초록 ▼

The present invention is a fluorescent light lumen regulating apparatus. More specifically, in one aspect, the present invention is a fluorescent lighting assembly for mounting at least one fluorescent lamp. In this aspect, the lighting assembly comprises a lamp housing. In another aspect, the inven

The present invention is a fluorescent light lumen regulating apparatus. More specifically, in one aspect, the present invention is a fluorescent lighting assembly for mounting at least one fluorescent lamp. In this aspect, the lighting assembly comprises a lamp housing. In another aspect, the invention further comprises a thermal dissipater to selectively dissipate heat from the fluorescent lamp to the ambient air to maintain the temperature of the cold spot of the fluorescent lamp within a predetermined temperature range.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A fluorescent lighting assembly for mounting at least one fluorescent lamp comprising: a lamp housing; a thermal contactor mounted within the lamp housing in thermal contact with a cold spot of said fluorescent lamp, said thermal contactor comprising a thermally conductive material; a

We claim: 1. A fluorescent lighting assembly for mounting at least one fluorescent lamp comprising: a lamp housing; a thermal contactor mounted within the lamp housing in thermal contact with a cold spot of said fluorescent lamp, said thermal contactor comprising a thermally conductive material; a thermal dissipater in contact with said thermal contactor; and a means for selectively opening and closing a thermal circuit between the thermal dissipater and the fluorescent lamp to maintain the temperature of the cold spot of the fluorescent lamp within a predetermined temperature range, wherein the thermal dissipater dissipates heat from the fluorescent lamp to the ambient air when the thermal circuit is closed, and wherein the means for selectively opening and closing the thermal circuit selectively opens the thermal circuit without breaking the thermal contact between the thermal contactor and the at least one fluorescent lamp. 2. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 1, further comprising a socket for engagement with a mounting end of said fluorescent lamp. 3. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 2, further comprising a socket receptacle for engagement with said socket, said socket receptacle being mounted to the lamp housing. 4. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 1 for a plurality of fluorescent lamps, further comprising a plurality of thermal contactors wherein each thermal contactor is in thermal contact with said thermal dissipater. 5. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 3, wherein said socket is slidably received by said socket receptacle, the socket receptacle further comprising a lamp retainer for maintaining thermal contact between the thermal contactor and the cold spot of the fluorescent lamp. 6. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 5, wherein the lamp retainer has a bias device to maintain the proper amount of contact pressure between the lamp and the thermal contactor. 7. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 6, wherein the bias device is a spring. 8. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the thermal dissipater is a variable conductance heat pipe. 9. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the thermal dissipater further comprises a plurality of cooling fins. 10. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the means for selectively opening and closing the thermal circuit is configured to allow the thermal dissipater to selectively dissipate heat from said fluorescent lamp to the ambient air to maintain the temperature of the cold spot of said fluorescent lamp within a temperature range from about 45째 C. to about 57째 C. over a range of ambient temperatures of 25째 C. and 45째 C. 11. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the cold spot of the fluorescent lamp is positioned at a predetermined location along a length of the fluorescent lamp. 12. A fluorescent lighting assembly for mounting at least one fluorescent lamp with a mounting end comprising: a lamp housing; and a variable conductance heat pipe mounted within the lamp housing having a proximal end, wherein the proximal end comprises a thermally conductive material, and wherein the variable conductance heat pipe is mounted such that the thermally conductive material engages a cold spot of said fluorescent lamp and is configured to selectively open and close a thermal circuit between the variable conductance heat pipe and fluorescent lamp, wherein when the thermal circuit is closed the variable conductance heat pipe dissipates heat from said fluorescent lamp to the ambient air; whereby the selective opening and closing of the thermal circuit maintains the temperature of the cold spot of the fluorescent lamp within a predetermined temperature range. 13. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 12, further comprising a socket for engagement with a mounting end of said fluorescent lamp. 14. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 13, further comprising a socket receptacle for engagement with said socket, said socket receptacle being mounted to the lamp housing. 15. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 12 for mounting a plurality of fluorescent lamps, further comprising a variable conductance heat pipe with a plurality of proximal ends, each comprising a thermally conductive material, wherein each proximal end is in thermal contact with the cold spot of one of the plurality of fluorescent lamps. 16. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 14, wherein said socket is slidably received by said socket receptacle, the socket receptacle further comprising a lamp retainer for maintaining thermal contact between the proximal end of the variable conductance heat pipe and the cold spot of the fluorescent lamp. 17. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 16, wherein the lamp retainer comprises a bias device to maintain the proper amount of contact pressure between the lamp and the proximal end of the variable conductance heat pipe. 18. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 17, wherein the bias device is a spring. 19. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 12, wherein the variable conductance heat pipe further comprises a plurality of cooling fins. 20. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 12, wherein the variable conductance heat pipe selectively opens and closes the thermal circuit to dissipate heat from said fluorescent lamp to the ambient air to maintain the temperature of the cold spot of said fluorescent lamp within a temperature range from about 45째 C. to about 57째 C. over a range of ambient temperatures of 25째 C. and 45째 C. 21. A fluorescent lighting assembly for mounting at least one fluorescent lamp end comprising: a lamp housing; a fluorescent lamp mounted within the lamp housing; a thermal contactor mounted within the lamp housing in thermal contact with a cold spot of said fluorescent lamp, said thermal contactor comprising a thermally conductive material; and a thermal dissipater in contact with said thermal contactor; and a means for selectively opening and closing a thermal circuit between the thermal dissipater and the fluorescent lamp, wherein the thermal dissipater dissipates heat from the fluorescent lamp to the ambient air when the thermal circuit is closed, and wherein the means for selectively opening and closing the thermal circuit selectively opens the thermal circuit without breaking the thermal contact between the thermal contactor and the at least one fluorescent lamp, whereby the selective opening and closing of the thermal circuit results in maintaining the temperature of the cold spot of the fluorescent lamp within a predetermined temperature range. 22. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 21, further comprising a socket for engagement with a mounting end of said fluorescent lamp. 23. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 22, further comprising a socket receptacle for engagement with said socket, said socket receptacle being mounted to the lamp housing. 24. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 21 having a plurality of fluorescent lamps, further comprising a plurality of thermal contactors wherein each thermal contactor is in thermal contact with said thermal dissipater. 25. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 23, wherein said socket is slidably received by said socket receptacle, the socket receptacle further comprising a lamp retainer for maintaining thermal contact between the thermal contactor and the cold spot of the fluorescent lamp. 26. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 25, wherein the lamp retainer has a bias device to maintain a contact pressure between the lamp and the thermal contactor. 27. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 26, wherein the bias device is a spring. 28. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 21, wherein the thermal dissipater is a variable conductance heat pipe. 29. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 21, wherein the thermal dissipater further comprises a plurality of cooling fins. 30. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 21, wherein the means for selectively opening and closing the thermal circuit is configured to allow the thermal dissipater to selectively dissipate heat from said fluorescent lamp to the ambient air to maintain the temperature of the cold spot of said fluorescent lamp within a temperature range from about 45째 C. to about 57째 C. over a range of ambient temperatures of 25째 C. and 45째 C. 31. A fluorescent lighting assembly for mounting at least one fluorescent lamp having a cold spot, the assembly comprising: a lamp housing; a thermal contactor mounted within the lamp housing to engage the cold spot of said fluorescent lamp, said thermal contactor comprising a thermally conductive material; a heat pipe mounted within the lamp housing spaced therefrom the thermal contactor; a thermal actuator mounted within the lamp housing substantially adjacent the space between the heat pipe and the thermal contactor, wherein the thermal actuator defines an internal cavity and comprises: a plunger having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being positioned within the interior cavity and the distal end being positioned external to the interior cavity; a thermally conductive member affixed substantially to the distal end of the plunger; an expandable container disposed within the interior cavity of the thermal actuator, wherein a portion of the expandable container is positioned substantially adjacent the proximal end of the plunger, the expandable container enveloping a phase change material, wherein the phase change material exerts an expansion force on the container walls when the phase change material changes from a solid to a liquid, thereby expanding at least a portion of the expandable container and wherein expansion of the container causes the plunger to move from a first, non-actuated position, in which the thermally conductive member is not in thermal contact with the heat pipe and the thermal contactor, and a second, actuated position, in which the plunger extends and moves the thermally conductive member into a position whereby it is in thermal contact with the thermal contactor and the heat pipe. 32. The fluorescent lighting assembly of claim 31, wherein the heat pipe further comprises a plurality of cooling fins. 33. A fluorescent lighting assembly for mounting at least one fluorescent lamp having a cold spot, the assembly comprising: a lamp housing; a heat pipe mounted within the lamp housing such that at least a portion of the heat pipe is positioned exterior to the lamp housing; a thermal contactor mounted within the lamp housing to engage the cold spot of said fluorescent lamp, said thermal contactor comprising a thermally conductive material a thermal actuator mounted within the housing adjacent to the thermal contactor and the heat pipe, the thermal actuator spaced therefrom at least one of the heat pipe or the thermal contactor, the thermal actuator comprising: a plunger having a distal end and a longitudinal axis, wherein the plunger is slidably mounted in a wall of the thermal actuator and is adapted to translate along its longitudinal axis relative to the thermal actuator; a thermally conductive member affixed substantially to the distal end of the plunger; a means for moving the plunger from a first, non-actuated position, in which the thermally conductive member is not in thermal contact with the heat pipe and the thermal contactor, and a second, actuated position, in which the plunger extends and moves the thermally conductive member into a position whereby it is in thermal contact with the thermal contactor and the heat pipe thereby completing a thermal circuit from the cold spot of the fluorescent lamp to the heat pipe. 34. A fluorescent lighting assembly for mounting at least one fluorescent lamp comprising: a lamp housing; a thermal contactor mounted within the lamp housing to engage a cold spot of said fluorescent lamp, said thermal contactor comprising a thermally conductive material; and a variable conductance heat pipe in thermal contact with said thermal contactor, wherein said variable conductance heat pipe is configured to selectively open and close a thermal circuit between the variable conductance heat pipe and fluorescent lamp, wherein the variable conductance heat pipe dissipates heat from said fluorescent lamp to the ambient air to maintain the temperature of the cold spot of said fluorescent lamp within a predetermined temperature range when the thermal circuit is closed.