Compact fluorescent lamp with outer envelope and method for manufacturing

Abstract

A compact fluorescent lamp comprises a discharge tube arrangement with at least one discharge tube. The tube is formed of glass, encloses a discharge volume filled with a discharge gas and has a fluorescent phosphor coating disposed on the inner surface of the tube. The tube forms a continuous arc path and is provided with electrodes disposed at each end of the arc path. The lamp also comprises a ballast circuit mounted on a printed circuit board, which is oriented in a plane substantially parallel to the principal axis of the lamp. The ballast circuit is connected to the electrodes by lead-in wires and to a supply voltage by lead-out wires and controls the current in the tube. A bulb shaped outer envelope has a substantially spherical portion enclosing at least a part of the tube arrangement and an elongated end portion enclosing at least the ballast circuit. The end portion of the outer envelope having an open end on a base side is closed and terminated by a closing means of a material compatible with the material of the outer envelope. The ballast circuit and the discharge tube arrangement are held within the outer envelope and relative to each other in a predetermined position by a holding and protecting shield being oriented in a plane substantially perpendicular to the principal axis of the lamp and comprising a receiving and fixing portion for the discharge tube and the printed circuit board of the ballast circuit. A method for manufacturing a compact fluorescent lamp as described above is also disclosed. In the proposed method, the ballast circuit and the discharge tube arrangement are inserted into and attached to a holding and protecting shield.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.