The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 30, 2006
Filed:
May. 11, 2000
József Fülöp, Nápoly, HU;
Róbert Kardos, Flotilla, HU;
Ferenc Papp, UgróGyula, HU;
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
A starting aid in combination with a fluorescent lamp is provided. The lamp comprises a glass discharge tube () 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 () 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. The lamp system comprises a ballast unit which controls electrical power received from an external power source. The electrodes () of a sealed lamp unit are connected electrically to the ballast unit and disposed in adjacent tube legs of the sealed lamp unit. A first electrical connector () is connected with one end to the first lamp electrode (). Its other end is secured at least to one of the tube legs located along the discharge path consecutively next to the tube leg in which the second electrode () is disposed. A second electrical connector () with one end is connected to the second lamp electrode (). Its other end is secured at least to one of the tube legs located along the discharge path consecutively next to the tube leg in which the first electrode is disposed.