Integrated fluorescent lamp unit

Claim 2

A fluorescent lamp unit comprising, a glass tube, a phosphor coating on the inside surface of said glass tube, a first electrode disposed at one end of said tube, a second electrode disposed at the other end of said tube, mercury vapor contained within said tube, a lamp base attached to the end of said tube at which said first electrode is disposed, said lamp base being the only power input means for said lamp unit, a starting circuit for said lamp disposed within said lamp base and electrically connected between portions of said base and said first and second electrodes, and an insulating cap attached to the end of said tube at which said second electrode is disposed.

Claim 3

A lamp unit according to claim 1 further including a resistance wire externally wound about said glass tube and electrically connected between said starting circuit and said second electrode to provide series ballasting for said lamp.

Claim 4

A lamp unit according to claim 2 further including insulating means covering said wire winding on said glass tube.

Claim 5

A lamp unit according to claim 3 wherein said second electrode is a cathode coil having first and second terminals, said resistance wire is connected between said starting circuit and the first terminal of said cathode coil, and said insulating means covering the wire wound tube comprises a strip of clear plastic material helically wrapped in an overlapping manner about said wire wound tube, and further including a starter switch disposed within said lamp base, and a strip of metallic conductive tape helically wrapped about said tube, said starter switch and said strip of conductive tape being serially connected in that order between said starting circuit and the second terminal of said cathode coil, whereby a preheating circuit is provided for said lamp unit, and said strip of conductive tape being substantially narrower than said strip of plastic material and sandwiched between overlapping portions of the helical wrapping of said strip of clear plastic material.

Claim 6

A lamp unit according to claim 3 wherein said first and second electrodes are the anode and cathode electrodes, respectively, of said lamp unit, and said resistance wire is wound about said glass tube in a manner providing a temperature gradient along the length of said tube with the higher temperature toward the cathode end of said tube when said wire is energized.

Claim 7

A fluorescent lamp unit comprising, a glass tube, a phosphor coating on the inside surface of said glass tube, a first electrode disposed at one end of said tube, a second electrode disposed at the other end of said tube, mercury vapor contained within said tube, a lamp base attached to one end of said tube, a starting circuit for said lamp disposed within said lamp base and electrically connected between portions of said base and said first and second electrodes, and a resistance wire externally wound about said glass tube and electrically connected between said starting circuit and one of said electrodes to provide series ballasting for said lamp.

Claim 8

A fluorescent lamp unit comprising, a glass tube, a phosphor coating on the inside surface of said glass tube, a first electrode disposed at one end of said tube, a second electrode disposed at the other end of said tube, mercury vapor contained within said tube, a lamp base attached to one end of said tube, a starting circuit for said lamp disposed within said lamp base and electrically connected between portions of said base and said first and second electrodes, and a resistance wire externally wound about said glass tube and electrically connected between said starting circuit and one of said electrodes to provide series ballasting for said lamp.

Claim 9

A fluorescent lamp unit comprising, a glass tube, a phosphor coating on the inside surface of said glass tube, a first electrode disposed at one end of said tube, a second electrode disposed at the other end of said tube, mercury vapor contained within said tube, a screw-in type lamp base having external threads attached to one end of said tube, and a starting circuit for said lamp disposed within said lamp base and electrically connected between portions of said base and said first and second electrodes.

Claim 10

A fluorescent lamp unit comprising, a glass tube, a phosphor coating on the inside surface of said glass tube, a first electrode disposed at one end of said tube, a second electrode disposed at the other end of said tube, mercury vapor contained within said tube, a screw-in type lamp base having external threads attached to one end of said tube, and a starting circuit for said lamp disposed within said lamp base and electrically connected between portions of said base and said first and second electrodes.