General Electric Company

S&aacute;ndor Luk&aacute;cs

Istv&aacute;n W&uuml;rsching

J&oacute;zsef F&uuml;l&ouml;p

L&aacute;szl&oacute; B&aacute;nkuti

J&oacute;zsef T&ouml;k&eacute;s

Ferenc Papp

Barnab&aacute;s Nagy

Istv&aacute;n Ker&eacute;nyi

Zolt&aacute;n V&aacute;mos

&Aacute;kos Ocsovai

Vikt&oacute;ria Schmidt

This invention concerns a compact fluorescent lamp with a double helix shaped discharge tube in which the two strands of the helix are constituted by two helix shaped tube portions. These tube portions define a central axis of the discharge tube. The double helix formed by the discharge tube has a central section and a first end section. These sections are defined along the central axis, and the lamp base for receiving ends of the tube portions is disposed at the first end section. An inner diameter of the central section of the helix is larger than an inner diameter of the first end section. The invention further relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing coiled shaped discharge tubes, in particular the above described discharge tube of the discharge lamp. A radially segmented molding core is used for manufacturing the discharge tube. Once the coiling of the discharge tube on the molding core is completed, the segmented molding core is shrunk radially, and then is withdrawn from the coiled discharge tube axially.

Compact fluorescent lamp

Low-pressure discharge lamp with connector

A fluorescent lamp comprises a discharge tube disposed substantially in a plane and 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 central axis and sealed ends provided with electrodes and at least two tube sections running substantially parallel to each other. Each tube section has at least one blind-sealed end and the tube sections are connected in series through bridges in the vicinity of the blind-sealed ends to define a single continuous discharge space to be excited by electrical power supplied to the electrodes. A lamp support housing is positioned within the zone and the ends of the discharge tube as well as the blind-sealed ends of the tube sections are re-entrant into the zone. The ends of the discharge tube are received in the lamp support housing. The lamp support housing carries means suitable for mechanically and electrically connecting to a socket and include lead-in wires connecting the electrodes directly or through an operating circuit to the means suitable for electrically connecting to a socket.

Fluorescent lamp with discharge tube bent substantially in plane

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. Means is formed in the circuit board for urging the electrode-in-leads to the terminals during assembly. The electrode-in-leads and the terminals are joined electrically and mechanically. The base housing protrudes at most half of the outer diameter of the discharge tube from the space defined thereby.

Electrode-to-ballast interconnect of flat integral type compact fluorescent lamp

Growing community of inventors

Veröce, Hungary

Sándor Lukács

Growing community of inventors

Veröce, Hungary

S&aacute;ndor Luk&aacute;cs

Sándor Lukács