap holding a non-exhaust electrode supporting tube;
Fig. 7 is a partly-sectioned plan view of a luminous tube assembly; and Fig. 8 is an illustration of a system suitable for use in the sealing of the luminous tube assembly.
,, ~
~J ~ 1 --In general, metal vapor discharge lamps having high luminous efficiency such as a high~pressure sodium lamp have a translucent ceramic luminous tube which is composed of a cylin-drical ceramic tube member and ceramic or metallic end caps heremetically closing both ends of the ceramic tube member. The interior of the ceramic tube is charged with a metal such as mer-cury and sodium after evacuation.
Broadly, the method for heremetically sealing the lumi-nous tube after charging with a met:al can be sorted into twotypes: a method which does not make use of an exhaust tube and a method which makes use of exhaust tube.
In the first-mentioned method which employs no exhaust ,~
~ - la -tube, a series of the s-teps such as evacuation of the interior of the ceramic tube member, charging with a metal and attaching of end caps to the ceramic tube member are conducted in a hermetic assembly room such as a bell-jar, employing a complicated assembly system. This method, therefore, is extremely difficult to conduct and can provide only a low efficiency of work.
For this reason, the second-mentioned method relying upon exhaust tube is more popular. Fig. 1 exemplarily shows a luminous tube with an exhaust tube. The luminous tube is composed of a ceramic tube member 1 and alumlna end caps 2 and 3 attached to both ends of the ceramic tube member 1 by means of frit. Electrode supporting tubes 4 and 5 made of a heat-resistant metal such as niobium are fitted to the center of the end caps 2 and 3, respectively. The electrode supporting tubes 4 and 5 support respective electrodes at their inner ends which are projected into the tube member 1, thus serving as conductors for supplying electric power to the electrodes. One of the electrode supporting tubes, e.g., the electrode supporting tube 4, is intended ~or use as the exhaust tube, through which the interior of the luminous tube is evacuated and charged with a metal such as mercury and sodium. This electrode supporting tube 4, therefore, will be referred to as "exhaust electrode supporting tube", hereinunder.
This l.uminous tube, having an exhaust tube constituted by one of the electrode supporting tubes, is fabricated by the following method. As the first step, the electrode supporting tubes 4 and 5 are lnserted into central holes formed in the alumina end caps 2 ancL 3. The electrode supporting tubes 4 and 5 are hermetically fixed to the alumina end caps 2 and 3 by means of a frit, simultaneously with the fixing of the alumina end caps 2 and 3 to the ceramic tube member 1. Subsequently, the outer end of the electrode supporting tube 5, which is not intended for use as the exhaust tube (referred to as "non-exhaust electrode supporting tube",hereinunder), is cut after a cold press-bonding followed by arc welding of the cut end as necessitated, thus forming an end seal 5' having a shape as shown in Fig~ 1. Subsequently, the evacuation of the interior of the ceramic tube member 1 and the charging of the same with a metal are conducted through the exhaust tube constltuted by the exhaust electrode supporting tube 4 and, thereafter, the outer end of the electrode supporting tube 4 is cold press-bonded and cut to form an end seal 4' in the same way as the sealing of the outer end of the electrode supporting tube 5.
When a luminous tube for a metal vapor discharge lamp such as a high-pressure sodium lamp is produced through the aid of the exhaust tube, the outer ends of the electrode 5~
supporting tubes are sealed by cold press-bonding followed by cutting, so that the end extremities 6 of these sealed ends have the form of blades as shown in Fig. 2A and are tipped to have reduced thickness as shown in Fig. 2B. In particular, both widthwise ends 6a r 6a of each sealed end have an extremely small thickness ancl, hence, are liable to be damaged, causing a risk of leak. Therefore, the evacuation and sealing operation, as well as the mounting of the luminous tube in an outer bulb, have to be done with greatest care.
When the end seals of the electrode supporting tubes is conducted by cold press-bonding, the sealing operation has to be done after mounting, on the alumina end caps, not only the exhaust electrode supporting tube but also the non-exhaust elextrode supporting tube. In consequence, a laborious work is required for hermetically fixing the end caps to the ends of the ceramic tube member.
In order to obviate the above-described problems, the present inventors have already proposed an improved metal vapor discharge lamp in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No.
182359/1983. In this metal vapor discharge lamp, as shown in Fig. 3, the outer end of the non-exhaust electrode supporting tube 5 is sealed hermetically by fusing the tube material by other means than the cold press-bonding, e.g., by an arc discharge, thereby forming a hermetic sealed end 5". According to this method, the work for fusing and sealing the end of the non-exhaust electrode supporting tube 5 can be conducted without substantial diEficulty and independently of the evacuation and charging of the interior of the ceramic tube member. In addition, since the attaching of the electrode supporting tube 5 to the associated end cap can be done after the sealing of the end of the tube 5, the tube 5 can be handled easily after it is hermetically attached to -the end cap ~ of the ceramic tube member. In addition, the work for the assembly of the electrode supporting tube 5, the end cap 3 and the ceramic tube member 1 is facilitated, thus contributing greatly to the improvement in the efficiency of the work.
When the present inventors proposed this improved metal vapor discharge lamp, and even thereafter, it has been considered to be quite difficult to adopt the proposed sealing method to the sealing of the exhaust electrode supporting tube 4 and, therefore, the proposed sealing method has been applied onl~ to the sealing of the end of the non-exhaust electrode suporting tube 5.
More specifically, the exhaust electrode supporting tube 4 has to b~ sealed in the final step of the production process after the charging with the metal in the ceramic tube member. In other words, this electrode supporting tube 4 cannot be sealed before the mounting on the associated end ~.~7~;6~3~
cap, unlike the non-exhaust electrode supporting tube 5.
When the exhaust electrode supporting tube is sealed by the fusing-type sealing method in the final step of the production process, the heat of the arc welding for fusing the end of the electrode suppoxting l:ube adversely affects the glass frit by which the end cap is hermetically fixed to the end of the ceramic tube member and also the charged metal carried by the electrode supporting tube. This problem is sexious particularly in the case where the exhaust electrode supporting tube serves also as a metal reservoir in which the charged metal is reserved. Namely,in such a case, the charged metal is evaporated and scattered by the heat generated during the sealing operation, and is mixed into the fused end of the electrode supporting tube, causing troubles such as leak during operation of ~he luminous tube. In addition, since the charged metal absorbs impurity gases evaporated from the material of the electrode supporting tube~ the purity of the charged metal is impaired to adversely affect the operation characteristics of the product luminous tube.
E'or these reasons, the sealing of the exhaust electrode supporting member has been conducted by cold press-bonding followed by cutting. The problern therefore still remains in connection with the likelihood of damaging of the sealed end 4' of the exhaust electrode supporting tube 4 and -- 6 ~
75~
reliability is still low with reyard to the sealed end 4', requiring a greatest care in the handling of the luminous tube after the sealing.
Another problem is encountered when the exhaust electrode supporting tube is used also as the metal reservoir. Namely, a temperature gradient appears during operation of the metal vapor discharge lamp such that the outermost end of the exhaust electrocle supporting tube experiences the lowest temperature. The vapor pressure in the luminous tube and, hence, the lamp voltage are changed in relation to a change in this lowest temperature. This means that the length of projection of the exhaust electrode supporting tube beyond the end cap, which affects the temperature of the coldest outer end extremity of this electrode supporting tube, is a significant factor which determines the lamp voltage. Thus, the projection length has to be designed and selected in due consideration of the lamp voltage.
This, however, goes quite contrary to the demand from the view point of production. Namely, when the sealing of the exhaust electrode supporting tube is conducted by cold press-bonding after the mounting on the end cap, a considerable length of the electrode supporting tube has to be projected beyond the end cap, in order to prevent the juncture between the end cap and the electrode supporting tube from being afEected by the deformation of the electrode tube end caused by the cold press-bonding. In addition, in order to make sure of the tight seal of the end of the electrode supporting tube by the colcl press-bonding, the press-bonding has to be done over a substantial length. This means that the electrode supporting tube has to be prepared in a large length, resulting in an inefficient use of the expensive ma-terial such as niobium. Thus, the length of projection of the exhaust electrode supporting tube has to be determined also taking these factors into account.
Thus, when the electrode supporting tube is sealed by the cold press-bonding, it is quite difficult to determine projection length of the electrode supporting tube beyond the end cap on the basis of the lamp voltage solely, and the actual determination of the projection length encounters various restrictions.
It is to be pointed out also that, when the sealing is conducted by the cold press-bonding, the projection length and the shape of the electrode supporting tube fluctuate largely, resulting in 1uctuation of the temperature at the coldest end of the electrode supporting tube, which in turn causes a variation in the lamp voltage of the metal vapor discharge lamp as the product.
The sealing of the end of the exhaust electrode supporting tube 4 by cold press-bonding causes also a problem in connection with a minute gap 7 which is formed in the sealed portion 4' as sho~n in Fig. 2B. Namely, during the operation of the lamp, the region around this minute gap 7 constitutes the col.dest portion in the luminous tube, so that the charged metal such as sodium amalgam tends to invade this minute gap 7. The sodium amalgam thus trapped in the minute gap tries -to evaporate as the lamp is started agaln but cannot evaporat~ perfectly. In consequence, the operation characteristics tend to be degraded particularly in the case of lamps in which the amount of the charyed metal is small or in the case of so-called unsaturated-type sodi.um lamp.
Accordingly the present invention provides a metal vapor discharge lamp having a ceramic luminous tube which suffers from only a small lamp voltage fluctuation and which exhibits improved starting characteristics, higher reliabllity of the seal of the electrode supporting tube and higher rate of utilization of expensive material, as well as a method for producing such a metal vapor discharge lamp, thereby overcoming the above-dsscribed problems of the prior art.
The invention in its one aspect provides _ g _ ~-r ~i~
a metal vapor discharge lamp having a luminous tube constituted by a translucent ceramic tube member, end caps hermetically fixed to both ends of the translucent ceramic tube member, and el.ectrode supporting tubes hermetically inserted into respective end caps such as to partly project outwardly from the translucent ceram:ic tube, one of the electrode supporting tubes being an exhaust electrode supporting tube which serves also as an exhaust tube for evacuation and also as a reservoir for a me-tal charyed in the luminous tube, the outer end extremity of the one of the electrode supporting tubes constituting the coldest portion of the metal vapor discharge lamp during the operation of the tube, wherein improvement comprises that the outer end of at least the one of the electrode supporting tubes is hermetically sealed through fusion by application of heat.
roJ'c~ti~n With this arrangement, the ~ e~ length of the electrode supporting tube which constitutes the coldest portion of the luminous tube can be determined freely in consideration of the lamp voltage, without substantially taking into account other factors. By virture of this feature, the fluctuation of the lamp voltage is reduced and the lampstarting characteristics are improved advantageously. In addition, the reliability of the seal on the end of the electrode supporting tube is improved because there is no thin-walled blade end portion on the electrode supportlng tube, unlike the discharge lamp produced by the cold press-bonding.
The present invention provides in its another aspect a method of producing a metal vapor discharge lamp comprising the s-teps ofO preparing a first electrode supporting tube having an electrode fixed to the inner end thereof and unsealed at its outer end, the first electrode supportiny tube serving also as an e~haust tube for evacuatinon and as a reservoir for storing a charged metal, and preparing also a second electrode supporting tube having an electrode fixed to the i.nner end thereof and hermetically sealed at its outer end; inserting the first and second electrode supporting tubes to respective end caps, hermetically fixing the end caps to respective ends of a translucent ceramic tube; placing the assembly of the translucent ceramic tube, the end caps and the electrode supporting tubes in a hermetic vessel and then evacuating the interiors of the hermetic vessel and the translucent ceramic tube, followed by charging of an inert gas and charging of a metal in the first electrode supporting tube with the unsealed end;
expelling the inert gas and charging the hermetic vessel and the translucent ceramic tube with a lamp starting gas up to a predetermined pressure; and sealing the unsealed outer end of the first electrode supporting tube -through fusion by application of heat, with a heat-shieldingtabsorbing plate ~5~
held in close contact with the pro;ected outer end portion of the first electrode suppor-ting tube within the atmosphere o~ the lampstarting gas.
According to this method, when the end of the exhaust electrode supporting tube is fused by application of heat dur~ng sealing process, the end of the electrode supporting tube can be cooled and solidified without delay by virtue of the presence of heat-shielding/absorbing plate which effectively absorbs the heat. The heat-shielding/absorbing plate effectively shields and absorbs the heat applied during the sealing operation, so that the undesirable evaporation of the charged metal in the electrode supporting tube can be prevented, thereby obviating various trou-bles which may otherwise be caused during the lamp operation, such as the leak attributable to the fusion of the evaporated material into the sealed portion of the tube and the deteriora-tion of the operation characteristics of the luminous tube. For the same reason, the reliability of the hermetic seal of the tube is enhanced and the fluctuation of the lamp voltage is suppressed advantageously.
In one embodiment of the present invention of the lamp the other electrode supporting tube does not serve as the exhaust tube, and is sealed at its outer end through fusion by applica-tion of heat. Desirably, the length of pro;ection of said one ofsaid electrode supporting tubes beyond said end cap is greater than that of the other electrode supporting tube. Suitably, the length of projection of said one of said electrode supporting tubes beyond said end cap is greater than that of the other elec-trode supporting tube. Desirably, said metal charged in saidluminous tube is sodium amalgam. Suitably, said metal charged in said luminous tube is sodium amalgam.
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The present invention further provides a metal vapor discharge lamp comprising an elongate translucent ceramlc tube having a wall at each end thereof; an aperture through each respective end wall; and a pair of electrode supportlng tubes with the extPrior surface of each supporting tube hermetically sealed in one of said apertures with one end of each electrode supporting tube projectins outward from said translucent ceramic tube, one of said electrode supporting tubes comprising an exhaust tube ~or evacuation of said lamp and a reservoir for metal charged in said lamp and havi:ng its outer end hermetically sealed through fusion by the application of heat.
The present invention again provides a method of pro-ducing a sealed metal vapor discharge lamp of the type which includes an elongate luminous tube having an electrode supportlng tube pro~ecting from each end thereof comprising the steps of providing an elongate translucent ceramic tube having an aperture at each end thereof; preparing a first electrode supporting tube having an electrode fixed to the inner end thereof and unsealed at its outer end, said first electrode supporting tube serving also as an exhaust tube for evacuation and as a reservoir for storing a charged metal; preparing a second electrode supporting tube having an electrode fixed to the inner end thereof and her-metically sealed at its outer end; inserting said first and sec-ond electrode supporting tubes to respective ones o~ said aper-tures at each end of said translucent ceramic tube; hermetically fixing said electrode supporting tubes to respective ones of said apertures at each end of said translucen~ ceramic tube; placing the assembly of said translucent ceramic tube, and said electrode supporting tubes in a hermetic vessel; evacuating the interior of said hermetic vessel and said translucent ceramic tube; charging said hermetic vessel with an inert gas; charging a metal in said first electrode supporting tube; expelling said inert gas and charging said hermetic vessel and said translucent ceramic tube with a lamp starting gas up to a predetermined pressure; provid-ing a heat-shielcling~absorbing plate in close contact with the ~ ~t7~
projected outer end portion of said first electrode supporting tube; and sealing said unsealed outer end of said first electrode supporting tube through fusion by application of heat while main-taining said heat-shielding/absorbing plate in close contact with said projected outer end portion of said ~irst electrode support-ing tube within the atmosphere of said lamp starting gas.
The invention will be descrlbed hereinunder with refer-ence -to the accompanying drawings.
- 13a -~ ~S6~3~
Refexring first to E'ig. 4 which is a par-tly-sectioned plan view of an example of a luminous tube used in a metal vapor discharge lamp embodying the present invention, the luminous tube generally designated by a reference numeral 10 has a translucent ceramic tube member 11 made of translucent alumina. End caps 12 and 13 which also are made of alumina are hermetically attached to both ends of the ceramic tube member 11, through the intermediary of frit. The end caps 12 and 13 are provided with central holes which receive, respectively, electrode supporting tubes 14 and 15 made of niobium. The electrode supporting tubes 14 and 15 are hermetically fixed to the end caps through frit. Electrodes 16 and 17 are supported by the inner ends of the electrode supporting tubes 14 and 15, respectively.
One of the electrode supporting tubes, the supporting tube 14 in this case, is utilized as an exhaust tube through which the interior of the ceramic tube member 11 is evacuated and then charged with a charged metal. The evacuation and charging are conducted through an exhaust hole 18 and the outer end opening of the tube 14. ~fter the evacuation and charging, the outer end of the exhaust electrode supporting tube 14 is closed by fusion such as to form a hermetic sealed end 14a~ In this state, the exhaust electrode supporting tube 14 has a tubular form with a closed bottom. The exhaust electrode suppoxting tube 14 ~.2~6~3~
projec-ts outwardly beyond the end cap 12 by a distance which is greater than the length of projection of the other electrode supporting tube 15 beyond the end cap 13, so that the coldest portion is formed on the outer end of the electrode supporting tube 14.
The other electrode supporting tube 15 is not designed for use as an exhaust tube. Be~ore the evacuation through the exhaust electrode supporting tube 14, the non-exhaust electrode supporting tube 15 is subjected to the same sealing operation as the exhaust electrode supporting tube, i.e., closing by fusion such as to form a hermetic sealed end 15a, thus having a tubular form with a closed bottdm\. A
reference numeral 19 denotes a hole which is formed in th'e~
wall of the non-exhaust electrode supporting tube 15 for allowing the air in the tube 15 to escape, thus preventing trapping of air in the electrode supporting tube 15, while a numeral 20 designates a charged metal which in this case is sodium amalgam. The charged metal is charged in the electrode supporting tube 14 in advance of the sealing operation. When the lamp is not operating, -the sodium amalgam is accummulated in the electrode supporting tube 14.
During the operation of the lamp, the sodium amalgam is evaporated and diffused into the luminous tube 10 by an amount corresponding to the temparature of the outer end of the electrode supporting tube 14.
7~86 This luminous tube 10 is mounted in an outer bulb (not shown) known per se by a known measure, thus forming a metal vapor discharge lamp.
As will be understood from the foregoing description, according to the invention, at least one of the electrode supporting tubes which serves also as an e~haust tube and a reservoir for the charged metal is closed by fusing at its outer end, thus forming a hermetic sealed end. Therefore, the fragile thin-walled blade end, which here-tofore has bee.n formed when the sealing is conducted by cold press-bonding, is eliminated such as to ensure a high reliability of the sealed end. For the same reason, the fluctuation in the projection length of the electrode supporting tube is suppressed advantageously. It is to be understood also that the operation characteristics of the metal vapor discharge lamp, particularly in the unsaturated-type lamp, is improved remarkably because of elimination of the minute gap which is inevitably formed in the coldest sealed end of the electrode supporting tube in the conventional luminous tube sealed by cold press-bonding.
A description will be made hereinunder as to the method of producing a metal vapor discharge lamp of the invention having the described embodiment. As the first step of the production process, the electrode supporting tube 14 made of niobium, intended for use also as an exhaust tube, is - ~.6 ~
~ ~75~
inserted into the central through hole 12a in the alumina end cap 12 having a disk-like form, through an intermediary of a frit, thus comple-ting one end cap assembly 21 as shown in Fig. 5. The electrode supporting tube 14 is beforehand provided with the exhaust hole 18 formed therein and with the electrode 16 attached thereto.
Subsequently, as shown in Fig. 6, the other electrode supporting tube 15 which is not intended for use as the exhaust tube also is formed from niobium, with the electrode 17 fixed to one end thereof and with its outer end 15a hermetically sealed by fusion through, for example, an arc welding such as TIG welding conducted in argon gas. As stated before, the electrode supporting tube 15 is provided with a hole lg for preventing air from being trapped in the tube 15. However, this hole 19 may be omitted provided that the juncture between the electrode 17 and the electrode suporting tube 15 is hermetically sealed to such a degree as not to permit air in the tube 15 from escaping into the luminous tube. This electrode suporting tube 15 is inserted into the central throu~h hole 13a of the disk-shaped alumina end cap 13, through the intermediary of a frit, thus completing the other end cap assembly 22. The end cap assemblies 21 and 22 are then hermetically fixed to both ends of the ceramic tube member 11 by fusion through a frit as shown in ~ig. 7, thereby closing both ends of the ceramic tube member 11.
Meanwhile, the electrode supporting tubes 1~ and 15 also are hermetically fixed by fusion throuyh the frit to respective end caps 12 and 13 r such that the electrode supporting tubes 14 and 15 project over predeterminecl lengths beyond the end caps 12 and 13. More specifically, the projection length of the electrode supporting tube 15 is selected to be smaller than the projection length of the electrode supporting tube 14 which is determined such that the projection length after the sealing by fusion corresponding to the lamp voltage to be obtained.
The ceramics tube 11, end caps 12, 13 and the electrode supporting tubes 14, 15 hermtically assembled together constitute a luminous tube assembly which is generally designated at a numeral 30. The luminous tube assembly 30 thus formed i9 placed in a hermetic vessel 31 which is shown in Fig. 8. A discharge electrode 33 connected to one of the output terminals of an arc generator 32 of an arc welder is disposed in the vessel 31 such as to oppose the outer end of the exhaust electrode supporting tube 14 of the luminous tube assembly 30. A heat-shielding/absorbing plate 34 is disposed to tightly fit on the projected portion of the electrode supporting tube 14 such as to be held in close contact with the same. The heat-shielding/absoxbing plate 34 is connected to the other o~ltput terminal of the arc generator 32. The heat-shielding/absorbiny plate 34 is preferably made of a material which has a high heat conductivity, as well as high resistance both to heat and arc. A typical example of such a material is molybdenum.
When the heat-shielding/absorbing plate 3~ is made of an electrically non-conductive material, the other output termlnal of the arc generator 32 is connected ~irectly to the electrode supporting tube 14.
Subsequently, the interior of the hermetic vessel 31 is evacuated and is charged with argon gas. Then, a predetermined amount of mixture of sodium and mercury, i.e., sodium amalgam, is charged into the unsealed electrode supporting tube 14. Then, after evacuating the interior of the hermetic vessel 31 to a high degree of vacuum, the interior of te hermetic vessel 31 and, hence, the interior of the luminous tube assembly, are charged with xenon gas which is a starting gas for the luminous tube up to a pressure of 15 to 350 Torr. The xenon gas is bound to remain in the luminous tube after the sealing of the tube.
After the charging with the xenon gas, arc generator 32 is actuated to effect an arc discharge between the exhaust electrode supporting tube l~ and the opposing discharge electrode 33, using the xenon gas as a discharge gas. In consequence, the outer end of the electrode supporting tube 1~ is molten and solidified, such as to form a hermetic 56~
sealed end 14a similar to the hermetic sealed end 15a of the non-exhaust electrode supporting tube 15, thus completing a luminous tube 10 as shown in Fig. 4 The thus formed lumi-nous tube 10 is mounted in an outer bulb (not shownl known per se by a ]cnown method, whereby a metal vapor discharge lamp is completed.
During the sealing of the outer end of -the exhaust electrode supporting tube 14 by arc discharge, the melting of the outer end of the electrode suppor-ting tube 14 does not propagate beyond the heat-shielding/absorbing plate 34 which is held in contact with the electrode supporting tube 14 and, as the arc discharge is ceased, the molten end portion of the electrode supporting tube 14 is solidified without delay, thus forming a hermetic sealed end 14a. It is, therefore, possible to constantly obtain a desired projection length of the electrode supporting tube 14 after the sealing, by suitably selectir.g the position of the heat-shielding/absorbing plate 34 with respect to the electrode supporting tube 14 on which it is tightly fitted.
The heat-shielding/absorbing plate 34 offers another advantage in that it effectively ahsorbs the heat produced by the arc discharge so as to prevent the heat from adversely affecting the glass frit be-tween the electrode supporting tubes 14, 15 and th eassociated end caps 12, 13, as well as the glass frit between the end caps 12, 13 and 5~
adjacent ends of the ceramic tube 11. The heat-insulating/absorbing plate 3~ also prevents heating and evaporation of the sodium amalgam as the charging metal so as to avoid the undesirable fusion of the evaporated sodium amalgam into the fused portion of the electrode supporting tube 14. For the same reason, any impediment on the sealing arc discharge, due to contamination of the inner wall of the hermetic vessel 31 by sodium amalgam attaching thereto, is avoided conveniently.
In the described embodiment of the method of the invention, the outer end of the electrode supporting tube is directly fused and sealed by arc discharge without any mechanical processing, this is not exclusive and the end of the electrode supporting tube may be sealed in two steps:
namely, a mechanical work for collapsing and flattening the tube end for facilitating a subsequent sealing by fusion, and the fusion for sealing the tube end. Obviously, the sealing of the electrode supporting tube may be conducted by other means than the described arc discharge, e.g~, by means of a laser~ The sealing of the ou-ter end of the non-exhaust electrode supporting tube 15 may be effected under atmospheric pressure by means of, for example, a commercially available torch.
The described embodiment of the production method in ~7s~
accordance with the invention shows only the basic form of the invented method in which only one luminous tube assembly is procesed at one time within the hermetic vessel. This, however, is not exclusive and the arrangement may be such that a mul-tiplicity of luminous tube assemblies 30 are disposed in the hermetic vessel 31 and corresponding discharge electrodes 33 are placed in face-to-face relation to the exhaust elec-trode supporting tubes 14 of the luminous tube assemblies 30 or, alternatively, such that a single discharge electrode is movable to ~ace the exhaust electrode supporting tube 14 of successive luminous tube assemblies.
With such an arrangement, it is possible to conduct the evacuation and sealing operation on a multiplicity of luminous tube assemblies concurrently or successively.
Table 1 shows the result of an experiment which was conducted to examine the fluctuation of lamp voltage in the metal vapor discharge lamps incorporating the luminous tubes produced by the method described hereinbefore, in comparison with the lamp voltage fluctuation in the conventional metal vapor discharge lamps in which the sealing of the exhaust electrode supporting tube is carried out by cold press-bonding.
75~i~tii Table l L onventional lamps Lamps of invention lot 1 lot 2 lot 1 lot 2 . ,_ n 97 99 99 98 V~ 129 131 131 129 ~_ 5.79 5.63 r 3-32 3.~3 _ In Table 1 above, a symbol n represents the number of the discharge lamps employed in the test, while V~represents the mean value of the lamp voltages. The fluctuation of the lamp voltage is expressed in terms of fluctuation factor ~.
~ rom table 1, it will be understod that the metal vapor discharge lamps in accordance with the invention exhibits much smaller lamp voltage fluctuation as compared with the conventional metal vapor discharge lamps. This owes to the facts that ~he shape of the sealed end of the exhaust electrode supporting tube is simplifie~ by virture of the adoption of fusion type sealing method, and that the length of projection from the luminous tube is regulated thanks to the provision of the heat-shielding/absorbing plate which permits the control of position where the hermetic seal is formed on the end of the exhaust electrode supporting tube.
These advantageous ef~ects are de.rived from the elimination of fluctuation of the projection length of the electrode supporting tube serving also as an exhaust tube and a metal reservoir, the end extremity of the projected end of this tube constituting the coldest portion of the metal vapor discharge lamp. Thus, these advantageous effects have nothing to do with the .lengkh of the projection of the other electrode supporting tube which does not constitute the coldest portion. That is, the advantage of the invention i.s never impaired even when the other non-exhaust electrode supporting tube is sealed by other means than the fusion by application of heat, although the sealing of this tube by fusion as in the described embodiment is preferred from the view point of reliability of the seal.
The present invention relates to a metal vapor dis-charge lamp having a translucent ceramic luminous tube and also to a method of producing such a metal vapor discharge lamp. More particularly, -the inventlon is concerned with a luminous tube of the type mentioned above, provided wi-th heramic electrode sup--porting tubes attached to both ends thereof, as well as method of producing such a luminous tube.
The present invention wi:ll be illustrated by way of the accompanying drawings in which:-Fig. 1 is a plan view of a luminous tube incorporatedin a conventional metal vapor discharge lamp;
Fig.s 2A and 2B are an enlarged plan view and a sec-tional view of a hermetically sealed portion of an electrode sup-porting tube in the luminous tube shown in Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a plan view of a luminous tube of a known metal vapor discharge lamp proposed by the present inventors;
Fig. 4 is a partly-sectioned plan view of an example of the luminous tube incorporated in a metal vapor discharge lamp in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 5 is a sectional view of an end cap holding an exhaust electrode supporting tube;
Fig. 6 is a sectional view of an end cap holding a non-exhaust electrode supporting tube;
Fig. 7 is a partly-sectioned plan view of a luminous tube assembly; and Fig. 8 is an illustration of a system suitable for use in the sealing of the luminous tube assembly.
,, ~
~J ~ 1 --In general, metal vapor discharge lamps having high luminous efficiency such as a high~pressure sodium lamp have a translucent ceramic luminous tube which is composed of a cylin-drical ceramic tube member and ceramic or metallic end caps heremetically closing both ends of the ceramic tube member. The interior of the ceramic tube is charged with a metal such as mer-cury and sodium after evacuation.
Broadly, the method for heremetically sealing the lumi-nous tube after charging with a met:al can be sorted into twotypes: a method which does not make use of an exhaust tube and a method which makes use of exhaust tube.
In the first-mentioned method which employs no exhaust ,~
~ - la -tube, a series of the s-teps such as evacuation of the interior of the ceramic tube member, charging with a metal and attaching of end caps to the ceramic tube member are conducted in a hermetic assembly room such as a bell-jar, employing a complicated assembly system. This method, therefore, is extremely difficult to conduct and can provide only a low efficiency of work.
For this reason, the second-mentioned method relying upon exhaust tube is more popular. Fig. 1 exemplarily shows a luminous tube with an exhaust tube. The luminous tube is composed of a ceramic tube member 1 and alumlna end caps 2 and 3 attached to both ends of the ceramic tube member 1 by means of frit. Electrode supporting tubes 4 and 5 made of a heat-resistant metal such as niobium are fitted to the center of the end caps 2 and 3, respectively. The electrode supporting tubes 4 and 5 support respective electrodes at their inner ends which are projected into the tube member 1, thus serving as conductors for supplying electric power to the electrodes. One of the electrode supporting tubes, e.g., the electrode supporting tube 4, is intended ~or use as the exhaust tube, through which the interior of the luminous tube is evacuated and charged with a metal such as mercury and sodium. This electrode supporting tube 4, therefore, will be referred to as "exhaust electrode supporting tube", hereinunder.
This l.uminous tube, having an exhaust tube constituted by one of the electrode supporting tubes, is fabricated by the following method. As the first step, the electrode supporting tubes 4 and 5 are lnserted into central holes formed in the alumina end caps 2 ancL 3. The electrode supporting tubes 4 and 5 are hermetically fixed to the alumina end caps 2 and 3 by means of a frit, simultaneously with the fixing of the alumina end caps 2 and 3 to the ceramic tube member 1. Subsequently, the outer end of the electrode supporting tube 5, which is not intended for use as the exhaust tube (referred to as "non-exhaust electrode supporting tube",hereinunder), is cut after a cold press-bonding followed by arc welding of the cut end as necessitated, thus forming an end seal 5' having a shape as shown in Fig~ 1. Subsequently, the evacuation of the interior of the ceramic tube member 1 and the charging of the same with a metal are conducted through the exhaust tube constltuted by the exhaust electrode supporting tube 4 and, thereafter, the outer end of the electrode supporting tube 4 is cold press-bonded and cut to form an end seal 4' in the same way as the sealing of the outer end of the electrode supporting tube 5.
When a luminous tube for a metal vapor discharge lamp such as a high-pressure sodium lamp is produced through the aid of the exhaust tube, the outer ends of the electrode 5~
supporting tubes are sealed by cold press-bonding followed by cutting, so that the end extremities 6 of these sealed ends have the form of blades as shown in Fig. 2A and are tipped to have reduced thickness as shown in Fig. 2B. In particular, both widthwise ends 6a r 6a of each sealed end have an extremely small thickness ancl, hence, are liable to be damaged, causing a risk of leak. Therefore, the evacuation and sealing operation, as well as the mounting of the luminous tube in an outer bulb, have to be done with greatest care.
When the end seals of the electrode supporting tubes is conducted by cold press-bonding, the sealing operation has to be done after mounting, on the alumina end caps, not only the exhaust electrode supporting tube but also the non-exhaust elextrode supporting tube. In consequence, a laborious work is required for hermetically fixing the end caps to the ends of the ceramic tube member.
In order to obviate the above-described problems, the present inventors have already proposed an improved metal vapor discharge lamp in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No.
182359/1983. In this metal vapor discharge lamp, as shown in Fig. 3, the outer end of the non-exhaust electrode supporting tube 5 is sealed hermetically by fusing the tube material by other means than the cold press-bonding, e.g., by an arc discharge, thereby forming a hermetic sealed end 5". According to this method, the work for fusing and sealing the end of the non-exhaust electrode supporting tube 5 can be conducted without substantial diEficulty and independently of the evacuation and charging of the interior of the ceramic tube member. In addition, since the attaching of the electrode supporting tube 5 to the associated end cap can be done after the sealing of the end of the tube 5, the tube 5 can be handled easily after it is hermetically attached to -the end cap ~ of the ceramic tube member. In addition, the work for the assembly of the electrode supporting tube 5, the end cap 3 and the ceramic tube member 1 is facilitated, thus contributing greatly to the improvement in the efficiency of the work.
When the present inventors proposed this improved metal vapor discharge lamp, and even thereafter, it has been considered to be quite difficult to adopt the proposed sealing method to the sealing of the exhaust electrode supporting tube 4 and, therefore, the proposed sealing method has been applied onl~ to the sealing of the end of the non-exhaust electrode suporting tube 5.
More specifically, the exhaust electrode supporting tube 4 has to b~ sealed in the final step of the production process after the charging with the metal in the ceramic tube member. In other words, this electrode supporting tube 4 cannot be sealed before the mounting on the associated end ~.~7~;6~3~
cap, unlike the non-exhaust electrode supporting tube 5.
When the exhaust electrode supporting tube is sealed by the fusing-type sealing method in the final step of the production process, the heat of the arc welding for fusing the end of the electrode suppoxting l:ube adversely affects the glass frit by which the end cap is hermetically fixed to the end of the ceramic tube member and also the charged metal carried by the electrode supporting tube. This problem is sexious particularly in the case where the exhaust electrode supporting tube serves also as a metal reservoir in which the charged metal is reserved. Namely,in such a case, the charged metal is evaporated and scattered by the heat generated during the sealing operation, and is mixed into the fused end of the electrode supporting tube, causing troubles such as leak during operation of ~he luminous tube. In addition, since the charged metal absorbs impurity gases evaporated from the material of the electrode supporting tube~ the purity of the charged metal is impaired to adversely affect the operation characteristics of the product luminous tube.
E'or these reasons, the sealing of the exhaust electrode supporting member has been conducted by cold press-bonding followed by cutting. The problern therefore still remains in connection with the likelihood of damaging of the sealed end 4' of the exhaust electrode supporting tube 4 and -- 6 ~
75~
reliability is still low with reyard to the sealed end 4', requiring a greatest care in the handling of the luminous tube after the sealing.
Another problem is encountered when the exhaust electrode supporting tube is used also as the metal reservoir. Namely, a temperature gradient appears during operation of the metal vapor discharge lamp such that the outermost end of the exhaust electrocle supporting tube experiences the lowest temperature. The vapor pressure in the luminous tube and, hence, the lamp voltage are changed in relation to a change in this lowest temperature. This means that the length of projection of the exhaust electrode supporting tube beyond the end cap, which affects the temperature of the coldest outer end extremity of this electrode supporting tube, is a significant factor which determines the lamp voltage. Thus, the projection length has to be designed and selected in due consideration of the lamp voltage.
This, however, goes quite contrary to the demand from the view point of production. Namely, when the sealing of the exhaust electrode supporting tube is conducted by cold press-bonding after the mounting on the end cap, a considerable length of the electrode supporting tube has to be projected beyond the end cap, in order to prevent the juncture between the end cap and the electrode supporting tube from being afEected by the deformation of the electrode tube end caused by the cold press-bonding. In addition, in order to make sure of the tight seal of the end of the electrode supporting tube by the colcl press-bonding, the press-bonding has to be done over a substantial length. This means that the electrode supporting tube has to be prepared in a large length, resulting in an inefficient use of the expensive ma-terial such as niobium. Thus, the length of projection of the exhaust electrode supporting tube has to be determined also taking these factors into account.
Thus, when the electrode supporting tube is sealed by the cold press-bonding, it is quite difficult to determine projection length of the electrode supporting tube beyond the end cap on the basis of the lamp voltage solely, and the actual determination of the projection length encounters various restrictions.
It is to be pointed out also that, when the sealing is conducted by the cold press-bonding, the projection length and the shape of the electrode supporting tube fluctuate largely, resulting in 1uctuation of the temperature at the coldest end of the electrode supporting tube, which in turn causes a variation in the lamp voltage of the metal vapor discharge lamp as the product.
The sealing of the end of the exhaust electrode supporting tube 4 by cold press-bonding causes also a problem in connection with a minute gap 7 which is formed in the sealed portion 4' as sho~n in Fig. 2B. Namely, during the operation of the lamp, the region around this minute gap 7 constitutes the col.dest portion in the luminous tube, so that the charged metal such as sodium amalgam tends to invade this minute gap 7. The sodium amalgam thus trapped in the minute gap tries -to evaporate as the lamp is started agaln but cannot evaporat~ perfectly. In consequence, the operation characteristics tend to be degraded particularly in the case of lamps in which the amount of the charyed metal is small or in the case of so-called unsaturated-type sodi.um lamp.
Accordingly the present invention provides a metal vapor discharge lamp having a ceramic luminous tube which suffers from only a small lamp voltage fluctuation and which exhibits improved starting characteristics, higher reliabllity of the seal of the electrode supporting tube and higher rate of utilization of expensive material, as well as a method for producing such a metal vapor discharge lamp, thereby overcoming the above-dsscribed problems of the prior art.
The invention in its one aspect provides _ g _ ~-r ~i~
a metal vapor discharge lamp having a luminous tube constituted by a translucent ceramic tube member, end caps hermetically fixed to both ends of the translucent ceramic tube member, and el.ectrode supporting tubes hermetically inserted into respective end caps such as to partly project outwardly from the translucent ceram:ic tube, one of the electrode supporting tubes being an exhaust electrode supporting tube which serves also as an exhaust tube for evacuation and also as a reservoir for a me-tal charyed in the luminous tube, the outer end extremity of the one of the electrode supporting tubes constituting the coldest portion of the metal vapor discharge lamp during the operation of the tube, wherein improvement comprises that the outer end of at least the one of the electrode supporting tubes is hermetically sealed through fusion by application of heat.
roJ'c~ti~n With this arrangement, the ~ e~ length of the electrode supporting tube which constitutes the coldest portion of the luminous tube can be determined freely in consideration of the lamp voltage, without substantially taking into account other factors. By virture of this feature, the fluctuation of the lamp voltage is reduced and the lampstarting characteristics are improved advantageously. In addition, the reliability of the seal on the end of the electrode supporting tube is improved because there is no thin-walled blade end portion on the electrode supportlng tube, unlike the discharge lamp produced by the cold press-bonding.
The present invention provides in its another aspect a method of producing a metal vapor discharge lamp comprising the s-teps ofO preparing a first electrode supporting tube having an electrode fixed to the inner end thereof and unsealed at its outer end, the first electrode supportiny tube serving also as an e~haust tube for evacuatinon and as a reservoir for storing a charged metal, and preparing also a second electrode supporting tube having an electrode fixed to the i.nner end thereof and hermetically sealed at its outer end; inserting the first and second electrode supporting tubes to respective end caps, hermetically fixing the end caps to respective ends of a translucent ceramic tube; placing the assembly of the translucent ceramic tube, the end caps and the electrode supporting tubes in a hermetic vessel and then evacuating the interiors of the hermetic vessel and the translucent ceramic tube, followed by charging of an inert gas and charging of a metal in the first electrode supporting tube with the unsealed end;
expelling the inert gas and charging the hermetic vessel and the translucent ceramic tube with a lamp starting gas up to a predetermined pressure; and sealing the unsealed outer end of the first electrode supporting tube -through fusion by application of heat, with a heat-shieldingtabsorbing plate ~5~
held in close contact with the pro;ected outer end portion of the first electrode suppor-ting tube within the atmosphere o~ the lampstarting gas.
According to this method, when the end of the exhaust electrode supporting tube is fused by application of heat dur~ng sealing process, the end of the electrode supporting tube can be cooled and solidified without delay by virtue of the presence of heat-shielding/absorbing plate which effectively absorbs the heat. The heat-shielding/absorbing plate effectively shields and absorbs the heat applied during the sealing operation, so that the undesirable evaporation of the charged metal in the electrode supporting tube can be prevented, thereby obviating various trou-bles which may otherwise be caused during the lamp operation, such as the leak attributable to the fusion of the evaporated material into the sealed portion of the tube and the deteriora-tion of the operation characteristics of the luminous tube. For the same reason, the reliability of the hermetic seal of the tube is enhanced and the fluctuation of the lamp voltage is suppressed advantageously.
In one embodiment of the present invention of the lamp the other electrode supporting tube does not serve as the exhaust tube, and is sealed at its outer end through fusion by applica-tion of heat. Desirably, the length of pro;ection of said one ofsaid electrode supporting tubes beyond said end cap is greater than that of the other electrode supporting tube. Suitably, the length of projection of said one of said electrode supporting tubes beyond said end cap is greater than that of the other elec-trode supporting tube. Desirably, said metal charged in saidluminous tube is sodium amalgam. Suitably, said metal charged in said luminous tube is sodium amalgam.
~ - 12 -7~
The present invention further provides a metal vapor discharge lamp comprising an elongate translucent ceramlc tube having a wall at each end thereof; an aperture through each respective end wall; and a pair of electrode supportlng tubes with the extPrior surface of each supporting tube hermetically sealed in one of said apertures with one end of each electrode supporting tube projectins outward from said translucent ceramic tube, one of said electrode supporting tubes comprising an exhaust tube ~or evacuation of said lamp and a reservoir for metal charged in said lamp and havi:ng its outer end hermetically sealed through fusion by the application of heat.
The present invention again provides a method of pro-ducing a sealed metal vapor discharge lamp of the type which includes an elongate luminous tube having an electrode supportlng tube pro~ecting from each end thereof comprising the steps of providing an elongate translucent ceramic tube having an aperture at each end thereof; preparing a first electrode supporting tube having an electrode fixed to the inner end thereof and unsealed at its outer end, said first electrode supporting tube serving also as an exhaust tube for evacuation and as a reservoir for storing a charged metal; preparing a second electrode supporting tube having an electrode fixed to the inner end thereof and her-metically sealed at its outer end; inserting said first and sec-ond electrode supporting tubes to respective ones o~ said aper-tures at each end of said translucent ceramic tube; hermetically fixing said electrode supporting tubes to respective ones of said apertures at each end of said translucen~ ceramic tube; placing the assembly of said translucent ceramic tube, and said electrode supporting tubes in a hermetic vessel; evacuating the interior of said hermetic vessel and said translucent ceramic tube; charging said hermetic vessel with an inert gas; charging a metal in said first electrode supporting tube; expelling said inert gas and charging said hermetic vessel and said translucent ceramic tube with a lamp starting gas up to a predetermined pressure; provid-ing a heat-shielcling~absorbing plate in close contact with the ~ ~t7~
projected outer end portion of said first electrode supporting tube; and sealing said unsealed outer end of said first electrode supporting tube through fusion by application of heat while main-taining said heat-shielding/absorbing plate in close contact with said projected outer end portion of said ~irst electrode support-ing tube within the atmosphere of said lamp starting gas.
The invention will be descrlbed hereinunder with refer-ence -to the accompanying drawings.
- 13a -~ ~S6~3~
Refexring first to E'ig. 4 which is a par-tly-sectioned plan view of an example of a luminous tube used in a metal vapor discharge lamp embodying the present invention, the luminous tube generally designated by a reference numeral 10 has a translucent ceramic tube member 11 made of translucent alumina. End caps 12 and 13 which also are made of alumina are hermetically attached to both ends of the ceramic tube member 11, through the intermediary of frit. The end caps 12 and 13 are provided with central holes which receive, respectively, electrode supporting tubes 14 and 15 made of niobium. The electrode supporting tubes 14 and 15 are hermetically fixed to the end caps through frit. Electrodes 16 and 17 are supported by the inner ends of the electrode supporting tubes 14 and 15, respectively.
One of the electrode supporting tubes, the supporting tube 14 in this case, is utilized as an exhaust tube through which the interior of the ceramic tube member 11 is evacuated and then charged with a charged metal. The evacuation and charging are conducted through an exhaust hole 18 and the outer end opening of the tube 14. ~fter the evacuation and charging, the outer end of the exhaust electrode supporting tube 14 is closed by fusion such as to form a hermetic sealed end 14a~ In this state, the exhaust electrode supporting tube 14 has a tubular form with a closed bottom. The exhaust electrode suppoxting tube 14 ~.2~6~3~
projec-ts outwardly beyond the end cap 12 by a distance which is greater than the length of projection of the other electrode supporting tube 15 beyond the end cap 13, so that the coldest portion is formed on the outer end of the electrode supporting tube 14.
The other electrode supporting tube 15 is not designed for use as an exhaust tube. Be~ore the evacuation through the exhaust electrode supporting tube 14, the non-exhaust electrode supporting tube 15 is subjected to the same sealing operation as the exhaust electrode supporting tube, i.e., closing by fusion such as to form a hermetic sealed end 15a, thus having a tubular form with a closed bottdm\. A
reference numeral 19 denotes a hole which is formed in th'e~
wall of the non-exhaust electrode supporting tube 15 for allowing the air in the tube 15 to escape, thus preventing trapping of air in the electrode supporting tube 15, while a numeral 20 designates a charged metal which in this case is sodium amalgam. The charged metal is charged in the electrode supporting tube 14 in advance of the sealing operation. When the lamp is not operating, -the sodium amalgam is accummulated in the electrode supporting tube 14.
During the operation of the lamp, the sodium amalgam is evaporated and diffused into the luminous tube 10 by an amount corresponding to the temparature of the outer end of the electrode supporting tube 14.
7~86 This luminous tube 10 is mounted in an outer bulb (not shown) known per se by a known measure, thus forming a metal vapor discharge lamp.
As will be understood from the foregoing description, according to the invention, at least one of the electrode supporting tubes which serves also as an e~haust tube and a reservoir for the charged metal is closed by fusing at its outer end, thus forming a hermetic sealed end. Therefore, the fragile thin-walled blade end, which here-tofore has bee.n formed when the sealing is conducted by cold press-bonding, is eliminated such as to ensure a high reliability of the sealed end. For the same reason, the fluctuation in the projection length of the electrode supporting tube is suppressed advantageously. It is to be understood also that the operation characteristics of the metal vapor discharge lamp, particularly in the unsaturated-type lamp, is improved remarkably because of elimination of the minute gap which is inevitably formed in the coldest sealed end of the electrode supporting tube in the conventional luminous tube sealed by cold press-bonding.
A description will be made hereinunder as to the method of producing a metal vapor discharge lamp of the invention having the described embodiment. As the first step of the production process, the electrode supporting tube 14 made of niobium, intended for use also as an exhaust tube, is - ~.6 ~
~ ~75~
inserted into the central through hole 12a in the alumina end cap 12 having a disk-like form, through an intermediary of a frit, thus comple-ting one end cap assembly 21 as shown in Fig. 5. The electrode supporting tube 14 is beforehand provided with the exhaust hole 18 formed therein and with the electrode 16 attached thereto.
Subsequently, as shown in Fig. 6, the other electrode supporting tube 15 which is not intended for use as the exhaust tube also is formed from niobium, with the electrode 17 fixed to one end thereof and with its outer end 15a hermetically sealed by fusion through, for example, an arc welding such as TIG welding conducted in argon gas. As stated before, the electrode supporting tube 15 is provided with a hole lg for preventing air from being trapped in the tube 15. However, this hole 19 may be omitted provided that the juncture between the electrode 17 and the electrode suporting tube 15 is hermetically sealed to such a degree as not to permit air in the tube 15 from escaping into the luminous tube. This electrode suporting tube 15 is inserted into the central throu~h hole 13a of the disk-shaped alumina end cap 13, through the intermediary of a frit, thus completing the other end cap assembly 22. The end cap assemblies 21 and 22 are then hermetically fixed to both ends of the ceramic tube member 11 by fusion through a frit as shown in ~ig. 7, thereby closing both ends of the ceramic tube member 11.
Meanwhile, the electrode supporting tubes 1~ and 15 also are hermetically fixed by fusion throuyh the frit to respective end caps 12 and 13 r such that the electrode supporting tubes 14 and 15 project over predeterminecl lengths beyond the end caps 12 and 13. More specifically, the projection length of the electrode supporting tube 15 is selected to be smaller than the projection length of the electrode supporting tube 14 which is determined such that the projection length after the sealing by fusion corresponding to the lamp voltage to be obtained.
The ceramics tube 11, end caps 12, 13 and the electrode supporting tubes 14, 15 hermtically assembled together constitute a luminous tube assembly which is generally designated at a numeral 30. The luminous tube assembly 30 thus formed i9 placed in a hermetic vessel 31 which is shown in Fig. 8. A discharge electrode 33 connected to one of the output terminals of an arc generator 32 of an arc welder is disposed in the vessel 31 such as to oppose the outer end of the exhaust electrode supporting tube 14 of the luminous tube assembly 30. A heat-shielding/absorbing plate 34 is disposed to tightly fit on the projected portion of the electrode supporting tube 14 such as to be held in close contact with the same. The heat-shielding/absoxbing plate 34 is connected to the other o~ltput terminal of the arc generator 32. The heat-shielding/absorbiny plate 34 is preferably made of a material which has a high heat conductivity, as well as high resistance both to heat and arc. A typical example of such a material is molybdenum.
When the heat-shielding/absorbing plate 3~ is made of an electrically non-conductive material, the other output termlnal of the arc generator 32 is connected ~irectly to the electrode supporting tube 14.
Subsequently, the interior of the hermetic vessel 31 is evacuated and is charged with argon gas. Then, a predetermined amount of mixture of sodium and mercury, i.e., sodium amalgam, is charged into the unsealed electrode supporting tube 14. Then, after evacuating the interior of the hermetic vessel 31 to a high degree of vacuum, the interior of te hermetic vessel 31 and, hence, the interior of the luminous tube assembly, are charged with xenon gas which is a starting gas for the luminous tube up to a pressure of 15 to 350 Torr. The xenon gas is bound to remain in the luminous tube after the sealing of the tube.
After the charging with the xenon gas, arc generator 32 is actuated to effect an arc discharge between the exhaust electrode supporting tube l~ and the opposing discharge electrode 33, using the xenon gas as a discharge gas. In consequence, the outer end of the electrode supporting tube 1~ is molten and solidified, such as to form a hermetic 56~
sealed end 14a similar to the hermetic sealed end 15a of the non-exhaust electrode supporting tube 15, thus completing a luminous tube 10 as shown in Fig. 4 The thus formed lumi-nous tube 10 is mounted in an outer bulb (not shownl known per se by a ]cnown method, whereby a metal vapor discharge lamp is completed.
During the sealing of the outer end of -the exhaust electrode supporting tube 14 by arc discharge, the melting of the outer end of the electrode suppor-ting tube 14 does not propagate beyond the heat-shielding/absorbing plate 34 which is held in contact with the electrode supporting tube 14 and, as the arc discharge is ceased, the molten end portion of the electrode supporting tube 14 is solidified without delay, thus forming a hermetic sealed end 14a. It is, therefore, possible to constantly obtain a desired projection length of the electrode supporting tube 14 after the sealing, by suitably selectir.g the position of the heat-shielding/absorbing plate 34 with respect to the electrode supporting tube 14 on which it is tightly fitted.
The heat-shielding/absorbing plate 34 offers another advantage in that it effectively ahsorbs the heat produced by the arc discharge so as to prevent the heat from adversely affecting the glass frit be-tween the electrode supporting tubes 14, 15 and th eassociated end caps 12, 13, as well as the glass frit between the end caps 12, 13 and 5~
adjacent ends of the ceramic tube 11. The heat-insulating/absorbing plate 3~ also prevents heating and evaporation of the sodium amalgam as the charging metal so as to avoid the undesirable fusion of the evaporated sodium amalgam into the fused portion of the electrode supporting tube 14. For the same reason, any impediment on the sealing arc discharge, due to contamination of the inner wall of the hermetic vessel 31 by sodium amalgam attaching thereto, is avoided conveniently.
In the described embodiment of the method of the invention, the outer end of the electrode supporting tube is directly fused and sealed by arc discharge without any mechanical processing, this is not exclusive and the end of the electrode supporting tube may be sealed in two steps:
namely, a mechanical work for collapsing and flattening the tube end for facilitating a subsequent sealing by fusion, and the fusion for sealing the tube end. Obviously, the sealing of the electrode supporting tube may be conducted by other means than the described arc discharge, e.g~, by means of a laser~ The sealing of the ou-ter end of the non-exhaust electrode supporting tube 15 may be effected under atmospheric pressure by means of, for example, a commercially available torch.
The described embodiment of the production method in ~7s~
accordance with the invention shows only the basic form of the invented method in which only one luminous tube assembly is procesed at one time within the hermetic vessel. This, however, is not exclusive and the arrangement may be such that a mul-tiplicity of luminous tube assemblies 30 are disposed in the hermetic vessel 31 and corresponding discharge electrodes 33 are placed in face-to-face relation to the exhaust elec-trode supporting tubes 14 of the luminous tube assemblies 30 or, alternatively, such that a single discharge electrode is movable to ~ace the exhaust electrode supporting tube 14 of successive luminous tube assemblies.
With such an arrangement, it is possible to conduct the evacuation and sealing operation on a multiplicity of luminous tube assemblies concurrently or successively.
Table 1 shows the result of an experiment which was conducted to examine the fluctuation of lamp voltage in the metal vapor discharge lamps incorporating the luminous tubes produced by the method described hereinbefore, in comparison with the lamp voltage fluctuation in the conventional metal vapor discharge lamps in which the sealing of the exhaust electrode supporting tube is carried out by cold press-bonding.
75~i~tii Table l L onventional lamps Lamps of invention lot 1 lot 2 lot 1 lot 2 . ,_ n 97 99 99 98 V~ 129 131 131 129 ~_ 5.79 5.63 r 3-32 3.~3 _ In Table 1 above, a symbol n represents the number of the discharge lamps employed in the test, while V~represents the mean value of the lamp voltages. The fluctuation of the lamp voltage is expressed in terms of fluctuation factor ~.
~ rom table 1, it will be understod that the metal vapor discharge lamps in accordance with the invention exhibits much smaller lamp voltage fluctuation as compared with the conventional metal vapor discharge lamps. This owes to the facts that ~he shape of the sealed end of the exhaust electrode supporting tube is simplifie~ by virture of the adoption of fusion type sealing method, and that the length of projection from the luminous tube is regulated thanks to the provision of the heat-shielding/absorbing plate which permits the control of position where the hermetic seal is formed on the end of the exhaust electrode supporting tube.
These advantageous ef~ects are de.rived from the elimination of fluctuation of the projection length of the electrode supporting tube serving also as an exhaust tube and a metal reservoir, the end extremity of the projected end of this tube constituting the coldest portion of the metal vapor discharge lamp. Thus, these advantageous effects have nothing to do with the .lengkh of the projection of the other electrode supporting tube which does not constitute the coldest portion. That is, the advantage of the invention i.s never impaired even when the other non-exhaust electrode supporting tube is sealed by other means than the fusion by application of heat, although the sealing of this tube by fusion as in the described embodiment is preferred from the view point of reliability of the seal.
Claims (21)
1. A metal vapor discharge lamp having a luminous tube constituted by a translucent ceramic tube member, end caps hermetically fixed to both ends of said translucent ceramic tube member, and electrode supporting tubes hermetically inserted into respective end caps such as to partly project outwardly from said translucent ceramic tube, one of said electrode supporting tubes being an exhaust electrode supporting tube which serves also as an exhaust tube for evacuation and also as a reservoir for a metal charged in said luminous tube, the outer end extremity of said one of said electrode supporting tubes constituting the coldest portion of said metal vapor discharge lamp during the operation of said tube, wherein improvement comprises that the outer end of at least said one of said electrode supporting tubes is hermetically sealed through fusion by application of heat.
2. A metal vapor discharge lamp according to claim 1, wherein the other electrode supporting tube is sealed through fusion by application of heat.
3. A metal vapor discharge lamp according to claim 1, wherein the length of projection of said one of said electrode supporting tubes beyond said end cap is greater than that of the other electrode supporting tube.
4. A metal vapor discharge lamp according to claim 2, wherein the length of projecting of said one of said electrode supporting tubes beyond said end cap is greater than that of the other electrode supporting tube.
5. A metal vapor discharge lamp according to claim 1, wherein said metal charged in said luminous tube is sodium amalgam.
6. A metal vapor discharge lamp according to claim 2, wherein said metal charged in said luminous tube is sodium amalgam.
7. A method of producing a metal vapor discharge lamp comprising the steps of: preparing a translucent ceramic tube, two end caps and a first electrode supporting tube having an electrode fixed to the inner end thereof and unsealed at its outer end, said first electrode supporting tube serving also as an exhaust tube for evacuation and as a reservoir for storing a charged metal, and preparing also a second electrode supporting tubs having an electrode fixed to the inner end thereof and hermetically sealed at its outer end; inserting said first and second electrode supporting tubes to said respective end caps; hermetically fixing said end caps to respective ends of said translucent ceramic tube and at the same time hermetically fixing said first and second electrode supporting tubes to said respective end caps; placing the assembly of said translucent ceramic tube, said end caps and said electrode supporting tubes in a hermetic vessel and then evacuating the interiors of said hermetic vessel and said translucent ceramic tube, followed by charging of an inert gas and charging of a metal in said first electrode supporting tube with the unsealed end;
expelling said inert gas and charging said hermetic vessel and said translucent ceramic tube with a lamp starting gas up to a predetermined pressure; and sealing said unsealed outer end of said first electrode supporting tube through fusion by application of heat, with a heat-shielding/absorbing plate held in close contact with the projected outer end portion of said first electrode supporting tube within the atmosphere of said lamp starting gas.
expelling said inert gas and charging said hermetic vessel and said translucent ceramic tube with a lamp starting gas up to a predetermined pressure; and sealing said unsealed outer end of said first electrode supporting tube through fusion by application of heat, with a heat-shielding/absorbing plate held in close contact with the projected outer end portion of said first electrode supporting tube within the atmosphere of said lamp starting gas.
8. A method of producing a metal vapor discharge lamp according to claim 7, wherein the charged metal is sodium amalgam.
9. A method of producing a metal vapor discharge lamp according to claim 7, wherein said lamp starting gas is xenon gas.
10. A method of producing a metal vapor discharge lamp according to claim 8, wherein said lamp starting gas is xenon gas.
11. A method of producing a metal vapor discharge lamp according to claim 9, wherein said xenon gas is charged up to a pressure of 15 to 350 Torr.
12. A method of producing a metal vapor discharge lamp according to claim 10, wherein said xenon gas is charged up to a pressure of 15 to 350 Torr.
13. A method of producing metal vapor discharge lamp according to claim 7, wherein the outer end of said first electrode supporting tube is sealed through fusion by an arc discharge effected in said xenon gas.
14. A method of producing metal vapor discharge lamp according to claim 8, wherein the outer end of said first electrode supporting tube is sealed through fusion by an arc discharge effected in said xenon gas.
15. A method of producing a metal vapor discharge lamp according to claim 7, wherein said heat-shielding/absorbing plate is mounted on the portion of said first electrode supporting tube adjacent the portion to be sealed.
16. A method of producing a metal vapor discharge lamp according to claim 8, wherein said heat-shielding/absorbing plate is mounted on the portion of said first electrode supporting tube adjacent the portion to he sealed.
17. A metal vapor discharge lamp comprising an elongate translucent ceramic tube having a wall at each end thereof; an aperture through each respective end wall; and a pair of elec-trode supporting tubes with the exterior surface of each support-ing tube hermetically sealed in one of said apertures with one end of each electrode supporting tube projecting outward from said translucent ceramic tube, one of said electrode supporting tubes comprising an exhaust tube for evacuation of said lamp and a reservoir for metal charged in said lamp and having its outer end hermetically sealed through fusion by the application of heat.
18. A method of producing a sealed metal vapor dis-charge lamp of the type which includes an elongate luminous tube having an electrode supporting tube projecting from each end thereof comprising the steps of providing an elongate translucent ceramic tube having an aperture at each end thereof; preparing a first electrode supporting tube having an electrode fixed to the inner end thereof and unsealed at its outer ends said first elec-trode supporting tube serving also as an exhaust tube for evacua-tion and as a reservoir for storing a charged metal; preparing a second electrode supporting tube having an electrode fixed to the inner end thereof and hermetically sealed at its outer end;
inserting said first and second electrode supporting tubes to respective ones of said apertures at each end of said translucent ceramic tube; hermetically fixing said electrode supporting tubes to respective ones of said apertures at each end of said translu-cent ceramic tube; placing the assembly of said translucent ceramic tube, and said electrode supporting tubes in a hermetic vessel; evacuating the interior of said hermetic vessel and said translucent ceramic tube; charging said hermetic vessel with an inert gas; charging a metal in said first electrode supporting tube; expelling said inert gas and charging said hermetic vessel and said translucent ceramic tube with a lamp starting gas up to a predetermined pressure; providing a heat-shielding/absorbing plate in close contact with the projected outer end portion of said first electrode supporting tube; and sealing said unsealed outer end of said first electrode supporting tube through fusion by application of heat while maintaining said heat-shield-ing/absorbing plate in close contact with said projected outer end portion of said first electrode supporting tube within the atmosphere of said lamp starting gas.
inserting said first and second electrode supporting tubes to respective ones of said apertures at each end of said translucent ceramic tube; hermetically fixing said electrode supporting tubes to respective ones of said apertures at each end of said translu-cent ceramic tube; placing the assembly of said translucent ceramic tube, and said electrode supporting tubes in a hermetic vessel; evacuating the interior of said hermetic vessel and said translucent ceramic tube; charging said hermetic vessel with an inert gas; charging a metal in said first electrode supporting tube; expelling said inert gas and charging said hermetic vessel and said translucent ceramic tube with a lamp starting gas up to a predetermined pressure; providing a heat-shielding/absorbing plate in close contact with the projected outer end portion of said first electrode supporting tube; and sealing said unsealed outer end of said first electrode supporting tube through fusion by application of heat while maintaining said heat-shield-ing/absorbing plate in close contact with said projected outer end portion of said first electrode supporting tube within the atmosphere of said lamp starting gas.
19. A metal vapor discharge lamp comprising an elongate translucent ceramic tube having a wall at each end thereof; an aperture through each respective end wall; and a pair of elec-trode supporting tubes with the exterior surface of each support-ing tube hermetically sealed in one of said apertures with one end of each electrode supporting tube projecting outward from said translucent ceramic tube, one of said electrode supporting tubes comprising an exhaust tube for evacuation of said lamp and a reservoir for metal charged in said lamp and having its outer end hermetically sealed to form a relatively thick outer end portion having convex inner and outer surfaces by the application of heat.
20. A metal vapor discharge lamp having a luminous tube constituted by a translucent ceramic tube member, end caps her-metically fixed to both ends of said translucent ceramic tube member, and electrode supporting tubes hermetically inserted into respective end caps such as to partly project outwardly from said translucent ceramic tube, one of said electrode supporting tubes being an exhaust electrode supporting tube which serves also as an exhaust tube for evacuation and also as a reservoir for a metal charged in said luminous tube, the outer end extremity of said one of said electrode supporting tubes constituting the coldest portion of said metal vapor discharge lamp during the operation of said tube, wherein the improvement comprises the outer end of at least said one of said electrode supporting tubes being hermetically sealed through fusion by application of heat and thereby formed as a relatively thick outer end portion having convex inner and outer surfaces.
21. A metal vapor discharge lamp according to claim 20, wherein the outer end of the other electrode supporting tube is hermetically sealed through fusion by application of heat and thereby formed as a relatively thick outer end portion having convex inner and outer surfaces.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000497595A CA1275686C (en) | 1985-12-13 | 1985-12-13 | Metal vapor discharge lamp having an electrode-supporting tube hermetically sealed through heat fusion |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000497595A CA1275686C (en) | 1985-12-13 | 1985-12-13 | Metal vapor discharge lamp having an electrode-supporting tube hermetically sealed through heat fusion |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1275686C true CA1275686C (en) | 1990-10-30 |
Family
ID=4132072
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000497595A Expired - Lifetime CA1275686C (en) | 1985-12-13 | 1985-12-13 | Metal vapor discharge lamp having an electrode-supporting tube hermetically sealed through heat fusion |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1275686C (en) |
-
1985
- 1985-12-13 CA CA000497595A patent/CA1275686C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
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