US3633149A - Connector and assembly for baseless electric light bulbs - Google Patents

Connector and assembly for baseless electric light bulbs Download PDF

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Publication number
US3633149A
US3633149A US864723A US3633149DA US3633149A US 3633149 A US3633149 A US 3633149A US 864723 A US864723 A US 864723A US 3633149D A US3633149D A US 3633149DA US 3633149 A US3633149 A US 3633149A
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United States
Prior art keywords
connector
tongue
contact member
assembly
base
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US864723A
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English (en)
Inventor
Frederick Jean Maltais
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
TE Connectivity Corp
Original Assignee
AMP Inc
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Filing date
Publication date
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Publication of US3633149A publication Critical patent/US3633149A/en
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R33/00—Coupling devices specially adapted for supporting apparatus and having one part acting as a holder providing support and electrical connection via a counterpart which is structurally associated with the apparatus, e.g. lamp holders; Separate parts thereof
    • H01R33/02—Single-pole devices, e.g. holder for supporting one end of a tubular incandescent or neon lamp
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
    • F21S43/00—Signalling devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. brake lamps, direction indicator lights or reversing lights
    • F21S43/10—Signalling devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. brake lamps, direction indicator lights or reversing lights characterised by the light source
    • F21S43/19—Attachment of light sources or lamp holders
    • F21S43/195—Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F21V19/00—Fastening of light sources or lamp holders
    • F21V19/0005—Fastening of light sources or lamp holders of sources having contact pins, wires or blades, e.g. pinch sealed lamp
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F21V19/00—Fastening of light sources or lamp holders
    • F21V19/0075—Fastening of light sources or lamp holders of tubular light sources, e.g. ring-shaped fluorescent light sources
    • F21V19/008—Fastening of light sources or lamp holders of tubular light sources, e.g. ring-shaped fluorescent light sources of straight tubular light sources, e.g. straight fluorescent tubes, soffit lamps
    • F21V19/009—Fastening of light sources or lamp holders of tubular light sources, e.g. ring-shaped fluorescent light sources of straight tubular light sources, e.g. straight fluorescent tubes, soffit lamps the support means engaging the vessel of the source

Definitions

  • the type of bulb described herein typically finds use in lowvoltage applications, such as automobile service lights or highintensity reading lamps for home use.
  • the bulbs, and the connectors and assemblies described and claimed, are capable of high-voltage uses.
  • Baseless bulbs have been developed because of the great expense in manufacture of the base portions of the more traditional types of bulbs (such as screw or bayonette bases) relative to the remainder of the bulbs. It is estimated that this single portion of the bulb can account for as much as 30 percent of the total cost of manufacture. Such savings in massproduced items such as automobiles can be significant. Unfortunately, under the current manufacturing tolerances the spacing between the terminal loops varies by more than an eighth of an inch.
  • FIG. 1 is an isometric view in partial section of a baseless cartridge lamp assembly illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is an isometric view of one of the connectors shown in FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a partial vertical cross section taken along plane 33 in FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a modified embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a further modified embodiment, particularly of the tongue portion of the present invention.
  • the connector assembly is formed of two spaced connectors 12 mounted in a housing 14.
  • Each connector 12 (see FIG. 2) is fixed in position on the housing 14 by a mounting means wherein the locking legs 16 fix the base 18 of the connector into position by snapping in behind the retaining lips 20 of the anchor legs 22.
  • the terminating means 24 for the wire leads 26 are illustratedas an F-crimp type connector 24 joined to one end of the connector base 18 (see FIG. 2).
  • FIG. 4 illustrates such a terminating means 24a crimped onto a wire lead 26a where the wire engaging legs 28a and the insulation support legs 30a are shown in their applied, i.e. crimped, configuration.
  • the upstanding spring tab 32 passes through a slot 34 in the floor of the housing 14. This spring tab functions as a contact member 32 to engage and support one end of the baseless cartridge bulb 36 by the latters loop terminating wire 38.
  • an identical connector 12 is similarly mounted in an opposing relation to the first connector 12 with the free end of each spring tab32 of the two respective connectors 12 being spaced by an amount greater than the largest normal spacing encountered between the loops 38 of this type of baseless cartridge bulb 36.
  • the bottom of the spring tab 32 is joined to the base of the connector 18 advantageously at an angle of about
  • the free end of this spring tab 32 is formed into a tongue 40 having support shoulder 42 at the base of the tongue 40 and ears 44 formed from the sides of the tongue 40 which serve as catch projections for retaining the loop terminating wire 38 in position.
  • the two opposing connectors 12 are each angled away from one another by about 5 from the vertical and have their catch projections 44 extending away from each other.
  • These catch projections 44 are shaped to form a gradual lead-in angle vertically from above together with a more abrupt retaining angle thereunder. Consequently, a bulb 36 can be mounted in such 'an assembly 10 by placing one of the loop terminating wires 38 around the tongue 40 of one of the connectors 12 until the loop 38 rests upon the support shoulder 42. Then the bulb 36 is pulled longitudinally springing the first connector 12 toward the other connector 12 and the loop 38 at the other end of the bulb 36 is pushed along the lead-in portion of the catch projections 44 and rests upon the support shoulders 42 of the other connector 12.
  • the catch projections 44 can have tongue extensions 43 (see FIG. 5) which permit the bulb 36 to be snapped down into position without having first to pull one of the tongues 40 towards the other in order to get the second loop terminal 38 over the second tongue 40.
  • the loop 38 is formed generally in the shape of a triangle so that the outer most portion of the loop is substantially straight or only slightly bowed. This means that the ears 44 do not have to be cumbersomely large. Note also that the support shoulders 42 are wide enough with respect to the width of the loop 38 so that the loop cannot slip down beyond the shoulders 42.
  • each of the locking legs 16 is formed from the flat metal stock by being lanced out a width the same as the width of the anchor legs 22. Retaining projections 46 and 48 are left which capture their respective anchor leg 22 therebetween when the connector 12 is in position on the housing 14 thereby preventing any longitudinal movement along the housing 14.
  • the housing 14 can take many different shapes depending upon the particular application for which a given installation is intended.
  • the housing 14 consists only of a platform having the anchor legs 22 depending from one side and U-shaped protective shielding 50 extending up around and above each of the connectors 12. Since the shielding 50 does not cover any of the main portion of the bulb 36 when the latter is snapped into position suspended between the two connectors 12, the bulb 36 gives relatively unobstructed light and can more readily dissipate heat by both radiation and convection.
  • the spring tab 32 is formed at a 95 angle to the base 18. Consequently, the inner face 52 of the shielding 50 is angled at to the vertical to act as a backstop preventing overstress of the connector 12 mounted therein.
  • the slot 34 through the connector 12 extends is formed at the base of this face 52. Note that the access holes 54 in the housing 14 serve merely to facilitate the formation of the retaining lips of the anchor legs 22 in the molding process.
  • overstress preventative backstop 56 might take. It is entirely within the scope of this invention to have such overstress preventative backstops on either side of a given spring tab 32.
  • the spring tab 32 can be formed relative to the corresponding face 52 of the shielding 50 so as to be spring loaded thereagainst.
  • the shielding 50 would then serve as a positioning guide such that the bulb 36 could be pushed directly onto the connectors 12 in a single motion. This is possible because in sliding the bulb 36 down parallelly to the base of the housing 14 and with one of the loops 38 moving along one of the faces 52 the lead-in portion of the catch projection 44 will be positioned to engage the other loop 38.
  • the connectors 12 are to be formed by die stamping from flat metal stock as is the case in the illustrative embodiments, then it is a limitation of manufacture that the spring tab 32 should be at an angle greater than 90 to the base 18 because to do otherwise would unduly complicate the stamping die and increase the cost of manufacture.
  • the terminating means 24 extend toward each other underneath the housing 14 below the bulb 36 so that the wire leads 26 are very close to one another as are the terminating means 24 which in some installations could cause a problem.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates the terminating means 24 which in some installations could cause a problem.
  • a protective covering completely separate from the housing 14 is provided over the whole assembly 10 so that protective shielding of the type illustrated in FIG. 1 is not necessary.
  • the shielding function is dispensed with and the size greatly reduced so that it becomes (as illustrated in FIG. 4) a backstop 50a preventing overstressing and also serving as a further spring stifi'ener for the contact numbers 32a (by preventing flexing in the lower portions of the spring tab 32a beyond the backstop position).
  • these assemblies 20 might accommodate a bulb 36 approximately Ila-inch long and having from 4 to 12 candle power.
  • Each connector might be approximately three-quarters of an inch long and have an upstanding portion of one-half to three-quarters of an inch high.
  • a configuration for the tongue 40 and the catch projections 44 of the spring tabs 32 which have been found to be effective have the free end of the tongue 40 trimmed at the comers at a 45 angle, have the upper lead-in 61 of the catch projections 44 angled at 15 to the vertical and have the retaining cutback 63 thereunder angled at 45". These angles have been specifically illustrated in the catch projection 44b of FIG. 5. These catch projections 44 are bent to extend outwardly at right angles to the face of the tab 32.
  • the cutback angle can be extended beyond the catch projections 44 and into the tongue 40 where it is radiused at a point 65 where it relocating the right hand anchoring legs 22a beyond the end of 50 joins the top of the Support Shoulders 42 and by an amount the bulb position.
  • stiffening rib 58 Another feature of this invention which has been incorporated into the illustrated connectors 12 and 12a is a stiffening rib 58. This serves to strengthen the base 18, but more particularly to stiffen the hinge between the base 18 and the spring tab 32 and thereby transfer the bulk of the spring action up away from the hinge portion and into the body of the spring tab 32. This reduces the likelihood of the spring tab 32 taking a set and thereby impairing its proper function.
  • the connectors 12a illustrated in FIG. 4 have an additional stiffening rib just below the catch projections 44a.
  • the diameter of the loop 38 is about 0.022 inches and the radiused portion of the tongue 40 is about 0.013 inches. It has been found that the bulb 36 can be readily removed from the connectors 12 merely be pulling upwardly. The 45 angle of the cutback of the projections 44 grip the bulb 36 securely, but still permit removal when sufficient pull is exerted.
  • the connector 12 has been described and illustrated as having been made from flat metal stock, it is within the scope of the present invention to manufacture it by other methods and in other functionally equivalent configurations.
  • the connector I2 could be made from several separate elements joined together.
  • the tongue 40 need only have one catch projection and the support shoulders could be replaced by some other equivalent stop projection, or projections, which could be molded or lanced out into appropriate position.
  • other terminating means and mounting means appropriate to a given installation might be substituted for those illustrated.
  • An electrical connector formed of flat conductive metal stock comprising a base, a crimp-type wire-terminating portion formed at one end of said base, an upstanding contact member formed at the opposite end of said base, locking legs formed out of each side of said base in a downwardly and slightly outwardly direction relative to said contact member, a tongue formed out of the free end of said contact member which free end is opposite from the end adjoining said base, said tongue being narrowed and centered relative to the remainder of said contact member, said tongue being slightly undercut creating abrupt shoulders which serve as stops on said contact member spaced immediately below said tongue, the sides of said tongue being bent to form ears which ears extend slightly out from one face of said contact member and are shaped to form small angled catch projections each with a gradual lead-in angled from said free end the contact member and with a more abrupt catch angle from the direction opposite said free end.
  • a connector as claimed in claim 4 wherein said shoulders are formed at substantially right angles to the upstanding length of said contact member and the undercut portion of said tongue is radiused to approximate the average radius of the wire to be contacted.
  • An electrical connector assembly comprising a housing, two electrical connectors as claimed in claim 1, said housing having a platform with two spaced parallel slots with the upstanding contact members of each connector extending through a respective slot and oriented therein so that said ears of each of said contact members face away from the ears of the other contact member and said respective bases lie flat against said platform, two pairs of L-shaped anchor legs on said housing with each pair being proportioned, spaced, and positioned to grip securely within the L-shape a respective connector by its locking legs thereby to hold each of said connectors in place.
  • An assembly as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a baseless light bulb having loop terminals at either end being mounted with each loop making spring contact around a respective tongue of a connector and captured between said ears and said stop of the contact member, said bulb being suspended between said tongues above said platform.
  • An electrical connector assembly for an electrical component having wire loop terminals at opposing ends comprising a housing; two electrical connectors, each comprising means on said connector for positioning the connector, terminating means on said connector for affixing a wire lead to the connector, a spring tab on said connector having an externally directed catch projection flaired outwardly from the direction of the free end of said tab to form a lead-in and ending with an angled cutback of said projection and further having a stop projection adjacent the cutback of said catch projection, said catch projection and its cutback being shaped relative to said stop projection to retain a respective wire loop terminal therebetween; said spring tabs being oriented substantially parallel with each other, and said catch projections of the respective tabs extending away from each other.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Fastening Of Light Sources Or Lamp Holders (AREA)
  • Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)
  • Connecting Device With Holders (AREA)
US864723A 1969-10-08 1969-10-08 Connector and assembly for baseless electric light bulbs Expired - Lifetime US3633149A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US86472369A 1969-10-08 1969-10-08

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3633149A true US3633149A (en) 1972-01-04

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ID=25343920

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US864723A Expired - Lifetime US3633149A (en) 1969-10-08 1969-10-08 Connector and assembly for baseless electric light bulbs

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US3633149A (https=)
AT (1) AT300114B (https=)
AU (1) AU1941670A (https=)
BE (1) BE757058A (https=)
DE (1) DE2048112A1 (https=)
FR (1) FR2065092A5 (https=)
GB (1) GB1272357A (https=)
NL (1) NL7014082A (https=)

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4061940A (en) * 1976-03-31 1977-12-06 Wagner Electric Corporation Baseless cartridge lamp and socket therefor
US4258971A (en) * 1979-01-12 1981-03-31 J. W. Speaker Corp. Socket for bulb with bent wire terminals
US4429945A (en) 1982-01-20 1984-02-07 General Motors Corporation Terminal for baseless cartridge lamp sockets
US4938709A (en) * 1989-06-19 1990-07-03 Judco Manufacturing Corporation Connection terminals for rigid-wire loop cartridge light bulbs
US4938708A (en) * 1989-06-23 1990-07-03 United Technologies Automotive, Inc. Mounting arrangement for cartridge bulb and improved terminal therefor
US5156560A (en) * 1991-09-30 1992-10-20 Gte Products Corporation Lamp socket
US5197187A (en) * 1991-09-30 1993-03-30 Gte Products Corporation Lamp socket and method for fabricating same
US5453020A (en) * 1994-08-19 1995-09-26 Seal Gull Lighting Snap-on electrical connector for baseless cartridge bulb with electrical cable piercer
USD404358S (en) 1997-04-25 1999-01-19 Moriyama Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha Lamp socket
US5921819A (en) * 1995-09-19 1999-07-13 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Backlight including a replaceable light tube for a liquid crystal display
US5957731A (en) * 1995-02-26 1999-09-28 Moriyama Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha Socket and socket holder for capless incandescent lamp
US7063555B1 (en) 2003-05-30 2006-06-20 Nate Mullen Quick release connector for light bulb
DE102010023000B3 (de) * 2010-06-08 2011-11-10 Heraeus Noblelight Gmbh Strahler mit Quarzglaskolben und Stromdurchführung
GB2495355A (en) * 2012-07-02 2013-04-10 Gew Ec Ltd Securing lamp in housing
US11635194B2 (en) * 2020-04-08 2023-04-25 Ghsp, Inc. Fastenerless holder for connecting an electrical component to a printed circuit board

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1442330A (en) * 1972-09-25 1976-07-14 Thorn Electrical Ind Ltd Lamp construction
CA2006170C (en) * 1988-12-21 1993-07-20 Tsunesuke Takano Clamp type connection device
CA2020829C (en) * 1989-07-21 1993-08-31 Tsunesuke Takano Connector attachment device

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB107924A (en) * 1916-12-18 1917-07-19 Burney & Blackburne Ltd Improvements in Terminals for Electric Wires.
US3125299A (en) * 1964-03-17 Vehicle lamp mounting
DD32308A3 (https=) * 1962-11-23 1964-11-25
US3265923A (en) * 1963-03-19 1966-08-09 Westinghouse Electric Corp Baseless double-ended electric incandescent lamp
US3422302A (en) * 1967-04-11 1969-01-14 Wagner Electric Corp Lamp lead wire terminal

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3125299A (en) * 1964-03-17 Vehicle lamp mounting
GB107924A (en) * 1916-12-18 1917-07-19 Burney & Blackburne Ltd Improvements in Terminals for Electric Wires.
DD32308A3 (https=) * 1962-11-23 1964-11-25
US3265923A (en) * 1963-03-19 1966-08-09 Westinghouse Electric Corp Baseless double-ended electric incandescent lamp
US3422302A (en) * 1967-04-11 1969-01-14 Wagner Electric Corp Lamp lead wire terminal

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4061940A (en) * 1976-03-31 1977-12-06 Wagner Electric Corporation Baseless cartridge lamp and socket therefor
US4258971A (en) * 1979-01-12 1981-03-31 J. W. Speaker Corp. Socket for bulb with bent wire terminals
US4429945A (en) 1982-01-20 1984-02-07 General Motors Corporation Terminal for baseless cartridge lamp sockets
US4938709A (en) * 1989-06-19 1990-07-03 Judco Manufacturing Corporation Connection terminals for rigid-wire loop cartridge light bulbs
WO1990016098A1 (en) * 1989-06-19 1990-12-27 Judco Manufacturing, Inc. Connection terminals for rigid-wire loop cartridge light bulbs
US4938708A (en) * 1989-06-23 1990-07-03 United Technologies Automotive, Inc. Mounting arrangement for cartridge bulb and improved terminal therefor
US5156560A (en) * 1991-09-30 1992-10-20 Gte Products Corporation Lamp socket
US5197187A (en) * 1991-09-30 1993-03-30 Gte Products Corporation Lamp socket and method for fabricating same
US5453020A (en) * 1994-08-19 1995-09-26 Seal Gull Lighting Snap-on electrical connector for baseless cartridge bulb with electrical cable piercer
US5957731A (en) * 1995-02-26 1999-09-28 Moriyama Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha Socket and socket holder for capless incandescent lamp
US5921819A (en) * 1995-09-19 1999-07-13 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Backlight including a replaceable light tube for a liquid crystal display
USD404358S (en) 1997-04-25 1999-01-19 Moriyama Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha Lamp socket
US7063555B1 (en) 2003-05-30 2006-06-20 Nate Mullen Quick release connector for light bulb
DE102010023000B3 (de) * 2010-06-08 2011-11-10 Heraeus Noblelight Gmbh Strahler mit Quarzglaskolben und Stromdurchführung
GB2495355A (en) * 2012-07-02 2013-04-10 Gew Ec Ltd Securing lamp in housing
GB2495355B (en) * 2012-07-02 2013-08-28 Gew Ec Ltd Ink curing apparatus
US9050831B2 (en) 2012-07-02 2015-06-09 Aberystwyth University Ink curing apparatus with lamp housing and movable locking member
US11635194B2 (en) * 2020-04-08 2023-04-25 Ghsp, Inc. Fastenerless holder for connecting an electrical component to a printed circuit board

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU1941670A (en) 1972-03-09
AT300114B (de) 1972-07-10
BE757058A (fr) 1971-04-05
GB1272357A (en) 1972-04-26
NL7014082A (https=) 1971-04-14
FR2065092A5 (https=) 1971-07-23
DE2048112A1 (de) 1971-04-22

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