Toshiba Lighting Markets Ball-Shaped Fluorescent Lamp for General Use

Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corp., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corp., one of Japan's major electronics manufacturers, released on October 1, 2005 a new compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) named "Neoball Z Real," which perfectly duplicates the shape and light quality of regular incandescent bulbs.

With a tapered ball shape like an incandescent bulb, the CFL is compatible with almost any general lighting fixture. The small size of the emission area has been an issue for CFLs, but this has been solved by putting the greater part of the bulb's inverter into the base. In developing Neoball Z Real, the company achieved efficient light emission by boosting the ratio of emission area to the total surface area other than the base to 92 percent, up from a 72 percent ratio in existing products.

Compared to a Toshiba incandescent light bulb, both electricity consumption and calorific value of the new bulb have been reduced to about one-fifth. These reductions result in lower electricity costs and lower heat loads that effect air conditioning or other room functions. The rated life of the new bulb is 6,000 hours, six times that of an incandescent light bulb.

CFLs are already in widespread use because of the advantages in energy conservation and longer life compared with incandescent bulbs. Domestic demand for CFLs has increased every year, and the company estimates sales of 23 million units in fiscal 2005, with further growth in the market.

http://www.tlt.co.jp/tlt/english/lamps/neoballz/neoballz.htm

Posted: 2005/10/19 09:02:39 AM
Japanese version