Description Field of the invention The present invention relates to a discharge lamp, and more particularly to the two part compact fluorescent lamp.

Background of the related art There are two different kinds of compact fluorescent lamp that are currently available. One is the integrated compact fluorescent lamp, where, the tube's life is relatively shorter. When the tube is no longer functioning, the entire compact fluorescent lamp has to be disposed, including the ballast that is still perfectly functioning. This results in unnecessary waste. Another is the two part compact fluorescent lamp. Such lamp includes an electronic ballast and a replaceable tube. Each part is regarded as a single entity. The tube is replaceable, and the ballast can be used again. The use of such lamp saves the lighting cost significantly due to the reuse of the electronic ballast. Among the existing two part compact fluorescent lamp, the standard connectors, such as G23 and G24 system etc. are widely used. These connectors have some drawbacks: (1) The size of connector is relatively big; (2) The use of the elastic clip causes the looseness of the connecting between the replaceable tube and the electronic ballast. For example: when 2U or 3U tube is used, the connector has to be installed in the center of the ballast. This increases the volume of the ballast significantly. With a lathy tube, the lamp appears not so artistic. Please refer to patent ZL02269941 "A kind of two part energy saving lamp", where elastic clips are used in the connector.

Brief description of present invention The objective of the present invention is to provide a new two part compact fluorescent lamp, to reduce lamp's volume further, to enhance the connecting stability of the ballast and the tube, to extend lamp's life and to improve it's operation effectiveness.

The present invention relates to a kind of two part compact fluorescent lamp including a ballast and tube, where, each part (ballast or tube) can be regarded as a single entity. The ballast has a base fixed to the top, connecting to the mains power supply. The ballast and the tube are linked by a connecting device that includes an exterior executive part, a locking part and a directional part that controls the moving direction of the executive part. The connecting device can be inserted into the opening that is located at the top of the tube. The locking part is controlled by the executive part to lock or unlock the connection of the ballast and the tube. At least, there are three different designs of the connecting device as mentioned above.

The first scheme compromises: The directional part of the present connecting device including the canister slideway located at the center of the ballast's down surface, and a sliding sheath located at the center of the executive part and sheathed to the outside of the slideway that includes the ring chime on the edge, an insertion groove and a stop block located at the end of the insertion groove and fixed to the down surface of the ballast; The locking part including the vertical groove on the slideway, the L shape pothook located at the sliding sheath on the axial direction, and the locking block fixed to the inner surface of the opening at the top of the tube.

The second scheme compromises: The directional part of the connecting device including the ring slideway on the inner surface of the opening at the top of the tube, and the sliding sheath located on the executive part and embedded in the ring slideway, the sliding sheath having the ring chime on the edge; The locking part including the vertical insertion groove on the slideway; The L shape pothook on the sliding sheath on the axial direction; The protruding body on the down surface of the ballast, the protruding body having the locking block at its end, or alternatively, the lock block being located on a protruding canister on the down surface of the ballast. Its operating principle is the same as the first scheme described above, apart from small differences in their structure.

The third scheme compromises: The directional part of the present connecting device including the concave ring slideway on the outside of the tube or the ballast, and the slide sheath on the executive part that is embedded in the slideway; The locking part including the vertical insertion groove on the slideway; the concave insertion groove that is on the slide sheath and perforates the slide sheath; The protruding body on the down surface of the ballast, the protruding body having the locking block at its end, or alternatively, the locking block being located on a protruding canister on the down surface of the ballast.

In order to keep the ballast and the tube being connected firmly for a long time, an impact mechanism is used in present invention. When the connecting device is locked, the ballast and the tube are pressed to the other side, hence connecting them firmly without any gap. There are two kind of impact mechanism, one is the elastic mechanism, and the other is the push-press mechanism.

The advantages of the two part compact fluorescent lamp applied to the present invention are as follows:

1 The ballast and the tube are connected firmly by the connecting device described in present invention. The lamp is more compact and smaller. This connecting device is not only for high power compact fluorescent lamp, but also for low power compact fluorescent lamp, even for mini compact fluorescent lamp. 2 This connecting device is made using minimum material, easy to make with low cost. Only simple operations are required to connect and disconnect the tube and the ballast. The tube and ballast are connected firmly and safely. The lamp looks more artistic.

Brief description of the drawings For the purpose of illustrating the invention, shown in the drawings are the forms, which are presently preferred. It being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

Fig.1 Illustrates a break down perspective view of the two part compact fluorescent lamp applied to the present invention. Fig.2 Illustrates a break down perspective view of the two part compact fluorescent lamp, its slideway is on the tube. Fig.3 Illustrates a break down perspective view of the two part compact fluorescent lamp, its lock part is on the ballast. Fig.4 Illustrates a break down perspective view of the two part compact fluorescent lamp, its lock part is on outside. Fig.5 Illustrates a main sectional view of the elastic impact mechanism. Fig.6 Illustrates a main sectional view of the push-press mechanism.

Detailed description of the embodiment Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, Examples of which are illustrated in the associated drawings.

Fig.l shows a kind of the two part compact fluorescent lamp, which includes the electronic ballast 1 and the compact fluorescent tube 2. Each part is regarded as a single entity. There is a base 19 on the ballast 1 connecting to the mains power supply. There is the connecting device 3 between the ballast 1 and the tube 2. The connecting device 3 includes the executive part 4, which is visible from outside. The executive part 4 stretches from the outside to inside linking to the locking part 5. It also includes the directional part 6 that controls the moving direction of the connecting device 3. The connecting device 3 is inserted into the opening 23 that is on the top surface of the tube 2. The locking part 5 is controlled by the executive part 4 to lock or unlock, and subsequently to connect or disconnect the ballast 1 and tube 2.

Regarding to the connecting device 3, there are at least four different design schemes as depicted below:

Fig 1 shows the first design scheme, which comprises: The directional part 6 of the present connecting device 3, the directional part 6 including the canister slideway 61 located at the center of the ballast l's down surface, the sliding sheath 62 located at the center of the executive part 4 and sheathed to the outside of the slideway 61, and the stop block 613 fixed on the down surface of the ballast 1 and located at the end of the insertion groove 51; The locking part 5 including the vertical insertion groove 51 located on the slideway 61, the L shape pothook 52 located at the sliding sheath 62 on the axial direction, and the locking block 53 fixed to the inner surface of the opening 23 on the top of the tube 2. The assembly procedure of the two part compact fluorescent lamp according to the present invention is as follows: First, the sliding sheath 62 is pushed into the slideway 61. The position of the sliding sheath 62 is fixed axially by the ring chime 612 on the edge of the slideway 61. Turning the executive part 4, the gap of the L shape pothook 52 on the sliding sheath 62 aligns with the insertion groove 51. Inserting the locking block 53 into the insertion groove 51, the tube 2 is then located in the radial direction. Turning the executive part 4 again, so the hook on the L shape pothook 52 is moved into the vacancy under the locking block 53. As the locking block 53 is fixed to the tube 2, the tube 2 can't be released axially. The tube 2 is locked axially by the locking part 5. The ballast 1 is now connected firmly with tube 2 as a complete lamp. When disconnecting the tube 2, the executive part 4 is turned reversely to move the hook on the L shape pothook 52 out from the vacancy under the locking block 53. The tube 2 can be released freely along the insertion groove 51. The tube 2 is then separated from the ballast 1.

Fig.2 shows the second design scheme, which comprises: The directional part 6 of the connecting device 3, the directional part 6 including the canister slideway 63 on the inner surface of the opening 23 that is at the top of the tube 2, and the sliding sheath 62 on the executive part 4, the sliding sheath 62 being sheathed into the slideway 63, the ring chime 621 being on the edge of the sliding sheath 62; The locking part 5 including the vertical insertion groove 56 that is located at the slideway 63, the L shape pothook 52 located at the sliding sheath 62 on the axial direction, and the locking block 541 that is at the end of the protruding body 54, which is located on the down surface of the ballast 1, the locking block 541 being on the protruding body 54 or the protruding canister on the down surface of the ballast 1. The operating principle of this design scheme is similar to the first design scheme, apart from the differences stated as follows: The axial positioning of the sliding sheath 62 is achieved using the ring chime 621 that is embedded at bottom of the slideway 63. The hook of the L shape pothook 52 is on the top of the sliding sheath 62, when the protruding body 54 is inserted into the insertion groove 56. The hook of the L shape pothook 52 is inserted into the vacancy over the lock block 541 by turning the executive part 4. The tube 2 is then fixed axially, hence the ballast 1 and the tube 2 are connected firmly.

Fig.3 shows the third design scheme, which comprises: The directional part 6 of the present connecting device 3, the directional part 6 including the canister slideway 63 on the inner surface of the opening 23 on the top surface of the tube 2, and the sliding sheath 62 on the executive part 4, the sliding sheath 62 being sheathed in the slideway 63, the ring chime 621 being on the edge of the sliding sheath 62; The locking part 5 including the L shape pothook 57 located at the protruding canister axially and the locking block 58 fixed to the inner surface of the sliding sheath 62. Its operating principle is the same as the first design scheme, with very little differences that is unnecessary to be detailed here.

Fig.4 shows the forth design scheme, that comprises: The directional part 6 of the present connecting device 3 including the concave ring slideway 64 located to the outside of the tube 2 or the ballast 1, and the sliding sheath 65 on the executive part 4, the sliding sheath 65 including the vertical insertion groove 641 on the slideway 64; The insertion breach 651 on the slide sheath 65 and through out the sliding sheath 65 axially; The protruding body 54 located on the down surface of the ballast 1 or on the top surface of the tube 2; The locking block 541 at the end of the protruding body 54, the lock block 541 being on the protruding body 54 or on the protruding canister. Assembling the two part compact fluorescent lamp involves the following steps, first, aligns the insertion breach 651 with the insertion groove 641 on the slideway 64 to form a channel. By inserting the protruding body 54 into this channel, and turning the executive part 4, the inner side of the protruding ring moves over the locking block 541. The tube 2 is then fixed axially by the locking part 5. As a result, the ballast 1 and the tube 2 are firmly connected.

The first three design schemes are most suitable for spiral compact fluorescent lamp, whilst, the forth design is more likely to be used with the U type compact fluorescent lamps.

The executive part 4 can be an object with disc shape or pluck bar. The disc shaped executive part 4 can be round or polygonal. The size of the executive part 4 is decided according to user's requirement and the lamp's design. The outside of the executive part 4 is always veined to enhance the friction against hand for easy operation.

Various connecting methods between the ballast 1 and the tube 2 that applies to the present invention have been presented above. In the following paragraphs, the technical schemes on how to keep the ballast 1 and the tube 2 being connected firmly for a long time are depicted.

As shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, there is an impact mechanism 7 on the locking part 5. The impact mechanism 7 is located at the contact surface between the parts locking each other. The ballast 1 and the tube 2 are pressed to each other by the impact mechanism 7, connecting them firmly with out any gap.

As shown in Fig. 5, the first design scheme of the impact mechanism 7 includes the tip 71 that is shrunken in pluck 55 with smaller mouth. There is the elastic component 72 between the tip 71 and the bottom of the pluck 55. There is the protruding side 73 at the bottom of the tip 71. This design is regarded as elastic impact. When the locking part 5 is in lock state, under the action of the elastic component 72, the tip 71 pushes towards the locking block. Hence the ballast 1 and the tube 2 are pressed to each other, and connected firmly without any gap. The function of the protruding side 73 is to prevent the tip71 from slipping out of the pluck 55 due to the action of the elastic component 72.

As shown in Fig. 6, it is the second design scheme of the impact mechanism 7. The protruding arc surface 74 is located at the upper side of the hook or of the locking block. When the locking part 5 is in lock state, the protruding arc surface 74 pushes towards the locking block. As a result, the ballast 1 and the tube 2 are pressed to each other, and connected firmly without any gap.