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US 4,908,546 AGranted
Lead-in wire for compact fluorescent lamps
AssigneeGTE Products Corporation
InventorsJohn W. Shaffer, Peter V. Caleshu, David W. Johnston
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention relates to the lead-in wires used in association with press seals in soda-lime glass for achieving electrical connection into the sealed envelope of a compact fluorescent lamp. The lead-in wires have a core comprising nickel and iron. A metallic plating on the core prevents formation of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 during lamp sealing. The invention improves lamp life by maintaining seal integrity at elevated seal temperatures.
Claims18
A fluorescent lamp comprising:
- a sealed envelope of light-transmitting vitreous material having a pair of end portions;
- a phosphor layer disposed on the internal surface of said envelope;
- an ionizable medium contained within said envelope;
- and
- an electrode structure sealed within each of said end portions and including an electrode supported by a pair of lead-in wires;
- said lead-in wires having a core comprising nickel and iron, said core having a metallic plating thereon sufficient to prevent formation of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 during sealing so as to prevent cracks from forming in the seal between said envelope and said lead-in wires at an elevated temperature during lamp operation.
3 more elements
A fluorescent lamp comprising:
- a sealed glass envelope having a pair of end portions;
- a phosphor layer disposed on the internal surface of said envelope;
- an ionizable medium contained within said envelope;
- and
- an electrode structure sealed within each of said end portions and including an electrode supported by a pair of lead-in wires;
- said lead-in wires having a nickel-iron alloy core with a nickel plating thereon, the seal formed between said glass and said lead-in wires being sufficient to maintain seal hermeticity when the temperature of said seal reaches about 160 degrees Celsius during operation of said lamp.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.