Electric lamp having press seal configuration for exhaust tube protection

A lamp assembly comprising:

• an electric lamp comprising:
• a light-transmissive lamp envelope defining an enclosed volume, said lamp envelope having a seal, said seal having a recess on a bottom edge thereof;
• a light source disposed in the enclosed volume of said lamp envelope;
• electrical leads extending through said press seal and connected to said light source;
• and
• an exhaust tube extending through the recess in said press seal to the enclosed volume of said lamp envelope;
• and
• a lamp base secured to said press seal, and
• wherein said exhaust tube has an outside diameter that is less than a thickness of said press seal.

A lamp comprising:

• a light-transmissive lamp envelope defining an enclosed volume, said lamp envelope having a press seal at one end thereof, said press seal having a recess along a bottom edge thereof;
• at least one lamp filament disposed in the enclosed volume of said lamp envelope;
• electrical leads extending through said press seal on opposite sides of said recess and connected to said lamp filament;
• and
• an exhaust tube extending through the recess in said press seal to the enclosed volume of said lamp envelope, and
• wherein said exhaust tube has an outside diameter that is less than a thickness of said press seal.

A method for making an electric lamp, comprising the steps of:

• providing a light-transmissive lamp envelope having an interior volume and an opening communicating with said interior volume;
• positioning a filament assembly having electrical leads and an exhaust tube in said opening;
• heating the lamp envelope at least in the region of said opening;
• forming said lamp envelope into a press seal such that said electrical leads and said exhaust tube extend through said press seal into the interior volume of said lamp envelope;
• wherein said exhaust tube has an outside diameter that is less than a thickness of said press seal, and
• pushing said exhaust tube toward the interior volume of said lamp envelope with said lamp envelope heated to form a recess in said press seal where said exhaust tube extends into said lamp envelope.