Nov 11 2008Sure, Why Not: A New, Flatter Lightbulb
Korean designer Joonhuyn Kim came up with a novel improvement for lightbulbs -- making them flatter!
unlike ordinary bulbs its volume is 1/3 smaller, reducing the cost of packaging and transport. its slim shape allows bulbs to be easily stacked and prevents breakage as it does not roll.
Sweet. But as a guy who's smoked crack thinking it was something else, a word of advice: you catch yourself freebasing out of a lightbulb and it's time to reevaluate your life. Or admit you're a crackhead.
Hit the jump for a couple more pictures.
tokyo design week 08: flat bulb by joonhuyn kim [designboom]
Thanks to bandango, who also used to smoke out of lightbulbs, and is willing to bongify one of these for the sake of quality assurance.
Related Stories
They're Coming: Space Invaders Lamp Shade (08/23/2009)
Coooool!: All Glass House Has Sliding Exterior (02/27/2009)
Delicious Light: A Gummi Bear Chandelier (01/15/2009)
Looks Breakable: New PS4 Concept Art (09/04/2009)
Smoke Bud: Another Hacked Roadsign (08/26/2009)
Reader Comments
1. spawnfeud - November 11, 2008 12:04 PM
First again!!!!!!!!!
2. I'm an idiot - November 11, 2008 12:04 PM
FIRST
3. SmokingGirl - November 11, 2008 12:06 PM
My only question is...why?
4. I'm an idiot - November 11, 2008 12:07 PM
Fourth
5. spawnfeudspawnfeud - November 11, 2008 12:08 PM
I'm an idiot too.
6. botron - November 11, 2008 12:08 PM
Wow this is not that great. I mean its flat, not that cool I think they eve have these already at spencers or something and it was lame then.
7. Gizmoduck - November 11, 2008 12:16 PM
ah.... i don't understand.
more dickbutts plz
8. McGloin - November 11, 2008 12:16 PM
I'M A MONSTER F***ING RACIST!
9. Richard Revolved! - November 11, 2008 12:16 PM
I'm having deja vu today. I guess it's because I also read Gizmodo.
OLD
FAIL
10. Balls - November 11, 2008 12:23 PM
BALLS!
11. Reemus - November 11, 2008 12:23 PM
FAIL
All ready selling a pack of 10 for 99c, just click my name to see, crap quality.
12. eggs benedict - November 11, 2008 12:26 PM
major fail. i have yet to see a square socket for bulbs. would it still fit correctly, or weeble-wabble all over the damn place?
mcgloin-you're an idiot, its from korea. how it correlates to a half-black president elect, i have no clue.
13. Gizmoduck - November 11, 2008 12:26 PM
@9
EPIC FAIL
14. botron - November 11, 2008 12:28 PM
@8
Fail fail fail
15. Gizmoduck - November 11, 2008 12:30 PM
take a doo doo pie
16. Douche McAllister - November 11, 2008 12:31 PM
@8 Seriously. Just die. As for the light bulb, I wonder if the heat transference rate would be different than a regular light bulb. Basically, is the f***er going to melt because the glass is to close to the filament?
17. 42 y/o undead warlock - November 11, 2008 12:35 PM
Will it cast semi-shadows where the edges meet?
18. Moose Knuckle - November 11, 2008 12:35 PM
When are the gonna make one shaped like a 20 sided die? NEVER!!! 'Cause D&D sux bitches hahahahahha. Seriously, can they make one that looks like Hello Kitty, since she is an ambassador of goodwill and cuteness throughout the world? Recognize...pew
19. hollywood_hillbilly - November 11, 2008 12:35 PM
They would fit into a normal socket just fine, it looks to about 60 degrees on each side. The ease of shipping and reduction in packaging could save a lot of money. My only question would be why not just make it a compact flourescent or LED. Also, didn't they have this bulb in that movie "never back down"?
20. Muriah - November 11, 2008 12:50 PM
They should sell this idea to Ikea....
21. No.6 - November 11, 2008 12:52 PM
Yep, it'll screw into a normal socket just fine...It will also leave a gap on 2 sides just about the right size for a small child to jam their finger in and get electrolized.
22. Douche McAllister - November 11, 2008 12:54 PM
@19 Good question! The LED tech is not to that point quite yet. They're still trying to shrink it down to the size of a standard light bulb. As far as the fluorescent bulbs go, I have no f***ing clue. It may have to do with the fact that most bulbs of that type are filled with highly toxic substances, namely mercury. They may designed with avoidence of breakage in mind. Or, I could be blowing smoke up you ass.
23. Douche McAllister - November 11, 2008 12:56 PM
your. f***ing r key
24. the facts - November 11, 2008 12:56 PM
you don't smoke crack out of a lightbulb, it needs direct flame. lightbulb smoking is basically vaporization, and is used for things that direct flame will destroy like meth or dmt. You could smoke marijuana from a lightbulb as well, but not crack.
25. Daisy - November 11, 2008 1:11 PM
FAKE!!!!
This is an obvious photoshop job. You can tell its fake, the shadows are all wrong.
Its kinda like the scene in the movie Never Back Down when Baja stuck a broken lightbulb in his urethra and pissed blood
26. Thumperchica - November 11, 2008 1:20 PM
This is a great way for companies to save on shipping/packaging costs. It would be even better if that savings got passed on to the consumer, but with the way the economy is looking, i'm willing to be it may not. It could've saved a few jobs though...
GOOD JOB "MAKE IT FLATTER, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE" GUY!
27. PLEEEZE! - November 11, 2008 1:26 PM
Round bulbs are more difficult to break. Flat surfaces need to be very thick to avoid this. Extra weight=more $ to ship. Pshhhhh! Designers! Take an engineering class! Well, at least they're trying. I just have to say PEW PEW PEW to them.
28. PLEEEZE - November 11, 2008 1:31 PM
...by the by, McGloin just likes the attention. May have gotten too much from his mommy when he was little. I'm sure that if we leave him alone he will get bored and go away.
29. David - November 11, 2008 1:31 PM
i agree with the person above. besides the added material cost to make the bulb stronger, the production of making this would also be more costly. why would anyone PAY MORE for a flat bulb? And it doesn't even really save any energy. it's a wash.
30. PLEEEZE! - November 11, 2008 1:39 PM
@29
People like flat: screens, abs, tops, taxes, etc. Flat is the new round which once used to be flat.
31. Richard Revolved! - November 11, 2008 1:48 PM
@22. Shrinking it down? LED's are small. Light Emitting Diode! Diodes are small. The trick is making powerful enough ones to put out enough light to fill a room and be cost effective.
Cheap LED's aren't bright.
Bright LED's aren't cheap.
32. Douche McAllister - November 11, 2008 2:14 PM
@31 What I ment was it takes a large amount of those little f***ers to create the same amount of light as a regular light bulb. Unfortunately that means the LED light bulb would be to large for standard sized indoor lamps. Although, I think I may be wrong. Check this out ---> http://inventorspot.com/articles/led_lightbulbs_coming_23_years_13541
33. Daisy - November 11, 2008 3:35 PM
FAKE!!!
This is an obvious photoshop job. You can tell its fake because the shadows are all wrong.
It looks a lot like the scene where Max drives.over a lightbulb in Baja's VW beetle in the movie Never Back Down.
34. Ace - November 11, 2008 3:59 PM
This is great! Much more many per shipment.
What did I just write??
But still...seriously. Great I mean.
35. RRRRrr - November 11, 2008 4:23 PM
Flat light bulb is flat
like your mother
I still her though
:(
36. RIMTUCK - November 12, 2008 2:12 AM
flatness.
37. riggedydick - November 13, 2008 1:02 AM
@ 11 : Bahahaha you got me...