Patent ID: 7274153

Claim:
A portable lamp assembly, comprising: multiple twin tube PL fluorescent lamps; multiple switches coupled to the multiple twin tube PL fluorescent lamps, respectively, wherein the multiple switches control the multiple PL fluorescent lamps independently; ballast circuitry configured to generate regulated power, wherein the regulated power is selectively provided to the multiple fluorescent lamps by the multiple switches wherein the ballast circuitry is a solid state ballast circuitry that includes at least one pair of oscillating transistors that are adapted to provide regulated power to start and operate the multiple twin tube PL fluorescent lamps including multiple twin tube PL lamps with integral starters; a housing that defines a gripping surface to permit a user to hold the lamp assembly and the lamp cavity and wherein the housing further defines a space interior to the gripping surface which is sized to securely receive and retain the ballast circuitry and wherein the lamp cavity receives the plurality of multiple twin tube PL fluorescent lamps and wherein the multiple switches are interposed between the gripping surface and the lamp cavity such that the user can activate the switches while holding the gripping surface.