CN104701133B - Electrodeless lamp with ground coupling element and improved bulb assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides an electrodeless lamp having a ground coupling element and an improved bulb assembly. An electrodeless plasma lamp generally includes a bulb containing a fill gas excited using Radio Frequency (RF) energy to produce light and an illuminant. The lamp includes a compact air resonator/waveguide, uses a ground coupling element with an integrated bulb assembly to reduce the size of the resonator and improve lamp performance, also reducing cost and simplifying manufacturing flow.

Description

Electrodeless lamp with ground coupling element and improved bulb assembly

This application is a divisional application of a patent application with an application date of December 13, 2010, an application number of 201010586104.7, and an invention titled "Electrodeless Lamp with Grounded Coupling Element and Improved Light Bulb Assembly", the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated as refer to.

technical field

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for generating light using plasma lamps. More specifically, the present invention provides plasma lamps and related methods that are driven by radio frequency power sources without the use of electrodes inside the bulb. By way of example only, this plasma light can be applied in applications such as stadiums, security equipment, parking lots, military and defense, street lights, large and small buildings, car headlights, aircraft landings, bridges, warehouses, uv water treatment, agriculture, Architectural lighting, stage lighting, medical lighting, microscopes, projectors and displays, any combination of these, etc.

Background technique

Plasma lamps provide extremely bright broadband light used in applications such as general lighting, projection systems, and industrial processing. Typical plasma lamps manufactured today contain a mixture of gas and trace substances that are excited using high currents through closely spaced electrodes to form a plasma. However, this arrangement suffers from the degradation of the electrodes within the bulb and, therefore, has a limited lifetime. Conventional plasma lamps have other constraints.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that technologies for improving plasma lamps are highly desirable.

Contents of the invention

According to the present invention, there is provided technology related to apparatus and methods for generating light using a plasma lamp. More specifically, the present invention provides plasma lamps and related methods driven by a radio frequency source without the use of gas-filled electrodes inside the vessel (bulb). As an example, a compact air resonator/waveguide is used to couple a radio frequency source to a gas filled vessel. In one or more embodiments, the resonator/waveguide is fabricated without or typically does not contain a dielectric material such as alumina or quartz. In a preferred embodiment, the compact air resonator is arranged in a relatively small space and may have dimensions substantially less than 1/2 the free space wavelength (lambda/2) of the resonant frequency of the resonator. In addition, the arc of the gas-filled vessel (bulb) is substantially not surrounded by the body of the resonator/waveguide, allowing the use of other optical components and reflectors for designing the lighting device. That is, the gas-filled vessel essentially comprises an arc that is substantially free of any mechanical confinement by the body or parts of the resonator/waveguide, allowing the use of these reflectors and other optical components. Just as an example, this kind of plasma lamp can be applied to such as stadium, security equipment, parking lot, military and defense, street lamp, large and small buildings, bridge, warehouse, agriculture, uv water treatment, architectural lighting, stage lighting, medical lighting, In the application scenarios of microscopes, projectors and displays, any combination thereof, etc. Of course, there can be other improvements, modifications, and alternatives.

In a specific embodiment, the present invention provides a plasma electrodeless lamp. The lamp comprises a substantially hollow (air cavity) electrical conductor closely accommodating two coupling elements. The two coupling elements include a first coupling element connected to the output of the RF amplifier, and a second coupling element connected to the input of the RF amplifier. As used herein, the terms "first" and "second" are not limited to the order, but should be understood in general meaning. The other end of the first coupling element is electrically connected (grounded) to the top surface of the electrical conductor, while the second coupling element is not grounded and is at a different potential. The lamp further includes a bulb coupling element assembly grounded at the bottom surface of the electrical conductor of the lamp body. The electromagnetic energy is RF coupling between the first coupling element and the bulb coupling element assembly, and between the bulb coupling element assembly and the second coupling element. Electromagnetic energy is capacitively, or inductively, or a combination of inductively and capacitively coupled to the bulb inside the bulb coupling element assembly. The lamp may further include a reflector to direct the light output of the bulb in the bulb coupling element assembly. Alternatively, the lamp is designed without any reflector or the like. The lamp may further include a ground strap electrically connecting or coupling the top of the bulb coupling element assembly to the conductive lamp body. Alternatively, a ground strap may electrically connect or couple the top of the bulb coupling element assembly to the reflector, which in turn is electrically connected to the lamp body.

In another embodiment, the lamp may include the second coupling element removed and the first coupling element connected to the output of the RF source, which may further include an RF oscillator and an amplifier. In a preferred embodiment, the lamp consists only of the first coupling element and the bulb coupling element assembly.

In yet another embodiment, the lamp body comprises a metallic electrical conductor partially filled with a dielectric insert. In one or more embodiments, the dielectric insert may be a single material, layered materials, composite materials, or other suitable spatial configurations and/or materials.

In a specific embodiment, the present invention provides a replaceable electrodeless plasma lamp. The lamp comprises a gas-filled vessel having a transparent or translucent body configured by an inner region and an outer surface region, the gas-filled vessel having a cavity defined in the inner region. The gas-filled container typically contains an inert gas such as argon or xenon (or a combination of noble gases), and one or more luminophores such as mercury, indium tribromide, sulfur, cesium bromide, and others. The air resonator area is substantially surrounded by electrical conductors arranged in the surrounding area of the gas-filled vessel. The air resonator region (ie, the electrical conductor) has a maximum dimension that is less than 1/2 the free space wavelength of the fundamental resonant frequency of the air resonator region. The input coupling element couples the RF energy to the air resonator/waveguide. Connect one end of the input coupling-element to an RF source including an oscillator and amplifier. Connect or couple the other end of the input coupling-element to the electrical conductor of the resonator/waveguide. Couples the RF energy inside the air resonator/waveguide to the output coupling (bulb coupling) element. Connect or couple one end of the output coupling-element to the electrical conductor of the resonator/waveguide and the other end of the output coupling-element to the bulb. The length and distance between the input coupling-element and output coupling-element can be adjusted to optimize RF energy transfer between the RF source and the gas-filled vessel (bulb). The RF energy ionizes the gas inside the bulb and vaporizes the illuminant, causing the bulb to produce electromagnetic radiation in the visible and/or ultraviolet and/or infrared portions of the spectrum.

In one or more embodiments, the resonant frequency of the compact air resonator/waveguide depends on a single one or a combination of other parameters. These parameters may include: the length of the output coupling (bulb coupling) element or the inductance of the output coupling element, the diameter of the output coupling element, the contact between the output coupling element along its length and the walls of the conductors of the resonator/waveguide resulting in a change in the capacitance of the resonator. spacing between, one or a combination of these parameters, and others. By increasing the effective capacitance and inductance of the air resonator/waveguide, the size of the resonator can be substantially reduced to less than half the free-space wavelength of the fundamental resonant mode of the resonator. The compact air resonator/waveguide is substantially smaller than the air resonator in conventional devices such as that described in US Patent No. 6,476,557 B1.

In a specific embodiment, the present invention provides a plasma lamp device. The device includes a gas-filled container having a transparent or translucent body configured by an inner region and an outer surface region, a cavity defined in the inner region. The device also has an air resonator region disposed within the surrounding region of the gas-filled vessel. In a specific embodiment, the air resonator region has a maximum dimension that is less than 1/2 the free space wavelength of the fundamental resonant frequency of the air resonator region. The device has an rf source configured to generate a resonant frequency less than or equal to 2.5 GHz and coupled to the air resonator region.

In an alternative embodiment, the present invention provides an alternative plasma lamp arrangement. The device has a waveguide having a largest dimension less than 1/2 the free space wavelength of the resonant frequency. Choose the largest dimension from any dimension of the three-coordinate system.

In yet another alternative embodiment, the present invention provides yet another alternative plasma lamp arrangement. The device has a gas-filled container with a transparent or translucent body configured by an inner region and an outer surface region, defining a cavity in the inner region. In a specific embodiment, a gas-filled container has a first end and a second end. The device has a maximum temperature distribution spatially located in the central region of the gas-filled vessel. In a particular embodiment, the central region is between the first end and the second end. In a preferred embodiment, the maximum temperature distribution is in the surrounding area of the outer surface area, substantially undisturbed by the bulk area of the solid resonator.

In one or more embodiments, the plasma lamp apparatus further comprises: a power supply of at least 25 watts configured with an rf source.

In one or more embodiments, the plasma lamp device has an efficacy of at least 60 lumens per watt.

Still further, the present invention provides a plasma lamp device. The apparatus includes: a gas-filled vessel having a transparent or translucent body configured by an interior region and an exterior surface region defining a cavity in the interior region; and an rf source coupled to the gas-filled vessel to induce electromagnetic radiation Pass through at least 50% of the exterior surface area without reflection back into the interior area of the gas-filled vessel.

Furthermore, the invention provides a method for emitting electromagnetic radiation from a plasma lamp arrangement. The method includes generating electromagnetic radiation from an interior region of the gas-filled vessel using at least one or more rf sources configured to provide rf energy to the gas-filled vessel, and passing a portion of the electromagnetic radiation from the interior region of the gas-filled vessel through the gas At least 50% of the exterior surface area of the filled container transmits with substantially no reflection back to the interior area of the gas-filled container.

Still further, in yet another alternative embodiment the present invention provides an electrodeless plasma lamp arrangement. The device has a gas-filled container with a transparent or translucent body configured by an inner region and an outer surface region, a cavity defined in the inner region without one or more electrode structures. The device has a support body configured to cooperate with a gas-filled container, an arcing part is induced by electromagnetic radiation, and the device has a first end and a second end spatially disposed in an interior region. In a preferred embodiment, at least 50% of the arc part is exposed when viewed from any spatial position within 360 degrees of the outer edge of an imaginary line orthogonal to the central portion between the first and second ends of the arc part. In one or more embodiments, an arc component is disposed within the space region between the first end and the second end of the inner region.

In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides an electrodeless plasma lamp device. The device has a gas-filled container with a transparent or translucent body configured by an inner region and an outer surface region, a cavity defined in the inner region without one or more electrode structures. The device also has a region of maximum electric field disposed within a portion of the interior region of the gas-filled vessel. In a specific embodiment, the region of maximum electric field is exposed from the outer region of the gas-filled container when viewed from any spatial position within 360 degrees of the outer edge of an imaginary line orthogonal to the central portion of the gas-filled container.

In one or more embodiments, the region of maximum electric field is substantially from the vicinity of the opaque material.

In one or more embodiments, the region of maximum electric field is characterized by an electromagnetic field peak, the electromagnetic field peak being one of a plurality of peaks.

In one or more embodiments, the region of maximum electric field is one of a plurality of regions of maximum electric field.

In one or more embodiments, preferably, the present invention provides a single source plasma lamp arrangement. The device has a single point source configured as electrodeless and having a largest dimension of 3 cm or less, and the emission of electromagnetic radiation emitted from the single point source has at least 20,000 lumens.

In a preferred embodiment the plasma lamp arrangement comprises a spatial gap arranged between the rf coupling element and the output coupling element which is coupled to the gas filled vessel.

In one or more embodiments, the plasma lamp apparatus, further comprising a housing configured to include the space gap, the rf coupling element, and the output coupling element.

In one or more embodiments, the space gap includes air or a mixture of non-reactive gases.

In one or more embodiments, the space gap is less than 5 cm.

In one or more embodiments, the space gap is less than 3 cm.

In one or more embodiments, the space gap is less than 2 cm.

In one or more embodiments, the space gap is less than 1 cm.

An apparatus is also provided in one or more embodiments. The apparatus includes: an rf source; an electromagnetic resonator structure coupled to at least one rf coupling element configured to introduce rf energy into the electromagnetic resonator structure; and a bulb including a fill material. The bulb is coupled to the electromagnetic resonator structure to radiate electromagnetic energy from at least the ultraviolet, visible, or infrared spectrum; the exposed portion of the bulb protrudes outwardly of the electromagnetic resonator structure to cause a substantial portion of the electromagnetic radiation to be emitted from the outer surface of the bulb without Reflected from the electromagnetic resonator structure. In one or more embodiments, the spectrum may include combinations of the above regions as well as other regions. Of course, various combinations, selections, and changes are possible.

In one or more embodiments, there is provided a plasma lamp device including: a resonant wavelength section spatially arranged at least along a first direction and a second direction of an air resonator region.

In one or more embodiments, the air and the solid dielectric material are provided in a space to volume ratio (air:solid dielectric material) of 1:10 to about 10:1.

In one or more embodiments, there is further provided an electrodeless plasma lamp apparatus comprising: a gas filled vessel having a transparent or translucent body consisting of an inner region and an outer surface region defining a cavity within said inner region , the inner region does not have one or more electrode structures; a support body is configured to match the gas-filled container; an arc portion is generated by electromagnetic radiation, and the arc portion has spatially disposed in the inner region and any spatial position within 360 degrees from the outer edge of an imaginary line orthogonal to the central portion between the first end and the second end of the arc portion When viewed, at least 50% of the arc portion is exposed.

One or more advantages may be realized using the lamps and related methods of the present invention. As an example, the lamp is compact, and the lamp can be configured inside conventional lighting devices, such as lighting devices for street lights and parking lot lights, among other application scenarios. In addition, the lamp can be configured with an exposed arc to allow the use alone or in combination of conventional optical components such as aluminum reflectors, diffusers, and others. In one or more embodiments, the lamp can also be manufactured more efficiently and at lower cost than conventional dielectric resonators such as those described in US Patent No. 6,737,809 B2. That is, since the compact air resonator/waveguide does not require dielectric material (alumina) or other materials, the cost is significantly lower and the fabrication is simpler. Additionally, lamp performance is improved by eliminating RF losses associated with dielectric materials. Additionally, the lamp can be configured with an exposed arc to allow the use of conventional optics. These and other benefits can be realized in one or more implementations. Furthermore, details of the invention can be found in the present specification and more particularly below.

The present invention achieves these and other benefits within the context of known process technology. However, a further understanding of the nature and advantages of the invention may be realized by referring to the accompanying drawings.

Description of drawings

A more complete understanding of the invention and its advantages will be obtained from the following description of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings provided herein. In the drawings and description, reference numerals illustrate various features of the invention, and like numerals refer to like features throughout the drawings and description. In the attached picture:

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a conventional air resonator/waveguide coupling RF energy to a gas-filled vessel (bulb);

Figure 2 shows an embodiment of a conventional dielectric resonator/waveguide coupling RF energy to a gas-filled vessel (bulb);

Figure 3 is a simplified diagram of an embodiment of a compact air resonator/waveguide of the present invention comprising a conductive lamp body with air inside, an input coupling-element, an integrated bulb/output coupling-element, and a feedback coupling element;

Fig. 4 shows a simplified diagram of the lamp in Fig. 3, according to an embodiment of the invention, an amplifier provided for selection of the oscillation frequency in the feedback loop is connected between the feedback coupling element and the input coupling element;

Figure 5A shows a simplified diagram of the lamp in Figure 3 without the feedback coupling element, according to an embodiment of the invention, the RF source may include an oscillator and an amplifier connected to the input coupling element;

5B shows a simplified perspective view of the lamp in FIG. 5A showing the input coupling-element, the integrated bulb/output coupling-element assembly consisting of the output coupling-element and gas-filled vessel (bulb), and reflector;

6A is a simplified cross-sectional perspective view of the lamp of FIG. 5B without the RF source and reflector, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 6B shows a simplified illustration of the cross-sectional perspective view in Figure 6A with the integrated bulb/output coupling-element screwed into the bottom of the conductive lamp body, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figures 7A, 7B, 7C, and 7D show simplified diagrams of some alternative changes in the design of a compact air resonator/waveguide in order to achieve the same resonance frequency, according to embodiments of the present invention;

Figure 8 shows a simplified diagram of another embodiment of the invention in which a dielectric sleeve is inserted around the output coupling-element;

Figure 9 shows another simplified diagram of an embodiment of the invention in which the top of the gas filled vessel (bulb) is electrically connected to the lamp body via wiring or busbars;

Figure 10 is similar to Figure 5B and shows an embodiment of a compact air resonator/waveguide without reflectors and RF sources, the largest dimension of the compact air resonator/waveguide is less than 100% of the resonant frequency of the fundamental mode of the air resonator/waveguide 1/2 free space wavelength;

Figure 11 shows a simplified diagram of the temperature distribution on the surface of a gas-filled vessel (in this case, a quartz bulb) as a function of distance above the output coupling-element, in this case the bulb in a vertical work in direction

Figure 12A shows a simplified cross-sectional view of a gas-filled vessel in a conventional dielectric resonator, showing that most of the light from the arc is reflected back into the bulb before eventually leaving the top surface of the bulb;

Figure 12B shows a simplified cross-sectional view of a gas-filled vessel in one embodiment of the invention, showing that in this case most of the light from the arc is not reflected back into the bulb before leaving the surface of the bulb;

Figure 13A shows a simplified illustration of a perspective view of a conventional dielectric resonator, demonstrating that only the top of the arc is visible from the viewer's perspective, with the opaque dielectric resonator blocking the view to most of the arc;

Figure 13B shows a simplified illustration of a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention, demonstrating that from the viewer's perspective (including when the viewer moves 360 degrees around the air resonator/waveguide), the majority of the arc is visible;

Figure 14A shows a simplified diagram of a lighting device using a conventional metal halide lamp with electrodes inside the bulb;

Figure 14B shows a simplified diagram of a lighting device using an embodiment of the present invention using a very compact gas-filled container as a point light source; and

Figure 15 shows a simplified diagram of an example of a spectrum emitted from an embodiment of the invention having emissions in the visible, ultraviolet and infrared regions of the spectrum.

detailed description

According to the present invention, there is provided technology related to apparatus and methods for generating light using a plasma lamp. More specifically, the present invention provides plasma lamps and related methods driven by a radio frequency source without using gas to fill the internal electrodes of the vessel (bulb). Just as an example, this kind of plasma lamp can be applied to such as stadium, security department, parking lot, military and defense, street lamp, large and small buildings, bridge, warehouse, agriculture, uv water treatment, architectural lighting, stage lighting, medical lighting, Applications for microscopes, projectors and displays, any combination thereof, etc.

The following description is provided to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention, and to incorporate the invention into specific applications. Many modifications and various uses for different applications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to a wide variety of embodiments. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the provided embodiments, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without being limited to these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form rather than described in detail in order to avoid obscuring the present invention.

The reader's attention is drawn to the files and documents filed concurrently with this specification and released for public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such files and documents are hereby incorporated by reference. Unless expressly stated otherwise, alternative features disclosed in this specification (including any one of the accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent, or similar purpose all the characteristics of . Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

In addition, any element in a claim that does not expressly state "means" for performing a specified function, or a "step" for performing a specified function, cannot be construed as " means" or "step" clauses. In particular, use of "step" or "act" in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 USC 112, paragraph 6.

Note that if used, the designations left, right, front, back, top, bottom, forward, reverse, clockwise, and counterclockwise are used for convenience only and are not intended to indicate any specific fixed direction. Instead, use it to reflect the relative position and/or orientation between parts of an object. Additionally, the terms "first" and "second" or other similar descriptors do not necessarily denote an order, but should be understood in their usual sense.

For the reader's convenience, as background, we will describe conventional lamps and the limitations we have discovered. Electrodeless plasma lamps driven by microwave sources have been proposed. A traditional arrangement includes a gas-filled vessel (bulb) containing xenon and a luminophore such as sulfur or cesium bromide (see, eg, US Pat. No. 6,476,557 B1 and FIG. 1 herein). The bulb is located inside an air resonator/waveguide which utilizes microwave energy provided by a source such as a magnetron and introduced into the resonator/waveguide to heat and ionize the argon and vaporize the sulfur to emit light. In order to use an efficient and low cost RF source, it is desirable to design the resonator/waveguide to operate at frequencies below about 2.5 GHz and preferably below 1 GHz. A conventional air resonator/waveguide operating at 1 GHz in the resonator's fundamental resonant mode has at least one dimension of about 15 cm long, since this length is about half the free-space wavelength of the resonator's resonant frequency (λ/2 ).

This leads to the limitations found. These limitations include that the resonator/waveguide size is too large for most commercial lighting applications since the resonator/waveguide will not fit into a typical lighting fixture (luminaire). Additionally, because the bulb is placed within the air/resonator cavity, the bulb's arc cannot be utilized in the design of reflectors for many types of lighting fixtures in commercial and industrial lighting applications.

In the configuration proposed by Espiau et al. in U.S. Patent No. 6,737,809B2, the air inside the resonator is replaced by alumina, so that due to the free space wavelength (the fundamental mode guide wavelength of the resonator/waveguide), the resonance is reduced by about The square root of the effective dielectric constant of the resonator body, thus resulting in a reduced size of the resonator/waveguide. Also, see Figure 2. This approach has certain advantages over the air resonator in US Patent No. 6,476,557 B1 by reducing the size of the resonator, but this approach has its drawbacks. Such drawbacks may include higher manufacturing costs, losses associated with the dielectric material, and blocking of light from the bulb by the dielectric material. In this approach, the arc of the bulb cannot be used, which limits its use in many types of lighting fixtures used in commercial and industrial lighting applications.

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a conventional air resonator/waveguide coupling RF energy to a gas filled vessel (bulb). The air resonator 400 surrounds a gas-filled container 410 attached to a rod 420 . A section of the resonator is shown at the bottom of FIG. 1 . Dimension A shown in the figure corresponds to the diameter of an air resonator operating in the fundamental resonant mode of 900 MHz, dimension A is about 16.5 cm, which is about half of the free-space wavelength of 900 MHz (typically used as the effective wavelength inside the waveguide half of the free-space guide wavelength). The size of the resonator is too bulky for most lighting devices. Furthermore, the arc of the bulb is completely surrounded by the walls of the resonator, which makes it difficult to use conventional reflectors and optics when designing lighting fixtures.

Figure 2 shows an embodiment of a conventional dielectric resonator/waveguide coupling RF energy to a gas filled vessel (bulb). RF energy is coupled into dielectric resonator 500 using input probe 540 . The resonator couples RF energy to a gas-filled vessel 510 located inside the dielectric resonator, and the majority of the arc 515 is surrounded by the dielectric resonator. A feedback probe 550 can be used to couple a small amount of RF energy out of the resonator and together with the amplifier and input probe form a feedback loop to power up the bulb. A section of the resonator is shown at the bottom of Fig. 2, dimension B corresponding to the diameter of the resonator. One advantage of this approach compared to the air resonator shown in Figure 1 is that the size of the resonator (designed for the fundamental mode of operation) is reduced by about the square root of the effective permittivity of the dielectric material. Thus, for example, in the case where the resonator is made of alumina with a dielectric constant of 9.4, the diameter of the 900 MHz air resonator shown in Fig. 1 is reduced to about 1/3, about 5.3 cm (dimension B). The drawback of this approach is that the resonator must be made of a low RF loss dielectric material, making the resonator more expensive and more difficult to manufacture. In addition, most of the arc 515 of the bulb is inside the dielectric material, therefore, the optical components used in the lighting device cannot be flexibly designed. These and other limitations have been overcome by one or more embodiments of the invention described in more detail below.

Figure 3 is a simplified diagram of an embodiment of the compact air resonator/waveguide of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other variations, alternatives, and modifications. The lamp housing 600 is made of conductive material. Conductivity can be achieved by applying a conductive cover layer, or by selecting a conductive material. An example of a conductive cover layer is silver paint or alternatively the lamp body may be made from a thin sheet of conductive material such as aluminium. In this embodiment, the lamp body consists of a wider diameter base 625 and a narrower diameter top 650 . A cylindrical light body is shown, but rectangular or other shapes could also be used. The input coupling-element 630 is connected to the lamp body at the top surface 631 and its other end is connected to the RF connector 611 which passes through the opening 610 in the lamp body. The input coupling-element 630 may be made of a solid or hollow conductor or alternatively a dielectric material with a conductive coating. The output coupling-element 120 is connected to the lamp body at the bottom end 605 and to the gas-filled vessel (bulb) 130 at its other end. The output coupling-element may be made of a solid or hollow conductive material or alternatively may be made of a dielectric material with a conductive coating. The top end of the output coupling-element is shaped to tightly accommodate the gas-filled vessel. In case the output coupling-element is made of a solid conductor, a thin layer of dielectric material or refractory metal is used as an interface barrier between the bulb and the output coupling-element. In particular embodiments, the gas-filled container is made of a suitable material such as quartz or translucent alumina or other transparent or translucent material. A gas-filled container filled with an inert gas such as argon or xenon and an inert gas such as mercury, sodium, dysprosium, sulfur, or a gas such as indium tribromide, scandium bromide, thallium iodide, holmium bromide, cesium iodide, or other similar materials The emitter of the metal halide salt (or it may contain multiple emitters at the same time). In general, RF energy is capacitively, inductively, or a combination of inductively and capacitively coupled to bulb 130 through output coupling-element 120, ionizes the noble gas and vaporizes the illuminant resulting in intense light from the lamp. In this embodiment, the arc 115 of the bulb is not surrounded by the walls of the resonator/waveguide. Feedback coupling element 635 connects to RF connector 621 through opening 620 in the lamp body. The other end of the feedback coupling element is not connected to the lamp body.

The resonant frequency of the compact air resonator/waveguide depends on several parameters including: the diameter and length of the top (650) and bottom (625), the length and diameter of the output coupling element (120), and the relationship between the output coupling element and the lamp. The gap 140 between the walls of the body. By tuning these parameters and others of the compact air resonator/waveguide, the resonator can be designed to operate at different resonant frequencies. By adjusting the gap and length between the input coupling element (630) and output coupling element (120), the RF power coupling between the RF source and the bulb can be optimized.

In an exemplary embodiment, the bottom 625 of the lamp body 600 may consist of a hollow aluminum cylinder with a diameter of 5 cm and a height of 3.8 cm, and the top 650 has a diameter of 1.6 cm and a height of 1.4 cm. The diameter of the input coupling-element 630 is about 0.13 cm, and the diameter of the output coupling-element 120 is about 0.92 cm. The fundamental resonant frequency of this air resonator/waveguide is about 900MHz. By adjusting various design parameters (dimensions of the lamp body, length and diameter of the output coupling-element, gap between the output coupling-element and the wall of the lamp body) and other parameters, different resonant frequencies can be obtained. Furthermore, many other design possibilities for the 900 MHz resonator can be made by adjusting various design parameters. Based on the above exemplary design, it can be seen that the diameter C (5 cm) of the air resonator/waveguide is significantly smaller than the diameter A (16.5 cm) of the prior art air resonator shown in FIG. 1 . The disclosed compact air resonator/waveguide has significant advantages over conventional large air and dielectric resonators. The smaller resonator size and exposed arc allow for easy integration in existing lighting fixtures. There is no need to use expensive dielectric materials which would cause RF losses and be difficult to manufacture. Another significant advantage of the present invention is that the input coupling element 630 and the output coupling element 120 are respectively grounded at the plane 631 coincident with the outer surface of the lamp body 600 and at the bottom end 605 . This eliminates the need to fine-tune the depth of their insertion into the lamp body (and any sensitivity of the RF coupling between them to that depth), simplifies lamp fabrication, and also improves stability of the brightness output by the lamp. This illustration is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other variations, modifications, and options.

FIG. 4 shows the lamp shown in FIG. 3 with the RF amplifier 210 connected between the feedback coupling element 635 and the input coupling element 630 . This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize various changes, alternatives, and modifications. A short feedback coupling element 635 couples a small amount of RF energy from the resonator, which in turn provides feedback to the RF amplifier input 212 through the RF connector 621 . The feedback coupling element 635 is tightly received by the lamp body 600 through the opening 620 and is not in direct DC electrical contact with the conductive surface of the lamp body. The input coupling element 630 is electrically connected to the RF amplifier output 211 through the RF connector 611 . The input coupling element 630 is tightly received by the lamp body 600 through the opening 610 and is not directly electrically connected with the lamp body 600 at the bottom surface. However, the other end of the input coupling-element is connected to the lamp body 600 at 631 . As long as the amplifier has a gain greater than the feedback loop loss at the resonant frequency of the resonator, and the phase of the feedback loop satisfies the steady-state oscillation condition, then the Feedback loops cause oscillations. RF power from the amplifier is coupled to an output coupling element 120 through an input coupling element. The output coupling element couples RF energy to the bulb, causing ionization of the noble gas, which subsequently evaporates the illuminant, which then causes the bulb to glow. Of course, there are other variations, modifications, and options.

Fig. 5A shows a lamp similar to Fig. 4 except that the feedback coupling element is removed. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other variations, alternatives, and modifications. Alternatively, the RF source is provided by an oscillator 205 and an RF amplifier 210 , the output of the oscillator is connected to the input 212 of the RF amplifier 210 , the output 211 of the amplifier is electrically connected to the input coupling element 630 through the RF connector 611 . The input coupling-element delivers the RF power to the output coupling-element 120 which then couples it to the gas-filled vessel 130 . This illustration is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other variations, modifications, and options.

FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the lamp shown in FIG. 5A with a reflector 670 added. The light output from bulb 130 is collected and directed by an external reflector 670, which is electrically conductive or has conductive spacers if it is made of a dielectric material, and which is attached to lamp body 600 and make electrical contact with it. Reflector 670 is shown as a parabolic shape with bulb 130 positioned near its focus. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various possible reflector shapes can be designed to meet beam direction and distribution requirements. In particular embodiments, the shape may be conical, convex, concave, trapezoidal, pyramidal, or any combination of these shapes, among others. This illustration is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other variations, modifications, and options.

6A is a cross-sectional perspective view of the lamp of FIG. 5B without the RF source and reflector. The input coupling-element 630 is shown connected to the top surface 631 of the conductive lamp body 600 of the compact air resonator/waveguide. In this embodiment, the integrated bulb/output coupling-element assembly 120 is shown (unassembled) with an internally threaded screw base that can be screwed to the base end 605 of the conductive lamp body. In this case the output coupling-element is made of a solid conductor, but could be made of a dielectric material with a conductive layer. Since there is no electric field inside the dielectric material, the RF loss of the dielectric support structure used is not critical. Other attachment methods such as using set screws may be used to connect the output coupling-element to the lamp body. This illustration is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other variations, modifications, and options.

Figure 6B is similar to Figure 6A, but in this case the output coupling-element 120 is screwed to the bottom end 605 of the conductive lamp body. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other variations, alternatives, and modifications. The gap 140 between the output coupling-element 120 and the top 650 of the lamp body and the length and diameter of the output coupling-element 120 are important in determining the resonant frequency of the air resonator/waveguide.

Figures 7A, 7B, 7C, and 7D show some possible variations in the design of a compact air resonator/waveguide to achieve the same resonance frequency. Many other variations can provide designers the flexibility to design compact air resonators/waveguides. By adjusting the length of the output coupling element 120, as shown in FIG. 7B, adjusting the length of the top 650 and the size of the bottom 625 of the lamp body, the same resonant frequency as the air resonator/waveguide shown in FIG. 7A can be obtained. As shown in Figure 7C, another possibility is to vary the air gap 140 between the top 650 and the output coupling-element 120 to achieve the same resonant frequency, in addition to using a shorter top 650 . In FIG. 7D , part of the top 650 of the air resonator is tapered to allow a more gradual transition from the bottom 625 to the top 650 . Various other changes may include changing the diameter of the output coupling-element 120 or changing the dimensions of the base 625 to change the resonant frequency of the air resonator/waveguide. These illustrations are merely examples, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other variations, modifications, and options.

FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the invention in which a dielectric sleeve 150 is inserted around the output coupling-element 120 . This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize other variations, alternatives, and modifications. The dielectric sleeve increases the capacitance in the gap 140 between the output coupling-element 120 and the lamp body top 650, causing the resonant frequency of the resonator/waveguide to decrease. The dielectric sleeve can be made of materials such as quartz, or other materials can be used. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize other variations, modifications, and alternatives.

Figure 9 shows another embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize other variations, alternatives, and modifications. The resonator is similar to that shown in FIG. 5A except that the top of the gas-filled vessel is connected to the resonator body 600 by posts 180 and wires or bus bars 170 . Post 180 may be made of a solid conductor or may be made of a dielectric material with a conductive coating. In the case of solid conductors, a thin layer of dielectric material or refractory material can be used as a barrier between the post and the bulb.

Figure 10 is similar to Figure 5B, showing a compact air resonator/waveguide embodiment without reflectors and RF sources. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other variations, alternatives, and modifications. The largest dimension of the compact air resonator/waveguide in any dimension (in the figure, dimensions C, D, and E) in the three-coordinate system (XYZ) is less than 1/ of the resonant frequency of the fundamental mode of the air resonator/waveguide 2 free-space wavelengths. As shown in the detailed description, the present invention provides a plasma lamp arrangement. The device includes a gas-filled container having a transparent or translucent body configured by an inner region and an outer surface region, a cavity defined in the inner region. The device also has an air resonator region disposed within the surrounding region of the gas-filled vessel. In a specific embodiment, the air resonator region has a maximum dimension that is less than 1/2 the free space wavelength of the fundamental resonant frequency of the air resonator region. The device has an rf source configured to generate a resonant frequency of 2.5 GHz or less and coupled to the air resonator region. Of course, there may be other variations, modifications, and alternatives.

In the alternate embodiment shown, the present invention provides an alternate plasma lamp arrangement. The device has a waveguide having a largest dimension less than 1/2 the free space wavelength of the resonant frequency. Select the largest dimension from any dimension of the three-coordinate system. Of course, there may be other variations, modifications, and alternatives.

Figure 11 shows the temperature distribution of the surface of a gas-filled vessel (in this case a quartz bulb) as a function of distance above the output coupling-element. On the right side of FIG. 11 is shown the bulb of FIG. 3 and part of the top of the resonator/waveguide. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other variations, alternatives, and modifications. In this case, the bulb works vertically. A maximum temperature of about 852°C occurs at approximately 2/3 the length of the bulb above the end of the output coupling-element. The lowest temperature of about 783° C. occurs slightly above the end of the output coupling-element, which in this case also closely approximates the region of maximum electric field inside the bulb. Depending on the orientation of the bulb and the shape and size of the bulb, the design of the resonator (including the size of the output coupling-element and the material used to make it), and other parameters, the temperature distribution on the surface of the bulb can be changed. Of course, there may be other variations, modifications, and alternatives.

Still in the alternate embodiment shown, the present invention also provides an alternate plasma lamp arrangement. The device has a gas-filled container with a transparent or translucent body configured by an inner region and an outer surface region and a cavity defined in the inner region. In a specific embodiment, a gas-filled container has a first end and a second end. Although in some cases the maximum temperature distribution may deviate slightly, in a preferred embodiment the device has a maximum temperature distribution spatially located in the central region of the gas-filled vessel. In a particular embodiment, the central region is between the first end and the second end. In a preferred embodiment, the maximum temperature distribution is near the outer surface region, substantially undisturbed by the solid resonator body region. Of course, there may be other variations, modifications, and alternatives.

Figure 12A shows a simplified cross-sectional view of a gas-filled vessel 130 in a conventional dielectric resonator 500, and Figure 12B shows a simplified cross-sectional view of a gas-filled vessel 130 in an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other variations, alternatives, and modifications. As can be seen from Figure 12A, in a conventional dielectric resonator, since most of the bulb is inside the dielectric resonator, most of the light (135) from the arc of the bulb first reaches the opaque wall of the dielectric resonator, and then the light is reflected back to the bulb . The arc absorbs a portion of this reflected light and emits it again. The light continues to be repeatedly reflected until light is emitted from the top of the bulb (145). Typically, a reflective coating or material is used around the bulb (except for the top surface) to reduce reflection losses, but some reflected light is still lost in the process. In the case of the compact air resonator/waveguide 600 shown in Figure 12B, most of the emitted light 135 from the bulb's arc passes through the walls of the transparent or translucent gas-filled vessel without reflecting back into the bulb. Light 145 emitted from the surface of the bulb is emitted from most of the surface of the bulb without undergoing multiple reflections. Of course, there may be other variations, modifications, and alternatives.

As described above, according to one or more embodiments, the present invention provides a plasma lamp apparatus. The apparatus includes: a gas-filled container having a transparent or translucent body configured by an inner region and an outer surface region, a cavity defined in the inner region; and an rf source coupled to the gas-filled container to transmit electromagnetic radiation through at least More than 50% of the external surface area is not reflected back to the internal area of the gas-filled container. Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for emitting electromagnetic radiation emissions from a plasma lamp arrangement. The method includes generating electromagnetic radiation from an interior region of the gas-filled vessel using at least one or more rf sources configured to provide rf energy to the gas-filled vessel, and transmitting a portion of the electromagnetic radiation from the interior region of the gas-filled vessel At least 50% of the exterior surface area of the gas-filled container passes through with substantially no reflection back to the interior area of the gas-filled container. Of course, there may be other variations, modifications, and alternatives.

Fig. 13A shows a perspective view of a conventional dielectric resonator 500, and Fig. 13B shows a perspective view of an example of a device 600 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Looking at the bulb's arc 115 from the perspective of the observer 900 in Figure 13A, only the top of the arc is visible (top dashed line of sight 915). The other two lines of sight (two dashed lines 920 marked by Xs) to the middle and bottom of the arc are blocked by opaque dielectric resonators. If the observer moves within 360 degrees along the circle around the dielectric resonator (circular dashed line 950), still only the top of the arc is visible to the observer. In the case of the compact air resonator/waveguide 600 shown in Figure 13B, the observer 900 has a clear line of sight to the bottom, middle, and top of the bulb's arc 115 (three dashed lines 925). Additionally, if the observer moves within 360 degrees along a circle around the compact air resonator (dashed circular line 950), the observer will have a clear view of the bulb arc. Of course, there may be other variations, modifications, and alternatives.

In yet another alternative embodiment shown, the present invention provides an electrodeless plasma lamp arrangement. The device has a gas-filled container with a transparent or translucent body configured by an inner region and an outer surface region, a cavity defined in the inner region, the gas-filled container without one or more electrode structures. The device has a support body configured to cooperate with a gas-filled container; and an arc component induced by electromagnetic radiation and having a first end and a second end spaced in an interior region. In a preferred embodiment at least 50% of the arc part is exposed when viewed from any spatial position within 360 degrees from the outer edge of an imaginary line orthogonal to the central portion between the first end and the second end of the arc part . In one or more embodiments, the arc component is disposed within the space region between the first end and the second end of the inner region. Of course, there may be other variations, modifications, and alternatives.

In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides an electrodeless plasma lamp device. The device has a gas-filled vessel with a transparent or translucent body configured by an inner region and an outer surface region defining a cavity in the inner region, the gas-filled vessel without one or more electrode structures. The device also has a region of maximum electric field disposed in a portion of the interior region of the gas-filled vessel. In a specific embodiment, the maximum electric field region is exposed from the outer area of the gas-filled container when viewed from any spatial position within 360 degrees of the outer edge of an imaginary line orthogonal to the central portion of the gas-filled container.

FIG. 14A shows a lighting device using a metal halide lamp 730 with electrodes inside a bulb 731 . A secondary glass/quartz enclosure 735 surrounds the gas-filled vessel 731 . Ballast 750 is used to operate the lamp. In this case, due to the large arc of the bulb, it is difficult to design a compact low cost reflector 700 that can efficiently collect all the light generated by the bulb. In the case of a lighting device designed using one of the embodiments of the present invention, in Fig. 14B, the gas-filled container (bulb) 130 is compact, so it can be considered as a point light source when designing the reflector. Being compact, an efficient reflector 725 can be designed to collect all the light generated by the bulb. In this case, an RF driver/ballast 770 is used to operate the lamp. In one or more embodiments, preferably, the present invention provides a single light source plasma lamp device. The device has a single-point light source configured without electrodes and having a largest dimension equal to or less than 3 cm, and the emission of electromagnetic radiation from the single-point light source has at least 20,000 lumens. As mentioned above, the present device eliminates the use of lamp arrays and other complex and bulky designs. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other variations, alternatives, and modifications.

Figure 15 shows an example of a spectrum emitted from one of the embodiments of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other variations, alternatives, and modifications. The spectrum has emissions in the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared regions of the spectrum. By changing the luminophore inside the gas-filled container, the spectral characteristics of the emitted light can be changed. The device is also provided in one or more embodiments. The apparatus includes: an rf source; an electromagnetic resonator structure coupled to at least one rf coupling element, wherein the rf coupling element is configured to introduce rf energy into the electromagnetic resonator structure; a bulb including a fill material. coupling the bulb to the electromagnetic resonator structure to radiate electromagnetic energy from at least the ultraviolet, visible, or infrared spectrum; and, the exposed area of the bulb protruding outside the electromagnetic resonator structure to cause a substantial portion of the electromagnetic radiation to be emitted from an exterior surface of the bulb , without reflection from the electromagnetic resonator structure. In one or more embodiments, the spectrum may include combinations of the above regions as well as other regions. Of course, many combinations, alternatives, and variations are possible.

While the above is a complete description of specific embodiments, various modifications, alternative configurations, and equivalents may be used. Accordingly, the above description and examples should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims.

Claims (9)

1. An electrodeless plasma lamp device comprising: a gas-filled container having a transparent or translucent body consisting of an inner region defining a cavity within the inner region and an outer surface region, the inner region being devoid of one or more electrode structures; a support configured to mate with the gas-filled container; an arc generated by electromagnetic radiation and having a first end and a second end spatially disposed in the inner region; and At least 50% of said arc when viewed from any spatial position within 360 degrees of the outer edge of an imaginary line orthogonal to the central portion between said first end and said second end of said arc portion part exposed; The gas filler is configured as a single point light source, and the single point light source has a largest dimension of less than 3 centimeters; wherein electromagnetic radiation is emitted from the single point light source, the electromagnetic radiation having at least 20,000 lumens. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the arc portion is disposed in a space region between a first end and a second end of the inner region. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a maximum electric field region arranged in a part of the inner region of the gas-filled container, the maximum electric field region is arranged at 360 degrees from the outer edge of an imaginary line perpendicular to the central portion of the gas-filled container Said region of maximum electric field emerges from an outer region of said gas-filled vessel when viewed from any spatial position within. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the region of maximum electric field originates from one or more rf sources coupled to the gas-filled vessel. 5. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a waveguide coupled to the gas-filled vessel such that the region of maximum electric field in the gas-filled vessel is spatially disposed within the waveguide outside of the body. 6. The device of claim 3, wherein the region of maximum electric field is from the vicinity of an opaque material. 7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the region of maximum electric field is characterized by an electromagnetic field peak, the electromagnetic field peak being one of a plurality of peaks. 8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the region of maximum electric field is one of a plurality of regions of maximum electric field. 9. A method for emitting electromagnetic radiation from a plasma lamp arrangement, the method comprising: generating electromagnetic radiation from an interior region of a gas-filled container using at least one or more rf sources configured to provide rf energy to the gas-filled container; and transmitting a portion of said electromagnetic radiation from said interior region of said gas-filled vessel through at least 50% of an exterior surface area of said gas-filled vessel without reflection back into said interior region of said gas-filled vessel; The gas filler is configured as a single point light source, and the single point light source has a largest dimension of less than 3 centimeters; wherein electromagnetic radiation is emitted from the single point light source, the electromagnetic radiation having at least 20,000 lumens.