Compact fluorescent lamp having a rigidly connected circuit board and lamp cap shell integrally molded in a housing of synthetic material

Claim 2

An electric lamp, comprising: a light source, a circuit board having electric circuitry for operating said light source; a lamp cap comprising a shell and an insulative base portion each having a respective contact connected to said circuitry; means for rigidly connecting said lamp cap shell to said printed circuit board; and a housing comprised of a synthetic material in which said circuit board and an end portion of said light source are integrally embedded, said synthetic material extending through said lamp cap shell and forming said base portion.

Claim 3

An electric lamp as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said lamp cap is an Edison lamp cap and said connecting means comprises a rigid conductor fastened to the inside of said shell.

Claim 4

An electric lamp as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that a rigid conductor connects said lamp base contact to said printed circuit board.

Claim 5

An electric lamp, comprising: a) a light source having an end portion, b) an integral assembly comprised of a printed circuit board having electric circuitry for operating said light source and a metallic lamp cap shell rigidly connected to said circuit board; and c) a housing comprised of a synthetic material in which said end portion of said light source and said circuit board are integrally embedded, said synthetic material extending into said shell for securing said shell thereto.

Claim 6

An electric lamp, comprising: a) a light source having an end portion, b) an integral assembly comprised of a printed circuit board having electric circuitry for operating said light source and a metallic lamp cap shell rigidly connected to said circuit board; and c) a housing comprised of a synthetic material in which said end portion of said light source and said circuit board are integrally embedded, said synthetic material extending into said shell for securing said shell thereto.

Claim 7

An electric lamp according to claim 4, wherein a rigid metallic conductor connects said circuit board to an inner surface of said shell.

Claim 8

An electric lamp according to claim 5, wherein said shell comprises an electric contact of said lamp and said rigid conductor connects said shell to said circuitry on said circuit board.

Claim 9

An electric lamp according to claim 6, wherein said shell has an aperture, and said synthetic material extends through said shell and said aperture, forming an insulative lamp cap base protruding from said shell.

Claim 10

An electric lamp according to claim 7, wherein said lamp includes a second electric contact electrically connected to said circuitry on said circuit board, and said integral assembly comprises said second contact and a second rigid conductor connected to said circuit board and extending through said aperture for positioning said second contact in said insulative lamp cap base.

Claim 11

An electric lamp according to claim 8, wherein said light source is a fluorescent low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp having adjacent ends embedded in said synthetic material.

Claim 12

An electric lamp according to claim 4, wherein said shell has an aperture, and said synthetic material extends through said shell and said aperture, forming an insulative lamp cap base protruding from said shell.

Claim 13

An electric lamp according to claim 10, wherein said lamp includes an electric contact electrically connected to said circuitry on said circuit board, and said integral assembly comprises said contact and a rigid conductor connected to said circuit board and extending through said aperture for positioning said contact in said insulative lamp cap base.

Claim 14

An electric lamp according to claim 4, wherein said light source is a fluorescent low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp having adjacent ends embedded in said synthetic material.

Claim 15

A compact fluorescent lamp, comprising: a) a fluorescent low pressure mercury vapor discharge vessel having a pair of adjacent ends; b) an integral assembly comprised of a printed circuit board having electric circuitry for energizing said discharge vessel to emit light, a threaded metallic shell rigidly secured to said circuit board and electrically connected to said circuitry, said shell having an aperture at its end remote from said circuit board, an elongate support extending from said circuit board through said aperture and terminating at an end adjacent thereto, and a lamp contact connected to said circuitry and fixed on the end of said support adjacent said aperture, c) a housing of synthetic material in which said adjacent ends of said discharge vessel, said circuit board, and said elongate support are integrally embedded, said synthetic material protruding through said aperture and forming an insulative base portion at said remote end of said shell with an end face, said support extending through said shell and positioning said contact at said end face of said insulative base portion.

Claim 16

A compact fluorescent lamp, comprising: a) a fluorescent low pressure mercury vapor discharge vessel having a pair of adjacent ends; b) an integral assembly comprised of a printed circuit board having electric circuitry for energizing said discharge vessel to emit light, a threaded metallic shell rigidly secured to said circuit board and electrically connected to said circuitry, said shell having an aperture at its end remote from said circuit board, an elongate support extending from said circuit board through said aperture and terminating at an end adjacent thereto, and a lamp contact connected to said circuitry and fixed on the end of said support adjacent said aperture, c) a housing of synthetic material in which said adjacent ends of said discharge vessel, said circuit board, and said elongate support are integrally embedded, said synthetic material protruding through said aperture and forming an insulative base portion at said remote end of said shell with an end face, said support extending through said shell and positioning said contact at said end face of said insulative base portion.

Claim 17

A compact fluorescent lamp according to claim 13, wherein said threaded shell and said insulative base portion define an Edison lamp cap.

Claim 18

A compact fluorescent lamp according to claim 14, wherein said circuitry includes a capacitor fixed to said circuit board and disposed substantially within said shell.

Claim 19

A compact fluorescent lamp according to claim 13, wherein said circuitry includes a capacitor fixed to said circuit board and disposed substantially within said shell.