Back to results
US 9,723,702 B2Granted
Liquid filament for incandescent lights
AssigneeElwha LLC
InventorsRoderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, David B. Tuckerman, Thomas A. Weaver, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Richard N. Zare
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A filament for a light bulb includes a tube and a filament material within the tube, wherein the filament material is configured to be in a liquid state while the light bulb is in use.
Claims32
A method of generating light, comprising:
- providing energy to a filament material via a supply wire;
- and
- causing, from the energy, the filament material to achieve a liquid state, the filament material being contained in a tube;
- wherein the tube is in a bulb containing a gas configured to counteract evaporation of at least one of the tube and the filament material.
1 more element
A method for generating incandescent light using a filament material that melts when in use, comprising:
- providing energy to the filament material via a supply wire;
- controlling the amount of energy provided to the filament material using a control circuit;
- and
- causing, from the energy, the filament material to achieve a liquid state, the filament material being contained in a tube;
- wherein the tube includes a cap having a thickness configured to at least one of (a) reduce a stress of the tube at at least one of the ends of the tube, (b) reduce the temperature of the tube at at least one of the ends of the tube, or (c) reduce the temperature of the supply wire.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- generating light using a filament material contained in a container, wherein the filament material is a solid material that changes into a liquid state when provided with energy from a supply wire;
- wherein the container contains an inert gas.
A method, comprising:
- generating light using a filament material contained in a container, wherein the filament material is a solid material that changes into a liquid state when provided with energy from a supply wire;
- wherein energy radiated by the filament material is absorbed by the container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.