System and method for supporting arc tubes in HID lamps
OwnerJeffrey L. Johanning, Jiri G. Sip +1inventors
InventorsJeffrey L. Johanning, Jiri G. Sip, Joshua D. Barry
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for mechanically supporting and electrically coupling arc tubes in high intensity discharge (“HID”) lamps such as metal halide lamps. The system and method provides mechanical support and electrical coupling of the arc tube in HID lamps with few or no welds and is particularly suited for HID lamps having relatively large arc tubes, e.g. lamps having wattages greater than about 150 watts or other wattage lamps having a heat reflector mounted near the base of the lamp.
Claims38
An HID lamp comprising:
- a. an outer lamp envelope having an opening at one end;
- b. an arc tube mounted within said outer lamp envelope, said arc tube having at least on arc tube lead at each end thereof;
- and
- c. a mounting structure for supporting said arc tube within said outer lamp envelope and for providing electrical coupling between the arc tube and an electrical power receiving lamp base, said mounting structure comprising:
- i. a stem assembly mounted at the open end of said lamp envelope, said stem assembly including a stem and first and second stem leads each providing an electrical connection from the interior of the lamp envelope to the exterior of the lamp envelope;
- ii. an elongated frame weldlessly supported at one end by said stem assembly;
- iii. a pair of spaced apart reflectors weldlessly supported by said frame, one of said reflectors being supported adjacent said lamp stem, the other of said reflectors being supported adjacent the distal end of said frame;
- iv. a pair of spaced apart arc tube holders weldlessly supported by said frame between said pair of reflectors, one of said arc tube holders supporting the end of the arc tube nearer the stem assembly, the other of said arc tube holders supporting the other end of the arc tube;
- v. a first electrical connector electrically coupling the first stem lead to one of said arc tube leads;
- and
- vi. a second electrical connector electrically coupling the second stem lead to the other of said arc tube leads.
In a high intensity discharge lamp including an outer lamp envelope, a disc shaped reflector supported within the outer lamp envelope near the base of the lamp, and an arc tube supported within the outer envelope, the improvement comprising a second disc shaped reflector mounted near the closed end of the envelope.
In a high intensity discharge lamp including an outer lamp envelope, an arc tube, and a mounting structure for laterally and axially supporting the arc tube within the outer lamp envelope, the improvement wherein the mounting structure provides for limited axial movement of the arc tube to thereby reduce mechanical failure of the mounting structure when subjected to mechanical agitation.
In a high intensity discharge lamp including an envelope enclosing a lamp stem assembly mounted at the opening at one end of the envelope, a lead providing an electrical path between the stem assembly and an arc tube through a reflector, and means for electrically insulating the lead from the reflector, the improvement wherein said insulating means is an apertured ceramic supported by said reflector.
A structure for mounting a high wattage arc tube within the outer lamp envelope of an HID lamp, said mounting structure comprising an elongated frame supporting a pair of spaced apart arc tube holders along the length thereof, each of said arc tube holders being adapted to support one end of a high wattage arc tube, wherein there being no weld between each of said arc tube holders and said frame.
A structure for mounting an arc tube within the outer lamp envelope of an HID lamp, said mounting structure comprising:
- a rigid frame comprising substantially parallel spaced apart elongated legs;
- a pair of spaced apart arc tube holders supported by said frame along the length thereof, at least one of said arc tube holders comprising an arc tube retaining portion disposed between a pair of frame retaining tabs, one of said frame retaining tabs receiving a portion of one of said substantially parallel legs therein, the other of said frame retaining tabs receiving a portion of the other of said substantially parallel legs therein, the arc tube retaining portion receiving a portion of one end of a high wattage arc tube therein.
A structure for mounting an arc tube within the outer lamp envelope of an HID lamp, said mounting structure comprising an elongated frame, a pair of spaced apart reflectors supported by said frame along the length thereof, and an arc tube supported by said frame between said pair of reflectors, wherein there being no weld between each of said reflectors and said frame.
A structure for mounting an arc tube within the outer lamp envelope of an HID lamp, said mounting structure comprising:
- a rigid frame comprising substantially parallel spaced apart elongated legs;
- a pair of spaced apart reflectors supported by said frame along the length thereof, at least one of said reflectors comprising a pair of spaced apart frame retaining tabs, one of said frame retaining tabs receiving a portion of one of said substantially parallel legs therein, the other of said frame retaining tabs receiving a portion of the other of said substantially parallel legs therein.
A mounting structure for supporting an arc tube in the outer lamp envelope of an HID lamp, said mounting structure comprising:
- a lamp stem assembly;
- a rigid frame supported by said lamp stem assembly, said frame comprising elongated spaced apart elements;
- a pair of arc tube holders supported by said frame along the length thereof, each of said arc tube holders comprising a thin one-piece metallic element having laterally opposing pairs of peripheral projections, each pair of projections being mechanically deformed around one of said spaced apart frame elements to thereby secure the arc tube holder to the frame, and a pair of spaced apart, laterally opposing, cantilevered portions, the space between said portions being dimensioned to receive and retain a pinched end of an arc tube;
- a pair of reflectors supported by said frame along the length thereof, at least one of said reflectors comprising a thin one-piece metallic disc having a substantially planar reflecting surface with an elongated slot therein and spaced apart laterally opposing pairs of frame retaining elements, each pair of frame retaining elements being mechanically deformed around one of said spaced apart frame elements to thereby secure the reflector to the frame;
- and
- a plural aperture monolithic ceramic insulator disposed within said elongated slot to thereby define separate plural passageways for electrical conductors through said disc.
A reflector adapted to be carried by spaced apart elements of the frame of an HID lamp comprising:
- a disc having a substantially planer reflecting surface with an elongated slot therein;
- and
- a plural aperture monolithic ceramic insulator disposed within said slot to thereby define separate plural passageways for electrical conductors through said disc.
An arc tube holder for an HID lamp having a frame with spaced apart elements, said holder comprising:
- a thin one piece metallic element having laterally opposing pairs of peripheral projections mechanically deformable to secure the element to the frame;
- and
- a pair of spaced apart, laterally opposing, cantilevered portions, the space between said portions being dimensioned to receive and retain a pinched end of an arc tube.
A method of mounting an arc tube within the outer lamp envelope of an HID lamp comprising the steps of:
- a. providing an outer lamp envelope having an opening at one end;
- b. providing a stem assembly comprising a stem and first and second stem leads each providing an electrical connection from the interior of the lamp envelope to the exterior of the lamp envelope;
- c. supporting an elongated frame at one end from the stem assembly without a weld;
- d. supporting a pair of spaced apart reflectors from the frame without a weld, one of the reflectors being supported adjacent the lamp stem, the other of the reflectors being supported adjacent the distal end of said frame;
- e. supporting a pair of spaced apart arc tube holders from the frame between the pair of reflectors;
- f. supporting one end of a double ended arc tube from one of the arc tube holders and supporting the other end of the arc tube from the other arc tube holder, the arc tube having an electrical lead extending from each end thereof;
- g. electrically coupling one of the stem leads to one of the arc tube leads;
- h. electrically coupling the other stem lead to the other arc tube lead;
- and
- i. mounting a lamp base and the stem assembly at the open end of the outer lamp envelope so that the arc tube is supported within the outer lamp envelope.
A method of providing a shock absorbing mount for an arc tube in an HID lamp comprising the steps of:
- a. providing an outer lamp envelope;
- b. mounting an elongated frame within the envelope, the frame having spaced apart elements;
- c. mounting a pair of spaced apart arc tube holders along the length of the frame, the arc tube holders comprising a thin one-piece element having a pair of spaced apart laterally opposing cantilevered portions;
- d. inserting one pinched end of an arc tube into the space between the cantilevered portions of one of the arc tube holders;
- e. inserting the other pinched end of the arc tube into the space between the cantilevered portions of the other arc tube holder to thereby support the arc tube between the arc tube holders, wherein the cantilevered portions are sufficiently resilient to permit limited axial movement of the arc tube supported therebetween to thereby reduce the susceptibility of the lamp to failure induced by mechanical shock.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.