LAMPE ELECTRIQUE A DECHARGE BASSE PRESSION A CLOISONNEMENT INTERIEUR

A.LAMPE ELECTRIQUE A DECHARGE BASSE PRESSION COMPRENANT UNE ENVELOPPE TUBULAIRE ETANCHE D'EMISSION DE LUMIERE 12 CONTENANT UN MILIEU IONISABLE ET UNE PAIRE D'ELECTRODES SEPAREES 16, 17, DES CONDUCTEURS 18, 19 PENETRANT DANS CETTE ENVELOPPE ET UN DISPOSITIF DE CLOISONNEMENT ALLONGE 14 SE MONTANT DANS L'ENVELOPPE TUBULAIRE 12.B.LAMPE A DECHARGE 10 CARACTERISEE EN CE QUE LE DISPOSITIF DE CLOISONNEMENT COMPORTE UN CERTAIN NOMBRE DE SEGMENTS DE CLOISONNEMENT 15 DEFINISSANT UN PASSAGE DE DECHARGE CONTINU ALLANT D'UNE ELECTRODE A L'AUTRE ET TRAVERSANT L'ENVELOPPE UN NOMBRE PREDETERMINE DE FOIS EN FAISANT DES ALLERS ET RETOURS, LES SEGMENTS 15 DU DISPOSITIF DE CLOISONNEMENT 14 S'ETENDANT LONGITUDINALEMENT ET VERS L'INTERIEUR EN PARTANT DES PAROIS DE L'ENVELOPPE 12, CES SEGMENTS DEFINISSANT EGALEMENT UNE CHAMBRE CENTRALE ALLONGEE C, ISOLEE DE LA DECHARGE, ET CONSTITUANT LE NOYAU DE CE DISPOSITIF DE CLOISONNEMENT, DE FACON QUE LA DECHARGE SE DEPLACE VERS L'EXTERIEUR EN DIRECTION DES PAROIS DE L'ENVELOPPE. The light output of a compact fluorescent lamp is enhanced by providing the envelope with a phosphor-coated partition assembly which has a plurality of panel segments that divide the envelope interior into a series of interconnected sectors and also define a centrally-located core chamber that is closed to the discharge. The size of the core chamber is correlated with the size of the envelope in such a manner that the discharge is displaced from the center of the envelope toward the phosphor-coated walls thereof, thus reducing losses due to the "trapping" of light deep within the envelope interior and concurrently increasing the relative amount of ultraviolet radiation that reaches and excites the phosphor coating on the envelope wall. The efficacy of the partitioned fluorescent lamp is accordingly increased. The size-correlation is rather critical and must be such that the maximum cross-sectional dimension of the core chamber at a given location is from about 25% to about 85% of the maximum cross-sectional dimension of the envelope at the same location and optimum results are obtained when this parameter is around 50%. The improved fluorescent lamp is thus especially adapted for use as a substitute for incandescent lamps in various types of lighting fixtures where space is limited and a light source of high brightness is required.