Liquid filament for incandescent lights

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016189906-A1
Application number	US-201615065136-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 9, 2016
Priority date	Aug 29, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A filament for a light bulb includes a tube and a filament material within the tube, wherein the filament material is configured to be in a liquid state while the light bulb is in use.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A light bulb, comprising:
a tube, the tube having an inner diameter and an outer diameter defining a thickness of a tube wall, and wherein at least one of the inner diameter, the outer diameter, or the thickness varies along a length of the tube; and a filament material within the tube, the filament material configured to be in a liquid state when the light bulb is in use.

2 . The light bulb of claim 1 , wherein a first outer surface of the tube at one end of the tube and a second outer surface of the tube at the other end of the tube are configured such that the temperature of the tube is lower at each end of the tube than at a location between the two ends.

3 . The light bulb of claim 1 , wherein the tube includes two ends, wherein the thickness and outer diameter at one end of the tube and the thickness and outer diameter at the other end of the tube are configured such that a stress of the tube is lower at each end of the tube than at a location between the two ends.

4 . The light bulb of claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter remains constant along a length of the tube.

5 . The light bulb of claim 1 , wherein the inner diameter remains constant along a length of the tube.

6 . The light bulb of claim 5 , wherein the outer diameter is fixed at a first value for a first distance from the ends of the tube toward the midpoint of the tube, wherein the outer diameter decreases for a second distance and toward the midpoint of the tube, and wherein the outer diameter is fixed at a second value for a third distance toward the midpoint of the tube.

7 . The light bulb of claim 5 , wherein the outer diameter decreases from the ends of the tube along the tube toward the midpoint of the tube.

8 . The light bulb of claim 1 , wherein the inner diameter of the tube varies along a length of the tube.

9 . The light bulb of claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter of the tube varies along a length of the tube.

10 . The light bulb of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the tube wall varies along a length of the tube.

11 . The light bulb of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the tube wall remains constant along a length of the tube.

12 . The light bulb of claim 1 , wherein the tube is transverse to an axis formed by a base of the light bulb and a tip of the light bulb.

13 . A filament for a light bulb, comprising:
a tube including a cap at each end of the tube; and a filament material within the tube, wherein the filament material is configured to be in a liquid state when the light bulb is in use.

14 . The filament of claim 13 , wherein the filament material is electrically conductive while in the liquid state.

15 . The filament of claim 13 , wherein the filament material wets an inner surface of the tube.

16 . The filament of claim 13 , wherein the cap has a thickness configured to at least one of (a) reduce a stress of the tube at the ends of the tube, (b) reduce the temperature of the tube at the ends of the tube, or (c) reduce the temperature of a supply wire.

17 . The filament of claim 13 , wherein the cap is configured to support a supply wire.

18 . The filament of claim 13 , wherein the cap is configured to shield a supply wire from heat radiated by the filament material.

19 . The filament of claim 13 , wherein the filament material is configured to spread across at least a portion of an inner surface of the tube via surface tension forces.

20 . The filament of claim 13 , wherein the filament material is configured to be a solid or solidify when not receiving energy from the light bulb.

21 . The filament of claim 13 , wherein the filament material is configured to melt in response to energy received from the light bulb.

22 . The filament of claim 13 , wherein the tube includes an opening for a supply wire, and wherein the opening for the supply wire is configured to prevent the filament material from exiting the tube when in the liquid state.

23 . The filament of claim 13 , wherein the tube includes space for thermal expansion of the filament material.

24 . An incandescent light, comprising:
a tube; a filament material within the tube; a supply wire configured to provide energy to the filament material; a base configured to be in electrical communication with a socket; and a bulb coupled to the base and configured to enclose the tube and supply wire, wherein the filament material is configured to be in a liquid state when the incandescent light is in use, and wherein the bulb is configured to contain a gas such that the gas is in contact with the tube.

25 . The incandescent light of claim 24 , further comprising a support wire configured to support the tube.

26 . The incandescent light of claim 25 , further comprising a stem configured to support the support wire and partially house the supply wire.

27 . The incandescent light of claim 24 , further comprising a stem configured to support the tube.

28 . The incandescent light of claim 24 , wherein the gas includes an inert gas.

29 . The incandescent light of claim 28 , wherein the inert gas includes at least one of argon, nitrogen, or helium.

30 . The incandescent light of claim 24 , wherein the gas includes a gas configured to counteract evaporation of gas in the tube.

31 . The incandescent light of claim 30 , wherein the gas includes at least one of nitrogen gas, a nitrogen donating gas, or a carbon donating gas.

32 . The incandescent light of claim 24 , wherein the tube is transverse to the bulb.

33 . The incandescent light of claim 24 , wherein the filament material is configured to incandesce, wherein energy radiated by the filament material is absorbed by the tube, wherein the tube radiates visible light in response, and wherein the tube is opaque to at least a portion of the energy radiated by the filament material.

34 . The incandescent light of claim 24 , wherein an inner surface of the tube comprises a microstructure configured as a nucleation site for refreezing of the filament material.

35 . The incandescent light of claim 34 , wherein the microstructure extends along at least a portion of a length of the tube.

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Hyde Roderick A
• Kare Jordin T
• Tuckerman David B
• Weaver Thomas A
• Wood Jr Lowell L
• Zare Richard N

Classifications

• H01K1/28

  Envelopes; Vessels · CPC title

• H01K1/58

  Cooling arrangements · CPC title

• H01K5/00

  Lamps for general lighting (H01K9/00 - H01K13/00 take precedence) · CPC title

• H05B39/04 Primary

  Controlling · CPC title

• H01J1/06 Primary

  Containers for liquid-pool electrodes; Arrangement or mounting thereof · CPC title