Patent ID: 7710039

Claim:
A compact fluorescent lamp comprising a discharge tube arrangement, said discharge tube arrangement being formed of at least one discharge tube made of glass, enclosing a discharge volume filled with a discharge gas, and having a fluorescent phosphor coating disposed on the inner surface of the tube, the tube forming a continuous arc path and further being provided with electrodes disposed at each end of the arc path; a ballast circuit for controlling current in the tube and being connected to the electrodes by lead-in wires and to a supply voltage by lead-out wires; a bulb-shaped outer envelope comprising a substantially spherical portion enclosing the discharge tube arrangement and an elongated end portion enclosing the ballast circuit; the end portion of the outer envelope having an open end on a base side; the open end being closed and terminated by a closing means of the same material as the outer envelope; and the closing means being provided with a tubular opening, in which the lead-out wires are isolated from each other and through which the lead-out wires are led in a non-sealing manner to a base for connecting said lamp to said supply voltage through a socket.