Materials and methods for mercury vapor pressure control in discharge devices
OwnerSteven C. Hanseninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A low pressure mercury vapor discharge device having a mercury vapor pressure regulating material contained in the discharge chamber thereof wherein the material is composed of silver, bismuth, and indium. The material may be introduced into the device as an amalgam or as an alloy separate from the mercury. The material in the form of an amalgam is particularly suitable for dosing precise amounts of mercury into fluorescent lamps and regulating the mercury vapor pressure during operation of the lamp.
Claims50
A low-pressure mercury vapor discharge device having a mercury vapor pressure regulating component contained within the discharge chamber thereof characterized in that said mercury vapor pressure regulating component comprises silver, bismuth and indium.
A fluorescent lamp having an amalgamative metal for controlling the mercury vapor pressure during operation of the lamp characterized in that the mercury in the lamp is in the form of an amalgam containing silver, bismuth and indium.
An amalgam controlled fluorescent lamp comprising one or more amalgam pellets containing silver, bismuth, and indium sealed within the light emitting chamber thereof.
A low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp having an amalgam disposed within the light emitting chamber thereof, said amalgam comprising bismuth, indium, and silver.
A fluorescent lamp comprising:
- a sealed glass envelope forming a light emitting chamber;
- a pair of spaced electrodes disposed within said chamber;
- an ionizable medium containing mercury sealed with said chamber;
- and
- a means for controlling the mercury vapor pressure within said chamber during operation of said lamp comprising silver, bismuth and indium.
A lamp fill material for a fluorescent lamp characterized in that the fill material comprises an amalgam containing silver, bismuth, and indium.
In a means for regulating the mercury vapor pressure in a fluorescent lamp comprising an amalgam containing indium, the improvement wherein said amalgam contains less than about 40 atomic percent indium.
In a means for regulating the mercury vapor pressure in a fluorescent lamp comprising an amalgam containing indium, the improvement wherein said amalgam also contains silver.
A method of controlling the mercury vapor pressure in a fluorescent lamp comprising the step of dosing the lamp with a fill material containing silver, bismuth, and indium.
A method of dosing a precise amount of mercury into the light emitting chamber of a fluorescent lamp comprising the step of introducing one or more pellets into the chamber comprising an amalgam containing silver, bismuth and indium.
A method of making a fluorescent lamp comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a glass envelope forming a light emitting chamber;
- (b) positioning a pair of spaced electrodes within the chamber;
- (c) filling the chamber with a fill gas;
- (d) dosing the chamber with a fill material comprising mercury and the metals silver, bismuth, and mercury;
- and
- (e) hermetically sealing the chamber.
In a method of making a fluorescent lamp including the step of sealing an amalgam within the light emitting chamber of the lamp to thereby control the mercury vapor pressure within the chamber during operation of the lamp, the improvement wherein the amalgam contains silver, bismuth, and indium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.