Patent ID: 7459856

Claim:
A compact fluorescent lamp comprising a discharge tube arrangement said discharge tube arrangement being formed of a 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 being mounted on a printed circuit board which is oriented in a plane substantially parallel to the principal axis of the lamp 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 a material compatible with the material of the outer envelope; the ballast circuit and the discharge tube arrangement being held within the outer envelope and relative to each other in a predetermined position by a holding and protecting shield being oriented in a plane substantially perpendicular to the principal axis of the lamp and comprising a receiving and fixing portion for the discharge tube and the printed circuit board of the ballast circuit.