REMOVABLE LED LAMP HOLDER

• US 20090027903A1
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Santa's Best
• Original Assignee: 1 Energy Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: YU, JING JING
• Granted Patent: US 7,850,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/378
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/09 for baseless lamp bulb
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/5066 mounted in an insulating housing having a cover providing clamping force

Abstract

Disclosed is an LED lamp assembly that allows an LED lamp to be removably replaced in a lamp holder. A solid, electrical connection is created between the LED pins and electrical terminals as well as connecting wires without soldering. An LED lamp is removably connected to a base that can be inserted in and removed from a socket that is attached to connecting wires. The LED lamp can be removed from the base for replacement of the LED lamp.

Claims

1. An LED lamp assembly for releasably attaching an LED lamp to a power connection comprising:

an LED lamp comprising;

a rounded upper body lamp portion;

a cylindrical lamp base;

an anode pin and a cathode pin extending from said cylindrical lamp base;

a base comprising a lower body connected to said cylindrical upper body, said lower body having a first opening formed in said lower body through which said anode pin protrudes and wraps around a first surface of said lower body, and a second opening formed in said lower body through which cathode pin protrudes and wraps around a second surface of said lower body;

a socket comprising a socket body base formed to provide a socket body opening with two semicircular grooves formed in a first wall of said socket body opening, and one semicircular groove formed in a second wall, a first set of slots disposed adjacent to said first wall of said socket body opening that extend a portion of a length of said socket body base, and a second set of slots disposed adjacent to said second wall of said socket body opening that extend a portion of a length of said socket body base;

an anode terminal plate disposed in said first set of slots that contacts said anode pin that is sandwiched between said anode terminal plate and said first surface of said lower body, so that an electrical contact is formed between said anode terminal plate and said anode pin without soldering said anode pin to said anode terminal plate;

a cathode terminal plate disposed in said second set of slots that contacts said cathode pin that is sandwiched between said cathode terminal plate and said second surface of said lower body, so that an electrical contact is formed between said cathode terminal plate and said cathode pin without attaching said cathode pin to said terminal plate;

a first pair of wires sandwiched between said two semicircular grooves formed in said first wall and said anode terminal plate, said wires having a size that is sufficient to create a force on said anode terminal plate towards said anode pin, and said anode pin and said lower body having a size sufficient to create a force on said anode terminal plate towards said wires so that said pair of wires and said anode pin are forced in substantially opposite directions against said anode terminal plate to create a solid electrical connection of said first pair of wires and said anode pin to said anode plate without soldering said wires and said anode pin to said anode plate, while allowing said lower body portion to be removed from said socket;

a third wire sandwiched between said semicircular groove formed in said second wall and said cathode terminal plate, said third wire having a size that is sufficiently large to create a force on said cathode terminal plate towards said cathode pin, and said cathode pin and said lower body having a size sufficient to create a force on said cathode terminal plate towards said third wire so that said third wire and said cathode are pin forced in substantially opposite directions against said cathode terminal plate to create a solid electrical connection of said third wire and said cathode pin to said cathode plate without soldering said third wire and said cathode pin to said cathode plate, while allowing said lower body portion to be removed from said socket;

a wedge plug having two semicircular grooves formed in a first wall of said wedge plug and one semicircular groove formed in a second wall of said wedge plug so that when said wedge plug is inserted in said socket body base, said two semicircular grooves formed in said wedge plug are aligned with said two semicircular grooves formed in said socket body base to form two circular openings, and said one semicircular groove formed in said wedge plug is aligned with said one semicircular groove formed in said socket body base to form one circular opening, said two circular openings having a size that locks and seals said first pair of wires in said socket body base, and said one circular opening having a size that locks and seals said third wire in said socket body base.

2. The LED lamp assembly of claim 1 wherein said base further comprises:

a cylindrical upper body that is formed in an annulus with a centrally disposed cylindrical opening, in which said cylindrical lamp base is disposed, so that a seal is created between said rounded upper body lamp portion and said annulus and said cylindrical lamp base and said centrally disposed cylindrical opening.

3. The LED lamp assembly of claim 2 wherein said socket further comprises:

a socket body cylindrical housing that has a size that creates a friction fit and a substantially watertight seal with said cylindrical upper body portion of said base.

4. The LED lamp assembly of claim 3 further comprising:

a protrusion extending from said cylindrical upper body portion that forms a key;

a key housing disposed on said socket when said key is disposed.

5. The LED lamp assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

plate abutment surfaces disposed on said anode terminal plate and said cathode terminal plate that are substantially aligned with abutment surfaces in said slots;

a wedge plug abutment surface that abuts against extensions of said anode terminal plate and said cathode terminal plate.

6. A method of releasably connecting an LED lamp to an AC power string and to other LED lamps comprising:

providing a lamp holder comprising a base, a socket body, an anode terminal plate, a cathode terminal plate and a wedge plug;

providing an LED lamp that has a cylindrical lamp base, an anode pin and a cathode pin;

inserting said LED lamp into said base of said lamp holder to form a seal between said base and said LED lamp;

inserting said anode pin and said cathode pin through openings in said base;

wrapping said anode pin around a first surface of said base so that said anode pin can be removed from said base to replace said LED lamp;

wrapping said cathode pin around a second surface of said base so that said cathode pin can be removed from said base to replace said LED lamp;

inserting a first pair of wires in first and second semicircular grooves in said socket body of said lamp holder;

inserting said anode terminal plate into a first set of slots adjacent to said first and second semicircular grooves so that said first pair of wires are sandwiches between said first and second semicircular grooves and said anode terminal plate which creates an inward force on said anode terminal plates;

inserting a third wire in a third semicircular groove in said socket body of said lamp holder;

inserting said cathode terminal plate into a second set of slots adjacent to said third semicircular groove so that said third wire is sandwiched between said third semicircular groove and said cathode terminal plate which creates an inward force on said cathode terminal plate;

inserting said base into said socket body, said base having a size that creates an outward force from said first surface of said base towards said anode terminal plate and from said second surface of said base towards said cathode terminal plate so that said anode pin and said first pair of wires are forced in substantially opposite directions against said anode terminal plate to create a strong electrical connection while allowing said base and said anode pin to be removed from said socket body, and said cathode pin and said third wire are forced in substantially opposite directions against said cathode terminal plate to create a strong electrical connection while allowing said base and said cathode pin to be removed from said socket body;

inserting a wedge plug in said socket body, said wedge plug having semicircular grooves that are aligned with said first, second and third semicircular grooves in said socket body to form circular openings that have a size that locks and seals said wires to said socket body.