Merchant & Gould P.C.
Method for manufacturing a fluorescent lamp
 In a method for manufacturing a fluorescent lamp, four dual tubes that are previously manufactured are held at a distance in such a manner that the dual tubes can move horizontally. Four portions for connection are simultaneously heated, and two of the dual tubes are simultaneously moved horizontally to form bridge portions to provide tube assemblies. Furthermore, annealing after bridge connection and the connection of tube assemblies with a bridge are performed simultaneously. Thus, a compact fluorescent lamp comprising eight glass tubes that are connected with bridges to form continuous discharge paths can be obtained. According to the manufacturing method, bridge connection can be performed in a small space and with high productivity, and a fluorescent lamp having a good quality with minor variations in the quality of the bridge portions can be provided. 
Matsushita Electronics Corporation
H Y H C Y
H01J Y02B H01J C03B Y02P
inventional additional inventional inventional additional
Akihito Masaru Toshiyoshi
Wakamiya Saito Oga