Low pressure lamp using non-mercury materials
AssigneeElwha LLC
InventorsRoderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Tony S. Pan, Thomas Allan Weaver, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mercury-free low-pressure lamp having a bulb is provided. The bulb includes an emissive material and one or more phosphors. The emissive material includes at least one of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal, wherein when the bulb is in a non-operational state, the emissive material condenses into a liquid or solid, and when the bulb is in an operational state the emissive material forms an emitter, the emitter in combination with one or more gases generate photons when excited by an electrical discharge. The one or more phosphors are configured to convert at least a portion of the photons to other visible wavelengths.
Claims21
A method of starting a low-pressure lamp comprising:
- providing a bulb comprising:
- one or more phosphors configured to convert photons to visible wavelengths of light;
- and
- an envelope filled with one or more gases at a pressure below 0.01 atmospheres;
- spraying at least one emissive material into the envelope, the emissive material comprising at least one of an alkali metal and an alkaline earth metal;
- cooling a first portion of the lamp such that the emissive material preferentially condenses at the first portion of the lamp, wherein the first portion of the lamp is proximate an injector configured to perform the spraying step;
- and
- exciting the emissive material with an electron such that the emissive material in combination with the gases generate visible or ultraviolet photons.
A method of starting a low-pressure lamp comprising:
- providing a bulb comprising:
- one or more phosphors configured to convert photons to visible wavelengths of light;
- and
- an envelope filled with one or more gases at a pressure below 0.01 atmospheres;
- spraying at least one emissive material into the envelope, the emissive material comprising at least one of an alkali metal and an alkaline earth metal, wherein the spraying step comprises heating the emissive material to form a bubble proximate a nozzle and continuing to heat the emissive material such that the bubble pops;
- and
- exciting the emissive material with an electron such that the emissive material in combination with the gases generate visible or ultraviolet photons.
A method of starting a low-pressure lamp comprising:
- providing a bulb comprising:
- one or more phosphors configured to convert photons to visible wavelengths of light;
- and
- an envelope filled with one or more gases at a pressure below 0.01 atmospheres;
- spraying at least one emissive material into the envelope, the emissive material comprising at least one of an alkali metal and an alkaline earth metal, wherein the spraying step comprises energizing a piezoelectric actuator such that the piezoelectric actuator creates a pressure wave forcing at least some of the emissive material out of a nozzle;
- and
- exciting the emissive material with an electron such that the emissive material in combination with the gases generate visible or ultraviolet photons.
A method of starting a low-pressure lamp comprising:
- providing a bulb comprising:
- one or more phosphors configured to convert photons to visible wavelengths of light;
- and
- an envelope filled with one or more gases at a pressure below 0.01 atmospheres;
- spraying at least one emissive material into the envelope, the emissive material comprising at least one of an alkali metal and an alkaline earth metal, wherein the spraying step comprises exerting an electromagnetic force on the emissive material;
- and
- exciting the emissive material with an electron such that the emissive material in combination with the gases generate visible or ultraviolet photons.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.