US3206708A

US3206708A - Snap-in j socket

Info

Publication number: US3206708A
Application number: US239934A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gerald Robert E Fitz
Original assignee: United Carr Inc
Current assignee: United Carr Inc
Priority date: 1962-11-26
Filing date: 1962-11-26
Publication date: 1965-09-14
Anticipated expiration: 1982-09-14
Also published as: GB1015893A; DE1489576A1

Description

Sept. 14, 1965 R. E- FlTZ GERALD SNAP-IN J SOCKET Filed NOV. 26, 1962 Fig Th 1 l a I 62 lll 6 Invenior. R0602? E. F3121 Gerald,

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0 8 4 a a a m 0 1 JIM. w m T; ,1 M a w a 4 F a 2 6 3 w o m /4 6 /l\ 4 fi\ bvw 7-5M C? w 8 0 84 a 3 44 United States Patent" C v 3,206,708 V SNAP-IN J SOCKET Robert E. Fitz Gerald, Quincy, Mass., assignor to United- Carr Incorporated, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 239,934

1 Claim. (Cl. 339-45) This invention relates generally to lamp sockets and more particularly to lamp sockets providing a snap engagement between the socket and the lamp to be utilized therewith.

An object of the invention is to provide a lamp socket having conductive means for snap engagement with a bulb or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lamp socket providing a rotary disengagement of the bulb from the socket.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious and will, in part, appear hereinafter.

In the drawing.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the socket;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the socket shown in FIG. 1 engaged with a bulb;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a conductor;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a conductive connector;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of a spring conductive connector;

FIG. 8 is a section taken on line 88 of FIG. 1 with bulb dotted in and engaged; and

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 with bulb disengaged.

Referring to the drawing there is illustrated a lamp socket assembly comprising an insulating body 10, a conductor element 12, a conductive connector 14 and a spring conductive connector 16.

In the illustrated embodiment the insulating body is provided with a central aperture opening to the forward end thereof for receiving the base 22 of a bulb 24. The walls of the aperture are provided with three conductor receiving channels which comprise a pair of slots 26 and a spring slot 28 extending longitudinally from the open end of the body portion. The slots 26 are disposed on opposite sides of the wall of the central aperture 20 and extend longitudinally approximately three quarters of the height of the insulating body 10. It is not absolutely necessary that .a pair of slots be provided since a single conductive connector 14 may be utilized and in that case one of the slots 26 may be dispensed with. The spring slot 28 is also formed in the wall of the central aperture 20 extending from the open end of the insulating body 10 down to the bottom of the central aperture 20. A flange 30 is formed on the external surface of the insulating body 10 a fixed distance from the open end of the insulating body 10 having two notches 32 formed therein which are formed in spaced relation to each other on opposite sides of the body 10 as shown in FIG. 1. The insulating body 10 comprises a base portion 34 and an upstanding wall 36 which, of course, is the wall of the central aperture 20 mentioned heretofore. A pair of ramp elements 38, of a wedge shape, are formed in close proximity to the notches 32 on the flange 30. Extending above the plane of the end of the insulating body 10 at which the central aperture 20 commences are a pair of extensions 40. The extensions 40 have a pair of projections 42 which extend away from the axis of the insulating body 10 above the .area of the notches 32 formed in the flange 30. The projections 42 have an arcuate surface 44 which is directed toward the plane of the flange 30.

The conductor element 12 comprises a flat base ele- 3,266,708 Patented Sept. 14, 1965 ment 46 in the form of a rectangle having two of its edges turned upward in 90 degree integral relationship with the base element 46 to form a pair of engagement sides 48 and a leg portion 50 formed from one of the two remaining sides and bent down to lie between the two planes of the engagement sides 48. The leg portion 50 has a free terminal end which is arced slightly for engagement with a stud 52 of the bulb 24.

The conductive connector 14 comprises a support portion 54 having the configuration of a rectangle and having having its two long side edges bent up to provide support sides 56 and having an end extension or arm 58 which is bent down to overlie in spaced relation a portion of the support portion 54. The arm 58 has a free terminal end arced to engage one of the studs 52 and its remaining portion is in integral relationship with a second arm 60 extending away from the support portion 54 in a direction opposite to that of the arm 58. The second arm 60 is in right angle relationship to the support portion 54 and extends on the plane at right angles to the support portion 54 beyond the sides of the support portion 54. The second arm 60 has a free terminal end which has a projection 62 for use to be described hereinafter.

The spring conductive connector 16 comprises a flat support element 64 having the configuration of a rectangle and having its two longer sides bent upward to provide sides 66. A flexible contact extension 68 is formed integral with one of the short sides of the support element 64 and is in angular relation in a direction opposite to that toward which the sides 66 are directed. A spring extension is formed from the other short side of the support element 64 from that of the side on which the contact extension 68 is formed. The spring extension 70 comprises a portion which lies on the same plane as the support element 64 and is bent in angular relationship thereto in the same general direction as the sides 66 and having a contact end 72 bent back toward the plane of the support element 64 as shown in FIG. 7.

One of the notches or slots 26 which lies closest to the spring slot 28 is utilized to hold the conductor element 12. In the embodiment shown in the drawings the upstanding wall 36 internally overhangs the slot 26 on both sides to provide a pair of channels. The conductor element 12 is then passed into the slot 26 with its engagement sides 48 bearing on their edges against the overhangs to securely hold the conductor element 12 in position. Wedge shaped slots may be formed in the engagement sides 48 to provide sharp corners which engage the overhangs. 'In this position, the leg portion 50 extends into the area circumscribed by the upstanding wall 36 with its free terminal end directed toward the base portion 34. The leg portion 50 usually has a bend or angle formed in it so that the plane of the terminal end of the leg portion 50 will intersect the plane of the axis of the socket. The conductive connector 14 is engaged to the other slot 26 in a manner similar to that of the engagement of the conductor element 12 with one additional factor. In the case of the conductive connector 14, the arm 60 and its attaching portion extend through the slot 32 formed through the upstanding wall 36 so that the arm 60 may rest in superposed abutting relationship with a portion of the flange 30 as shown in FIG. 1 and with the projection 62 of the arm 60 directed away from the plane of the base portion 34. The spring conductive connector 16 is engaged with the spring slot 28 in a manner similar to the conductive connector 14 and with a portion of the spring extension 70 resting in superposed abutting relationship on the base portion 34 as best shown in FIG. 2.

To engage a bulb 24 having a studded base to the socket the studs 52 are passed into the slots 26 and against the arm 50 of the conductor element 12 and the support leg 58 of the conductive connector 14. Axial pressure is exerted pressing the leg portion 50 and the support leg '58 toward the upstanding wall 36 until the two studs snap under the terminal ends of the appropriate leg portion 50 and support leg 58. At the same time the base 22 of the bulb 24 bears against the contact end 72 of the spring conductive connector 16. The distance between the plane of the contact end 72 under tension and the plane formed by the terminal ends of the leg portion 50 and the support leg 58 are such that the contact end 72 engages the studs against the mentioned terminal ends.

The disengagement of the bulb from the socket is accomplished by turning the bulb, according to the embodi-v ment in a counter-clockwise direction while exerting slight pressure on the bulb axially. In the illustrated embodiment the arc of the support leg 58 of the conductive connector 14 faces in a clockwise direction while the arc of the leg portion 50 of the conductor element 12 also faces in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1. Grooves 74 are formed on the inner surface of the upstanding wall 36 adjacent to the slots 26 so that on disengagement of the studs 52 from the leg portion 50 and the support leg 58 the studs will slip into the grooves 74 and keep withdrawn from the socket. This presupposes that the diameter of the inner surface of the socket is slightly less than the diameter of the bulb taken on the terminal ends of the studs 52.

Although the arc of the terminal ends of the support leg 58 and leg portion 50 increases the efficiency of the socket, the terminal ends could be squared off and still operate efiiciently.

While there has been illustrated and described one preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that the invention is best defined by the following claim.

I claim:

The combination of an electrical socket and an electrical bulb, said bulb having a base and a pair of studs extending therefrom in right angle relation to said base and spaced from each other, and said socket comprising an insulating housing having a wall providing a cavity for receiving said base, a pair of separate conductor members and a conductive connector assembled with said body within said cavity, each of said conductor members having a base portion and a resilient leg portion spaced along its length from said base portion, and extending generally axially inwardly of said housing, each of said leg portions having a free terminal end spaced apart a distance less than the distance between the outward ends of said bulb studs, each of said base portions of said conductor members being secured to the wall of said socket and being spaced from each other, each of said terminal ends being defined by an arcuate stud-retaining edge, said edges being shaped to permit rotation of said bulb in one direction, and means including said resilient leg portions guiding said bulb into an inserted position into engagement with said conductive connector, which thereby exerts a spring force against said bulb, and whereby said bulb is released from engagement by rotating same from said arcuate stud-retaining edge free of said means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,451,122 4/23 Stahl 339176 X 1,520,473 12/24 Kleckner 339-188 X 2,071,769 2/37 Schlicker et al 339199 2,596,887 5/52 Brundage 33945 2,825,038 2/58 Woofter 339-17 2,892, l78 6/59 Ha-rrits 339'221 2,910,554 10/59 Lessler 33945 X FOREIGN PATENTS 3,809 1896 Great Britain.

JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner.