Abstract: A starting aid in combination with a fluorescent lamp is provided. The lamp comprises a glass discharge tube (2) which includes a discharge path and is convoluted to have a plurality of discharge tube legs. These legs extend into and are secured in place in a plastic housing. Lamp electrodes (40, 42) are located at respective end points of a discharge path and disposed in some of the discharge tube legs. The lamp electrodes are connected to means suitable for electrically connecting to a socket. The starting aid comprises an electrical connector disposed in the plastic housing of the florescent lamp. The starting aid has a first end and a second end. The first end is connected to the means suitable for electrically connecting to the socket. The second end is secured to an end portion of an electrodeless discharge tube leg. At least a part of the electrical connector is formed as a spring. A fluorescent lamp system with a starting aid is also provided.

Abstract: A low pressure arc discharge lamp with an end-of-life structure is described. The lamp has a discharge tube with sealed ends, and the sealed ends contain a filament for forming a discharge arc. The filament is supported by lead-in wires. The discharge lamp further comprises a connecting element made of an insulating material which transversely connects the lead-in wires within the discharge tube. The transverse dimension of the connecting element is chosen so as not to allow the discharge arc beyond the connecting element upon end-of-life of the discharge lamp.

Abstract: A compact fluorescent lamp comprises a plastic housing. The plastic housing includes a plastic cap and a plastic shell. A discharge tube extends from the plastic housing through openings formed in the plastic cap. The compact fluorescent lamp further comprises a tubulation which contains amalgam material and communicates with the discharge tube. A heat conducting means is integrally formed with the plastic housing which is suitable for receiving a heat conductive material forming a thermal bridge towards the tubulation.

Abstract: An electrode-to-ballast interconnect is provided in combination with a fluorescent lamp including a discharge tube bent substantially in a plane. The discharge tube is shaped at least in part to define a substantial portion of the boundary of a zone in the plane. The part of the tube defining the boundary includes at least one straight portion. The discharge tube has a symmetry axis in the plane and sealed tube ends provided with electrodes, and the tube ends re-enter said zone. A base housing is laid within said zone and receives the tube ends. The base housing includes a ballast circuit which is located at least partly on a circuit board positioned substantially parallel to the plane. The electrode-to-ballast interconnect comprises electrode-in-leads which are connected to each electrode and embedded in the tube ends. Terminals are anchored in and protruding from the circuit board. The electrode-in-leads are pre-formed to a shape suitable for connecting to the terminals.

Abstract: A low pressure arc discharge lamp with an end-of-life structure is disclosed. The lamp has a discharge tube with sealed ends, and the sealed ends contain a filament for forming a discharge arc. The filament is supported by lead-in wires. The discharge lamp further comprises a connecting element made of an insulating material which transversally connects the lead-in wires within the discharge tube. The transversal dimension of the connecting element is chosen so as not to allow the discharge arc beyond the connecting element upon end-of-life of the discharge lamp.

Abstract: A compact fluorescent lamp comprises at least one discharge tube (2) convoluted to have discharge tube legs substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis. At least two of the discharge tube legs include lead-in-wires (6). The lamp also comprises a plastic cap (4) which is a hollow body defined by a cover wall (42) receiving the discharge tube legs through holes (26) formed therein and a side wall (44). A bonding material is applied between the discharge tube legs and an inside portion of the cover wall (42) of the plastic cap (4). The bonding material requires a heat treatment for setting. A ballast circuitry is located at least partly on a circuit board (22). A plastic insert piece (12) is disposed in the plastic cap for holding the circuit board (22) substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis at a distance from the discharge tube legs. The lamp further comprises a base housing (28) which includes a base shell (30) and connects to the side wall (44) of the plastic cap (4).

Abstract: A compact fluorescent lamp comprises a plastic housing. The plastic housing includes a plastic cap and a plastic shell. A discharge tube extends from the plastic housing through openings formed in the plastic cap. The compact fluorescent lamp further comprises a tubulation which contains amalgam material and communicates with the discharge tube. A heat conducting means is integrally formed with the plastic housing which is suitable for receiving a heat conductive material forming a thermal bridge towards the tubulation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a base for compact fluorescent lamp comprising a body and a cap which are fixed to each other along an outside connection surface, a discharge tube is fixed in the cap and metal pins ensuring a releasable electrical contact are fixed in the body Electrode inleads of the discharge tube are connected to the metal pins, and a connection hollow ensuring an also releasable mechanical joint is formed in the body Extensions as elongations of the wall of the connection hollow are formed inside the base where at least one opening is formed in the extensions and some of the electrode inleads are connected to the metal pins through the opening. Another aspect of the invention is that the extensions are formed inside the base as an elongation of the wall of the connection hollow, and some of the electrode inleads are passed through between the extensions and then are connected to the metal pins.

Abstract: This invention relates to compact fluorescent lamps, and, more particularly, to the construction of connections inside the compact fluorescent lamp. The compact fluorescent lamp has a base (24), the base is connected to a housing (26) including a ballast circuit (18). The housing (26) is separated from the fluorescent tube (28) by a cap (20) on the side of the housing opposite to the base (24) and current feedthrough wires (2, 4) protrude from the fluorescent tube (28) inside the housing (26). The electrical connections between the current feedthrough wires (2, 4) and the lead-out wires (3, 5) of the ballast circuit and/or the junction lead-out wires of the base (24) are made by welding the corresponding wires together through metal connection elements (14).

Abstract: Plastic housing and screw base construction for compact fluorescent lamps and electrical operating units thereof comprising a base (2) including a metal screw base shell (20) with a thread-free opening portion (22) and a plastic housing (1). The plastic housing (1) has a neck part (10) which is a body of rotation with central axis (O). The neck part comprises a cylindrical or slightly conical mantle portion (12), which starts from a stop shoulder (11), and a shell (13) which connects to the mantle portion (12) and which has an open end and diameters decreasing in at least one step. The base (2) is pushed over and fixed to the neck part (10) of the plastic housing (1). A lead wire (3) is passed through from the inner space of the plastic housing (1) between the thread-free opening portion (22) of the base shell (20) and the mantle portion (12) of the neck part (10). A rib (14), which protrudes in and has a front surface (15) perpendicular to radial direction, is formed on the mantle portion (12).

Abstract: Lamp base contact plate for connecting a current lead-in wire of an electric lamp to a contact part of a lampholder, which contact plate being a pressed metal part of the lamp base and having a through bore for the lamp lead-in wire, is fixed firmly on an electrically insulating insert closing the end of a shell of the lamp base. The through bore for the lamp lead-in wire is formed as a first perforated bore (12) with torn skirt (20) protruding from the plane (L) of the contact plate (10) in a direction away from the insulator insert (30), and the contact plate (10), in addition to this first perforated bore (12), also includes at least two further perforated bores (14, 16, 18), each having a torn skirt (22, 24, 26) protruding from the plane (L) of the contact plate (10) in a direction opposite to the direction of the torn skirt (20) of the first perforated bore (12), towards the insulator insert (30).

Abstract: The invention relates to a single-ended discharge lamp comprising a discharge tube, inleads connected to the electrodes of the discharge tube and embedded in the sealed portions thereof, a connection member connected to the inleads directly or through an adapter circuit and suitable for connecting the discharge lamp to a power supply, and a housing having a shell supporting the discharge tube as well as a cap mounted on the connection member.At least one primary inlead support member (23) and at least one secondary inlead support member (24) is provided on the inner side of the shell (21), each of the inlead support members (23, 24) has at least one fixing member (23a, 24a) for clamping the inleads (16, 17, 18, 19) and at least some of the inleads are clamped in the fixing member(s) (23a) of the primary inlead support member(s) (23) and some but not all of the inleads are clamped in the fixing member(s) (24a) of the secondary inlead support member(s) (24).

Abstract: Plastic housing and base construction, especially for compact fluorescent lamps and operating units thereof comprising a housing (1) which is a cup-like body and a base (2) having a metal base shell (26) and at least one metal central (3) or end contact part (4, 5). The base shell (26) is electrically insulated from the central (3) or end contact parts (4, 5). The base (2) also includes a plastic insert body (20) which is open at its upper end and closed at least partially at its lower end. The diameters of the plastic insert body (20) decrease in at least one step and it has a cylindrical or slightly conical mantle portion (24) in the region of its upper end. The base shell (26) includes a thread-free opening portion (27) the inner diameter of which fits to the mantle portion (24) of and is pulled over and fixed to the plastic insert body (20).

Abstract: A junction component fixed on a PCB (13) has a slot (4) suitable for accepting the electrical leads (10) protruding from the electrical unit and also has a base part (11) and a connection part (12). The base part (11) is embedded into the PCB (13) and is connected with its corresponding output. The leads of the electrical unit are connected to a connection part (12). At the place of connection, the orientation of the electrical leads is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the PCB (13). The direction in which the electrical leads are connected to the connection part (12) is substantially parallel to the plane of the PCB (13). The base part (11) comprises a base plate (1) and tabs(s) (8a-8c) bending out from it. The tab(s) protrude(s) into openings (17) formed in the PCB (13) and is (are) embedded there in a way also ensuring electrical contact to the PCB (13).

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp includes a lamp tube having first and second ends and containing fill materials for causing light generation when provided with electrical power. The lamp further includes first and second power-transferring means at the first and second ends of the lamp tube, respectively, for providing the fill materials in the lamp tube with electrical power. Also included is a thermal heat shield separating the first power-transferring means from ballast circuitry which supplies power to the first power-transferring means and which has a lifetime that becomes substantially less as its operating temperature increases. The thermal heat shield is constructed so that it reflects back to the first power-transferring means and any adjacent portion of the lamp tube sufficient radiant energy to reduce the operating temperature of the ballast circuitry by more than about one degree Celsius compared with the absence of the heat shield.

Abstract: A lamp cathode-to-ballast interconnect is provided in combination with a lamp having elongated cathodes and ballast circuitry for supplying power to the cathodes. The lamp cathode-to-ballast interconnect comprises a plurality of conductive clips connected to the ballast circuitry. Each clip has a generally flat portion connected at a first end to ballast circuitry and has a pinching groove formed through the flat portion and extending to a cathode-receiving opening at a second end. The interconnect further comprises a loom for holding the lamp cathodes. The loom comprises, for each cathode, a pair of cathode-receiving support grooves separated by a space in which a second end of an associated conductive clip is to be received. Walls of each of the pair of cathode-receiving support grooves grip therein-received portions of the cathode with sufficient force to enable a gas-tight contact to be made with its associated conductive clip when the cathode is received within the pinching groove of the clip.

Abstract: This invention relates to a single-ended discharge lamp having an electric circuitry placed in its base member, which discharge lamp comprises a discharge tube filled with additive and gas, is sealed in a gas-tight manner and is provided with electrodes. A base member is provided for the mounting of the discharge tube and for incorporating the electric circuitry mounted on a printed circuit board therein. The base member has a screw base mounted thereon both for mechanical and electrical connection to a socket. Furthermore, the terminals of the circuitry are fixed and are electrically connected with the electrode lead wires by means of mechanical connector arrangement where the mechanical connector component is one contiguous metal part.