Patent ID: 8203267

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a high-pressure discharge lamp, the high-pressure discharge lamp comprising: a substantially spherical portion made of glass forming an internal space that is a light-emitting portion; a pair of sealing portions made of glass that are connected respectively with both ends of the substantially spherical portion; a pair of electrodes that are sealed into the respective sealing portions at rear end portions so that front ends thereof are positioned in the light-emitting portion, wherein the front ends of the respective electrodes face each other with a predetermined electrode distance in the light-emitting portion; and metal foils that are sealed to the respective sealing portions and are connected with the rear ends of the electrodes, the method comprising: using a vessel provided with a substantially cylindrical glass tube for forming the respective sealing portions on both ends of the substantially spherical portion; disposing a connected structure of the metal foil and the electrode in the glass tube such that the front end of the electrode is positioned in the light-emitting portion; and melting by heat and shrinking the glass tube for sealing the metal foil and the electrode so as to form the sealing portion, wherein an inner diameter φ of the glass tube before the heat-melt processing and a distance L from an edge of the metal foil to the internal space of the substantially spherical portion are set to satisfy a relationship of L/φ≧1.35, a corner of an edge portion of the metal foil on a side of the connection with the electrode is cut so as to form a wedge shape, and then, the sealing step is performed.