MXPA97005677A

MXPA97005677A - Adapter of anti-r lamp

Info

Publication number: MXPA97005677A
Application number: MXPA/A/1997/005677A
Authority: MX
Inventors: B Balaban David; Newman Walter
Original assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co Inc
Priority date: 1996-07-26
Filing date: 1997-07-25
Publication date: 1998-02-01

Abstract

The present invention relates to an adapter for lamps and other electrical devices to be installed in standard lamp holders which avoids the unauthorized removal of such lamps or other electrical devices. The threaded screw means are placed on a body member so that rotation between them is impossible. A tool or key is placed in aligned grooves or keyways that prevents relative rotation so that the adapter can be installed or removed from a socket. The tool or key is removed after allowing relative rotation again, so that the lamp or other electrical device can not be removed from the socket. The use of the tool or key fixes the two components one with respect to the other and the adapter can be removed

Description

ADAPTER OF ANTI-THEFT LAMP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The invention is directed to the field of burglary-proof lamps and more particularly to adapters that can be used with expensive lamps to prevent their unauthorized removal from the lampholders.

Description of the invention The known prior art of modalities of various types of enclosures or cages that are placed by means of a key in the device itself or a key applied to the device when it is closed. These enclosures frequently interfere with the change of the lamps, can restrict the light coverage of the device or project undesirable shadows. The keys are easily broken or punctured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes the difficulties noted above with respect to the devices of the prior art by providing an adapter interfacing with the lamp or other electrical device and the electric lampholder within which it is assembled without having any portion overlapping any part. of the lamp or other electrical device. The lamp or electrical device has an insulating body member to which it is mechanically or electrically connected. Positioned around one end of the body member is the hollow, metallic threaded screw means having an external threading for engaging the external threading of a lamp holder to allow the threaded screw means to threadably couple the thread of the lamp holder to advance the threaded screw inside the socket or allows its removal from such socket. Adjacent to the end of the body member containing the threaded screw means thereof are the coupling means which engage the threaded screw means to the body member allowing relative rotation of the threaded screw means and the body member as which provides the electrical continuity between a lamp element and the threaded screw means. A flat central contact is placed at the end of the body member having the screw means threaded therebetween to engage the central contact of the lamp holder into which the adapter is placed. This central contact is electrically connected to the second element of the lamp. The body member has an inwardly directed groove from its surface, parallel to the center longitudinal axis of the adapter and terminates along a parallel longitudinal line or axis with spaced apart from the central longitudinal axis. Along the upper edge of the screw means, remote from the central contact is a series of open slots. To advance the adapter or remove it from a lampholder, a tool or key is used which has a blade that engages the grooves of the body member and the threaded screw means. The body member or threaded screw means is rotated until one of the open slots of the threaded screw is aligned with the slot or key in the body member. The key blade is placed in aligned grooves that lock the threaded screw means to the body member so that relative rotation is not possible. The adapter can now be threaded into the bulb holder and advanced completely inside the bulb holder. The key is removed. With the removal of the key, the body member is free to rotate independently of the threaded screw means thereby preventing the removal of the adapter and the lamp or attached electrical device. To remove the adapter, the key is again placed in aligned grooves in the body member and the threaded screw means and the adapter are removed by turning the adapter. It is an object of this invention to provide an anti-theft lamp adapter. It is an object of this invention to provide an anti-theft lamp adapter that does not interfere with the operation of the associated lamp. It is a further object of this invention to provide an anti-theft lamp adapter that employs a special tool and can not be operated with common available tools. Other objects and features of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the attached drawings, which describe, by way of example, the principles of the invention and the best modes that are currently considered to carry them out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings in which similar elements have similar reference numerals: Fig. 1 is a top right perspective view of an anti-theft lamp adapter constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the body member of the adapter of Fig. 1 mounted on a fragmentary portion of an enclosure shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the body member of Fig.2. Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the threaded screw means of the adapter of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an upper right perspective view of the threaded screw means of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the coupling means of the adapter of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the coupling means of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is an elevation view side of a tool that can be used with the adapters of the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly in section, of the adapter of Fig. 1 with the tool of Fig. 8 in place. Fig. 10 is a side elevational view with a compact double fluorescent lamp with an adapter in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 11 is a side elevation view of a compact quad tube fluorescent lamp with an adapter in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES Returning to Figs. 1 to 9, there is shown an adapter form 20 constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention. This adapter 20 has a body member 22 made of insulating material, such as rubber, plastic, phenolic or the like. The body member 22 has a first cylindrical portion or flange 24 of a first diameter and thickness. As shown in fig. 1, there is a number of openings 26 spaced apart along the flange 24 which can be used to fasten the adapter 20 to a housing 110 containing an electrical device as shown in Fig. 2. The electrical device can be a power transformer. resistance 112 connected to a double plug 114 for fluorescent lamps 116. The housing 110 is mounted to the flange 24 by means of bolts 118 which pass through the openings 26 in the flange 24 and the openings 120 in the housing 110 and the nuts 122 attached to such bolts 118. The insulated conductors 28 and 30 pass through an opening 124 in the housing 110 and are connected to the transformer 112 and the plug 114. The body member 22 has a second cylindrical portion 32 of smaller diameter than the first portion 24 and has a surface 34 that acts as an upper retainer for the threaded screw member. Portion 32 is approximately as thick as portion 24. An additional cylindrical portion 36 is smaller in diameter than portion 32 and is much thicker than portion 32. A cylindrical step 38 of smaller diameter than portion 36 and smaller thickness leads to a truncated conical end 40 of smaller diameter than the step 38 and a truncated end surface 44 perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis 46. As best seen in FIG. 3, there are two depressions 48 on the sides of the conical end 40 fixed at 180 ° apart positions exposing a portion of the upper surface 50 of the step 38. An opening 52 is positioned on each of the exposed surfaces 50. An additional opening 54 is placed on the end surface 44. The arrangement of the component parts of the adapter 60 for the compact fluorescent tubes (see Figs 10 and 11) is generally similar to that described above with respect to Figs. 1 to 9. The difference is that the relatively thin flange 24 is replaced with a first much thicker cylindrical portion 62. The remaining portions are the same. As shown in Fig. 2, a slot or keyway 56 extends through the lower portion 24 adjacent to the second cylindrical portion 32., the third cylindrical portion 36, the cylindrical step 38 and inside the tapered end 40. Although it is simpler to manufacture the body member 22 with the slot 56 as described, the slot or keyway 56 could be stopped at a point just below the edges. open slots of the threaded screw means described below. The slot 56 does not extend to the full thickness of the flange 24 resulting in a retainer 58 to ensure correct positioning of the tool described below. Because the cylindrical portions 62 of the adapter 60 are very thick it is only necessary that the groove or keyway 64 extend into the cylindrical portions 62 a short distance to provide the retainer 66. Again, the groove or keyway 64 may be sufficiently long to extend beyond the slots of the threaded screw means that will be described. The groove or keyway 56 extends within the body member 22 to a depth along the longitudinal axis 68 that is parallel with and offset from the longitudinal axis 46 (see Figure 9).

The threaded screw means 70 are shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the threaded screw means 70 is a hollow cylinder within which a helical thread 72 is formed of the size and inclination of a selected lamp base, eg, a medium base lamp or Mugol. The lower lip 74 is inverted to move on the surface 50 of the step 38 and the upper edge 76 has a number of open slots 78 positioned therealong. The threaded portion 72 below the open ends of the grooves 78 engages the surface 34 of the cylindrical portion 32 to facilitate relative rotation of the threaded screw means 70 and the body member 22. The threaded screw means 70 they are retained on the body member 22 by means of the contact washer 80 shown in Figs. 6 and 7 The contact washer 80 is comprised of a generally C-shaped ring 82 of electrically conductive spring steel material, such as copper or beryllium-copper alloys. The ends 84 of the ring 82 flex outward from the plane of the ring 82 and can be formed with a rounded contact pad 86 as shown in Fig. 7. Extending inward from the inner edge or flange 82 are a pair of fins 88. , each having an opening 90 therethrough. After the threaded screw means 70 has been placed on the step 38 and the cylindrical portion 36 of the body member 22, the contact washer 80 is placed on the lower lip 74 of the threaded screw means 70 and is allowed to each of the fins 88 extends into its associated depression 48 so that the apparatuses 90 rest on the openings 52. The pads 86 of the contact washer 80 are in contact with the lower lip 74 of the threaded screw means 70. The contact washer 80 is then fixed in place by rivets 92 as shown in Fig. 1. A first insulated conductor 28 is connected to the contact ring 80 and by coupling it with the threaded screw means 70 provide a path closed for a contact or one side of the filament of a lamp or other electrical device. A central contact 94 is placed on the end surface 44 of the conical end 40 and fixed thereto and connected by means of the opening 54 in the end surface 44 to the second insulated conductor 30 to provide a closed path for the second contact or the other side of the filament of a lamp or other electrical device. Therefore, when the adapter 20 is screwed into an appropriately sized socket (not shown) that is connected to an electric power source and the control switch (not shown) is closed, the lamp or other connected electrical device will be operated. to the insulated conductors 28, 30. Since the threaded screw means 70 and the body member 22 are free to rotate with respect to each other it would not be possible to threadably advance or remove the threaded screw means 70 from a rotating socket the body member 22 by holding the flange 24 or the cylindrical portion 62 of the adapter 60 and rotating them. To do this, it is necessary to assemble, at least temporarily, the body member 22 and the threaded screw means 70. This is done with the tool or key 96 shown in Fig. 8. The tool or key has a blade 98. with a thickness less than the width of the slot or keyway 56 and long enough to extend towards the rear of the slot 56 defined by the longitudinal axis 68 and extends at the same time beyond the external surface of the screw means threaded 70. The blade 98 may extend to an insulated handle 100 or may terminate beyond the flange 24 so that it can be easily fastened without the use of a handle. The threaded screw means 70 or the body member 22 are rotated until one of the open grooves 78 of the threaded screw means 70 is aligned with the groove or keyway 56. Then the tool or key blade 98 is inserted which extends all the distance backwards from the line of the longitudinal axis 68 and in engagement with the detent 58. The sheet 98 is also placed in an open slot 78. With the elements in this position, as shown in Fig. 9, the threaded screw means 70 and the body member 22 can not rotate independently but rotate as a single unit. The adapter 20 can now be threadedly engaged with the lampholder thread (not shown) and advanced until it is fully seated. The tool or key 96 is removed and the screw means 70 and the body member 22 are free again and will rotate with respect to each other making removal almost impossible. To remove the adapter 20 from the lamp holder, the tool or key 96 is inserted back into the slot or keyway 56 and the open slot 78 and the body member 22 is rotated to remove the adapter 20 from the lamp holder. The installation and removal of the adapters 60 of Figs. 10 and 11 will be the same as those described with respect to the adapter 20. While the fundamental novel features of the invention have been shown, described and pointed out as applied to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that those skilled in the art can make various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated and in their operation, without departing from the spirit of the invention

Claims

1. An anti-theft lamp adapter comprising: a) a body member, formed of insulating material, having a first end and a second end; b) a two-terminal lighting device positioned adjacent the second end of the body member; c) threaded screw means having an external screw thread, positioned adjacent to the first end of the body member, sized and positioned so that they can be threadably coupled to a lampholder; d) coupling means for coupling the threaded screw means to the first end of the body member, the coupling means allowing the threaded screw means and the body member to rotate about a common first longitudinal axis with respect to each other; and e) selectively positionable means having a first position that engages the body member and the threaded screw means preventing relative rotation of the threaded screw means and the body member to allow the adapter to be threadedly advanced within a lampholder or removed from a lampholder and a second position that does not engage the body member and the threaded screw means so that the body member and the threaded screw means remain free allowing relative rotation and prevents an adapter from being advanced threaded inside a socket or removed from a socket.

2. An anti-theft lamp adapter as defined in claim 1, further comprising: a) a first slot in the body member; and b) a plurality of second grooves on the threaded screw means; c) selectively positionable means engaging the first slot and one of the plurality of second slots when in the first position and not engaging the first slot and one of the second slots when in the second position. An anti-theft lamp adapter as defined in claim 1, wherein the threaded screw means are formed of a conductive material and the coupling means are formed of a conductive material whereby the electric current can be conducted through the threaded screw means and the coupling means. 4. An anti-theft lamp adapter as defined in claim 1, wherein a terminal of the lighting device is connected to the coupling means. An anti-theft lamp adapter as defined in claim 1, further comprising: a) a central contact adjacent the first end of the body member for coupling the central contact of a lampholder when the adapter is threadably engaged a lampholder; and b) the second terminal of the lighting device is connected to the central contact. An anti-theft lamp adapter as defined in claim 4, further comprising: a) a central contact adjacent the first end of the body member for coupling the central contact of a lampholder when the adapter is threadably coupled to a lampholder; and b) the second terminal of the lighting device is connected to the central contact so that when supplying the electric current to a lampholder, the electric current is applied to the lighting device. An anti-theft lamp adapter as defined in claim 1, wherein the body member comprises: a) a first generally cylindrical portion having a first diameter, a first end, a second end parallel with and separated from the first end to describe between them a first distance; b) a second cylindrical portion having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, a third end adjacent to the first end of the first cylindrical portion and a fourth end parallel to and separated from the third end to describe a second distance therebetween; c) a third cylindrical portion having a third diameter smaller than the second diameter, a fifth end adjacent to the fourth end of the second cylindrical portion, and a sixth end parallel to and spaced from the fifth end to describe a third distance therebetween; and d) a conical portion having at its base a fourth diameter smaller than the third diameter, the base adjacent to the sixth end of the third cylindrical portion. An anti-theft lamp adapter as defined in claim 7, further comprising: a) a slot in the first, second and third cylindrical portions, each extending inward from its outer cylindrical surface and ending along of a second longitudinal axis displaced from the first longitudinal axis; b) the slot extending for a portion of the first distance adjacent the first end of the first generally cylindrical portion; c) the slot extending from the second distance of the second cylindrical portion and the third distance from the third cylindrical portion; and d) through the base of the conical portion. 9. An anti-theft lamp adapter as defined in claim 7, further comprising. a) a groove in the first, second and third cylindrical portions, each extending inwardly from its outer cylindrical surface and ending along a second common longitudinal axis displaced from the first longitudinal axis; b) the slot extending for a portion of the first distance adjacent the first end of the first generally cylindrical portion; c) the slot extending for the second distance of the second cylindrical portion; and d) the slot extending for a portion of the third distance adjacent the fifth end. An anti-theft lamp adapter as defined in claim 8, wherein the screw threaded means is a hollow cylindrical member having a first end and a second end, the first and second ends separated by a generally equal distance at the third distance from the third cylindrical portion and having an internal diameter in excess of the third diameter of the third cylindrical portion to allow the threaded screw means and the body member to rotate freely with respect to each other. An anti-theft lamp adapter as defined in claim 9, wherein the screw threaded means is a hollow cylindrical member having a first end and a second end, the first and second ends separated by a generally equal distance at the third distance from the third cylindrical portion and having an internal diameter in excess of the third diameter of the third cylindrical portion to allow the threaded screw means and the body member to rotate freely with respect to each other. An anti-theft lamp adapter as defined in claim 10, wherein: a) the screw-threaded means has an inverted annular rib adjacent the second end with an internal surface for coupling the sixth end of the third cylindrical portion and an external surface; and b) the coupling means are connected to the conical portion of the body member and abut a portion of the outer surface of the annular rib for retaining the threaded screw means on the body member while allowing rotational movement relative to the threaded screw means and the body member and electrical continuity is maintained with the threaded screw means. An anti-theft lamp adapter as defined in claim 11, wherein: a) the screw-threaded means have an inverted annular rib adjacent the second end with an internal surface for coupling the sixth end of the third cylindrical portion and an external surface; and b) the coupling means are connected to the conical portion of the body member and rest on a portion of the outer surface of the annular rib for retaining the threaded screw means under the body member allowing relative rotational movement of the body member. the threaded screw means and the body member and maintains continuous electrical continuity with the threaded screw means. 14. An anti-theft lamp adapter as defined in claim 12, wherein: a) the threaded screw means have a plurality of open slots along the first end, each of which can be aligned with the slot in the body member; and b) inserting the selectively positionable means into the groove in the body member and the groove aligned in the threaded screw means, fixes the position of the threaded screw means and the body member so that rotation of the The body rotates the threaded screw means so that the adapter can be threadedly coupled or uncoupled an electric lampholder. An anti-theft lamp adapter as defined in claim 13, wherein: a) the threaded screw means have a plurality of open slots along the first end, each of which can be aligned with the groove in the body member; and b) inserting the selectively positionable means into the groove in the body member and the groove aligned in the threaded screw means, fixes the position of the threaded screw means and the body member so that rotation of the The body rotates the threaded screw means so that an electric lamp holder can be threadedly coupled or uncoupled. 16. A method for preventing theft of electrical devices from an electric lampholder comprising the steps of: a) placing a body member having at least one cylindrical portion with a groove extending at least a portion of the portion cylindrical, the body member having an electrical device mechanically and electrically connected thereto; b) placing hollow threaded screw means having a plurality of open slots along a first edge on the cylindrical portion of the body member with the slot in the cylindrical portion aligned with one of the open slots in the threaded screw means; c) locking the threaded screw means to the body member by inserting a key into both the groove of the cylindrical portion and the groove aligned in the threaded screw means; d) Threatably engage the external threads of the threaded screw means with the internal threads of an electric lamp holder; e) advancing the threaded screw means inside the electrical plug until the electrical circuit of the electrical device is complete; and f) removing the key and thereby avoiding any rotational movement applied to the body member that is applied to the threaded screw means thereby preventing the removal of the threaded screw means from the electric lamp holder and the theft of the electrical device. A method as defined in claim 16, comprising the additional steps of: a) rotating the body member until the groove in the cylindrical portion of the body member is aligned with one of the open slots in the means of threaded screw; b) inserting the key into the groove in the cylindrical portion of the body member and the open slot in the threaded screw means to lock the body member and the threaded screw means together; and c) rotating the body member to remove the threaded screw means from the electric lamp holder.