Patent Application
20090316410
The present invention relates to a metal vapor discharge lamp, and a lighting fixture having the lamp.
Metal vapor discharge lamps of high luminance, high efficiency and long life, such as a metal halide lamp (hereinafter, simply referred to as “lamp”), have been widely used in many places for the above features.
A conventional lighting fixture that uses the above lamp as a light source further includes, in addition to the lamp, a reflector that has a concave reflecting surface that reflects light emitted from the lamp in a desired direction. The reflector's light output opening is covered with, for example, a front glass plate(what is called a closed type lighting fixture). Note that the reason for covering the light output opening is to prevent broken pieces of the lamp from scattering outside of the lighting fixture when the lamp (arc tube) is broken for some reasons.
Recently, there has been a demand for a so-called open type lighting fixture whose light output opening is not covered with a front glass. To meet such a demand, a lamp with the following structure is suggested. For example, the lamp is composed of an arc tube, an inner tube and an outer tube, which is so-called a triple-tube structure. The inner tube houses the arc tube, and the outer tube houses the inner tube. If the inner tube is damaged because of the breakage of the arc tube, broken pieces of the inner tube remain within the outer tube. (e.g. Patent Document 1).
However, because of the triple-tube structure, the lamp tends to grow in size. To simply downsize the lamp, the arc tube and the inner tube, or the inner tube and the outer tube are brought to be closer to each other. However, the closeness causes the temperature of the outer tube to rise excessively high. When the temperature rises inordinately high, the outer tube has problems, such as deformation and crack, and consequently may be broken.
The present invention is made in view of the above problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a metal vapor discharge lamp and a lighting fixture that can be downsized while preventing the above problems by optimizing the positions of the outer tube, the inner tube, and the arc tube.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a metal vapor discharge lamp that includes an arc tube, an inner tube housing the arc tube, and an outer tube housing the inner tube satisfies the following relation:
2×A+B≧1.06
where A represents, in millimeters, the shortest distance between the arc tube and the inner tube along a line in a radial direction of the inner tube, and B represents, in millimeters, a distance between the inner tube and the outer tube along the line.
Through experiments, the inventors have figured out that the breakage of the outer tube can hardly occur when the shortest distance A and the distance B between the inner tube and the outer tube satisfy the above relation.
Furthermore, the shortest distance A satisfies the following relation:
A≧0.3.
Through experiments, the inventors have figured out that when the shortest distance A satisfies the above relation, an area of the arc tube which neighbors the inner tube is prevented from being turned into a brown color.
Furthermore, the arc tube has a pair of electrodes therein that oppose each other substantially in line, and the following relations are satisfied:
α≦5, and
β≦2.5
where α represents, in millimeters, a distance between the arc tube and the inner tube in a cross section in which the distance between the arc tube and the inner tube is shortest, the cross section being taken perpendicularly to an imaginary line that connects the pair of the electrodes, the cross section being present between the pair of the electrodes, and β represents, in millimeters, a distance between the inner tube and the outer tube in a cross section in which the distance between the inner tube and the outer tube is shortest, the cross section being taken perpendicularly to the imaginary line that connects the pair of the electrodes, the cross section being present between the pair of the electrodes.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a lighting fixture including a metal vapor discharge lamp and a reflector that reflects, in a desired direction, light emitted from the metal vapor discharge lamp, and the metal vapor discharge lamp is the metal vapor discharge lamp as described above.
Through experiments, the inventors have figured out that when the shortest distance A of the metal vapor discharge lamp and the distance B between the inner tube and the outer tube satisfy the above relation, the breakage of the outer tube is prevented.
In a metal vapor discharge lamp in accordance with an embodiment the present invention, a shortest distance A between the arc tube and the inner tube along a line in a radial direction of the arc tube, the distance B between the inner tube and the outer tube along the line, and sizes of the arc tube, the inner tube and the outer tube are determined in the range where the shortest distance A and the distance B satisfy the relational expression of the present invention. Thus, the compact metal vapor discharge lamp that hardly causes the breakage of the outer tube and such can be obtained.
In a lighting fixture in accordance with the present invention, when the shortest distance A and the distance B satisfy the relational expression of the present invention, the outer tube may not be broken or the like. Furthermore, when the sizes of the arc tube, the inner tube and the outer tube are determined in the range where the above relational expression is satisfied, a compact metal vapor discharge lamp that hardly causes the breakage of the outer tube and such can be obtained. Since the lighting fixture includes the lamp, the compact lighting fixture can be obtained.
The following describes a lighting fixture and a lamp that is employed as a lighting source of the lighting fixture in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to the attached figures.
As shown in
The lighting apparatus 12 includes a reflector 16 that reflects, in a forward direction, light emitted from the lamp 14 placed therein, a socket (unshown) which is mounted inside the reflector 16 and to which the lamp 14 is attached, and an attachment 18 that fixes the reflector 16 to a wall or a ceiling.
As shown in
The socket is electrically connected to a base of the lamp 14 and supplies the lamp 14 with electricity. Note that a ballast (unshown) to light the lamp 14 is fixed on, for example, the ceiling (or in the roof space), such as being embedded in the ceiling, and supplies the electricity to the lamp 14 via a power supplier 24 that is described later.
The attachment 18 is, for example, in a shape of the letter “U,” and includes a pair of arms 26 (,26) that are arranged in parallel to each other and a connection part (unshown) that connects the pair of the arms 26 (,26). The reflector 16 is rotatably fixed by being sandwiched by the pair of the arms 26 (,26). The connection part is attached to, for example, the wall or the ceiling. Note that a direction of the light radiated from the lighting fixture 10 can be adjusted by rotating the attachment 18 that is rotatably fixed to the reflector 16.
The lamp 14 has a triple-tube structure, with an arc tube 30 having a pair of electrodes and a discharge space therein, an inner tube 32 that is an airtight envelope housing the arc tube 30, and an outer tube 34 that is a protective envelope housing the inner tube 32. The lamp 14 further includes a base 36 that receives the electricity from the socket of the lighting apparatus 12.
Note that in a case where the arc tube is broken for some reason, and consequently the broken pieces damage the inner tube 32, since the lamp 14 includes the outer tube 34, the breakage of the arc tube 30 usually does not damage the outer tube 34.
The arc tube 30 has an envelope 46 that includes a main tube part 40 having an airtight discharge space 38 therein and thin tube parts 42 and 44 each extending outwardly in the axial direction of the main tube part 40. The main tube part 40 and the thin tube parts 42 and 44 are made of transparent ceramic materials, such as polycrystalline alumina ceramics. Note that the main tube part 40 and the thin tube parts 42 and 44 may be made of other ceramics, quartz glass or the like.
The main tube part 40 is provided with a pair of electrodes 50 and 52 provided within the discharge space 38. The electrodes 50 and 52 approximately oppose each other on the central axis in the longitudinal direction of the lamp 14 (hereinafter, simply referred to as “lamp axis”), or on a parallel axis to the lamp axis. In addition, within the discharge space 38, given amounts of metal halide that is a luminous material, a rare gas that aids start of the lighting, mercury that is a buffer gas are enclosed. As the metal halide, for example, mixed iodide made of sodium iodide, dysprosium iodide or cerium iodide is used. Note that the metal halide for the use depends on a luminous color of the lamp 14.
As shown in
Note that as described above, ideally (in a design), the electrodes 50 and 52 are approximately opposed to each other on the lamp axis, which is to say, the central axes of the electrode rods 54 and 56 are arranged approximately on the lamp axis. However, actually, due to the accuracy of the process, the central axes may not be on the lamp axis.
Power feeders 66 and 68 whose ends are connected to the electrodes 50 and 52, respectively, are inserted to the thin tube parts 42 and 44 respectively. The power feeders 66 and 68 are respectively sealed with sealing members 67 and 69 that are made of frit poured into the thin tube part 42 and 44 from the opposite end to the main tube part 40. Note that parts of the sealing members 67 and 69 shown in
The description of the lamp 14 is made again.
As shown in
A part of the power supplier 74 toward the base 36 that faces the power supplier 72 and the power feeder 66 connected thereto is covered with a sleeve 76 made of, for example, quartz glass.
As shown in
Thus, the inner tube 32 is an airtight envelope whose one end is sealed. The pinched and sealed end of the inner tube 32 is called a pinch seal part 86.
A protrusion part 90 present at another end of the inner tube 32 is a tip-off part that is a remnant of an exhaust pipe having been used for evacuating atmosphere from the inner tube 32. The inner tube 32 is evacuated in order to prevent oxidation of metal members such as the power feeders 66 and 68, the power suppliers 72 and 74 and the like that are exposed to high temperatures during the operation of the lamp.
The inner tube 32 is covered with the outer tube 34 in a bottomed tubular shape (which is a tube having one open end and one closed end) as shown in
As with the inner tube 32, the outer tube 34 is in a tubular shape such as a cylinder in order to make the lamp compact. The interior of the outer tube 34 communicates with the exterior of the outer tube 32, which is to say, the outer tube 34 is exposed to the atmosphere. Note that, in this embodiment, the inner tube housing the arc tube, the outer tube and the base are bonded with an adhesive (e.g. cement).
In addition to the function as the protective tube, the outer tube 34 has the following function. The outer tube 34 absorbs, from light that is emitted from the arc tube 30 and passes through the inner tube, ultraviolet that is radiated from the lamp and affects human body and the like. 3. Positional Relation among Arc Tube, Inner Tube, and Outer Tube
Through various studies, the inventors have obtained the optimum positional relation among the arc tube 30, the inner tube 32, and the outer tube 34 that does not cause the breakage of the outer tube 34.
A distance between the inner tube 32 and the arc tube 30 that is the shortest distance along a line in a radial direction of the arc tube 30 is expressed as A (hereinafter, simply referred to as “shortest distance A”). A distance between the inner tube 32 and the outer tube 34 on an imaginary extension C along the line where the shortest distance is present is expressed as B (hereinafter, simply referred to as “distance B.” That is to say, it is turned out that the breakage of the outer tube 34 can be prevented when the following expression is satisfied,
2×A+B≧1.06 (Expression 1)
This experiment was carried out as follows. The lamp 14 was lit when the lamp axis was on an approximately horizontal status (hereinafter, simply referred to as “horizontal lighting”), and the outer tube temperature was measured with a thermocouple. Note that when the outer tube temperatures were measured, extrapolation calculated from thermal changes after turning off the lamp was employed. The extrapolation was used to accurately measure the temperatures of the outer tube 34 by eliminating the influence of the thermal radiation that is caused by the arc tube 30 and is exerted upon the thermocouple.
The safety and the reliability during the lamp life were measured by checking strain accumulation generated in the outer tube 34 with use of a strain meter. The “◯” in
Power consumption of the lamp 14 used in the experiment is 70 (W). The arc tube 30 includes the main body part 40 whose maximum outside diameter D1 is 9.7 (mm). The wall thickness of the inner tube 32 is 1.25 (mm), the inside diameter D2 of the inner tube 32 is 13 (mm), and the outside diameter D3 of the inner tube 32 is 15.5 (mm). The wall thickness of the outer tube 34 is 1.3 (mm), the inside diameter D4 of the outer tube 34 is 17.9 (mm), and the outside diameter of the outer tube 34 is 20.5 (mm). The bulb wall loading is set to 25.5 (W/cm2).
The shortest distance A and the distance B are set to given values as follows. The tube axes of the arc tube 30, the inner tube 32, and the outer tube 34 are displaced, and consequently, the arc tube 30 and the inner tube 32 are partially brought closer to each other (this distance corresponds to the shortest distance A). In an imaginary extension of a line connecting the arc tube 30 and the inner tube 32, a distance (this corresponds to the distance B) between the inner tube 32 and the outer tube 34 is adjusted.
As shown in
In short, if the relation of the above Expression 1 is satisfied, the evaluation of the safety and reliability during the lamp life shows “◯.” More specifically, when the shortest distance A is 0.53 (mm) and the distance B is 0.10 (mm), “2×A+B” equals to 1.16. As this value equals to or above “1.06” of Expression 1, Expression 1 is satisfied. In such a case, the outer tube temperature reaches to 433(° C.), and the evaluation of the safety and reliability during the lamp life is “◯.”
However, when the shortest distance A is 0.24 (mm) and the distance B is 0.53 (mm), “2×A+B” equals to 1.01. This value is smaller than “1.06” of Expression 1, which does not satisfy Expression 1. In such a case, the outer tube temperature reaches to 436(° C.), and the evaluation of the safety and reliability during the lamp life is “×.”
A sample of the lamp 14 according to the present invention that was downsized by the above experiment and the like requires power consumption of 70 (W). The entire length of the lamp 14 is approximately 100 (mm)-120 (mm) (the length is slightly variable by the base 36 and such used for the experiment). As for the arc tube 30, the maximum outside diameter D1 of the main tube part 40 is 9.7 (mm).
The wall thickness of the inner tube 32 is 1.25 (mm). The inside diameter D2 of the inner tube 32 is 13 (mm), and the outside diameter D3 of the inner tube 32 is 15.5 (mm). The wall thickness of the outer tube 34 is 1.3 (mm), the inside diameter D4 of the outer tube 34 is 17.9 (mm), and the outside diameter of the outer tube 34 is 20.5 (mm).
Note that in this embodiment, the shortest distance A is 1.65 (mm), and the distance B is 1.2 (mm).
The size of the lamp 14, namely the outside diameter of the outer tube 34, is 20.5 (mm), whereas that of a conventional lamp is 30 (mm). Thus, approximately 32% of the lamp size is reduced. Note that in this embodiment, inconvenience, such as breakage of the outer tube 34 and the browning of the inner tube 32 at the end of the lamp life, is not observed.
The inventors studied the cause of the breakage of the outer tube 34.
The study was carried out as follows. Plural types of lamp samples each having a different shortest distance A between the arc tube 30 and the inner tube 32 and a different distance B between the inner tube 32 and the outer tube 34 were produced without changing the sizes and specifications of the arc tube 30, the inner tube 32, and the outer tube 34. With use of the lamp samples, horizontal lighting (lamp life) experiment was carried out. In this experiment, the temperature of the outer tube 34 (at a portion showing the highest temperature) of each sample of the lamp 14 was measured.
Note that the temperature was measured within a compact fixture (a fixture going thorough the thermally severest condition) that meets the requirement of the marketplace.
As a result of this measurement, in addition to the breakage of the lamp 34, a new problem is found that the color of the inner tube 32 is changed to a brown color according to a position of the inner tube 32 with regard to the arc tube 30.
Furthermore, the lighting experiment with use of a plurality of the samples of the lamp 14 each having different shortest distance A and distance B reveals that the breakage of the outer tube 34 depends on the temperature and that the browning occurred with in the inner tube depends on the distance (namely, the shortest distance A) between the inner tube 32 and the arc tube 30.
In short, it is turned out that the outer tube 34 is broken due to the following reason. The temperature of the outer tube 34 rises high, and consequently, small deformations occur inside a glass material composing the outer tube 34. The temperature further rises or falls from the high temperature, which increases the deformations. In due course of time, the outer tube 34 is cracked, and finally broken. Note that it is also turned out that deformation of the outer tube 34 due to heat is caused when the temperature of the outer tube rises excessively high.
On the other hand, it is turned out that the phenomenon of the browning within the inner tube is caused as follows. During the lamp is lit, alumina of alumina ceramic that is a material of the main tube part 40 of the arc tube 30 evaporates, and the alumina vapor is deposited on the inner surface of the inner tube 32.
An amount of the alumina of the main tube part 40 deposited on the inner tube 32 depends on the distance between the main tube part 40 of the arc tube 30 and the inner tube 32. That is to say, when the distance between the arc tube 30 and the inner tube 32 is long, the deposition amount decreases. On the contrary, when the distance between the arc tube 30 and the inner tube 32 is short, the deposition amount increases. Note that since this phenomenon of browning the inner tube 32 caused by this deposition occurs when the inner tube 32 comes in contact with (or is extremely close to) the arc tube 30, hereinafter, this phenomenon is referred to as “contact browning.”
The inventors have confirmed the following fact from the experiment and the like. When a design temperature of the outer tube is 435(° C.) or below, the breakage of the outer tube 34 does not occur.
Hence, the inventors measured the temperatures of the outer tube 34, keeping the distance B between the inner tube 32 and the outer tube 34 constant while changing the shortest distance A between the arc tube 30 and the inner tube 32.
In this lighting experiment, the temperatures of the outer tube 34 were measured when the lamp was in the horizontal lighting position. The temperatures of the outer tube 34 were measured in the same way as the above outer tube temperatures.
As shown in
Carrying out similar experiments by setting the distance B as not only 0.34 (mm) but also other values, the inventors have obtained the relation shown in Expression 1.
As
In short, when the shortest distance A satisfies the following relation,
A≧0.3 (mm) (Expression 2)
the occurrence of browning (contact browning) inside the inner tube can be prevented.
In
As described above, on the condition that the shortest distance between the inner tube and the arc tube along a line in a radial direction is expressed as A, and that a distance between the inner tube and the outer tube 34 along the line is expressed as B, the following relations are to be satisfied to prevent the breakage of the outer tube and the occurrence of browning inside the inner tube,
2×A+B≧1.06, and A≧0.3
However, considering the lamp size, the following range is preferable.
In short, the following holds. A cross section of the arc tube is taken perpendicularly to an imaginary line that connects the pair of the electrodes, and is taken between the pair of the electrodes. The cross section is taken when a distance between the arc tube and the inner tube is shortest (hereinafter, referred to as “Cross section 2”). A distance between the arc tube and the inner tube in the cross section is expressed as a (mm). The distance α is desirably 5 (mm) or below, more desirably 4 (mm) or below, and even more desirably 3 (mm) or below. Note that the distance α can be represented by the following expression.
α=(inside diameter of inner tube in Cross Section 2−outside diameter of arc tube in Cross Section 2)/2
A cross section of the arc tube is taken perpendicularly to an imaginary line that connects the pair of the electrodes, and is taken between the pair of the electrodes. The cross section is taken when a distance between the inner tube and the outer tube is shortest (hereinafter, referred to as “Cross Section 1”). The distance between the inner tube and the outer tube in the cross section is expressed as β (mm). The distance β is desirably 2.5 (mm) or below, more desirably 2.0 (mm) or below, and even more desirably 1.5 (mm) or below. Note that the distance β can be represented by the following expression.
β=(inside diameter of outer tube in Cross Section 1−outside diameter of inner tube in Cross Section 1)/2
The distances α and β that fall within the above range reduce the lamp size. For example, the diameter of a hole in the reflector on which the lamp is mounted can be reduced, a light output ratio can be improved, and the reflector can be downsized. Thus, the overall size of the lighting fixture can be reduced. Note that, herein, the light output ratio is a ratio indicating how efficiently luminous flux of the lamp can be emitted as the luminous flux of the lighting fixture.
Thus, the present invention is described based on the above embodiment. However, the present invention is never limited to the specific example indicated in the above embodiment, and the following modifications can be made, for example.
In the above embodiment, the outer tube is in a bottomed tubular shape having one open end (toward the base) and one closed end in a hemispherical shape. However, the outer tube in accordance with the present invention is not limited to the shape described in the embodiment. The following describes a lamp with an outer tube in a different shape from that of the embodiment.
As shown in
The outer tubes 34 and 103 in accordance with the embodiment and the modification 1 are each in a bottomed tubular shape having one open end (toward the base) and one closed end, and its tubular shape is straight. However, as shown in
In a vertical section of the outer tube 107, the swollen part 107a forms an arc. However, the swollen part 107a may be in other shapes, for example, in a multangular shape such as a triangle, or in a trapezoidal shape and the like. Note that the entire shape of the outer tube is in a three-dimensional shape formed by rotating the vertical section of the outer tube 107 about the axis direction.
The outer tubes 34, 103 and 107 in accordance with the embodiment, the modifications 1 and 2 are each composed of a glass tube whose one end (toward the base) is open and other end is closed. On the other hand, as shown in
That is to say, the outer tube 111 in accordance with the modification 3 has a tube part 113 in a tubular shape whose both ends are open and a closing part 115 that closes another end (end opposite to the base 36) of the tube part 113. Herein, the closing part 115 may have any structure as long as the broken pieces of the inner tube 32 and the arc tube 30 are prevented from flying all over when the inner tube 32 is broken due to the breakage of the arc tube 30. For example, a metal cap (e.g. made of stainless) as shown in
The outer tubes in accordance with the embodiment and modifications 1 and 2 are straight-shaped, with their tube diameters roughly invariant. However, each of the outer tubes may be in a shape whose tube diameter changes gradually or stepwise from the end near the base to another end, such as a tapered shape.
The embodiment and modifications do not especially describe the inner or outer surfaces of the outer tubes 34, 103, 107 and 111. One of the inner and outer surfaces of the outer tube of the present invention may be frosted. At least one of the inner and outer surfaces may be entirely or partially frosted. In addition, the inner surface and the outer surface maybe partially frosted. Note that frosting of opposite end of the outer tube (including the end) to the base serves glare prevention.
(3) Glare Prevention
The embodiment and modifications do not make a special description on the glare prevention. However, the outer tube in accordance with the present invention may have a function of preventing the glare. This function may be achieved by a glare prevention member. More specifically, the glare prevention member may be a metal cap that partially covers the outer tube to shield light generated from a lamp in such a manner that when the lamp is mounted on the reflector, the light is not reflected by the reflector but is directly emitted outside of the reflector.
In this case, the shape and the structure of the outer tube covered with the metal cap are not especially limited. The metal cap is applicable to, for example, the outer tube 34 of the embodiment, as well as the outer tubes 103 and 107 of the modifications 1 and 2.
Note that the metal cap of the modification 3 has the function of the glare prevention.
An envelope 46 that composes the arc tube 30 of the embodiment is formed as follows. After the main tube part 40 and the thin tube parts 42 and 44 are formed separately, the thin tube parts 42 and 44 are jointed to the main tube part 40 with use of shrink fitting. However, an envelope of the present invention is not limited to that of the embodiment.
Instead of separately forming the main tube part 40 and the thin tube parts 42 and 44, the envelope may have a unitary structure, for example, that the main tube part 40 and the two thin tube parts 42 and 44 are integrally formed.
In addition, the envelope may be composed of two molded parts each of which is integrally formed by joining a half of the main tube to the thin tube part. More specifically, a fitting part of the half of the main tube and its equivalent are joined with alumina paste and sintered together to be integrally formed.
The envelope may be composed of a tubular member (concretely a cylindrical part), a ring member and a thin tube part member. The ring member is integrally formed with the tubular member, being joined at each end of the tubular member with use of shrink fitting. The thin tube member is integrally formed with one end thereof placed into a penetrating hole at the center of the ring member with use of shrink fitting. In this case, the envelope is of so-called a cylindrical type.
As shown in
As shown in
The terminal part 122 includes a pair of pin terminals 123 and 125. Large diameter parts 123a and 125a may be disposed at the ends of the pin terminals 123 and 125. This base 119 is of so-called Swan type.
As a matter of course, the base 119 may be of so-called G type or PG type whose pin terminals (123, 125) do not have the large diameter parts 123a and 125a.
The embodiment does not especially describe the base 36. As shown in
The outer shapes of the main body parts 36a and 121 in the embodiment and modifications 1-4 are cylindrical. However, the outer shape of the main body part does not have to be cylindrical, and other shapes are also applicable.
A base 135 in accordance with the modification 5 has a main body part 137 and a terminal part 139. The terminal part 139 is that of Edison type, and is screwed into a connecting hole 141 of the socket 133. However, the shape of the base 135 of the modification 5 is different from that of the base 36 of the embodiment.
As shown in
As described above, the tapered part 137a of the main body part 137 of the base 135 pairs up with the tapered part 133a of the socket 133, which prevents a different type of a lamp from being mounted to the socket 133 (so-called improper use).
In other words, on the condition that the different type of the lamp is to be mounted on the socket 133, if an attempt is made to insert a terminal part (139) of a base to a connecting hole (141) of the socket (133), the shape of a bottom (137a) of the main body part (137) does not match (is different from) that of the connecting hole (141). As a result, an eyelet of the terminal part (139) does not reach the position that is electrically connected with the socket (133).
A base 155 in accordance with the modification 6 has a main body part 157 and a terminal part 159, similarly to the base 135 of the modification 5.
The base 135 of the modification 5 has the tapered part 137a in the main body part 137. However, the base 155 of the modification 6 has a stepped part 157a on a main body part 157. Needless to say, a socket 153 has a stepped part 153a that fits with the stepped part 157a of the main body part 157 of the modification 6. The stepper part 153a pairs up with the stepped part 157a.
The base 155 of the modification 6 having the stepped part 157a can prevent the improper use of the lamp as described in the modification 5.
Note that in the modifications 5 and 6, the terminal parts 139 and 159 are of Edison type. However, the terminal parts may also be of Swan type, G type, PG type and such. Such bases can also prevent the improper use of the lamp.
Note that the sockets 133 and 153 shown in
4. Connection between Inner Tube and Base
In the embodiment, the adhesive 48 is used to bond the inner tube 32 and the base 36. However, other methods may be used for connection. The following describes, as modifications, other methods to connect the inner tube housing the arc tube and the base.
The inner tube 32 of a modification 7 has a similar structure with the inner tube of the embodiment. Therefore, the same reference numeral 32 is used for the inner tube of the modification 7. The inner tube 32 has a sealing part at an end thereof. The sealing part is sealed to hermitically house the arc tube 30 within the inner tube 32. Here, as with the embodiment, the sealing part is a pinch seal part 86 that is pinched flatly with use of pinch-sealing.
As shown in
The inner tube 32 and the base 161 are connected by the pinch seal part 86 of the inner tube 32 being inserted between the pair of the supporting parts 163 and 165 of the base 161. That is to say, when the pinch seal part 86 is inserted between the supporting parts 163 and 165, the elastic members 167 and 169 are deformed. Then, memory of this deformation supports the pinch seal part 86. Accordingly, the inner tube 32 is fixed to the base 161 without using an adhesive.
More specifically, as shown in
Note that as long as elastic members disposed between the supporting members 163 and 165 are deformed by insertion of the end (pinch seal part) of the inner tube, and this deformation secures the end (pinch seal part) of the inner tube, any shape, quantity, material and the like are applicable.
For example, although the elastic members 165 and 167 of the modification 7 are each in a zigzag shape, other shapes are also applicable. As long as the inner tube (pinched-seal part) can be fixed, there may be only one elastic member disposed between the supporting parts. The elastic members may be made of a metal material, such as stainless or other metal materials. Note that the deformation caused by the insertion of the end of the inner tube depends on the material, the thickness, and such of the elastic members.
The base 171 is provided with a supporting member 175 that supports an inner tube at a base part 173a (corresponding to a bottom) of the main body part 173. The supporting member 175 is in a bottomed tubular shape, having an end wall 177 on which a through hole 179 is formed. Parts of the end wall 177 are tongue pieces 181a and 181b that are deformed according to the insertion of the end of the inner tube. The through hole 179 into which the inner tube is inserted allows the tongue pieces 181a and 181b to be deformed.
As shown in
The supporting member 175 is obtained by drawing a metal plate of a given thickness. The metal plate is as thick as the following degree. When the inner tube is inserted into the through hole 179, the tongue pieces 181a and 181b are bent in the direction of the insertion.
Note that the supporting member 175 of the modification 8 has a flange part 185 at an opposite end to the end wall 177 of a tube part 183. The flange part 185 extends outward in a direction perpendicularly to the central axis of the tube part 183. This flange part 185 is fixed to the base part 173a of the main body part 173 of the base 171.
The tongue pieces 181a and 181b of the supporting member 175 are deformed according to the insertion of the end (pinch seal part) of the inner tube. As long as the deformation serves to fix the inner tube, any shape, material, and the like are applicable.
More specifically, although the through hole that determines the shape of the tongue piece is in a shape of the alphabetical letter “H”, the through hole may be a Chinese character “” that looks as if two converted letters “H” were stacked. In such a case, the total number of the tongue pieces is four. Also, there may be two tongue pieces that oppose each other, and the shape of each tongue piece may be the converted letter “T” or the letter “U” meshing each other.
Furthermore, the shape and the like of the supporting member 175 are not especially limited. The base may have the supporting member 175 and the main body part 173 of the modification 8 that are integrally formed.
In the embodiment, the main body part 36a of the base 36 is in a bottomed tubular shape. In a state where the end of the outer tube 34 is inserted into the main body part 36a, the outer circumference of the end of the outer tube and the inner circumference of the main body part 36a are bonded with the adhesive 48 (e.g. cement). However, other shapes of the outer tube and the base are also applicable. The following modifications describe different shapes of the outer tube and the base that are connected together from those of the embodiment and modifications 1-8.
The base 193 in accordance with the modification 9 has a main body part 195 and a terminal part 197.
The main body part 195 has a discoidal base part 199 and a supporting part 201 that is formed on approximately the center of the base part 199. When this main body part 195 is viewed in the axial direction of the outer tube 191, a distance between a fringe of the outer circumference of the base part 199 and the tube axis is larger than a distance between a fringe of the outer circumference of the supporting part 201 and the tube axis. A flat part 199a is formed between the two fringes.
The outer tube 191 and the base 193 are bonded as follows. In a state where an open end 191a of the outer tube 191 is in contact with the flat part 199a of the base part 199, an inner surface of an open end part 191b of the outer tube 191 and an outer surface of the supporting part 201 are bonded together with an adhesive 203.
In the embodiment and modification 9, the adhesive 48 is used to bond the outer tube 34 and the base 36. However, other methods by which an adhesive is not employed are also applicable. The following describes, as a modification 10, another method for connecting the outer tube and the base.
A lamp in accordance with the modification 10 has a structure to connect an outer tube 211 and a base 213 with use of a connecting member 215.
At an end of the outer tube 211 toward the base 213, a projection part 221a that projects outward is formed. This projection part 221a may comprise a plurality of the projection parts 211a placed in the whole circumference or placed at intervals in a circumferential direction of the end part of the outer tube 211.
The base 213 has a main body part 217 that supports an inner tube 32 and a terminal part 219 that is electrically connected with a socket.
The main body part 217 has a discoidal base part 221 and a supporting part 223 that is formed on approximately the center of the base part 221. When this main body part 217 is viewed in the axial direction of the outer tube 211, a distance between a fringe of the outer circumference of the base part 221 and the tube axis is larger than a distance between a fringe of the outer circumference of the supporting part 223 and the tube axis. A flat part 221a is formed between the two fringes.
As shown in
The connection member 215 has a tube part 215a that externally fits the projection part 211a of the outer tube 211 and the base part 221 of the base 213. At an end of the tube part 215a, an outer tube locking part 215b that is locked to an end of the projection part 211a of the outer tube 211 is provided. On another end of the tube part 215a, a base locking part 215c that is locked to the depressed part 221b of the base part 221 of the base 213 is provided.
Corresponding to the projection part 211a of the outer tube 211 and the depressed part 221b of the base 213, a plurality of locking parts 215b and 215c of the connection member 215 may be provided along the whole circumference of each end or at intervals in the circumferential direction.
The outer tube 211 and the base 213 are connected as follows. In a state where an open end 221a of the outer tube 211 is in contact with the flat part 221a of the base part 221, the open end 221a of the outer tube 211 and the flat part 221a of the base 221 are covered with the connection member 215. Then, the base locking part 215b of the connection member 215 is locked to the projection part 211a of the outer tube 211, and the base locking part 215c of the connection member 215 is locked to the depressed part 221b of the base 213.
Note that in the modification 10, the outer tube and the base are connected (locked) by the connection member (locking member). However, the outer tube may be connected (locked) to an integral part made of the base and the connection member. Also, the outer tube may be directly locked to the base.
In the embodiment, the power consumption is 70 (W). However, the present invention is not limited to this. The power consumption falling within a range between 20 W-150 W is applicable to the present invention. In the embodiment, the inner tube is single-sealed, with one end thereof being sealed. However, both of the ends of the inner tube may be sealed.
Any combination of the disclosure of the embodiment and modifications 1-10 are applicable. For example, a lamp may be composed of the outer tube of the modification 2 and a base that is a combination of technical features of the modifications 6 and 8.
The present invention including an arc tube, an inner tube, and an outer tube is applicable to a metal vapor discharge lamp and a lighting device that are to be compact.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 152724 | May 2006 | JP | national |
| 2007 054583 | Mar 2007 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2007/060809 | 5/28/2007 | WO | 00 | 7/11/2008 |
