Flat type fluorescent lamp and method of lighting

A flat type fluorescent lamp device comprising:

• a pair of transparent glass plates assembled and sealed together thereby forming a glass plate assembly;
• a groove formed on a facing surface of at least one of said transparent glass plates;
• a discharge channel formed, in a serpentine form, by said groove and having a fluorescent film on its inner surface;
• a pair of electrode leads, one electrode lead provided at each end of said discharge channel;
• a uniform light distribution means provided on a luminous front side surface of said glass plate assembly;
• and
• a light reflecting means provided on a non-luminous back side surface of said glass plate assembly.

A method of lighting a fluorescent lamp comprising steps of:

• dividing a serpentine discharge channel into a plurality of individual discharge channels by a plurality of electrodes which includes two electrodes at both ends of the serpentine discharge channel;
• connecting together odd numbered electrodes among the plurality of electrodes;
• connecting together even numbered electrodes among the plurality of electrodes;
• and
• applying a high frequency voltage of 20 kHz to 70 kHz by directly connecting a single power source between said connected odd numbered electrodes and said connected even numbered electrodes, wherein all of the individual discharge channels can be lit in parallel and with the same voltage at the same time.

A flat type fluorescent assembly connectable to a first and second terminal of a single power source, the flat type fluorescent assembly comprising:

• a serpentine discharge channel;
• a pair of electrodes leads, one electrode lead provided at each end of the discharge channel, and each of the respective electrode leads being directly connected to each other and coupled to the first terminal, the pair of electrode leads having the same voltage at the same time;
• and
• at least another electrode lead, coupled to the discharge channel between said pair of electrode leads, for dividing said discharge channel into a plurality of individual discharge channels, the impedance of each individual discharge channel being substantially equal, and the at least another electrode being coupled to the second terminal, the single power source being connected in parallel across all of the individual discharge channels.