Twist-lock lamp socket locking means

• US 4,029,953 A
• Filed: 09/22/1975
• Issued: 06/14/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Natoli, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Jr., George H.
• Application Number:
  US05/615,236
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 240/52 R, 240/52.1, 240/8.16, 339/17 D, 339/127 R, 339/127 C
• US Class Current: 362/382
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/14 lighting through the surface to be illuminated

Abstract

A lamp socket and panel assembly includes a socket panel opening having a plurality of equally spaced radially outwardly directed retention slots therein that receive a plurality of circumferentially spaced socket retention tabs on a lamp socket, each tab is an integrally formed circumferentially extending spring biased cantilevered beam with an end portion insertable through the retention slots and wherein the end portion includes a ramp surface thereon engageable with the socket panel to direct a resultant force onto the end of the spring biased cantilever beam to cause it to flex axially of the panel upon rotation of the socket into an interlocked position on the panel and wherein the flex produced by the cantilevered beams produces an audible indication of movement of the socket from an axially inserted position to a rotatably locked position on the panel.

Claims

1. A lamp socket assembly comprising a socket support panel having a socket opening therein with a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially outwardly directed retention slots, a socket having a plurality of circumferentially spaced integrally formed cantilevered beams formed on one end thereof, each of said beams having a root potion secured to said socket and a circumferentially directed arcuate segment extending from said root portion and being longitudinally flexible with respect to said socket, each of said beams including a radially outwardly directed surface congruent to said retention slots for guided axial alignment therewith, said beams being freely axially movable in guided relationship with respect to said slots for locating said socket on said panel, each of said beams having a free end portion thereon with a ramp formed thereon, first coacting means on said panel and said ramps for causing said free end portions to flex across and engage said panel to audibly indicate rotation of said socket from its axially inserted position within said panel to a retained position wherein said free end portions are arcuately shifted out of axial alignment with said slots, second coacting means on said socket and said panel to establish a rotatably indexed position of said socket with respect to said panel, said beams applying an axial retention bias between said socket and said panel when in the indexed position thereby to tightly hold said socket against vibrations with respect to said panel.

2. A lamp socket assembly comprising a socket support panel having a socket opening therein with at least three circumferentially, equally spaced radially outwardly directed retention slots, a socket having a plurality of circumferentially spaced integrally formed beams formed on one end thereof complementary to said slots, each of said beams having a root portion secure to said socket and a circumferentially directed arcuate cantilever segment extending from said root portion and being axially and radially flexible with respect to said socket, each of said beams including a radially outwardly directed surface congruent to a respective one of said retention slots for guided axial alignment therewith, said beams being freely axially movable in guided relationship with respect to said slots for locating said socket on said panel, each of said beams having a free end portion thereon with a ramp formed thereon, first coacting means on said panel and said ramps for causing said free end portions to flex across and to engage said panel to audibly indicate rotation of said socket from its axially inserted position within said panel to a retained position thereon wherein said free end portions are arcuately shifted out of axial alignment with said slots, second coacting means on said socket and said panel to establish a rotatably indexed position of said socket with respect ot said panel, said beams applying an axial retention bias between said socket and said panel when in the indexed position thereby to tightly hold said socket against vibrations with respect to said panel.

3. A lamp socket assembly comprising a socket suppot panel having a socket opening therein with a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially outwardly directed retention slots, said panel including a plurality of sharp inboard edges formed around said opening, a socket having a plurality of circumferentially spaced integrally formed cantilevered beams formed on one end thereof, each of said beams having a root portion secured to said socket and a circumferentially directed arcuate segment extending from said root portion and being longitudinally flexible with respect to said socket, each of said beams including a radially outwardly directed surface congruent of said retention slots for guided axial alignment therewith, said beams being freely axially movable in guided relationship with repect to said slots for locating said socket on said panel of said beams having a free end portion thereon with a ramp formed thereon, said ramps being engageable with said inboard edges of said panel at a predetermined angular relationship to produce a resultant rotative fastening force on said panel generally parallel to the plane thereof, said beams having a flexure to resist socket rotation until the fastening force is of a magnitude to assure complete socket rotation, said ramps having a sharp edge engageable with said panel upon rotation of said socket on said panel to audibly indicate rotation of said socket from its axially inserted position within said panel to a retained position wherein said free end portions are arcuately shifted out of axial alignment with said slots, coacting means on said socket and said panel to establish a rotatably indexed position of said socket with respect to said panel, said beams applying an axial retention bias between said socket and said panel when in the indexed position thereby to tightly hold said socket against vibrations with respect to said panel.