Curved shatter-resistant lamp assembly and method

Abstract

A shatter-resistant lamp assembly is formed by encasing a cylindrical lamp bulb in a seamless non-frangible sleeve that is sealed at each end to one end of the lamp. A straight lamp assembly is made by applying an adhesive to each end of a straight lamp bulb, preferably by wrapping double-sided adhesive transfer tape around each metal end cap of the lamp bulb, inserting the bulb into the sleeve with the ends of the sleeve overlapping the tape wound on each end of the bulb, and compressing the ends of the sleeve onto the tape by heat-sealing. A curved lamp assembly is formed by molding two halves of a curved sleeve with contours to fit the curved lamp bulb. Adhesive is applied to the ends of the curved lamp bulb, the two halves of the sleeve are fastened together with adhesive or by ultrasonic bonding, and the ends of the sleeve are attached to the ends of the bulb by the same means as that used for the straight lamp assembly.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.