Method for fabricating electrode of external electrode fluorescent lamp and external electrode fluorescent lamp fabricated using the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of fabricating an electrode of an EEFL including: cutting a cylindrical tube for the electrode to a uniform size; forming a round-shape protective cap having a hole with a predetermined size at one end of the cut tube; inserting the protective cap into a glass tube having the electrode formed by electroless plating; and connecting the protective cap on an outer wall of the glass tube, after inserting the protective cap into the glass tube.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an EEFL illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of an electrode portion of FIG. 1 illustrating a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cut tube for an electrode before being formed to the electrode portion of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating consecutive manufacturing processes of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the electrode portion of FIG. 1 illustrating a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating consecutive manufacturing processes of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a conventional protective cap.

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view of a part of an electrode portion of the EEFL illustrating the protective cap of FIG. 8 in an applied state.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating an electrode of an EEFL comprising: cutting a cylindrical tube to a uniform size for the electrode;forming a round shape protective cap having a hole of a predetermined size at one end of the cut tube;inserting the protective cap into a glass tube having the electrode formed by electroless plating; andconnecting the protective cap on an outer wall of the glass tube, after inserting the protective cap into the glass tube.

2. The method of fabricating the electrode of claim 1, wherein the connecting of the protective cap with the glass tube is conducted by dipping the glass tube into a molten bath of lead or non-lead solder.

3. The method of fabricating the electrode of claim 1, wherein the connecting of the protective cap with the glass tube is conducted by inserting the glass tube into the protective cap while performing heat treatment after a lead or non-lead solder ball is inserted into the protective cap.

4. The method of fabricating the electrode of claim 1 further comprising: performing metal plating for adhesion on an outer wall of the electrode of the glass tube before inserting the protective cap into the glass tube; andconnecting the protective cap with the glass tube by heat treatment.

5. The method of fabricating the electrode of claim 4, wherein the metal plating is tin plating.

6. The method of fabricating the electrode of claim 1, wherein the holes provided to the protective cap have different sizes.

7. A method of fabricating an electrode of an EEFL comprising: cutting a cylindrical tube for the electrode to a uniform size;forming a protective cap by connecting a supporting cap comprising a hole with the cut tube;inserting the protective cap into a glass tube comprising the electrode formed by electroless plating; andconnecting the protective cap with the glass tube after inserting the protective cap into the glass tube.

8. The method of fabricating the electrode of claim 7, wherein the connecting of the protective cap with the glass tube is conducted by dipping the protective cap and the glass tube into a molten bath of lead or non-lead solder.

9. The method of fabricating the electrode of claim 7, wherein the connecting of the protective cap with the glass tube is conducted by inserting the glass tube into the protective cap while performing heat treating after a lead or non-lead solder ball is inserted into the protective cap.

10. The method of fabricating the electrode of claim 7, further comprising: performing metal plating for adhesion on an outer wall of the electrode of the glass tube before inserting the protective cap into the glass tube; andconnecting the protective cap with the glass tube by heat treatment.

11. The method of fabricating the electrode of claim 10, wherein the metal plating is tin plating.

12. The method of fabricating the electrode of claim 7, wherein the hole formed in the supporting cap and a hole formed in the tube have different sizes.

13. An EEFL comprising: a glass tube;electrodes formed by electroless plating at both ends of the glass tube; andprotective caps connected with outer walls of the electrodes, wherein the protective caps are cylindrical with a round shape at one end, and have different hole sizes disposed at each end.

14. An EEFL comprising: a glass tube;electrodes formed by electroless plating at both ends of the glass tube; andprotective caps connected with outer walls of the electrodes, wherein the protective caps are cylindrical and comprise a supporting cap connected to one end of the protective cap provided with a larger hole than a hole of the supporting cap.