Patent Grant
6843585
This invention relates to lamps and more particularly to high output electrodeless lamps (hereinafter, HOEL). Still more particularly it relates to a mounting assembly for such lamps.
HOELs are known lamps and are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,175,197, which is assigned to the assignee of the instant invention and whose teachings are hereby incorporated by reference. These lamps have specific allowable operating temperatures, which must be met in fixture applications. In many fixtures where the fixture housing and the reflector are separate components, the reflector dish can get too hot too quickly due to radiation from the lamp and to heat transferred from the ferrite cores (necessary for lamp operation) to the reflector through the mounting brackets for the lamp. Because of the high temperature of the reflector, ferrite core heat sinking (which is crucial for proper operation) is reduced, and the lamp glass and the amalgam tip operate hotter due to re-radiation from the reflector. These undesired conditions adversely effect the operation of the lamp.
Accordingly, it would be an advance in the art to provide a mounting assembly for such lamps that would adequately dissipate heat generated by operation of the lamp, thus improving efficacy and life.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to obviate the disadvantages of the prior art.
It is another object of the invention to enhance the operation of HOELs.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide heat dissipation in fixtures for HOELs.
These objects are accomplished, in one aspect of the invention, by a mounting assembly for a high output electrodeless lamp comprising; a fixture housing having an inner surface and an outer surface; a pair of spaced-apart heat sinks affixed to the inner surface of the fixture housing and extending therefrom: a reflector positioned within the fixture housing, the reflector containing two apertures aligned with the heat sinks; a thermal insulator surrounding each of the heat sinks in the apertures and thermally isolating the reflector from the heat sinks; and an electrodeless lamp mounted to the heat sinks.
This assembly effectively isolates the lamp from the reflector and dissipates the heat generated by operation of the lamp directly to the fixture housing.
For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects, advantages and capabilities thereof, reference is made to the following disclosure and appended claims in conjunction with the above-described drawings.
Referring now to
Mounting brackets 40 and 42 encompass the transformer cores and have legs 44 provided with appropriate mounting means, such as screw receiving slots 46. Retention springs 48 may also be provided to maintain the brackets in position prior to final assembly of the lamp to a fixture.
Referring now to
Spaced-apart heat sinks 20, 21 are affixed to the inner surface 16 of the fixture housing 14 and in a preferred embodiment are integral with the housing. In an alternate embodiment the heat sinks can be welded, as at 30, to the inner surface. Also, in yet another alternate embodiment, the heat sinks and the fixture housing can be different materials, as may be dictated by the end use of the assembly.
A reflector 22, which is preferably concave, as is the fixture housing, is positioned within the fixture housing 14. The reflector 22 contains two apertures 24, 26 that are aligned with the heat sinks 20, 21. Thermal insulators 28, 29 are positioned in the apertures and surround the heat sinks, thus thermally isolating the reflector from the heat sinks.
The lamp 100 is mounted in the fixture housing by attaching the brackets 40, 42 directly to the top surfaces of the heat sinks 20, 21. Mounting is preferably accomplished by having threaded holes formed in the heat sinks and fixing the brackets in place via screws through the legs 44 and screw receiving slots 46.
This construction insures that the reflector will not be heated by the ferrite transformer cores and thus will be cooler during lamp operation. Therefore, the lamp glass bulb and amalgam tip temperature will be cooler, enhancing the operation of the lamp, increasing efficacy and life.
While there have been shown and described what are at present considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modification can be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6175197 | Kling | Jan 2001 | B1 |
