SMALL-SIZE LUMINESCENT TUBE Russian patent published in 1997 - IPC

FIELD: electric engineering. SUBSTANCE: device has sealed housing with gas discharge chambers, which inner surface is covered with luminescent material, and electrodes which generate and keep discharge. Device housing is designed as base on which stem, electronic terminals and bulb are located. Bulb has two parts inner one which is used for detection of discharge gaps and outer one which surface is covered with luminescent material. Both parts are sealed to base. Inner part of bulb has n1 elementary discharge gap regions of arbitrary shape (mostly cylindrical ones). n1 is in range of 1 to 1000. Said elementary discharge gap regions are connected in series so than ratio of maximal length L1 of line which connects centers of volumes of two arbitrary adjacent elementary regions to distance L2 between most distant points on surface of outer bulb is in range of 1 to 1000. Total length of discharge gap is divided into n2 autonomous discharge gaps which number is in range of 1 to 10 by means of additional walls and electrodes. In addition outer part of bulb has insulating sealing wall which prevents parasitic discharges between current pickups. Outer part of bulb is covered with regions with mate surface or with dissipating flanges and/or recesses for which ratio of their total area S7 to area S8 of outer surface of outer part of bulb is in range of 0.1 to 3. In addition bulb is covered with regions of luminescent cover for which ratio of their total area S9 to S8 is in range of 1 to 2. EFFECT: increased functional capabilities. 1 dwg, 1 tbl