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An ultraviolet light source which includes an ultraviolet light bulb or lamp, a power source for providing power to the ultraviolet light bulb, and a non-glass or non-quartz protective sleeve which surrounds the ultraviolet light bulb. The ultraviolet light bulb preferably includes a casing for hold

An ultraviolet light source which includes an ultraviolet light bulb or lamp, a power source for providing power to the ultraviolet light bulb, and a non-glass or non-quartz protective sleeve which surrounds the ultraviolet light bulb. The ultraviolet light bulb preferably includes a casing for holding a starting gas and a vaporizable material, and at least one electrode electrically coupled to the power source for exciting the starting gas and the vaporizable material within the casing. The casing is made of soft glass or quartz material, and the protective sleeve is a fluoropolymer sleeve which surrounds the soft glass or quartz casing. The fluoropolymer sleeve may comprise any suitable fluoropolymer material, such as Teflon.RTM. products like PTFE, FEP, PFA, AF, Tefzel.RTM. ETFE, and the like. In addition, some silicon based materials or other UV transmissive non-glass materials can be used for the protective sleeve.

대표청구항 ▼

An ultraviolet light source which includes an ultraviolet light bulb or lamp, a power source for providing power to the ultraviolet light bulb, and a non-glass or non-quartz protective sleeve which surrounds the ultraviolet light bulb. The ultraviolet light bulb preferably includes a casing for hold

An ultraviolet light source which includes an ultraviolet light bulb or lamp, a power source for providing power to the ultraviolet light bulb, and a non-glass or non-quartz protective sleeve which surrounds the ultraviolet light bulb. The ultraviolet light bulb preferably includes a casing for holding a starting gas and a vaporizable material, and at least one electrode electrically coupled to the power source for exciting the starting gas and the vaporizable material within the casing. The casing is made of soft glass or quartz material, and the protective sleeve is a fluoropolymer sleeve which surrounds the soft glass or quartz casing. The fluoropolymer sleeve may comprise any suitable fluoropolymer material, such as Teflon.RTM. products like PTFE, FEP, PFA, AF, Tefzel.RTM. ETFE, and the like. In addition, some silicon based materials or other UV transmissive non-glass materials can be used for the protective sleeve. ations. sil(s) is alternated with energizing said thermal cells. 8. A cooking hob as claimed in claim 7, wherein said signal source includes said thermal cells forming part of an oscillator for determination of the presence of said cooking utensil(s). 9. A cooking hob as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for applying said signal source to said thermal cells comprises electronic switch means which selectively connects the rows of the matrix distribution of thermal cells to ground and, respectively, enables the columns of the matrix distribution of thermal cells to be selectively driven with an alternating signal (or vice versa). 10. A cooking hob comprising: a plurality of thermal cells distributed in a matrix formation below a heat-resistant surface on which one or more cooking utensils can be located in random manner; a power supply for energizing said thermal cells; a signal source; a receiver electromagnetically coupled to said thermal cells; first switching means for applying a signal from said signal source individually to said plurality of thermal cells; second switching means for individually connecting said plurality of thermal cells to said power supply; a signal processor for processing signals from said receiver; and a microprocessor to determine which thermal cells lie under a cooking utensil and map those thermal cells which lie under a cooking utensil based on signals from said signal processor and to generate an algorithm to cause said switching means to connect those of said thermal cells lying under a cooking utensil to said power supply to be energized. 11. The cooking hob as claimed in claim 10, wherein said receiver comprises at least one loop surrounding at least a part of said thermal cells. 12. The cooking hob of claim 11 wherein said receiver comprises multiple loops each surrounding at least a portion of said thermal cells. 13. The cooking hob of claim 10 wherein said first switching means and said second switching means alternately applies said signal from said signal source individually to said thermal cells and enables those thermal cells lying under a cooking utensil to be energized by said power source. 14. A method for determining the location, form and size of cooking utensils on a cooking hob having a plurality of thermal cells distributed in a matrix formation below a heat-resistant surface on which cooking utensils can be located in random manner comprising: applying a signal from a signal source individually to said thermal cells; receiving a signal from said thermal cells which received signal varies according to whether or not a cooking utensil is located on said thermal cell; processing said received signals in a circuit to provide an output that indicates whether said thermal cells lies under a cooking utensil. 15. The method of determining the location, form and size of cooking utensils on a cooking hob according to claim 14 wherein said received signal is received by receiving means electromagnetically coupled to said thermal cells. 16. The method of determining the location, form and size of cooking utensils on a cooking hob according to claim 14 further comprising: providing the outputs of said circuit to a microprocessor to build a memory map of the location, form and size of cooking utensils on said cooking hob based on the outputs associated with each thermal cell. 17. The method of determining the location, form and size of cooking utensils on a cooking hob according to claim 16 further comprising: using said memory map to display on a light-emitting panel the location of cooking utensils on said cooking hob. 18. The method of determining the location, form and size of cooking utensils on a cooking hob according to claim 14 further comprising: providing the outputs of said circuit to a microprocessor to build a memory map of the location, form and size of cooking utensils on said cooking hob based on the outputs associated with each thermal cell and a