Compact fluorescent lamp and base combination, and method of lamp-base assembly

Compact fluorescent lamp having

• a discharge vessel (1);
• electrodes (16, 17) located in the discharge vessel;
• current supply leads (27a, 27b, 28a, 28b) extending from one end of the discharge vessel;
• a base (2) including a cap portion (3) and a bottom portion (4), and interfitting means (6, 7) for longitudinally, axially, telescopically joining the cap portion and the bottom portion;
• retention means (21) for securely retaining the discharge vessel in the cap portion (3) with the current supply leads extending into the cap portion;
• a circuit board (8) located in the bottom portion, extending transversely thereof, and circuit means (8a, 9) electrically and mechanically secured to the circuit board;
• a power connection means (5, 10, 11) secured to the bottom portion and electrically connected to the circuit means (8a, 9) on the circuit board, and
• an arrangement to electrically and mechanically securely connect the current supply leads (27a . . . 28b) to the circuit means (8a, 9) on the circuit board (8),
• said arrangement comprising
• holding projections (32, 24, 25, 26) secured to the cap portion, located adjacent the walls thereof, engaging end regions (31) of the current supply leads, and aligning the end regions of said current supply leads to extend in axial direction, at least in part along the holding projections;
• and
• bow, frame or arched elements or arched clip wires (35, 36, 37, 38) secured to said circuit board (8) and electrically connected to said circuit means (8a, 9),
• said bow, frame, or arched elemens or clip wires being located close to the lateral edges of the circuit board (8) and adjacent the inner walls of the bottom portion (4) in radial alignment with the holding projections and include engagement portions extending essentially parallel to the printed circuit board (8) to engage the end regions portions of the current supply leads and to clamp said end regions (31) into mutual intimate contact, said engagement portion and said end region being positioned between the wall of the bottom portion (4) of said base (2) and the respective holding projection upon axial joining of the cap portion (3) and the bottom portion (4) of the base, and to provide for electrical connection between the electrodes (16, 17) of the discharge vessel and the circuit means (8a, 9) of the circuit board (8).