Patent ID: 7049762
Filing Date: 2006-05-23
Classification: F21L,H05B,Y02B

Abstract:
1. A portable hand held fluorescent task lamp, comprising: an elongated housing molded of thermoplastic material and having a clear lens on a first side of a first end of the housing and a hand grip portion formed into a second, opposite end of the elongated housing; a line cord secured to the second, opposite end of the elongated housing; at least first and second compact fluorescent lamp (“CFL”) bulbs removably disposed within the first end of the elongated housing behind and visible through the clear lens; a transformerless electrical drive circuit disposed within the elongated plastic housing, and connected at a first input to a common return node of a power supply connected to the line cord and connected via a common output node to the at least first and second CFL bulbs; a first lamp circuit including in series connection from the common return node to the common output node a first current limiting inductor, a first node, a first single pole single throw (SPST) switch and the first CFL bulb; a second lamp circuit including in series connection from the common return node to the common output node a second current limiting inductor, a second node, a second SPST switch and the second CFL bulb; wherein each first and second SPST switch includes an ON condition and an OFF condition; and wherein the at least first and second CFL bulbs are ignited and sustained in illumination in parallel, as determined by the respective condition of each respective first and second SPST switches and independent of the starting characteristics of the first and second CFL bulbs.