Electrodeless lamp system
AssigneeORC Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
InventorsAkio Suzuki, Takeshi Tada, Taisei Kato
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An emission element enclosed inside an electrodeless lamp 5 is excited by an electromagnetic field of a microwave irradiated from a magnetron 2 for emitting light from the electrodeless lamp 5. A soft-starting method is provided such that an electric power enough to drive the magnetron 2 is gradually increased. The soft-starting method is to prevent the magnetron from being destroyed by self-heating due to a reflected wave of the microwave. The soft-staring method is used when a light begins to be emitted from the electrodeless lamp 5. Accordingly, the electrodeless lamp system is provided such that breakage of the magnetron caused by the self-heating due to the reflected wave of the microwave can be prevented.
Claims11
A soft-starting method for operating an electrodeless lamp system, the electrodeless lamp system comprising a magnetron for irradiating an electromagnetic field of a microwave, and an electrodeless lamp excited by the electromagnetic field of the microwave irradiated from the magnetron for emitting light, the soft-starting method comprising:
- supplying enough electric power to the magnetron to drive the magnetron;
- gradually increasing the electric power when the light begins to be emitted from the electrodeless lamp;
- and
- setting up a time schedule in such manner that an amount of time until energy of the microwave irradiated from the magnetron reaches a maximum value is longer than an amount of time for an emission element in the electrodeless lamp to absorb the microwave and vaporize.
A soft-starting method for operating an electrodeless lamp system, the electrodeless lamp system comprising a magnetron and an electrodeless lamp, the electrodeless lamp comprising an emission element, said soft-starting method comprising:
- applying a sufficient amount of electric power to the magnetron to drive the magnetron and irradiate a microwave comprising an electromagnetic field from the magnetron, the microwave having an energy less than a maximum value;
- exciting the emission element of the electrodeless lamp with the electromagnetic field, said exciting comprising absorbing the microwave and vaporizing the emission element to start the emission of light from the electrodeless lamp;
- and
- after the emission of light from the electrodeless lamp has started, gradually increasing the electric power supplied to the magnetron to the maximum value.
A soft-starting method for operating an electrodeless lamp system, the electrodeless lamp system comprising a magnetron and an electrodeless lamp, the electrodeless lamp comprising an emission element, said soft-starting method comprising:
- applying a sufficient amount of electric power to the magnetron to drive the magnetron and irradiate a microwave comprising an electromagnetic field from the magnetron, the microwave having an energy less than a maximum value;
- exciting the emission element of the electrodeless lamp with the electromagnetic field, said exciting comprising absorbing the microwave and vaporizing the emission element to start the emission of light from the electrodeless lamp;
- gradually increasing the electric power supplied to the magnetron;
- and
- detecting a luminous flux density of the light irradiated from the electrodeless lamp for controlling the gradual increase of electric power supplied to the magnetron, said controlling comprising
- when the luminous flux density detected is less than a predetermined value, stopping the gradual increase of the electric power supplied to the magnetron for maintaining a waiting condition;
- and
- when the luminous flux density detected reaches the predetermined value, restarting the gradual increase of the electric power to the magnetron.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.