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Lamp socket for a fluorescent lamp

  • US 5,320,547 A
  • Filed: 05/06/1993
  • Issued: 06/14/1994
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. Lamp socket (1) for a fluorescent lamp (2) having a lamp base (35) and at least two adjacently located parallel projecting connection pins (13), projecting from said base, said base defining a side surface (41) and a base engagement surface (36),said base being formed with locating projections (37) and a recessed engagement wall portion (39);

  • said socket havinga body (3);

    a socket engagement wall surface (5) formed on said body, adapted to fit against the base engagement surface (36) of the lamp base (35);

    reception slits (11) formed in the socket engagement wall surface (5) for passage of the connection pins (13) therethrough, said slits extending parallel to each other and passing through said engagement wall surface (5) to and including an end portion (7) thereof to define open ends into which the connection pins (13) of the lamp (2) can be inserted, and subsequently slid longitudinally in the slits;

    terminal contact means (T) located on said body at a surface thereof remote from said engagement wall surface (5) and positioned for engagement with the connection pins (13) of the lamp;

    a shelf (4) projecting away from the engagement wall surface (5) of the body and two side wall means (22,

         23) located at laterally opposite sides of the body and extending therefrom laterally of said engagement wall surface towards said shelf, to define a base reception cavity (25) therebetween having a clear or free dimension in a direction transverse to said slits (11) which corresponds to the width (W) of the base (35) of the lamp (2);

    said body (3) including said shelf (4), said engagement wall surface (5), and said side wall means (22,

         23) comprising a unitary element of plastic material;

    retention means comprising a latch or catch or locking element (14) said body for retaining the base (35) of the lamp (2) in said base reception cavity (25), and said engagement wall surface (5) of the socket body (3) in engagement with the base engagement surface (36) of the lamp base (35),wherein the retention means (14) is unitary with said body (3), partially severed from said engagement wall surface (5), resiliently movably retained on said engagement wall surface (5) of said body for movement in a direction perpendicular to said engagement wall surface and having a quiescent position in which it projects into said reception cavity (25) from said socket engagement wall surface which corresponds to the position of said latch element when the fluorescent lamp is inserted in said cavity (25) to retain said lamp in said cavity (25) by said catch or latch or locking element,said catch or latch or locking element (14) having a latching portion (20) engageable over said lamp base (35) and extending essentially parallel to the side surface (41) of said lamp base;

    and respective projection or recess means formed on at least one of;

    said side wall means (22,

         23) and said shelf (4), at least one of said projections, or recesses being positioned for respective engagement with at least one of;

    said locating projections (37) of the lamp base (35) and said recessed engagement wall portion (39) of the lamp base.

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