Method and mold for fabricating an arc tube for an arc discharge lamp
AssigneeGTE Products Corporation
InventorsThomas J. Gilligan, George J. English, Harold L. Hough
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of fabricating an arc discharge capsule from a tubular blank, and a mold used in such fabrication, is provided wherein a first electode is sealed in a first press seal in one end of the blank, and a preform designed to facilitate insertion and positioning of a second electrode is formed in an opposite end of the blank, in a single pressing and blowing step.
Claims14
A method of fabricating a lamp capsule from a tubular blank, said blank having a circular cross section, said lamp capsule having an elongated body, a bulbous midsection hermetically enclosing an interior, and two opposed ends adjacent to said midsection, each of said ends having a press seal formed therein and electrical connection means mounted in said press seal, each electrical connection means protruding into said interior for use in producing light, and a lamp fill in said interior, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) loading a first end of said blank over a first electrical connection means;
- (b) sealing a second end of said blank in a sealing head;
- (c) heating, at least said first end of said blank to pliability;
- (d) pressing said blank and blowing into said second end of said blank thereby simultaneously (1) forming a first press seal at said first end thereby mounting said first electrical connection means in said first press seal;
- (2) forming said bulbous midsection;
- and (3) sealing said bulbous midsection between said first press seal, and said sealing head from the exterior;
- (e) advancing said second electrical connection means from said sealing head, and positioning said second electrical connection means in said second end;
- (f) adding a final lamp fill into said bulbous midsection;
- and
- (g) forming a second hermetic seal at said second end thereby mounting said second electrical connection means in said second hermetic seal.
A method of fabricating a lamp capsule from a tubular blank, said blank having a circular cross section, said lamp capsule having an elongated body, a bulbous midsection hermetically enclosing an interior, and two opposed ends adjacent to said midsection, each of said ends having a press seal formed therein and electrical connection means mounted in said press seal, each electrical connection means protruding into said interior for use in producing light, and a lamp fill in said interior, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) loading a first end of said blank over a first electrical connection means;
- (b) sealing a second end of said blank in a sealing head;
- (c) heating, at least said first end of said blank to pliability;
- (d) pressing said blank and blowing into said second end of said blank thereby simultaneously (1) forming a first press seal at said first end thereby mounting said first electrical connection means in said first press seal;
- (2) forming said bulbous midsection;
- and (3) performing said second end of said blank, said preformed end having a first region, adjacent said bulbous midsection, having a first cross section configured for guiding a second electrical connection into said bulbous midsection;
- (e) advancing said second electrical connection means from said sealing head, and positioning said second electrical connection means in said second end, said second electrical connection means being thereby oriented relative to said first region;
- (f) adding a final lamp fill into said bulbous midsection;
- and
- (g) forming a second hermetic seal at said second end thereby mounting said second electrical connection means in said second hermetic seal.
A method of fabricating a lamp capsule from a tubular blank, said blank having a circular cross section, said lamp capsule having an elongated body, a bulbous midsection heremetically enclosing an interior, and two opposed ends adjacent to said midsection, each of said ends having a press seal formed therein and electrical connection means mounted in said press seal, each electrical connection means protruding into said interior for use in producing light, and a lamp fill in said interior, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) loading a first end of said blank over a first electrical connection means:
- (b) sealing a second end of said blank in a sealing head;
- (c) heating, at least said first end of said blank to pliability;
- (d) pressing said blank and blowing into said second end of said blank thereby simultaneously (1) forming a first press seal at said first end thereby mounting said first electrical connection means in said first press seal;
- (2) forming said bulbous midsection;
- and (3) sealing said bulbous midsection between said first press seal, and said sealing head from the exterior;
- (e) cyclically pumping inert gas into, and flushing said inert gas out of, said blank to remove contaminants in said blank;
- (f) subjecting said blank to a high vacuum and removing residual gases from in said blank;
- (g) maintaining said vacuum in said blank and adding said final lamp fill into said blank;
- (h) cooling said first press seal end of said blank with liquid nitrogen and freezing out any gas in said blank causing said gas to condense in said bulbous midsection;
- (i) advancing said second electrical connection means from said sealing head, and positioning said second electrical connection means in said second end;
- (j) adding a final lamp fill into said bulbous midsection;
- and
- (k) forming a second hermetic seal at said second end thereby mounting said second electrical connection means in said second hermetic seal.
A method of fabricating a lamp capsule from a tubular blank, said blank having a circular cross section, said lamp capsule having an elongated body, a bulbous midsection hermetically enclosing an interior, and two opposed ends adjacent to said midsection, each of said ends having a press seal formed therein and electrical connection means mounted in said press seal, each electrical connection means protruding into said interior for use in producing light, and a lamp fill in said interior, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) loading a first end of said blank over a first electrical connection means;
- (b) sealing a second end of said blank in a sealing head;
- (c) heating, at least said first end of said blank to pliability;
- (d) pressing said blank and blowing into said second end of said blank thereby simultaneously (1) forming a first press seal at said first end thereby mounting said first electrical connection means in said first press seal;
- (2) forming said bulbous midsection;
- and (3) sealing said bulbous midsection between said first press seal, and said sealing head from the exterior;
- (e) advancing a hollow needle into the enclosed volume and passing a gas through the needle into the enclosed volume and out around the needle;
- (f) withdrawing the hollow needle, and depositing at least one additive into the enclosed volume through the second end;
- (g) cyclically pumping inert gas into, and flushing said inert gas out of, said blank to remove contaminants in said blank;
- (h) subjecting said blank to a high vacuum and removing residual gases from in said blank;
- (i) maintaining said vacuum in said blank and adding said final lamp fill into said blank;
- (j) cooling said first press seal end of said blank with liquid nitrogen and freezing out any gas in said blank causing said gas to condense in said bulbous midsection;
- (k) advancing said second electrical connection means from said sealing head, and positioning said second electrical connection means in said second end;
- (l) adding a final lamp fill into said bulbous midsection;
- and
- (m) forming a second hermetic seal at said second end thereby mounting said second electrical connection means in said second hermetic seal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.