Patent Grant
10847358
This invention relates to electrodeless radio frequency (RE) powered external closed core electromagnetic (inductively coupled) field excitation of a low pressure gas discharge light source or lamp and bulbs relating to same.
More specifically this invention relates to external electromagnetic closed core induction lamps that usually operate at the low RF frequency of 250 Hz to 300 kHz and bulbs relating to same. However, this invention can also operate at low frequencies of 30 to 300 kHz, medium frequencies of 300 kHz to 3000 kHz or higher frequency. Such lamps can produce electromagnetic radiation in the ultra-violet, visible light, and infra-red bands
An electrodeless gas discharge (plasma) lamp can be driven by three design methods:
a) an electric field created by electrodes mounted outside the bulb or arc tube;
b) an electric field created by a medium RF frequency electromagnetic field usually in combination with a resonant cavity; or
c) an electric field created by a low to medium or higher RF frequency electromagnetic field without the use of a resonant cavity. This lamp is often called an induction-coupled electrodeless lamp or “Induction lamp”.
Induction lamps are split into two categories:
1) category 1 being lamps that use an external closed electromagnetic core usually in the shape of a torus: and
2) category 2 being lamps that use an open electromagnetic core usually in the shape of a rod.
Open core induction lamps of category 2 operate at frequencies of 1 MHz and above for efficient operation and are not the subject of the invention and embodiments described herein.
Electrodeless closed external electromagnetic core induction lamps have been pioneered by many researchers as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,500,118 issued Mar. 10, 1970 to Anderson, and the operational principles outlined in Illuminating Engineering April 1969 pages 236-244 as follows:
“An electrodeless inductively coupled lamp includes a low pressure mercury/buffer gas in a discharge tube which forms a continuous closed electrical path. The path of the discharge tube goes through the centre of one or more toroidal ferrite cores such that the discharge tube becomes the secondary of a transformer. Power is coupled to the discharge by applying a sinusoidal voltage to a number of turns of wire wound around the toroidal core that encircles the discharge tube. The current through the primary winding creates a time varying magnetic flux which induces along the discharge tube a voltage that maintains the discharge. The inner surface of the discharge tube is coated with a phosphor which emits visible light when irradiated by photons emitted by the excited mercury gas atoms.”
In an induction lamp a low to medium RF frequency magnetic field is typically used to create the electric field in the lamp eliminating the need for electrodes. This electric field then powers the gas discharge plasma.
There are presently few electrodeless closed core induction lamps on the market due to the following reasons, listed in the next paragraph. The reasons why electrodeless external electromagnetic closed core induction lamp technology has not achieved market success, is that the current technology does not appeal to users as a desirable light source to meet their needs.
Some of the limitations of existing electrodeless lamps include:
Any reference herein to known prior art does not, unless the contrary indication appears, constitute an admission that such prior art is commonly known by those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, at the priority date of this application.
This present invention and embodiments are primarily directed to category 1 external electromagnetic closed core induction lamps that usually operate at the low to medium RF frequency.
Throughout the following description and claims, the word “lamp” while normally reserved for articles which produce visible light, will be taken to include such articles which produce any one of or two or more of ultra-violet, visible light, and infra-red bands of electromagnetic spectrum.
Throughout the following description and claims, the term “obround” is used to describe a general geometric shape. At the time of writing this specification and claims very few English dictionaries define this word. Notwithstanding, the word is used herein to describe a shape consisting of two semicircles connected by parallel lines tangent to their endpoints, which generally looks as follows: .
Lamps of the type to which this invention relates utilise a closed electromagnetic core, coupled with a closed loop gas filled discharge tube that effectively becomes a single-turn secondary winding of a transformer enabling a plasma current to be generated. When the field winding of the electromagnet is energised the excitation energy of ionized atoms and molecules returning to their ground state are converted to electromagnetic radiation such as Ultra-Violet (UV), visible light, or Infra-Red.
It is an object of the present invention to present an improved design and a cost effective method of manufacture for an electrodeless closed core induction lamp that ameliorates, at least in part, the above described limitations of existing electrodeless lamps.
The present invention provides a bulb for a lamp, the bulb including at least one mounting interface having an outer periphery adapted to be connected to an excitation chamber, the mounting interface including at least two tubes extending away therefrom.
The two tubes extending from the mounting interface can be not connected along their length.
The two tubes extending from the mounting interface can be connected intermittently or continuously along their length.
There can be one mounting interface and the two tubes, at an end opposite to the mounting interface that are in gas communication with each other.
The tubes at an end opposite to the mounting interface can be joined by one of the following: a separate joining member to form at least a gas communicating passage between the tubes; by being integrally formed with the tubes to form at least a gas communicating passage between the tubes.
There can be two mounting interfaces and the tubes extend between the two mounting interfaces.
The two tubes can be of any shape including but not limited to, the following cross sectional shapes: round; square; elliptical; ellipsoid; tear drop shape; triangular; triangular where apexes are oppositely facing each other; tear drop shape where the apexes are oppositely facing each other.
The bulb can be manufactured from any suitable material which is transparent or translucent such as any of the following: glass; silica glass; quartz glass; a polymeric material; a composite material; a glass material coated with graphene; a material coated with graphene which enables a charged surface to be generated that will attenuate generated radio frequencies emitted from a lamp made from the bulb.
The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing a tubular bulb for a lamp, the bulb being as described above, wherein the method includes the steps of: (a) forming a single first tube; (b) heating, or maintaining the heat, of a central portion of the single tube to a working temperature; and (c) applying pressure to the central portion so as to form two second tubes from the single first tube.
There can be included a further step, whether performed sequentially or simultaneously, being of one of the following: maintaining at least one end of said single first tube as being an original single first tube shape; modifying at least one end of said single first tube to form a different shape or size to the original single first tube shape.
Step (c) can be performed by means of: a mould; any appropriate means.
Step (c) can create one of the following between the two second tubes: a continuous web between them; an intermittent web between them; a space or void between them.
The preferred embodiment maintains one end as being the original single first tube shape. However, it is recognised that it is possible to have a resultant shape or size differing from the single first tube.
At the end opposite to the one end, the two second tubes can be initially left as open tubes.
At the end opposite to the one end, the two second tubes can be initially left as open tubes but each has a joining flange formed therein.
At the end opposite to the one end, the two second tubes can be joined to each other so that gas communication between them can occur.
Two ends of the single first tube can be maintained in their original single first tube shape.
The end or ends of the single first tube can include a mounting flange to receive an excitation chamber.
The method can be performed sequentially to the single first tube production process in such a manner as to utilise retained tube heat during step (c). Alternatively, the method can be performed at a later time to the single first tube production process.
The method can include the following steps: maintaining an extra single first tube length portion for positioning, rotating or clamping in the subsequent steps; trimming the ends of the single first tube to arrive at a finished bulb configuration.
The method can include the following subsequent steps: cleaning; applying an internal coating or coatings; inserting sub-assemblies; assembling sub-assemblies; welding, affixing, fusing or bonding on of additional sections or components; fusing additional sections or components; applying an external coating or coatings; applying externally a graphene coating.
The method can be performed so that the two second tubes can be formed with any cross sectional shape such as: round; square; elliptical; ellipsoid; tear drop shape; triangular; triangular where apexes are oppositely facing each other; tear drop shape where the apexes are oppositely facing each other.
The tube can be one of the following: glass; silica glass; quartz glass; a polymeric material; a composite material, a translucent material, a transparent material.
The present invention also provides an excitation chamber including a portion which has a generally U-shaped tubular portion the ends of which have at least one joining flange to engage at least one bulb of a mating shape.
The joining flange can be adapted to form a gas tight seal with the at least one bulb.
The joining flange on each end of the U-shaped tubular portion can be generally cylindrical.
The joining flange on each end can be a flared end and can be adapted to receive a gas tight seal with respective tubular bulbs and allow for welding, affixing, fusing or bonding thereto.
The at least one joining flange can be formed as a component separate from said tubular portion and is sealed or joined thereto with a gas tight seal
The excitation chamber can be for use with a bulb as described above, and wherein the joining flange can be a single mounting flange to engage the mounting interface of the tubular bulb, the single mounting flange including two apertures therein which correspond to the two tubes of the tubular bulb.
The two apertures and the two tubes can be alignable, whereby the U-shaped tubular portion is generally alignable with a plane of the two tubes.
The excitation chamber can include one or more than one of the following features: an exhaust tube; an amalgam housing; an external coating; a thermal barrier coating; a single piece moulding; a graphene coating on the outside of the chamber; a graphene coating on the outside of the chamber which enables an electric charged surface to be generated that will attenuate generated radio frequencies emitted from a lamp made from the tubular bulb; an amalgam housing that can be thermally isolated from the lamp bulb.
The present invention also provides a lamp having an excitation chamber as described above.
The present invention further provides an electromagnet ferrite core, the core having a shape which includes a generally toroidal or obround outer body with a centrally located diametrical portion, thereby forming one or more shaped apertures on each side of, or around, the centrally located diametrical portion.
The core, when an electromagnet is formed therefrom, can produce a toroidal or obround dipole magnetic field.
The core can be adapted to be separated through and re-joined through, a plane lateral to the direction of extension of the centrally located diametrical portion.
The core can be made of two or more pieces which have a general E shape or rounded E shape and result in a shape representative of two general E shape or rounded E shapes being assembled. It should be recognised that there are numerous variants to achieve a similar magnetic circuit for this ferrite core.
The present invention also provides and excitation chamber and ferrite core subassembly, the core being as described above, and the excitation chamber being as described above.
A lamp having an excitation chamber and ferrite core subassembly as described in the previous paragraph.
The present invention also provides a lamp having a ferrite core as described above.
The present invention further provides an electromagnet being formed from a ferrite core as described above.
A coil or coils of wire can be formed continuously or at either one side or at opposed locations on the centrally located diametrical portion.
The present invention also provides an electromagnet and excitation chamber subassembly, the electromagnet being described above, and the excitation chamber being as described above.
The present invention further provides a lamp having an electromagnet and excitation chamber subassembly as described in the previous paragraph.
The present invention also provides a lamp having an electromagnet as described above.
The present invention further provides a spool for an electromagnetic field coil for an electromagnet, the spool including a body having a generally tubular construction which forms a central aperture and may include at least one winding saddle being formed on the outside of the body so as to wind a wire to form a coil, the spool and the coil being able to be manipulated for assembly into a lamp.
The spool body can be of an elongate shape.
The spool body can be of a skeletal form.
A saddle can be formed at one end or at opposite ends of the spool body.
The spool body can be made from a polymeric material.
The spool can support a single coil at one end and is not compressible or collapsible or deformable at the other end.
The spool can include at least one end which is deformable allowing the spool and the coil to be manipulated for threading through a space between tubular components of a lamp.
Spool deforming can occur prior to, or during, insertion of a core for the electromagnet.
The spool can be deformable by means of being collapsible in response to a compressive pressure or rotatable with respect to an axis lateral to the direction of elongation of the body.
The spool can be deformable by means of collapsing around an axis parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the spool.
The spool can be deformable at opposed ends of the body.
The spool can have at least one end which is deformable in an elastic manner.
The spool can have at least one end which is deformable in a plastic manner, which will resume after deformation its original shape or similar, by insertion of a core of an electromagnet.
The present invention provides an electromagnet, spool and excitation chamber subassembly, wherein the electromagnet is as described above, and the excitation chamber is as described above, and the spool is as described above.
A lamp having an electromagnet, spool and excitation chamber subassembly as described in the previous paragraph.
The present invention also provides a lamp having an electromagnet with a spool as described above.
The present invention further provides an excitation chamber cover for a lamp such as an electrodeless radio frequency powered external closed core electromagnetic inductively coupled low pressure gas discharge electrodeless lamp or electromagnetic radiation source, the excitation chamber cover including a wall segment manufactured from a metal, the wall segment being coated on an inner surface with graphene.
The present invention also provides an excitation chamber cover for a lamp such as an electrodeless radio frequency powered external closed core electromagnetic inductively coupled low pressure gas discharge light source, the excitation chamber cover including a wall segment manufactured from a metal, the wall segment including at least one aperture there through.
The present invention further provides an excitation chamber cover being constructed of a non-metallic material and or composite which is, coated inside and or outside with a graphene or similar conductive material so that it can perform physical and other functions of a metallic excitation chamber cover.
The excitation chamber cover and or the wall segment can be one of the following: continuous; partially circumferential; circumferential; box shape; square shape; rectangular shape.
An inner surface of the excitation chamber cover can be coated with graphene.
The aperture or apertures can be present in an array, or in discrete groupings; or randomly across the periphery of the excitation chamber cover or portion of the cover.
One end of the excitation chamber cover can include one or more flanges and openings therein.
The flange can support a polymeric disc, which can include a plug, lamp holder cap and or terminal formations for connection or connecting an assembled lamp to a supply of electricity.
The excitation chamber cover can be one or both of a faraday cage and a passive heat sink.
The excitation chamber cover can perform the following functions: provides cooling of a ferrite core of an electromagnet; provides thermal stability to an amalgam housing; provides thermal stability to at least one excitation chamber; provides physical protection to components and any integral electronics included within the excitation chamber cover; provides a means or mounting point for any integral electronic or other lamp controller; provides a means or mounting point for a lamp holder cap; provides a bonding point for the bulb.
The present invention also provides a lamp having an excitation chamber cover as described above. Such a lamp can also have one of the following: an excitation chamber and ferrite core subassembly as described above; an electromagnet and excitation chamber subassembly described above; an electromagnet, spool and excitation chamber subassembly described above.
The present invention further provides an electrodeless radio frequency powered external closed core electromagnetic inductively coupled low pressure gas discharge electrodeless lamp or electromagnetic radiation source, including a tubular bulb as described above.
The present invention also provides an electrodeless radio frequency powered external closed core electromagnetic inductively coupled low pressure gas discharge electrodeless lamp or electromagnetic radiation source, including a tubular bulb as manufactured by the method described above.
The electrodeless lamp or electromagnetic radiation source can include an excitation chamber as described above.
The electrodeless lamp or electromagnetic radiation source can include an electromagnetic ferrite core as described above.
The electrodeless lamp or electromagnetic radiation source can include an electromagnet as described above.
The electrodeless lamp or electromagnetic radiation source can include a spool as described above.
The electrodeless lamp or electromagnetic radiation source can include an excitation chamber cover as described above.
The electrodeless lamp or electromagnetic radiation source can include one or more of the following: electronic power controller; electrical power controller; other controllers or power controllers; each of the foregoing being remote or integral with the source.
The electrodeless lamp or electromagnetic radiation source assembly can have one of, or a combination of two or more of the following: the excitation chamber is coated with graphene; the bulb is coated with graphene; the excitation chamber cover is coated with graphene; the excitation chamber is coated with graphene to form a faraday cage; the bulb is coated with graphene to form a faraday cage; the excitation chamber cover is coated with graphene to form a faraday cage.
The electrodeless lamp or electromagnetic radiation source can be such that the electromagnetic radiation generated is in one, or more than one, of the following spectrums: ultraviolet; visible light; infra-red.
The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing an excitation chamber for an electrodeless lamp or electromagnetic radiation source, said chamber including a portion which has a generally U-shaped tubular portion the ends of which have at least one joining flange to engage at least one bulb of a mating shape, said method including the steps of forming said generally U-shaped tubular portion, and forming a joining flange separate from said tubular portion, and assembling said joining flange and said tubular portion and joining and or sealing them together with a gas tight seal.
A detailed description of a preferred embodiment will follow, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures of the drawings, in which:
FIG. 27D2 illustrates a partial cross section of the flange of
Bulb Features and Construction
As is depicted in
Illustrated in
The inner periphery 101.1 transitions from its circular outer shape by a transition surface 101.2 into the start of two tubes 102. At the location of intersection of the two shapes from the transition surface 101.2 to the tubes 102, is a further transition surface 102.1, which because of its smooth blending of surfaces and tangential nature, and the transparent nature of the tubular bulb 100, may not been seen in the final tubular bulb 100.
In the embodiment of
The two tubes 102 are illustrated in
The tubular bulb 100 can be manufactured from a material which is transparent or translucent, such as: glass; silica glass; quartz glass; a polymeric material; a composite material. If required or desired the outside of the tubular bulb 100 can be coated with graphene. The graphene coating when charged, will enable a surface to be generated that will assist to attenuate generated radio frequencies emitted from a lamp, such as lamp 1000 of
Illustrated in
The union or joining piece 102.5 can be made separately to the tubes 102 and joined thereto in a subsequent production step, or if desired, the joining piece or union 102.5 can be made integrally with the tubes 102, when they are being formed.
The tubular bulbs 100 and 110 as described above in relation to
Illustrated in
Illustrated in
Illustrated in
The tubular bulb 140 has four mounting interfaces 101, which extend radially inwardly near the ends of the tubes 102. The ends of the tubes 102 may each terminate in a hemispherical end 102.11. The mounting interfaces 101, of which only the upper two are visible in
Illustrated in
The tubular bulb 140′ has two mounting interfaces 101′, visible in
Method of Making the Tubular Bulb
The above described tubular bulbs 100, 110, 120, 130 and 140, can be made by an exemplary process as illustrated in schematic fashion the flow chart of
A brief summary of this process is that the tubular bulbs, such as 100, 110, 120, 130 and 140 from
The method of manufacturing the tubular bulbs 100, 110, 120, 130, 140 as described above, includes the steps of: (a) forming a single first tube (the later remainder of which forms rim or rims 101.1 and mounting interface 101); (b) heating, or maintaining the heat, of a central portion of the single tube to a working temperature; (c) applying pressure the central portion so as to form two second tubes 102 from the single first tube.
An additional step can be performed sequentially or simultaneously with the method, namely that of maintaining at least one end of the single first tube as being an original single first tube shape; or alternatively modifying at least one end of the single first tube to result in a different shape or size to the original single first tube shape.
Step (c) is preferably performed by means of a mould or any appropriate means and it creates one of the following between the two second tubes 102: a continuous web 103 between them; an intermittent web between them (not illustrated); a space or void between them (not illustrated).
The method of manufacture, when single ended tubular bulbs 110, 130 are to be made, will leave only one end maintained as being the original single first tube shape. For single ended tubes or tubular bulbs 110, 130, the manufacturing method will either preferably form a U-shaped or 180 degree union 102.5 simultaneously in the mould described in the preceding step; or will, at the end opposite to the one end, leave open the two second tubes 102. If the second tubes 102 are left open, they can later be joined to each other, by a U-shaped or 180 degree union or joining piece 102.5, so that they are in gas communication with each other. Such a later join can be made by any appropriate means such as butt welding; joining flanges; fused joins etc.
At some point further in the production process the method will also include one or more of the following steps: maintaining an extra single first tube length portion for positioning, rotating or clamping in the subsequent steps; trimming the ends of the single first tube to arrive at a finished bulb configuration; cleaning; applying an internal coating or coatings; inserting sub-assemblies; assembling sub-assemblies; welding, affixing, fusing or bonding of additional sections or components; fusing additional sections or components; applying an external coating or coatings; applying externally a graphene coating.
The bifurcation forming stage can be introduced into the glass tube production process, optimally in line in such a manner as to utilise retained tube heat during the glass drawing process. Equally the bifurcation forming stage may be performed at a later time requiring higher input energy to reheat the material to the required forming temperature. Refer flowchart describing the potential manufacturing and assembly process for bifurcating the bulb body of a typical linear lamp.
The resultant bifurcated tube may not be the finished shape in that it may contain an extra or remaining length of original single tube length portion that was retained for positioning, rotating or clamping in the subsequent assembly and manufacturing process (either automated or manual). This extra or remaining length of original single tube length portion would be trimmed within the manufacturing process to arrive at the finished lamp tubular bulb configuration.
The benefits which can be achieved by these tubular bulb constructions and manufacturing processes include: better or high speed production; energy efficient production as it uses residual heat from the glass drawing line; it enables a wide range of bulb cross-section geometry due to body moulding possibilities; it enables greater bulb rigidity as webbing 103 and ribbing bosses can be introduced into the bulb shape; it enables potential for embedded power cabling within the bifurcated web for transferring power from one end of the lamp to the other end, giving added safety, physical and electrical protection to the user and cabling—this will be described in more detail below.
As illustrated in
Comment 1: Glass raw materials are fed into the furnace in order to produce the desired glass required e.g. soda ash, quartz or other, in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. Glass is then introduced into a mandrel, nozzle or some other apparatus where it is typically interfaced with air in order to draw a hollow original tube, typically in accordance with one of the more widely accepted manufacturing fundamentals.
Comment 2: The single original tube will travel either vertically under gravity or by some other means to a point where it has slightly cooled and will engage with either an air or some other form of conveyor (not illustrated). This conveyor will carry the single original tube a distance to the next station by which time it will have hardened and be of the desired final shape, straightness etc.
Comment 3: By the time the single original tube reaches the tube cut off station it will have cooled significantly and will be at the optimum temperature to allow it to be cut to approximate length. The original tube may be cut by means of thermal shock, mechanical apparatus or some other means.
Comment 4: The single original tube having been cut into individual lengths will now enter either an inline or parallel series of heating chambers (dependent on the manufacturing plant, throughput etc.). Each heating station will heat the lengths of glass original tube to an optimal forming temperature until they are passed into the cavity mould(s).
Comment 5: Upon entering the cavity mould station, the single original tube will be partially pressurized with a gas, and a force applied to the mould in order to create the bifurcated shape of bulb designated by the respective design, as illustrated in
Comment 6: Dependent upon the manufacturing process utilised and residual heat within the bifurcated bulb, the tube may be heated before the tube trim station or may be heated after the trim station. Either way, sufficient heat must be present to size the end of the bifurcated lamp post trimming. Alternative to this separate station, the manufacturer may elect to trim the single original tube to the exact length immediately after moulding and whilst still held captive by the mould, or immediately afterwards. If performed in a separate station, fine positioning may be required prior to trimming.
Comment 7: The tubular bulb end(s), being the original diameter of the single original tube, are sized for later connection to a predetermined excitation chamber, as will be described in more detail below.
Comment 8: The now bifurcated tubular bulb will then be conveyed to the cleaning station in accordance with the manufacturer's process preference. It is possible that the conveyor will transition the now bifurcated tubular bulb from the horizontal to vertical plane where it will ultimately be cleaned and rinsed to remove any debris or chemicals resulting from the previous manufacturing steps. A chemical application is applied to the internal wall of the bifurcated tubular bulb in order to seal same.
Comment 9: The cleaned and treated open bifurcated tubular bulb progresses to the next station where a phosphor solution is applied (in the case of a visible light lamp) to the entire internal surface of the tubes 102 and is subsequently drained to a prescribed thickness. Excess solution is removed from the ends of the bifurcated tubular bulb which will later interface with the excitation chamber. Lamps designed for other applications such as Ultra violet and infra-red may or may not include a phosphor lining and hence may not have a solution applied as described above.
Comment 10: The bifurcated and coated tubes are conveyed through an oven to remove any residual binder chemicals which had been included in the phosphor or other solution.
Excitation Chamber Features and Construction
Illustrated in
Likewise with the tubular bulbs described above, the intersection of the outlet of the excitation tubes 202 with the face 204 of the excitation chamber 200, as depicted by transition surface or radii 202.2 would not be seen in the glass or transparent construction of the excitation chambers 200, because the transition surfaces 202.2 at their extremities are tangential to the internal shape of the tube portion 202 and the surface 204.
The surface 204, as best seen from
The excitation chamber 200 as best seen from
The excitation chamber 200, whilst having the above described features for sealingly interacting with the mounting interfaces 101 of the previously described bulbs, will also allow the connection, by welding or fusing etc. of an appropriately shaped end of a tube, which may be straight or u-shaped, or some other appropriate shape.
Illustrated in
It should be noted that the excitation tubes 202 for an excitation chamber could be made of any cross sectional shape, anywhere in the excitation chamber, including that area surrounded by the ferrite core. Such cross sectional shapes can include circular, triangular square, obround or rectangular. This list not exhaustive.
As described above, the excitation chamber 210, by virtue of mounting flange 201 is connectable to circular straight tubes or U-tubes to produce a lamp as shown in
Illustrated in
Illustrated in
Illustrated in
A space or gap 203′ will be formed as in the previously described excitation chambers, which will provide a gap into which a spool and coil windings can be assembled. In this embodiment, the excitation chamber 220′ is made from a separate flange 201′ which is joined and sealed to the U tube 202′, in a gas tight manner. It will be noted from the Figs that the U-shaped tube 202′ has a flattened cross section on its tubular construction, while its ends are flared and terminate in cylindrical rims, for engagement with the flange 201′.
Illustrated in
A difference between the chamber 230 of
The production of an excitation chamber such as 220′ or 230′ with a separate intermediate flange 201′ allows for an assembly of the excitation chamber to the bulb, whereby the excitation chamber and bulb glass may differ. The ring 201.12 intermediates between the glass of the excitation chamber and the glass of the bulb. The intermediate flange 201′ allows for the accommodating of a thermal co-efficient difference between the bulb and the excitation chamber, by acting as a medium between them, and also acts as a flux glass when they melt and or are fused together.
In respect of the manufacture of the excitation tubes 200, 210, 220, 220′, 230 and 230′, an expected method of manufacture is described in the flowchart of
Comment 11: Glass tubes are produced in a similar manner as described in the first 6 steps of the flowchart of
Comment 12: The glass tubes are passed to a forming station where they are heated to an elevated temperature wherein they are bent to form a U-shape after being partially pressurised with gas. The ends of the tube are again heated and undergo a secondary forming process to produce the mating or mounting flange 201 which later mates with the bifurcated bulb body mounting flange 101.
Comment 13: The excitation chamber will index to the next station wherein the amalgam and exhaust tubes will be attached.
Comment 14: This final stage comprises heating of the excitation such that the mating or mounting flange 201 can be trimmed to the final dimensions and the mating face “sized”.
The plasma excitation chambers 200, 210, 220 and 230 can also be coated externally with a thermal barrier coating to isolate thermal radiation from the housed plasma. The excitation chambers 200, 210, 220 and 230, due to their relatively small size compared to the tubular lamp body, will also be somewhat isolated from radiation given off by the bulb body when in operation and so will run cooler and more efficiently than current lamps designs.
The plasma excitation chambers 200, 210, 220 and 230 can be produced in a single piece moulding and is initially envisaged to be constructed of glass although other suitable materials may be used.
The plasma excitation chambers 200, 210, 220 and 230 will be mated with the tubes or tubular bulbs and then welded, fused or otherwise joined, during the manufacture/assembly process, to the bifurcated tubes or straight cut tubes as the case may be.
The construction of the above excitation chambers 200, 210, 220 and 230 ensures that when in use (please also refer to the section below entitled “Electromagnet geometry and its magnetic circuit”), the ionisable gases will be excited at two locations in each excitation chamber or U-shaped pathway.
Ferrite Core Features and Construction
Illustrated in
The half ferrite core 300 has a body 301 being a circumferential section, which terminates at ends 303, with straight sides 301.1. At the centre of the body 301 the core 300 has a straight projection or portion 302, such that when two half cores are joined face to face, that is in mirror image of each other, so that their opposed ends 303 meet, the respective portions 302 will form a diametrical portion, that is, along a diameter of a circle formed by the contacting bodies 301. The half ferrite core 300 has a generally rounded “E” geometry, similar to the Euro symbol.
Whilst the above describes a preferred design for an assembled ferrite core, it will be recognised that there are numerous variants to achieve a similar magnetic circuit for the electromagnet and thus a lamp construction. For example, a half toroid with a long middle portion 302, joining up with a half toroid, as in .
The portion 302 is generally twice the cross sectional area of 301 and may be any desirable shape with radiused, or rounded, edges 302.1. As illustrated the portion 302 is generally rectangular or square shape.
The core 300 when joined to a like core to produce a circle with a diametrical line through it, can be described as a shape which includes a generally toroidal outer body with a centrally located diametrical portion formed from two opposed portions 302. This will form D-shaped apertures on each side of, or around, the centrally located diametrical portion formed from two opposed portions 302. When a coil is applied, as discussed in more detail below, this will produce a toroidal dipole magnetic field.
The ferrite core 300 is produced as a half, as this allows easy assembly with an excitation chamber such as 200, 210, 220 or 230 as discussed above, when assembling a lamp such as lamp 1000, as will be discussed below. The half ferrite cores 300 are formed so as to be separated through and re-joined through, a plane lateral to the direction of extension of the centrally located diametrical portion formed from two opposed portions 302.
Illustrated in
Illustrate in ; and the other an upside down side on D-
shaped form.
Electromagnet Geometry and its Magnetic Circuit
When assembled with a coil, two half ferrite cores 300, or 310, form an electromagnet 400 as is illustrated in
Preferably the coils of wire, which form the electromagnet 400, are formed and positioned at opposed locations on the centrally located diametrical portion made from two opposed central portions 302.
The electromagnet 400 formed from such a rounded double E geometry produces a toroidal dipole electromagnet design that enables plasma excitation advantages previously not possible with current toroidal electromagnet design. These include:
The improvements to plasma excitation electromagnet 400, from the compounded improvements in the spool 500, 510, and coil 600, 610, the ferrite core 300, 310 etc., is that it enables an improved magnetic circuit design whereby the electromagnets 400 and excitation chambers 200, 210, 220, 230, can be provided within the footprint or envelope (when viewing down the axial length of the tubular bulb or straight cut tubes) or the within the cross sectional area through a solid of revolution created by revolving the tubular bulb or two straight cut tubes, around a central longitudinal axis of the assembly.
Core Spool—Collapsible Field Winding Mounting Former
In order to assist with the assembly of the electromagnet 400 with and through the excitation chambers 200, 210, 220 and 230, a field winding mounting former or spool 500 has been developed, and is now described in more detail with reference to
Illustrated in
In the event of only one winding saddle 502 or a coil 601 or 602 at only one end of the core spool, then the core spool may or may not have the ability to deform at least one end of 501.1.
The ends 501.1 are of a generally square ring shape and at the upper and lower edges of the ring shape end 501.1 are four vertically extending coil retaining flanges 503. The ends 501.1 are interconnected by pair of spaced axially extending arms 504. On the outboard side of one of the arms 504 is located a wire holder formation 506, which will hold a wire segment 603 of the coil 600, which extends between the coils 601 and 602. The ends 501.1 and the saddles formed by the vertically extending coil retaining flanges 503, will allow a coil of the shape of coil 600 to be formed.
In the event of a coil only being present at one end of the core spool then the wire holder formation 506 may or may not be included.
The body 501 has the aperture 505 through it, so that the middle portion 302 of ferrite cores 300 and 310 can be situated therein in a final assembly.
The body 501 is manufactured from relatively thin sections of polymeric material such as Mylar or polyester, and thus has relatively little weight. The skeletal nature of the body 501 also contributes to this relatively low weight. Additionally, the relatively thin structure of the ends 501.1 is such that, together with the large apertures in the body 501 between the ends 501.1, allows the ends 501.1 to collapse by compressive forces by squeezing the upper and lower sides of the ends 501.1. When a coil 602 or 601 is located therein, this too will collapse, lowering the profile of the end 501.1 and the coil 601 or 602, so that they can be pushed through, or squeezed through, the space or gap 203 on the excitation chambers 200, 210, 220, 230. Once in position, so that coil 601 and 602 are on either side of the space or gap 203, the ends 501.1 can return to their original shape by material memory, or formations provided which may assist this, or be returned to their original shape by means of insertion of the ferrite core portion 302.
The deforming of the ends 501.1 can occur prior to, or during, insertion of a core portion 302 for the electromagnet 400.
In an alternative embodiment of the spool 500, the spool can be of much the same skeletal form, but one or both ring ends 501.1 can be made rotatable or pivotal with respect to the arms 504, so as to be rotatable about an axis lateral to the direction of elongation of the body 501. This will allow the coil 601 or 602 to be pivoted or rotated, thus changing the profile of the coil with respect to passage through the space or gap 203, allowing thereby to be pushed through the gap 203.
The deformation of the ends 501.1 can be by elastic deformation or plastic deformation. If elastic it may resume its shape of its own accord, or if plastic, then assistance to regain its shape is required by later assembly processes, such as by insertion of a core portion 302 of the electromagnet 400.
Illustrated in
Illustrated in
The coils 600 and 610 which can be formed on the spools 500, 510, and 520, can be formed so as to make coil segment 601 and 602 so that appropriately sized and insulated wire, as would be commonly known to a skilled person, can be wound thereon with as many windings as needed, depending upon the characteristics, such as strength and field shape, of the magnetic field that needs to be generated to create an appropriate level of induction in the excitation chamber.
By providing the coils 601 and 602 at spaced locations along the central portion of the ferrite cores 300, 310 and 310′, and not the whole way along that central portion, facilitates heat dissipation and optimises use of the available excitation chamber.
Excitation Chamber and Electromagnet Assembly or Subassembly
Illustrated in
Illustrated in
Illustrated in
Illustrated in
It will be noted from
Illustrated in
It will be also noted from
Excitation Chamber Cover—Passive Heatsink & Faraday Cage
Illustrated in
The wall segment 701 includes an array of apertures 702 there through. That is each hole or aperture in the array passes through the wall segment 701. While a distinctive linear or line based array of holes is utilised in the illustrations of
The wall segment 701 is continuous and circular, that is generally cylindrical. But any shape, according to manufacturers or market needs could be utilised such as partially circumferential; box shape; square shape; rectangular shape.
The interior surface 701.1 of the excitation chamber cover 700 can be coated with graphene, to assist it to perform its functions, as described below.
While the excitation chamber cover 700 is preferably made wholly of metal, it may be possible to have a plurality of segments such as a metallised polymeric excitation chamber cover formation, making a composite excitation chamber cover. Alternatively the excitation chamber cover may be constructed of any material including a polymer or composite or other material capable of conducting an electric charge.
The excitation chamber cover 700 has a tapered section 703 at its base which turns down to the base flange 704 which has a radial flange 705, leaving an opening in the base of the excitation chamber cover 700. The excitation chamber cover 700 receives in its base a polymeric disc 709 (visible in
The excitation chamber cover 700 includes or functions as one or both of a faraday cage and a passive heat sink. It provides cooling of a ferrite core of an electromagnet and thus additionally provides thermal stability to an amalgam housing 206 and thus provides a stable temperature environment, by controlling air flow around the at least one excitation chamber. It additionally provides physical protection to components and any integral lamp controller electronics included within the excitation chamber cover or the lamp holder cap; is a means or mounting point for a lamp holder cap; and provides a bonding point for the bulb.
The heatsink and faraday cage formed by the excitation chamber cover 700 together with a graphene coating on the glass tubular bulb, and optionally the excitation chamber(s), enables a charged surface to be generated that will attenuate generated radio frequencies emitted from the assembled lamp when in operation.
Illustrated in
A another excitation chamber cover 710′ is Illustrated in
Lamp Assembly
Illustrated in
In the lamp 1600, tube 102 of the bulb 140 is connected to the excitation chamber 230, so that only a single ionization gas circuit is produced. If desired, the excitation chambers 230 can be oriented and connected to the mounting flanges 101 on tubes 102, so that the upper tube 102 is in a separate circuit to that of the lower tube 102.
Illustrated in
Illustrated in
While specific lamp types 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1400′, 1500, 1600, 1600′, 1600″, 1700 and 1800 are illustrated and described above, other combinations of components can be made. For example, electromagnet 400/dual excitation chamber 230 assembly of
Additionally, the electromagnet 400 and dual excitation chamber 230 assembly of
The assembly procedure is schematically illustrated in
Comment 15: The completed bulb body e.g. 100, and excitation chambers e.g. 200, will be introduced to an assembly station where they will be positioned, held and fused, welded or otherwise joined together with heat to create the lamp body.
Comment 16: A graphene coating will be applied to the outer surface of the lamp body assembly, that is the tubular bulb e.g. 100 and excitation chamber e.g. 200.
Comment 17: A vacuum will be applied to the lamp body prior to the introduction of an operating gas, insertion of mercury or an amalgam, via the exhaust tube 207 and amalgam tube 206. The exhaust and amalgam tubes will be sealed to create an airtight lamp body.
Comment 18: A heat barrier coating will be applied to the excitation chamber ends. A silicon or similar compound will be applied to the excitation chamber in the areas which interface with the ferrite.
Comment 19: The core spool and winding will have been assembled and introduced as a complete assembly to the production line. The core spool with its integral winding will be partially collapsed or deformed in such a manner that it can be fed into the spacing or gap 203 between the tubes 202 of the U-Shaped sections of the excitation chambers e.g. 200 whereupon it will expand back, or be expanded back, to its designated shape.
Comment 20: The half ferrite cores e.g. 300 will be fed into either side of the aperture 505 of the spool e.g. 500 being the core spool/winding assembly and around the outer side of the excitation chamber e.g. 200. Care will be taken to not wipe away the silicon coating or similar coating which had been previously applied to the outer faces of the excitation chamber e.g. 200 where it passes through the half ferrite cores e.g. 300. The half ferrite cores 300 will be fused together, at their abutting ends 303 by heat, or laser welding etc. and or a conductive filler material if preferred by the manufacturer.
Comment 21: An excitation chamber cover 700 will be introduced to the assembly line and a lining of graphene applied to the internal face.
If the particular model of lamp includes an integral controller (Electronic Control Gear or ECG), then the ECG will be installed and mechanically affixed and electrically connected to and within the excitation chamber cover 700.
The end wires of the coils 601 and 602, commonly called fly wires will be soldered to the lamp holder cap electrical terminals, or in the case of an integral ECG, to the ECG which in turn will be connected to the lamp holder cap electrical terminals.
Comment 22: An adhesive or amalgam solder will be applied to the outer surface of the excitation chamber e.g. 201.1 in the area which will interface with the excitation chamber cover 700.
The excitation chamber cover 700 is fitted over the ferrite core outer surface and secured by means of adhesive or amalgam to the outer face of the excitation chamber lamp body.
Comment 23: The complete bifurcated lamp is now tested for technical and functional performance.
Variations to the above method will be needed according to which lamp assembly 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1600′, 1600″, 1700 or 1800 is being manufactured.
It will be noted that the double ended lamps 1000, 1300 and 1400, are each illustrated as being directly connected to electricity at each end. If desired, for these double ended lamps, as can be seen in
It will be noted from the above description, that dimensions are not provided, such as wall thickness, length or height or width of tubular bulb; diameter of tubes etc. This is because a person skilled in the art of bulb making, will according to what materials are used, what lamp characteristics are to be obtained, what machinery to make and assemble, will select such dimensions according to needs and conditions, and some trial and error may be required before selecting the dimension to be actually manufactured.
While in the above embodiments and their description, and in some of the claims below, there is utilised the expression “gas communication”, it will be understood that this will include liquid communication if a liquid is included in substances held within the bulb. Further, once excited, the expression “gas communication” will include plasma communication to facilitate creation and or sustain plasma through the tubes and the excitation chambers.
The above described lamp assemblies have some of the following benefits.
By locating the amalgam housing 206 behind the mounting flanges 101 and 201, and by utilising a relatively small thermally insulated excitation chamber e.g. 200 in such a manner that it is thermally isolated from the luminous radiation from the tubular bulb e.g. 100 of the lamp e.g. 1000 the amalgam housing will be thermally stabilised. The amalgam therefore operates more efficiently than currently occurs with existing induction lamp designs in the market place.
The deformable or collapsible spool e.g. 500 which is a field winding mounting former, enables automated precision field winding and collapses in such a manner to facilitate easy entry to the excitation chamber e.g. 200 entry aperture or gap 203, and thus a relatively fast, easy assembly during the manufacturing process.
The design of the lamps, enable miniaturisation of an electrodeless lamp with both integral and external low to medium RF powered electromagnetic field to achieve excitation of a low pressure gas to generate a plasma.
The design of the components described above, assists in reducing the cost of lamp manufacture without compromising intrinsic induction lamp performance.
The embodiments described above enable manufacture of both linear and bulbular low pressure induction lamps on modified existing conventional lamp making machines, and allows automated simplification of low pressure induction lamp manufacture.
The embodiments of the invention will also allow self-ballasted low pressure induction lamps to be retrofitted in existing lamp sockets which previously used a self-ballasted lamp of either bulbular GLS incandescent, compact fluorescent, linear or bulbular LED or some other type of lamp. When replacing a lamp which previously used an external ballast, the previous ballast will be disconnected and replaced with a suitable low pressure induction lamp controller (ballast), or will be disconnected and replaced by a self-ballasted low pressure induction lamp.
Currently all low pressure induction lamps are physically large for their respective light or UV radiation output which makes these lamps unappealing for commercial and residential use. This relegates their application to low volume specialised use, and they are expensive to manufacture. It is expected that this will be reversed with the embodiments described above.
The embodiments described above enable miniaturisation of the key components of a low pressure induction lamp construction and thus achieves a smaller, lower cost light source without compromising the intrinsic induction lamp performance. This makes the lamps of the above embodiments more appealing to users and therefore potentially broadens applications, enabling larger market opportunities.
The lamps typical of 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1600′, 1600″, 1700, and 1800 have a diverse performance range of the order of 2 W extending to 2000 W. This is supported by the electromagnet assembly geometry and the resultant magnetic circuit allowing greater surface area of magnetic coupling within the excitation chamber. The geometry affords a compact excitation chamber for narrow profile tubular and bulbular lamps of narrow cross section. The geometry also effectively creates two toroidal magnetic couplings while utilising only one field winding, thereby reducing power losses.
The lamps 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1600′, 1600″, 1700 and 1800 are expected to be simpler, cheaper and faster to manufacturer than existing magnetic induction lamps using conventional lamp glass making machinery.
While the lamps 1600, 1600′ and 1600″ all show tubular bulbs which are round or square in shape, and other lamps have bulbs which are linear, it will be understood that the embodiments described above can be applied to bulbs of any shape, including rhomboid, triangular, hexagonal, ellipsoidal and many other shapes.
Where ever it is used, the word “comprising” is to be understood in its “open” sense, that is, in the sense of “including”, and thus not limited to its “closed” sense, that is the sense of “consisting only of”. A corresponding meaning is to be attributed to the corresponding words “comprise”, “comprised” and “comprises” where they appear.
It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.
While particular embodiments of this invention have been described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments and examples are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all modifications which would be obvious to those skilled in the art are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016901058 | Mar 2016 | AU | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/AU2017/050247 | 3/20/2017 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2017/161413 | 9/28/2017 | WO | A |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20190051510 A1 | Feb 2019 | US |
