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.:

US 7378797 B1

PDF
Full Text
Expired
Date of Patent:
May. 27, 2008

Filed:

Dec. 16, 2005
Applicants:

Evan Karrs, Gibsonia, PA (US);

William W. Beers, Chesterland, OH (US);

Matthew Pierce, Cleveland Heights, OH (US);

Gary R. Allen, Chesterland, OH (US);

Inventors:

Evan Karrs, Gibsonia, PA (US);

William W. Beers, Chesterland, OH (US);

Matthew Pierce, Cleveland Heights, OH (US);

Gary R. Allen, Chesterland, OH (US);

Assignee:

General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01J 11/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

Fluorescent lamps that comprise a glass envelope with an exterior surface and first and second electrodes located within the glass envelope include a transparent electrically conductive material affixed to the exterior surface of the glass envelope. The transparent electrically conductive material extends between the vicinity of the first electrode and the vicinity of the second electrode, thereby providing a path for an electric current to pass between the first and second electrodes and reduce the open circuit voltage required to start the fluorescent lamp. The transparent electrically conductive material affixed to the exterior surface of the glass envelope can comprise one or more stripes of the material so that less than the total exterior surface area of the glass envelope is covered by the transparent electrically conductive material.


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