Dielectric barrier discharge lamp having a sleeve

1 . A dielectric barrier discharge lamp comprising a discharge vessel which is elongate in the form of a tube and having at least one electrode fitted to the outside of the discharge vessel along the longitudinal extent of the discharge vessel,

the electrode being fitted to the discharge vessel by means of an interlocking connection with a sleeve surrounding the electrode, said sleeve partially surrounding the circumference of the discharge vessel perpendicular to the longitudinal extent but in the process leaving an aperture free for light radiation purposes.

2 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 1 , in which at least two electrodes are fitted to the outside of the discharge vessel by means of an interlocking connection with the sleeve.

3 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 1 , in which the electrode is held on the discharge vessel exclusively by means of the interlocking connection.

4 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 1 , in which the sleeve is prestressed with respect to the discharge vessel.

5 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 1 , in which the sleeve bears freely against the discharge vessel.

6 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 1 , in which the sleeve extends substantially along the entire discharge vessel.

7 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 1 , in which the sleeve is in at least two parts, one part being an outer metallic shield and one part being electrical insulation between the shield and the electrode.

8 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 7 , in which the following relationship applies overall to a thickness d D of the insulation between the shield and the electrode, a dielectric constant ε D thereof, a thickness d B of a dielectric barrier between the electrode and a discharge medium and a dielectric constant ε B thereof:

d D /ε D ≧F×d B /ε B ,

where the factor F is greater than 1.5.

9 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 1 , in which the sleeve is in at least two parts, and two parts of the sleeve are fixedly connected to one another along the longitudinal extent of the discharge vessel.

10 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim, in which the electrode is in the form of a rod.

11 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim having at least two rod-shaped-electrodes which are fitted to the outside of the discharge vessel along the longitudinal extent of the discharge vessel, the electrodes being in the form of a plug connection element at one end.

12 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 1 having a conductive metallic shield which partially surrounds the discharge vessel and in the process acts as a sleeve, at least one shielding face of the shield being remote from the discharge vessel at its outermost end by a distance which is at least as great as half the average diameter of the discharge vessel transverse to the longitudinal extent.

13 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 1 which has a plurality of discharge vessels, which are arranged next to one another in a row in the direction of longitudinal extent and can be operated jointly.

14 . An illumination system having the dielectric barrier discharge lamp as claimed in one of the preceding claims claim 1 , which has contacts fitted at one end of the discharge vessel for the purpose of electrically connecting the lamp, and having an electronic ballast for the purpose of operating the lamp, a plug connection element being fixedly connected to a housing of the ballast, said plug connection element being designed such that the lamp can be connected to the ballast with the end having the contacts as a complementary plug connection element by being plugged together with the plug connection element of the housing.

15 . A method for producing the dielectric barrier discharge lamp as claimed in claim 1 , in which at least one electrode is fitted to a discharge vessel which is elongate in the form of a tube by means of an interlocking connection with a sleeve surrounding the electrode such that the electrode lies along the longitudinal extent of the discharge vessel, the sleeve leaving an aperture free for light radiation purposes.

16 . The use of the discharge lamp as claimed in claim 1 as a UV radiator for the purpose of illuminating a catalyst.

17 . The use as claimed in claim 16 , in which the catalyst is used for air purification purposes in a vehicle.

18 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 2 , in which the electrode is held on the discharge vessel exclusively by means of the interlocking connection.

19 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 2 , in which the sleeve is prestressed with respect to the discharge vessel.

20 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 2 , in which the sleeve bears freely against the discharge vessel.

21 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 2 , in which the sleeve extends substantially along the entire discharge vessel.

22 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 2 , in which the sleeve is in at least two parts, one part being an outer metallic shield and one part being electrical insulation between the shield and the electrode.

23 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 2 , in which the sleeve is in at least two parts, and two parts of the sleeve are fixedly connected to one another along the longitudinal extent of the discharge vessel.

24 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 2 , in which the electrode is in the form of a rod.

25 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 2 having at least two rod-shaped electrodes which are fitted to the outside of the discharge vessel along the longitudinal extent of the discharge vessel, the electrodes being in the form of a plug connection element at one end.

26 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 2 having a conductive metallic shield which partially surrounds the discharge vessel and in the process acts as a sleeve, at least one shielding face of the shield being remote from the discharge vessel at its outermost end by a distance which is at least as great as half the average diameter of the discharge vessel transverse to the longitudinal extent.

27 . The discharge lamp as claimed in claim 2 which has a plurality of discharge vessels, which are arranged next to one another in a row in the direction of longitudinal extent and can be operated jointly.