EXTERNAL ELECTRODE FLUORESCENT LAMP AND ILLUMINATION DEVICE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an external electrode fluorescent lamp and an illumination device wherein the complication of a constitution and the complication of loading operation are avoided, while the narrowing of a light emission/irradiation face is possible and a uniform light volume can be obtained in the light emission/irradiation face. SOLUTION: This external electrode fluorescent lamp is constituted of an L-shaped glass tube in which a fluorescent material layer is formed on the inner wall face, and mercury and rare gas are enclosed as a discharge media, and a pair of external electrode fluorescent lamps 2, 2 in which external electrodes 2b, 2b' are installed on outer peripheral faces of both ends side of the glass tube, and the pair of external electrode fluorescent lamps 2, 2 are arranged in parallel, and the adjacent external electrodes 2b, 2b or the external electrodes 2b', 2b' are integrally connected to common electrode terminals 4a, 4b via a conductive rubber layer. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI