FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
As amended by the Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
As amended by the Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2006
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
T TITLE OF THE INVENTION
A leaky lamp segregation assembly
2. APPLICANTS
(a) Name: Crompton Greaves Limited
(b) Address: CG House, Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli, Mumbai - 400 030, Maharashtra, India
(c) Nationality: an Indian Company
3. INVENTORS
(a) Name : Gajjar Pinkal, Patel Vijay Manilal
(b) Nationality : both Indian nationals
(c) Address : Crompton Greaves Limited, Lighting Division, Vill: Kural, Tal: Padra, Baroda 391430, Gujarat, India
4. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
The following specification particularly describes the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Manufacturing of lamps has now for long involved automation of various stages for bulk manufacturing. Generally, the method involves fitting of filament and stem assembly into the bulb and then creating a vacuum inside the bulb for filling up of the designated gases such as Argon, nitrogen etc. Thereafter the bulbs may be caped and tested before their packaging.
Evacuation of the air from the bulb or creating a vacuum is performed on an exhaust machine. The exhaust machines are assembly line machines which pull the air from inside the bulb in successive stages.
One example of such machine is found in US 171042$ describing a method and a machine for manufacturing incandescent lamps and similar articles. There is provided a machine where the stem and the inner parts of the la.mp are continuously and in succession sealed into the bulbs on a single carriage, a rotary spider, which serves to convey the mounts and the bulbs, to the sealing-in position and then carry out the operation of exhausting and filling with gas. There are also provided valves for locking the lamps which are found to be damaged during the process at the earliest so as to not affect the exhaustion operation of neighboring lamps.
An exhaust machine as per the prior art is as shown in figure la. There are provided thirty six exhaust heads on the machine. There exists a lamp loading position 11a where the lamp is loaded on the exhaust machine. At each position thereafter pumps are positioned below each head to allow suction of air out of the lamp at successive stages. There is provided a mechanism for detecting leakage of the lamp with help of

a leak detector and locking valve activator. The leak detector and locking valve activator, activates or locks the valve thereby allowing no suction of air through the faulty lamp at further stages in exhaustion. To affect this locking valve generally has a pinch lever on the exhaust head. The pinch lever would therefore assume a position as shown in figure lb if the exhaust head has an intact lamp placed thereon. Alternatively, if the lamp is found to be defective the position of the pinch lever would be as shown in figure lc.
After completion of argon-nitrogen mixture filling process, the lamp is unloaded from the exhaust machine for the next process called capping where an aluminum cap is fitted on the lamp. Therefore the damaged or faulty lamp proceeds to the next stage of manufacturing unless the same is manually checked, removed. Further processes increase the material applied on such faulty pieces since they would finally be tested and destroyed.
There is therefore required a system that can help eliminate such faulty pieces at the exhausting stage of lamp manufacturing.
Summary
A leaky lamp segregation assembly for an exhaust machine for lamps or the like is described. In one embodiment the leaky lamp segregation assembly works with exhaust machine having pinch levers on the exhaust heads, the pinch levers having a first position when the lamp loaded on the respective exhaust head contains a faulty lamp and a second position if the lamp loaded on the respective exhaust head contains

an intact lamp. The leaky lamp assembly has a high-pressure air input for blowing a faulty lamp identified.
In one embodiment a metal sensor of the leaky lamp assembly senses the position of the pinch lever pertaining to the faulty position and triggers a high-pressure valve to open allowing high-pressure air to pass through a nozzle directed towards the lamp.
In another embodiment there is provided an on-delay timer to adjust the timing between the identification of the pinch lever position pertaining to faulty lamp and blowing of such lamp.
The leaky lamp assembly allows elimination of line faulty lemps at the exhaustion stage of lamp manufacturing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Reference will be made to embodiments of the invention, examples of which may be illustrated in the accompanying figures. These figures are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Although the invention is generally described in the context of these embodiments, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to these particular embodiments
Fig. la illustrates an exhaust machine as per the prior art.

Fig. lb illustrates a position of the pinch lever on an exhaust head having identified to have a good lamp loaded thereto.
Fig. Lc illustrates a position of the pinch lever on an exhaust head having identified to have a bad lamp loaded thereto.
Fig. 2 illustrates a leaky lamp assembly as per one embodiment of the present
invention.
Fig. 3 illustrates a leaky lamp assembly with an on-delay timer as per one embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 shows as per one embodiment of the present invention the detailed electrical connections of the embodiment as shown in figure 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A leaky lamp segregation assembly for an exhaust machine for lamps or the like is described. In one embodiment the leaky lamp segregation assembly works with exhaust machine having pinch levers on the exhaust heads, the pinch levers having distinct positions based on whether the lamp loaded on the respective exhaust head contains a faulty or an intact lamp. The leaky lamp assembly has a high-pressure air input for blowing a faulty lamp identified.

In one embodiment the metal sensor senses the position of the pinch lever pertaining to the faulty position and triggers a high-pressure valve to open allowing high-pressure air to pass through a nozzle directed towards the lamp,
In another embodiment there is provided an on-delay timer to adjust the timing between the identification of the pinch lever position pertaining to faulty lamp and blowing of such lamp.
In the following description, for purpose of explanation, specific details are set forth in order to provide an understanding of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced without these details. One skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments of the present invention, some of which are described below, may be incorporated into various assembly line stages of bulb or lamp or the like. It is understood that one skilled in art may modify or change the data used in the examples described in the specification.
Reference in the specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, characteristic, or function described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
A leaky lamp segregation assembly (200) as per one embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to figure 2. The leaky lamp segregation assembly for the exhaust machine which has pinch levers (19a) positioned on each

exhaust heads (17) of the exhaust machine may be positioned at a stage of the exhaust machine corresponding to unloading stage of the lamp. The exhaust machine has pinch levers having a first position corresponding to a faulty lamp loaded to the respective exhaust head and a second position corresponding to an intact lamp loaded on the respective exhaust head.
The assembly comprises of a metal sensor 201 configured to detect the first position of the pinch lever. For example the metal sensor may be positioned so as to detect the pinch lever extending outward in case of a faulty lamp being loaded on the respective exhaust head. The position of the metal sensor in such case would be so set to allow sensing only of the first position.
Further, a high pressure valve 203 receiving high pressure air input and being electrically connected to said metal sensor is present. The valve is configured to open if the metal sensor senses the first position of the pinch lever. A high-pressure air nozzle 205 is present positioned towards the lamp. On opening of the valve the high-pressure air input is allowed to pass through the nozzle. The nozzle therefore exerts a force on the lamp making it blow off from the exhaust head.
In one embodiment of the present invention the high-pressure valve may be a solenoid valve. The solenoid valve would receive electrical signal to open.
In another embodiment as shown in figure 3 a delay timer 209 may be provided between electrical connection of said metal sensor 201 and the high-pressure valve 203. The on-delay timer allows avoiding a faulty opening of the high-pressure valve

by keeping said valve closed during passage of the pinch lever in the second position over the metal sensor.
Figure 4 shows as per one embodiment of the present invention the detailed electrical connections of the embodiment as shown in figure 2. Accordingly a phase 431 may be connected to one electrical line 435 of the metal sensor 201. Another electrical line 437 of the metal sensor may be connected to a high-pressure valve 203. Further, a neutral line 433 may be connected to the high-pressure valve 203 thus completing the circuit for opening of the high pressure valve during the first position of the pinch lever.
The leaky lamp segregation assembly therefore allows convenient system to avoid passing on the faulty lamps to a next stage of lamp manufacturing and therefore helps reduce the wastage. Also, the assembly can be used in existing exhaust machines with pinch lever arrangement as described. Furthermore, the leaky lamp assembly may be utilized with other exhaust machines with obvious modifications to allow the metal sensor to identify a leaky lamp.
The foregoing description of the invention has been described for purposes of clarity and understanding. Although embodiments of the present invention have been described relative to a few standards, and associated attributes therein, one skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention is also very much applicable to other such methods and systems. It is not intended to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Various modifications may be possible within the scope and equivalence of the appended claims.

We Claim:
1. A leaky lamp segregation assembly for an exhaust machine for lamps, having
pinch lever placed on each exhaust head, said pinch lever having a first position in
case of a faulty lamp loaded thereto, and a second position incase of an intact lamp
loaded thereto, the assembly comprising:
a metal sensor configured to detect the first position of the pinch lever;
a high pressure valve receiving high pressure air input and being electrically connected to said metal sensor to open on detection of said first position by the metal
sensor;
a high pressure nozzle placed in direction towards the lamp and receiving air blast
input from said high pressure valve to blow away a lamp from the exhaust head.
2. The leaky lamp segregation assembly as in claim 1, further comprising an on-delay timer between said metal sensor and the high-pressure valve to force said valve to remain closed during passing of a pinch lever in second position.
3. The leaky lamp segregation assembly as in claim 1, wherein the high-pressure valve is a solenoid valve.
4. The leaky lamp segregation assembly as in claim 1, wherein the high-pressure
valve is a piezoelectric valve.