HID light bulb and base system

A light bulb is disclosed comprising a base that has an enclosure and a socket connector and a base connector. The enclosure includes conductors for conveying electric power from the socket connector to the base connector. A selectively detachable bulb assembly is further included and has a bulb connector that is mechanically and electrically cooperative with the base connector to secure the bulb assembly to the base and conduct electrical power therethrough. The bulb assembly further includes an inner bulb having a transparent quartz inner layer with a transparent silicon outer layer, and a high intensity discharge (HID) lamp electrically connected to the bulb connector. An outer bulb contains the inner bulb and likewise comprises a transparent quartz inner layer with a transparent silicon outer layer. An instant-on bulb illuminates immediately until the HID lamp reaches its full luminosity.

Not Applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to lighting, and more particularly to a highly efficient and durable light bulb.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

The incandescent bulb is losing popularity due to its poor efficiency of about 12 lm/w and its relatively short life span of between 750 to 1,000 hours. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) have a higher efficiency of about 40 lm/w and a life of about 6,000 to 8,000 hours. Still, CFLs are still relatively unpopular due to their color being cooler than that of incandescent bulbs, typically, and the fact that such bulbs contain hazardous materials such as mercury, making disposal and clean-up of broken bulbs more costly and inconvenient. Further, the price of CFLs has still not reached parity with incandescent bulbs.

As a result, LED-based bulbs are gaining in popularity since they overcome many of the drawbacks of incandescent and CFL bulbs, namely, LEDs contain no mercury and have a life of between 50,000 and 100,000 hours. The efficiencies are comparable to CFLs, but the drawbacks of LED bulbs have not yet made LEDs the most popular type of bulb. For example, LEDs are not as luminous as incandescent or CFL bulbs, and as a result many LEDs must be grouped together to achieve adequate light production, which generates a significant amount of heat requiring large heat sinks. Such LED bulbs are, as a result, relatively expensive to manufacture.

Since about 1970 high-wattage metal halide lamps (MHL), also known as high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps, have been used for such applications as street lighting, sports stadiums, warehouse lighting, and the like. Such MHL lamps are typically rated at around 400 watts, and 1,000 watt MHL lamps are not uncommon. The color rendition is more attractive with such bulbs than with CFLs, and their efficiency and life are two or more times that of CFLs. For example, Phillip's 400 Watt MHL model “3ED-28 EX29” has a brightness of 36,000 lm and an average life of 20,000 hours. Its efficiency is rated at 90 lm/w (36,000/400). However, the principal drawback of such bulbs is that in the event of a bulb failure, extremely hot glass may explode in all directions at a tremendous force, clearly a potentially catastrophic event in anyone's place of business or residence. As a result, such HID lamps have not often been used indoors or in locations where such a catastrophic bulb failure could cause excessive property damage or personal injury.

Further, HID type lamps suffer from the drawback of not achieving their full luminosity until they have warmed-up, which can take several minutes. In the meantime such lamps may be quite dim, and not provide ample light even for routine tasks. None of the prior art devices includes an auxiliary bulb for providing immediate illumination upon being switched-on, and then extinguishing the auxiliary bulb once the HID type lamp has achieved substantially its full luminosity.

Therefore, there is a need for a HID light bulb that produces adequate light for general lighting, such as 400 or more lumens. Such a needed invention would have high efficiencies, such as around 100 lm/w, and would last more than 10,000 hours. Such a needed device would contain very little mercury or other hazardous materials when compared to CFL bulbs. Further, such a needed invention would provide lighting with aesthetically pleasing color rendition and would be relatively inexpensive to manufacture and dispose of. Still further, in the event of a bulb failure, the bulb of such a lamp could be easily replaced without having to also replace the ballast circuitry. Such a needed bulb would provide an auxiliary bulb for providing immediate illumination upon being switched-on, the auxiliary bulb being extinguished once the HID type lamp has achieved substantially its full luminosity. The present invention accomplishes these objectives.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present device is a light bulb comprising a base that has an enclosure and a socket connector at a lower end thereof. The base includes a base connector at an upper end thereof. The enclosure includes conductors for conveying electric power from the socket connector to the base connector.

A selectively detachable bulb assembly is further included and has at a bottom side thereof a bulb connector that is mechanically and electrically cooperative with the base connector to secure the bulb assembly to the base and conduct electrical power therethrough.

The bulb assembly further includes at a top side thereof an inner bulb and an outer bulb. The inner bulb comprises a transparent quartz inner layer with a transparent silicon outer layer. The inner bulb contains therein a high intensity discharge (HID) lamp electrically connected to the bulb connector. The outer bulb contains the inner bulb and likewise comprises a transparent quartz inner layer with a transparent silicon outer layer. Preferably the quartz inner layer of each bulb is formed from a tempered quartz material, and the silicon outer layer is formed by dipping the quartz inner layer into a silicon compound and allowed to cure. The base enclosure preferably further includes a high intensity discharge ballast circuit for powering the HID lamp, such that line power may be applied to the socket connector and converted into high voltage power for the lamp HID lamp.

In use, with the bulb assembly coupled with the base and power applied to the socket connector, electrical power flows through the socket connector, the base, each connector, to the HID lamp to illuminate the light bulb. In the event that the inner bulb fails and explodes outwardly, the outer bulb contains the debris therein. In the event the bulb is dropped, the outer bulb shatters but is contained within the silicon layer of the outer bulb.

The present a light bulb is luminous enough for general lighting, and is able to produce as much as 400 or more lumens. The present device is highly efficient at 100 lm/w or more, and has a life of more than 10,000 hours. The present light bulb contains relatively little mercury and other hazardous materials when compared to CFL bulbs. Further, the present invention provides lighting with an aesthetically pleasing color rendition and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and dispose of. Moreover, in the event of a bulb failure, the bulb assembly of the present device may be easily replaced without having to also replace the ballast circuitry. The present bulb further provides an auxiliary bulb for providing immediate illumination upon being switched-on, the auxiliary bulb being extinguished once the HID type lamp has achieved substantially its full luminosity. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1 and 2illustrate a light bulb10comprising a base20that has an enclosure30and a socket connector40at a lower end32thereof. The base20includes a base connector50at an upper end38thereof. The enclosure30includes conductors60for conveying electric power from the socket connector40to the connector50. Preferably the enclosure30is made for a durable plastic material that is suitable for use at elevated temperatures associated with high-intensity discharge lamps.

In one embodiment the socket connector40is a screw-type cap120for placement in a screw style electrical socket15(FIGS. 1 and 2). In another embodiment, the socket connector40is a bayonet-type cap130for placement in a bayonet-style electrical socket16(FIGS. 4 and 5).

A selectively detachable bulb assembly70is further included and has at a bottom side72thereof a bulb connector80that is mechanically and electrically cooperative with the base connector50to secure the bulb assembly70to the base20and conduct electrical power therethrough. The base connector50may include a pair of undercut slots130in a side surface55of the enclosure30. In such an embodiment the bulb connector80is a pair of flange conductors140(FIG. 2), such that the conductors140may be inserted into the slots130and the bulb assembly70twisted with respect to the base20to couple the bulb assembly70with the base20both mechanically and electrically. Preferably the bottom side72of the bulb assembly70is made for a durable plastic material that is suitable for use at elevated temperatures associated with high-intensity discharge lamps.

The bulb assembly70further includes at a top side78thereof an inner bulb90and an outer bulb100. The inner bulb90comprises a transparent quartz inner layer92with a transparent silicon outer layer94. Preferably the quartz inner layer92is formed from a tempered quartz material, and the silicon outer layer94is formed by dipping the quartz inner layer92into a silicon solution and allowed to cure. Further, the inner bulb90contains therein a high intensity discharge (HID) lamp110electrically connected to the bulb connector80. Such a HID lamp110contains metal halide gas and a small amount of mercury, as is known in the art, and may be in any power rating as desired, but typically between 15 and 100 Watts. The inner bulb90may further include a wire mesh envelope170(FIG. 4) therearound for containing the inner bulb90if the inner bulb explodes or breaks. Such a wire mesh envelope170is preferably made from a strong heat-resistant metal material, such as stainless steel or the like.

The outer bulb100contains the inner bulb90and comprises a transparent quartz inner layer102with a transparent silicon outer layer104. The bulb assembly70may further include a reflector element160mounted inside the outer bulb100to reflect light directed towards the base20away from the base20. Preferably the quartz inner layer102of the outer bulb90is formed from a tempered quartz material, and the silicon outer layer104is formed by dipping the quartz inner layer102into a silicon compound and allowed to cure. The bulb assembly70further includes an instant-on lamp190and a photo resistor200situated to receive light from the high intensity discharge lamp110. The instant-on lamp190and photo resistor200are electrically connected with the bulb connector80.

The base enclosure30further includes a circuit180that includes a high intensity discharge ballast circuit150(FIGS. 5 and 7) for powering the HID lamp110, such that line power may be applied to the socket connector40and converted into high voltage power for the lamp HID lamp110. The high intensity discharge ballast circuit150illustrated inFIG. 7is an example of one such circuit150; other suitable ballast circuits may be used interchangeably as known in the art.

The circuit180further includes an instant-on circuit155(FIG. 8) that is electronically coupled to the instant-on lamp190and the photo resistor200of the bulb assembly70through the base and bulb connectors50,80. The instant-on circuit155further includes an electronic switch210for powering the instant-on lamp190only when the photo resistor200detects that the high intensity discharge lamp110is not at full brightness. In one embodiment, the instant-on circuit155is included in the base20with the high intensity discharge ballast circuit150. In an alternate embodiment, the instant-on circuit155is included in the bulb assembly70, such that only two conductors60are required.

In use, with the bulb assembly70coupled with the base20and power applied to the socket connector40, electrical power flows through the socket connector40, the base20, each connector50,80, to the HID lamp110to illuminate the light bulb10. The instant-on bulb190illuminates initially at full brightness until the photo resistor200detects that the HID lamp110has reached full brightness, after which the electronic switch210switches off the instant-on bulb190. In the event that the inner bulb90fails and explodes outwardly, the outer bulb100contains the debris therein. In the event the light bulb10is dropped, the outer bulb100may shatter but is contained within the silicon layer104of the outer bulb100. The gap between the bulbs90and100may be ambient air at ambient pressure, or sealed at the factory at sea-level or other near sea-level pressure.

While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the particular shapes of the inner bulb90and outer bulb100may be varied based on the application at hand. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.