Abstract: This compact fluorescent lamp includes a discharge tube arrangement with at least one discharge tube formed of glass and enclosing a discharge volume filled with a discharge gas. A ballast circuit is connected to the electrodes disposed at each end of a continuous arc path for controlling the current in the tube. A substantially spherical portion of an outer envelope encloses the tube arrangement and an elongated end portion encloses the ballast circuit. The end portion of the outer envelope is closed and sealed by a seal formed of the same material as the material of the outer envelope. In the associated method of manufacture, the envelope is separated by cutting along a circumferential line into an upper part and a lower part, the ballast circuit introduced into the lower part and respective lead-in wires and the lead-out wires are short and need not be insulated. The ballast circuit and the discharge tube arrangement are held and supported in the outer envelope by the connecting wires and fixing means.

Abstract: The compact fluorescent lamp comprises a bulb shaped outer envelope enclosing a discharge tube having a coiled configuration and a ballast unit for controlling the current in the tube. The lamp further comprises at least one joint mechanical support and starting aid means for positioning the discharge tube and the ballast unit and reducing a breakdown voltage path of the discharge tube. The at least one mechanical support and starting aid means is made of an electrically conducting material and connected electrically to at least one of the electrodes. The neck portion has a retaining member, and the mechanical support and starting aid means is supported by the retaining member and clamped on the discharge tube at least at a location in a vicinity of a middle section of the arc path. The mechanical support means further comprises at least one support section to provide support against an apex of the outer envelope, and at least one fixing section for fixing of the discharge tube.

Abstract: A compact fluorescent lamp includes an inverted compact fluorescent light source housed within an outer envelope. Locating the first and second ends of the coiled CFL source positions the electrodes within a substantially spherical outer envelope at a location remotely spaced from the ballast compartment. In this manner, only small diameter first and second lead wires that mechanically and electrically engage the electrodes pass through small dimensioned passages in a separation member in the outer envelope cavity. This substantially reduces the thermal stress on the components.

Abstract: There is provided a cap and socket arrangement for compact fluorescent lamps. The lamp comprises a discharge tube arrangement made of glass and having sealed ends being positioned at one end of the lamp. A continuous arc path is formed inside the discharge tube between two electrodes disposed at one end of the lamp. At least one of the sealed ends is also provided with an amalgam fill. The sealed ends of the discharge tube arrangement are received in the cap, and the cap comprises contact members and a protruding fitting member for being received in the socket. The socket has a hollow member for receiving the fitting member of the cap, and contact elements for receiving the contact members of the cap. The fitting member and the socket are provided with matching positioning elements for determining the position of the cap with respect to the socket and thereby determining the spatial position of the electrode with respect to the amalgam.

Abstract: A compact fluorescent lamp includes a discharge tube forming a continuous arc path with electrodes disposed at each end of the path. The lamp includes a fill gas disposed within the discharge tube. The lamp further includes a ballast circuit for controlling current in the discharge tube and operatively connected to the electrodes. The discharge tube is spirally wound around the longitudinal axis of the lamp to form a partially closed cavity and in a preferred arrangement the ballast is positioned within cavity formed by the spirally wound discharge tube. A gap between adjacent turns of the spirally wound discharge tube is less than about 0.5 mm, and preferably about 0.0009 mm.

Abstract: A compact fluorescent lamp includes an inverted compact fluorescent light source housed within an outer envelope. Locating the first and second ends of the coiled CFL source positions the electrodes within a substantially spherical outer envelope at a location remotely spaced from the ballast compartment. In this manner, only small diameter first and second lead wires that mechanically and electrically engage the electrodes pass through small dimensioned passages in a separation member in the outer envelope cavity. This substantially reduces the thermal stress on the components.

Abstract: A lamp assembly provides both instant light through use of an incandescent/halogen lamp source and an energy saving type light provided by a compact fluorescent lamp source. Both light sources are enclosed within a common envelope or outer bulb. The sensor member monitors a temperature of the cathode and mercury reservoir of the compact fluorescent lamp source in order to determine when to terminate power to the incandescent lamp source.

Abstract: A bulb-shaped outer envelope for accommodating at least one lamp including a light-emitting body and a control gear is disclosed. The envelope has a substantially spherical section for receiving the light-emitting body, and an elongated end section for receiving at least a part of the control gear components. The elongated end section is provided with a neck section. A substantially tubular neck-extension portion connects to an inner surface portion of and protruding from the neck section. The neck-extension portion is suitable for accommodating a remaining part of the control gear components. In a method for the manufacture of a glass outer envelope, a flare that is normally used in the manufacture of incandescent lamps is turned around by 180°, put into a skirted bulbous envelope, melted into the envelope while the skirt is detached and the flare is formed into a neck-extension portion. A self-ballasted compact fluorescent lamp with the bulb-shaped outer envelope is also disclosed.

Abstract: An electric lamp comprises a bulb-shaped outer envelope made of a glass material with a substantially spherical portion for receiving at least a part of at least one light source and an elongated end portion for receiving at least a part of an electronic control gear for energizing the light sources. A base portion attached to the bulb-shaped envelope comprises connecting means for connecting the electronic control gear to an associated power supply. The base portion is provided with a base plate for closing the base portion and the connecting means are pin connectors embedded in the base plate of the base portion. A method of manufacturing a lamp with pin connectors is also disclosed. In this method, an outer envelope made of a glass material is connected to a base portion that has a base plate with embedded pin connectors. A lamp that comprises a bulb-shaped outer envelope made of a plastic material and has a base portion with pin connectors is also provided.

Abstract: An electric lamp comprises an inner assembly including a light source and a control gear circuit. An outer envelope encloses the light source and at least a part of the control gear and has a predetermined wall thickness and an end portion. The outer envelope is comprised of two parts separated along a circumferential line. The two parts of the envelope are connectable and sealable to form a uniform outer envelope with a seal region. The seal region has a wall thickness and is merged in a surface portion of the two parts of the envelope so that the surface unevenness of the seal region is not greater than 0.5 millimeters, and the maximum difference of the wall thickness of the seal region with respect to the wall thickness of the outer envelope is not greater than 0.3 millimeters. A method for manufacturing an electric lamp as described above is also disclosed.

Abstract: There is provided a cap and socket arrangement for compact fluorescent lamps. The lamp comprises a discharge tube arrangement made of glass and having sealed ends being positioned at one end of the lamp. A continuous arc path is formed inside the discharge tube between two electrodes disposed at one end of the lamp. At least one of the sealed ends is also provided with an amalgam fill. The sealed ends of the discharge tube arrangement are received in the cap, and the cap comprises contact members and a protruding fitting member for being received in the socket. The socket has a hollow member for receiving the fitting member of the cap, and contact elements for receiving the contact members of the cap. The fitting member and the socket are provided with matching positioning elements for determining the position of the cap with respect to the socket and thereby determining the spatial position of the electrode with respect to the amalgam.

Abstract: A compact fluorescent lamp comprises a discharge tube arrangement with at least one discharge tube. The tube is formed of glass, encloses a discharge volume filled with a discharge gas and has a fluorescent phosphor coating disposed on the inner surface of the tube. The tube forms a continuous arc path and has electrodes disposed at each end of the arc path. The lamp also comprises a ballast circuit connected to the electrodes by lead-in wires and to a supply voltage by lead-out wires for controlling the current in the tube. A bulb shaped outer envelope comprises a substantially spherical portion, which encloses the tube arrangement and an elongated end portion, which encloses the ballast circuit. The end portion of the outer envelope has a neck portion with an open end on a base side for receiving a base shell.

Abstract: A compact fluorescent lamp comprises a discharge tube arrangement with at least one discharge tube. The tube is formed of glass, encloses a discharge volume filled with a discharge gas and has a fluorescent phosphor coating disposed on the inner surface of the tube. The tube forms a continuous arc path and is provided with electrodes disposed at each end of the arc path. The lamp also comprises a ballast circuit connected to the electrodes by lead-in wires and to a supply voltage by lead-out wires for controlling the current in the tube. A bulb shaped outer envelope has a substantially spherical portion enclosing the tube arrangement and an elongated end portion enclosing the ballast circuit. The end portion of the outer envelope having an open end on a base side is closed and terminated by a closing means of the same material as the outer envelope. The closing means is provided with a tubular opening.

Abstract: An electric lamp comprises an inner assembly including a light source and a control gear circuit. An outer envelope encloses the light source and at least a part of the control gear and has a predetermined wall thickness and an end portion. The outer envelope is comprised of two parts separated along a circumferential line. The two parts of the envelope are connectable and sealable to form a uniform outer envelope with a seal region. The seal region has a wall thickness and is merged in a surface portion of the two parts of the envelope so that the surface unevenness of the seal region is not greater than 0.5 millimeters, and the maximum difference of the wall thickness of the seal region with respect to the wall thickness of the outer envelope is not greater than 0.3 millimeters. A method for manufacturing an electric lamp as described above is also disclosed.

Abstract: The compact fluorescent lamp comprises a bulb shaped outer envelope enclosing a discharge tube having a coiled configuration and a ballast unit for controlling the current in the tube. The lamp further comprises at least one joint mechanical support and starting aid means for positioning the discharge tube and the ballast unit and reducing a breakdown voltage path of the discharge tube. The at least one mechanical support and starting aid means is made of an electrically conducting material and connected electrically to at least one of the electrodes. The neck portion has a retaining member, and the mechanical support and starting aid means is supported by the retaining member and clamped on the discharge tube at least at a location in a vicinity of a middle section of the arc path. The mechanical support means further comprises at least one support section to provide support against an apex of the outer envelope, and at least one fixing section for fixing of the discharge tube.

Abstract: An outer envelope for accommodating at least one light-emitting body and a control gear with electrical components is suggested, the outer envelope comprises a wall at least partially of a glass material, in which the glass wall of the outer envelope is covered with a coating of powder varnish of poly-ester-blocked isocyanate for uniform spherical luminous intensity distribution, protecting the envelope against mechanical shocks and providing for shatter containment. A lamp with an outer envelope for accommodating at least one light-emitting body and a control gear with electrical components is also suggested. An improved compact fluorescent lamp comprises a discharge tube arrangement, a ballast circuit, a base and a substantially bulb-shaped outer envelope.

Abstract: A compact fluorescent lamp comprises a discharge tube arrangement with at least one discharge tube. The tube is formed of glass, encloses a discharge volume filled with a discharge gas and has a fluorescent phosphor coating disposed on the inner surface of the tube. The tube forms a continuous arc path and has electrodes disposed at each end of the arc path. The lamp also comprises a ballast circuit connected to the electrodes by lead-in wires and to a supply voltage by lead-out wires for controlling the current in the tube. A bulb shaped outer envelope comprises a substantially spherical portion, which encloses the tube arrangement and an elongated end portion, which encloses the ballast circuit. The end portion of the outer envelope has a neck portion with an open end on a base side for receiving a base shell.

Abstract: A compact fluorescent lamp comprises a discharge tube arrangement with at least one discharge tube. The tube is formed of glass, encloses a discharge volume filled with a discharge gas and has a fluorescent phosphor coating disposed on the inner surface of the tube. The tube forms a continuous arc path and is provided with electrodes disposed at each end of the arc path. The lamp also comprises a ballast circuit mounted on a printed circuit board, which is oriented in a plane substantially parallel to the principal axis of the lamp. The ballast circuit is connected to the electrodes by lead-in wires and to a supply voltage by lead-out wires and controls the current in the tube. A bulb shaped outer envelope has a substantially spherical portion enclosing at least a part of the tube arrangement and an elongated end portion enclosing at least the ballast circuit.

Abstract: A bulb-shaped outer envelope for accommodating at least one lamp including a light-emitting body and a control gear is disclosed. The envelope has a substantially spherical section for receiving the light-emitting body, and an elongated end section for receiving at least a part of the control gear components. The elongated end section is provided with a neck section. A substantially tubular neck-extension portion connects to an inner surface portion of and protruding from the neck section. The neck-extension portion is suitable for accommodating a remaining part of the control gear components. In a method for the manufacture of a glass outer envelope, a flare that is normally used in the manufacture of incandescent lamps is turned around by 180°, put into a skirted bulbous envelope, melted into the envelope while the skirt is detached and the flare is formed into a neck-extension portion. A self-ballasted compact fluorescent lamp with the bulb-shaped outer envelope is also disclosed.

Abstract: A compact fluorescent lamp comprises a discharge tube arrangement with at least one discharge tube. The tube is formed of glass, encloses a discharge volume filled with a discharge gas and has a fluorescent phosphor coating disposed on the inner surface of the tube. The tube forms a continuous arc path and is provided with electrodes disposed at each end of the arc path. The lamp also comprises a ballast circuit mounted on a printed circuit board, which is oriented in a plane substantially parallel to the principal axis of the lamp. The ballast circuit is connected to the electrodes by lead-in wires and to a supply voltage by lead-out wires and controls the current in the tube. A bulb shaped outer envelope has a substantially spherical portion enclosing at least a part of the tube arrangement and an elongated end portion enclosing at least the ballast circuit.