Westinghouse Electric Corporation

North American Philips Electric Corp.

John F Gilmore

Edward W Morton

Robert G Young

George S Evans

Stanley A Lopenski

An energy-saving instant-start series-sequence fluorescent lamp system includes power-reducing capacitor means connected in series circuit arrangement with one or both lamps in a two-lamp system. A protective device is connected in circuit with a first lamp of the system so that in the event the second lamp fails to operate and causes a high current to flow through the first lamp, the protective device reacts to prevent the system from being damaged. A lamp incorporating the power-reducing capacitor and protective device is also disclosed.

Energy conserving instant-start series-sequence fluorescent lamp system

The lead-in wires of a fluorescent lamp are electrically connected to the base pins by mechanical means instead of welding or soldering the members to each other in the conventional manner. This is achieved by forming the pins from solid metal or rigid heat-tempered sheet metal, trimming the lead wires to a predetermined length such that the ends thereof extend beyond the plastic insulator portion of the base when the lead wires are inserted through a pair of apertures provided in the insulator and the base is placed on the sealed end of the lamp envelope, partially inserting the metal pins in the insulator apertures, wrapping the protruding ends of the lead wires around the medial portions of the respective pins, and then force fitting the inner ends of the metal pins into the apertures so that they are firmly anchored in the plastic insulator and the wrapped-around portions of the lead wires are recessed within shallow cavities provided in the outer face of the insulator. The metal pins are thus clamped in positive electrical engagement with the 'captured' ends of the lead wires and final assembly of the base is completed during the same sequence of operations required to fasten it to the lamp envelope. The length of the exposed end portions of the metal pins and the spacing therebetween are controlled to provide pin-terminals that conform with the standards established for 'bi-pin' type fluorescent lamps and also eliminate the expensive and inefficient soldering or welding operations required to connect the lead wires to the hollow-apertured pins of conventional type bases that are preassembled and thus have such metal pins previously staked or fastened to the insulator component of the base structure.

Base and terminal-pin assembly for an electric lamp

The light output of a compact fluorescent lamp is enhanced by providing the envelope with a phosphor-coated partition assembly which has a plurality of panel segments that divide the envelope interior into a series of interconnected sectors and also define a centrally-located core chamber that is closed to the discharge. The size of the core chamber is correlated with the size of the envelope in such a manner that the discharge is displaced from the center of the envelope toward the phosphor-coated walls thereof, thus reducing losses due to the 'trapping' of light deep within the envelope interior and concurrently increasing the relative amount of ultraviolet radiation that reaches and excites the phosphor coating on the envelope wall. The efficacy of the partitioned fluorescent lamp is accordingly increased. The size-correlation is rather critical and must be such that the maximum cross-sectional dimension of the core chamber at a given location is from about 25% to about 85% of the maximum cross-sectional dimension of the envelope at the same location and optimum results are obtained when this parameter is around 50%. The improved fluorescent lamp is thus especially adapted for use as a substitute for incandescent lamps in various types of lighting fixtures where space is limited and a light source of high brightness is required.

Compact fluorescent lamp having a partitioned envelope

There is provided in combination with a rapid-start series-sequence type ballast for two low-pressure mercury discharge lamps, apparatus for reducing the power consumption of both lamps. The apparatus utilizes switch means in conjunction with a capacitor to limit the current supply to the lamps after the lamps are energized. The switch means has two members in series circuit arrangement with one of the electrodes of one of the lamps. Each member is connected on opposite sides of the electrode. The capacitor is connected in parallel circuit arrangement with one of the members. Initially upon energization the switch means has a low impedance state to permit current flow and then switches to a high impedance state. The switch means permits preheating of the electrode and thereafter upon response to current flow switches and causes the lamp current to pass through the capacitor and thereby decrease by a predetermined amount the current through the normally operating lamps. The switch means may comprise switch members having a positive temperature coefficient of electrical resistance.

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Verona, NJ, United States of America

John F Gilmore