Patent ID: 6664726
Filing Date: 2003-12-16
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
A fluorescent lamp comprisingan elongated discharge vessel enclosing a discharge path, the discharge vessel containing a gas fill, the gas fill being excitable from a non-excited state into an excited state by a discharge arc in the operating state of the lamp, the discharge path having a first impedance in a non-excited state; and further the impedance of the gas being lower in the excited state than in the non-excited state, further the discharge vessel having at least two sections located adjacent to each other, electrode means for generating a discharge arc across the discharge path in the discharge vessel, bypass means for providing a bypass path for the gas discharge during a startup of the lamp between the two adjacent sections of the discharge vessel, the bypass path resulting in a short-cut across the impedance of at least a portion of the discharge path when the gas in said portion is in the non-excited state.