General Electric Company

Erwin G Steinbrenner

Thomas Frederick Soules

Alexander L Guba

Raymond Albert Fillion

David Joseph Kachmarik

Frederic F Ahlgren

Jennifer I Barry

Donald W Kuk

Edward V Parillo

Attila Biro

A low pressure discharge lamp, particularly a compact fluorescent lamp, achieves substantially the same base-down lumen output as base-up lumen output. The lamp does so in a bent and bridged configuration, preferably in the shape of a plurality of vertically oriented bent tubes horizontally bridged together, where at least one of the tubes has at least one extended leg that defines a cold chamber within or adjacent the base.

Compact fluorescent lamp with extended legs for providing a cold spot

A low pressure discharge lamp, particularly a compact fluorescent lamp, achieves an overall reduction in height by orienting ends of the envelope radially inward for connection to the base. This advantageously positions the electrodes housed within the envelope away from the base. Moreover, this mounting arrangement provides resistance against pull out forces and elimination of a cement to secure the envelope to the base, as well as other improved heat transfer benefits.

Reduced length compact fluorescent lamp and method of forming same

Disclosed is a fluorescent lamp and ballast arrangement of the type having a lamp base for connection to a fixture that also accommodates a lamp base of an incandescent lamp. A ballast circuit contains a first conversion circuit which converts a.c. voltage to d.c. voltage and which has an electrolytic capacitor for smoothing the d.c. voltage. The ballast circuit further includes a second conversion circuit which converts the d.c. voltage into a.c. current and which includes a resonant inductor and resonant capacitor. A ballast housing has first and second ends spaced along a longitudinal axis of the housing and encloses parts of the ballast circuit. Only two lamp tube portions of the lamp terminate in the first end of the ballast housing, with the resonant inductor being positioned between the two lamp tube portions. Preferably, a pair of printed-circuit boards are positioned within the ballast housing, between the electrolytic capacitor and the resonant inductor, and are dimensioned to convectively shield the capacitor from the inductor and the lamp tube portions. Substantially all ballast components in addition to the resonant inductor and the electrolytic capacitor are preferably sandwiched between the pair of printed-circuit boards. Additionally, the electrolytic capacitor is preferably positioned at least partially within the lamp base. Employing all the foregoing features together has resulted in ballast component temperatures that are equal to, or lower, than ballast component temperatures on comparable high wattage (i.e., greater than about 20 watts) but much larger ballasts that are integral (as here) to the lamp.

Compact fluorescent lamp and ballast arrangement with inductor directly

A discharge lamp having a lamp envelope with at least one sealed end which is disposed in the base member of the discharge lamp includes an excitation arrangement capable to emit light output upon sufficient energization, an energization arrangement disposed in the base member sufficient to excite the lamp envelope. The sealed end of the lamp envelope has a roughened texture disposed around a substantial portion thereof. The texturized region is grit blasted and structurally weaker than the remaining portion of the lamp envelope. At least one sealed end of the lamp envelope is texturized and is effective so as to: shut down the discharge lamp upon the possible occurrence of a high temperature condition and, upon shut down, substantially maintain the envelope fill material within the lamp envelope and base member.

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Parma Heights, OH, United States of America

Erwin G Steinbrenner