Glowbottle starting device for gaseous discharge devices

A glowbottle starter switch assembly for igniting gaseous discharge lamps in alternating current circuits, said glowbottle assembly including a hermetically sealed glass envelope containing a fill of an ionizable gas and having at least two lead wires disposed therein and extending to the exterior of said envelope and a bimetal switch disposed on one of said lead wires, said switch being arranged to move within a gap to contact the other of said lead wires, said assembly further including container means for said glowbottle, the improvement which comprises:

• an electroluminescent light-emitting means including an electroluminescent phosphor dispersed in a dielectric disposed in optically-contiguous relationship with said glowbottle on the outside thereof and within said container means;
• means electrically connecting said electroluminescent light-emitting means to said lead wires, said electroluminescent light-emitting means being arranged to be energized to emit light by electric fields produced by alternating voltage between said lead wires, said light emission causing a photoelectric emission of electrons from interior surfaces within the glowbottle envelope to serve as initial electrons for electron avalanches promoting the ionization and breakdown of said gasses within the gap between electrodes of said glowbottle.

An electroluminescent light-emitting member disposed in an optically-contiguous relationship with a gaseous discharge device, said electroluminescent light-emitting member being energized by a potential applied to said gaseous discharge device to cause photoelectric emission of electrons within an interelectrode gap within said gaseous discharge device, said electrons serving as initiating electrons to aid in the breakdown and ignition of said gaseous discharge device.

In combination with a gaseous discharge device having a pair of spaced electrodes disposed within an envelope containing a fill comprising an ionizable gas;

• an electroluminescent light-emitting member disposed in an optically-contiguous relationship with said gaseous discharge device, said electroluminescent light-emitting member being energized and caused to emit light by a potential applied between said electrodes, said energization causing photoelectric emission of electrons within an interelectrode gap within said gaseous discharge device, said electrons serving as initiating electrons to aid in the breakdown and ignition of said gaseous discharge device.