GB2400988A

GB2400988A - A waterproof connection structure for decorative lamp

Info

Publication number: GB2400988A
Application number: GB0416348A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peixin Xu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-12-31
Filing date: 2002-12-31
Publication date: 2004-10-27
Anticipated expiration: 2022-12-31
Also published as: CN2558111Y; AU2002357572A1; WO2003056238A1; GB2400988B; GB0416348D0

Abstract

A waterproof connection structure for decorative lamp includes two socket bodies respectively located on two ends of power cord or on two ends of lamp string, and at least the above one of cooper pins, characterized in that terminal faces of the current conducting jacks of said socket bodies respectively are set up to be made stepped bedding plane structures be able to abut joint each other, therein two socket bodies (5) abut each other to form a connecting structure and the cooper pins are connected to a corresponding current conducting jack to form electrical connection. Because of setting up two socket bodies as corresponding male and female face structure, the invention greatly enlarges the creepage distance between the cooper pins on the contact plane, increases the safety and makes the waterproof connection structure meet the electric safety standard, by use of the male and female face structure made of insulation material. The invention has simple structure and better practicability, may be widely applied to electrical connection structures of various decorative lamp.

Description

A WATERPROOF CONNECTION STRUCTION FOR A DECORATIVE LAMP

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a connection structure and, more particularly, to a waterproof connection structure for a decorative lamp string.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG 1, a conventional waterproof connection structure for a decorative lamp essentially includes two socket bodies aligning with each other and located at ends of lead wires, a lamp string or tail caps thereof, and a plurality of copper pins.

Each of the copper pins is inserted into electrically conductive jacks of one of the socket bodies, and the other socket body aligns with the socket body into which the copper pins are inserted to form a connection structure. However, because the contact surface between the two socket bodies is plane, the high-voltage creepage distances between copper pins are short and thus the possibility of electric shock is greater. Therefore, it is difficult to follow electrical safety standards, and the safety of use is reduced. Furthermore, because the copper pins of the conventional connection structure are firstly arranged at a socket body in a line as a whole, and then inserted into another socket body, the tips of the copper pins tend to have different planes in use, thereby having adverse effects on connection. This leads to disabled electric contact to affect the use of the decorative lamp.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a waterproof connection structure for a decorative lamp, which has a subtle structure, reliable connection, greater creepage distance caused by recess and projection contact surfaces, complying with electrical safety standard. The waterproof connection structure of the present invention comprises two socket bodies respectively located at one end of a lead wire and one end of a lamp string, and more than one copper pin, characterized in that a plurality of electrically conductive jacks into which the copper pins can be inserted are mounted at ends of the two socket bodies, in which the ends of the electrically conductive jacks are designed to be stepped structures that can align with each other, two ends of each copper pin are respectively inserted into electrically conductive jacks having a stepped structure in the two socket bodies, the two socket bodies align with each other to form a connection structure, and the electrical connection of the copper pins with the corresponding electrically conductive jacks forms an electrical connection between the socket bodies.

To further improve its waterproof effect, the present invention also comprises a waterproof rubber sheath for housing the connection area between the two socket bodies.

Because the ends of the two socket bodies are designed to be stepped structures engaging to each other, the creepage distances between copper pins are significantly improved by the stepped structures that may be made of insulating materials. Thus the creepage distance exceeds a predetermined range so that the possibility of electric shock between the copper pins decreases at high voltage, thereby improving the safety of the connection structure and meeting the electrical safety standard. In addition, the two socket bodies are connected to each other with not only the connection of the copper pins but also the engagement of the stepped structures thereof, which improves the effect of the connection and ensures the effective electrical properties of the connection. Furthermore, the structure of the present invention is simple, subtle, and effective in use, and hence can be used for electrical connection structures for various decorative lamps.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic structure of a conventional waterproof connection structure for a decorative lamp, FIG 2 is a schematic structure of the present invention; FIG 3 is a schematically cross-sectional structure of one embodiment of FIG 2; FIG 4 is a schematically cross-sectional structure of another embodiment of FIG 2; FIG 5 is a schematically crosssectional structure of another embodiment of the present invention; and FIG 6 is a schematic structure of a further embodiment of FIG 5.

BEST MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGs. 2 to 6, a connection structure of the present invention comprises two socket bodies 4 respectively located at one end of a lead wire 1 and one end of a lamp string 2, and more than one copper pin 5, characterized in that a plurality of electrically conductive jacks into which the copper pins 5 can be inserted are mounted at ends of the two socket bodies 4, in which the ends of the electrically conductive jacks are designed as a structure that can align with each other. Two ends of each copper pin 5 are respectively inserted into the electrically conductive jacks having a stepped structure in the two socket - bodies. The two socket bodies 4 align with each other to form a connection structure, and the electrical connection of the copper pins 5 with the corresponding electrically conductive jacks forms an electrical connection between the socket bodies 4. The stepped structure of the ends of the socket bodies 4 may be changed as shown in FIGs. 2 and 3. For the convenience of the production and the reliability of the structure, the respective middle ends of the electrically conductive jacks of the two socket bodies 4 are designed to be recess and projection structures. Furthermore, for the reliability of the insertion, the respective middle ends of the electrically conductive jacks of the two socket bodies 4 can be designed to be strip-shape recess and projection structures, as shown in FIG 3. The middle ends can be designed to be a recess hole or a projection pole, as shown in FIG 4, while the two sides of the ends are designed correspondingly to have a projection surface or a recess surface.

For the convenience of the insertion, when the two socket bodies 4 align with each other, the connection surface between stepped surfaces of the recess and projection of the two socket bodies 4 is designed to be a declined surface. Referring to FIGs. 5 and 6, the respective ends of the electrically conductive jacks of the two socket bodies 4 can also be designed to be gradually ascending and descending stepped surface structures, in which the connection surface between the stepped surface structures of the two socket bodies 4 is designed to be a declined surface, too. For the convenience of the connection between the two socket bodies, a shoulder can be provided at the periphery end of one socket body 4 to engage a sleeve provided at the periphery end of another socket body, as shown in FIG 6. To further improve the waterproof properties of the present invention, a waterproof rubber sheath 6 is provided for housing the connection area between the two socket bodies 4. The structure of the waterproof rubber sheath 6 may be changed. The waterproof rubber sheath 6 can be an extruding plastic layer housing the connection area between the two socket bodies 4 and produced by extruding plastics, after the two socket bodies are connected in factory. The waterproof rubber sheath 6 can be a molding housing the connection area of the two socket bodies 4 and produced by an injection mold. In addition, the waterproof rubber sheath 6 can be a cylindrical sheath, one end of which together with one of the two socket bodies 4 is integrally produced in factory, and another end of which houses the other socket body 4. The sealant is introduced into the space between the cylindrical sheath and the outer wall of the other socket body for hermetically bonding them together. The waterproof plastic sheath 6 can also be a cylindrical sheath which houses the connection area of the two socket bodies 4 on the spot, and the sealant is introduced where the cylindrical sheath contacts the two socket bodies 4 such that the inner wall of the cylindrical sheath is bound with the outer wall of the two socket bodies 4.

Claims

1. A waterproof connection structure for a decorative lamp comprising two socket bodies (4) respectively located at one end of a lead wire (1) or two ends of a lamp string (2), and more than one copper pin (5), characterized in that a plurality of electrically conductive jacks into which the copper pins (5) can be inserted are provided at end surfaces of the two socket bodies (4), wherein each of the end surfaces of the electrically conductive jacks has a stepped structure that can align with another, two ends of the copper pin (5) are respectively inserted into the electrically conductive jacks having the stepped structure of the two socket bodies (4), and the two socket bodies align with each other to form a connection structure with which an electrical connection of the copper pins (5) to the corresponding electrically conductive jacks is formed to electrically connect the two socket bodies.

2. The waterproof connection structure for a decorative lamp of claim 1, characterized in that the respective ends of the electrically conductive jacks of the two socket bodies (4) are correspondingly designed to be recess or projection structures, and the respective middle ends of the electrically conductive jacks of the two socket bodies (4) are correspondingly designed to have projection surface or recess surface structures.

3. The waterproof connection structure for a decorative lamp of claim 2, characterized in that the respective middle ends of the electrically conductive jacks of the two socket bodies (4) are correspondingly designed to have strip-shape surface recess and projection structures.

4. The waterproof connection structure for a decorative lamp of claim 3, characterized in that the connection surface between stepped surfaces of the recess and projection structures of the two socket bodies (4) are designed to be a declined surface.

5. The waterproof connection structure for a decorative lamp of claim 1, s characterized in that the respective ends of the electrically conductive jacks of the two socket bodies (4) are correspondingly designed to have gradually ascending or descending stepped structures.

6. The waterproof connection structure for a decorative lamp of claim 5, characterized in that the connection surfaces between stepped surfaces of structures of the two socket bodies (4) are designed to have corresponding declined surface structures.

7. The waterproof connection structure for a decorative lamp of claim 5, characterized in that a shoulder is provided at the periphery end of one of the socket bodies (4) to engage a sleeve provided at the periphery end of the other.

8. The waterproof connection structure for a decorative lamp of claim 1, further comprising a waterproof rubber sheath (6) housing the connection area between the two socket bodies (4).

9. The waterproof connection structure for a decorative lamp of claim 8, characterized in that the waterproof rubber sheath (6) is an extruding plastic layer housing the connection area between the two socket bodies (4) and produced by extruding plastics.

10. The waterproof connection structure for a decorative lamp of claim 8, characterized in that the waterproof rubber sheath (6) is a molding housing the connection area between the two socket bodies (4) and produced by injection mold.

11. The waterproof connection structure for a decorative lamp of claim 8, characterized in that the waterproof plastic sheath (6) is a cylindrical sheath housing the connection area between the two socket bodies (4), and the sealant is introduced into where the cylindrical sheath contacts the two socket bodies (4) such that the inner wall of the cylindrical sheath is bond with the outer wall of the two socket bodies (4).

12. The waterproof connection structure for a decorative lamp of claim 8, characterized in that the waterproof rubber sheath (6) is a cylindrical sheath, one end of which is integrally produced together with one of the two socket bodies (4), another end of which houses the other socket body (4), and the sealant is introduced into the space between the cylindrical sheath and the outer wall of the other socket body (4) for hermetically bonding them together.