Fluorescent bulb connector assembly

• US 5,904,415 A
• Filed: 06/25/1996
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HE Williams Incorporated (H.E. Williams)
• Original Assignee: HE Williams Incorporated (H.E. Williams)
• Inventors: Eckels, Paul, Robertson, Roger, Wells, Weldon
• Primary Examiner(s): Cariaso, Alan
• Application Number:
  US08/669,941
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 439/236, 439/237, 439/238, 439/242-244, 362/217, 362/220, 362/221, 362/226, 362/260, 362/457
• US Class Current: 362/260
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/008 of straight tubular light sources, e.g. straight fluorescent tubes, soffit lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/942 for tubular fluorescent lamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

A connector is provided for securing a fluorescent light bulb having a given length into a lighting fixture having spaced apart bulb-receiving members, with the space between the bulb-receiving members being longer than the length of the bulb. The connector also has fluorescent bulb pin openings at one end which receive a lighting bulb pin or pins at one end and connector pins at the other end of the connector for receipt within a companion opening or slots within the bulb-receiving members of the lighting fixture.

Claims

1. A connector for connecting a fluorescent light bulb into a lighting fixture housing, said bulb having a given length and further having first and second end members each having electrically positive and negative bulb pins spaced apart from one another a given bulb pin distance for engagement of said light bulb into said connector, said lighting fixture having first and second bulb-receiving members, each of said first and second bulb-receiving members having means for receipt of pins, the means for receipt of pins in each of the bulb-receiving members being spaced apart a receiving distance larger than the given bulb pin distance, the distance between said bulb-receiving members being longer than the given length of the fluorescent light bulb, said connector comprising:

(a) a housing having distal and dorsal ends;

(b) an elongated shield secured by and extending distally away from said housing;

said shield including an opening for receipt of one of the ends of the bulb, and further including first and second bulb pin contacts; and

(c) positive and negative connector pins extending dorsally away from said housing and said bulb, said connector pins being selectively engageable within one of the first and second bulb-receiving members of said lighting fixture;

the length of the connector housing, and the length of the bulb being substantially equal to the distance between the lighting fixture bulb-receiving members, the distance between the connector pins and the distance between the means for receipt of pins being substantially equal and larger than the distance between the bulb pins.

11. The device of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 wherein at least one of the first and second bulb-receiving members is spring biased outwardly beyond the distance between the bulb-receiving members.

2. A connector assembly for connecting a fluorescent light bulb into a lighting fixture housing, said bulb having a given length and further having first and second end members each having electrically positive and negative bulb pins spaced apart from one another a given bulb pin distance, for selective engagement of said light bulb into said connector, said lighting fixture having first and second bulb-receiving members, each of said first and second bulb-receiving members having means for receipt of pins, the means for receipt of pins in each of the bulb-receiving members being spaced apart a receiving distance larger than the given bulb pin distance, the distance between said bulb-receiving members being longer than the given length of the fluorescent light bulb, said connector assembly including first and second connectors each having lengths, each connector comprising:

(a) a housing having distal and dorsal ends;

(b) a elongated shield secured by and extending distally away from said housing, said shield including an opening for receipt of one of the ends of the bulb and further including first and second bulb pin contacts; and

(c) positive and negative connector pins extending dorsally away from said housing and said bulb, said connector pins being selectively engageable within one of the first and second bulb-receiving members of said lighting fixture;

the total length of each connector housing and the length of the bulb being substantially equal to the distance between the lighting fixture bulb-receiving members, the distance between the connector pins of the connectors and the distance between the means for receipt of said pins being substantially equal and larger than the distance between the bulb pins.

3. The connector assembly of claim 2 wherein the length of each of the connector housing is substantially equal whereby the fluorescent light bulb may be secured equidistantly between each of the bulb-receiving members.

4. A combination fluorescent light bulb and connector assembly for connecting the fluorescent bulb into a lighting fixture housing, comprising:

(a) a fluorescent light bulb having a given length and further having first and second end members each having electrically positive and negative bulb pins spaced apart from one another a given bulb pin distance, for selective engagement of the light bulb into the lighting fixture housing, said housing having first and second bulb-receiving members, each of said first and second bulb-receiving members having means for receipt of connector pins, the means for receipt of connector pins in each of the bulb-receiving members being spaced apart a receiving distance larger than the given bulb pin distance, the distance between said bulb-receiving members being longer than the given length of the fluorescent light bulb; and

(b) at least one connector member, said connector member comprising;

(1) a housing of a given length and having distal and dorsal ends;

(2) an elongated shield secured by and extending distally away from said housing, said shield including an opening for receipt of one of the ends of the bulb and further including first and second bulb pin contacts; and

(3) positive and negative connector pins extending dorsally away from said housing and said bulb, said connector pins being selectively engageable within one of the first and second bulb-receiving members of said lighting fixture;

the given length of the connector housing(s) and the length of the bulb being substantially equal to the distance between the lighting fixture bulb-receiving members, the distance between the connector pins and the distance between the means for receipt of said pins being substantially equal and larger than the distance between the bulb pins.

5. A fluorescent lighting fixture assembly including:

(a) a fluorescent light bulb having a given length and further having first and second end members each having electrically positive and negative bulb pins spaced apart from one another a given bulb pin distance for selective engagement of said light bulb into a connector member of a connector assembly;

(b) first and second lighting fixture housing bulb-receiving members, each of said first and second bulb-receiving members having means for receipt of connector pins, said means for receipt of said connector pins being spaced apart a receiving distance larger than the given bulb pin distance, the distance between said bulb-receiving members being longer than the given length of the fluorescent light bulb; and

(c) a connector comprising;

(1) a housing having distal and dorsal ends;

(2) an elongated shield secured by and extending distally away from said housing, said shield including an opening for receipt of one of the ends of the bulb and further including first and second bulb pin contacts; and

(3) positive and negative connector pins extending dorsally away from said housing and said bulb, said connector pins being selectively engageable within one of the first and second bulb-receiving members of said lighting fixture;

the length of the connector housing and the length of the bulb being substantially equal to the distance between the lighting fixture bulb-receiving members, the distance between the connector pins and the distance between the means for receipt of said connector pins being substantially equal and larger than the distance between the bulb pins.

6. A fluorescent lighting fixture assembly including:

(a) a fluorescent light bulb having a given length and further having first and second end members, each having electrically positive and negative pins spaced apart from one another a given bulb pin distance for selective engagement of said light bulb into a connector member of a connector assembly;

(b) first and second lighting fixture housing bulb-receiving members, each of said first and second bulb-receiving members having means for receipt of connector pins, said means for receipt of connector pins being spaced apart a distance larger than the given bulb pin distance, the distance between said bulb-receiving members being longer than the given length of the fluorescent light bulb; and

(c) first and second connector members, each of the connector members having a given length, each said connector member comprising;

(1) a housing having distal and dorsal ends;

(2) an elongated shield secured by and extending distally away from said housing, said shield including an opening for receipt of one of the ends of the bulb and further including first and second bulb pin contacts; and

(3) positive and negative connector pins extending dorsally away from said housing and said bulb, said connector pins being selectively engageable within one of the first and second bulb-receiving members of said lighting fixture;

the total length of each of the connector members and the given length of the bulb being substantially equal to the distance between the lighting fixture bulb-receiving members, the distance between the connector pins of each member and the distance between the means for receipt of pins being substantially equal and larger than the distance between the bulb pins.

7. A fluorescent lighting fixture assembly including:

(a) a light fixture housing

(b) a fluorescent light bulb having a given length and further having first and second end members, each having electrically positive and negative bulb pins spaced apart from one another a bulb pin distance for selective engagement of said light bulb into the lighting fixture housing;

(c) first and second lighting fixture housing bulb-receiving members, each of said first and second housing bulb-receiving members having means for receipt of said connector pins, the means for receipt of said pins being spaced apart a receiving distance larger than the given bulb pin distance, the distance between said housing bulb-receiving members being longer than the given length of the fluorescent light bulb; and

(d) first and second connectors each of said connectors comprising;

(1) a housing having distal and dorsal ends;

(2) an elongated shield secured by and extending from said housing, away from said shield including an opening for receipt of one of the ends of the bulb and further including first and second bulb pin contacts the shield of each connector being equal in length; and

(3) positive and negative connector pins extending dorsally away from said connector housing and said bulb, said connector pins being selectively engageable within one of the first and second bulb-receiving members of said lighting fixture housing;

the length of each of the connector housings and the length of the bulb being substantially equal to the distance between the lighting fixture bulb-receiving members, the distance between the connector pins and the distance between the means for receipt of said connector housing pins being substantially equal and larger than the distance between the bulb pins whereby the fluorescent light bulb is placed equidistantly between the lighting fixture bulb-receiving members.

8. A connector of a given length for connecting a fluorescent light bulb having a given length and a centerline, and further having first and second end members each having electrically positive and negative bulb pins spaced apart from one another a bulb pin distance for selective engagement of said light bulb into a lighting fixture including first and second bulb-receiving members, each of said first and second bulb-receiving members having means for receipt of connector pins, said means for receipt of said connector pins in each of the bulb-receiving members being spaced apart a receiving distance larger than the given bulb pin distance, the distance between said bulb-receiving members being longer than the given length of the fluorescent light bulb, said connector comprising:

(a) a housing having distal and dorsal ends;

(b) an elongated shield secured by and extending distally away from said housing and having means on a portion thereof for selectively offsetting from the centerline of said fluorescent light bulb, said shield including an opening for receipt of one of the ends of the bulb, and further including first and second bulb pin contacts; and

(c) positive and negative connector pin extending dorsally away from said housing and said bulb, said connector pins being selectively engageable within one of the first and second bulb-receiving members of said lighting fixture;

the length of the connector housing and the length of the bulb being substantially equal to the distance between the lighting fixture bulb-receiving members, at least one of said connector pins being offset from the centerline of the fluorescent light bulb, whereby the offset of at least one of the shield and the connector pins extending away from said housing permits the fluorescent light bulb to be secured by the connector within the lighting fixtures such that the centerline of the bulb is offset radially or horizontally from each of the first and second bulb-receiving members, the distance between the connector pins and the distance between the means for receipt of said connector pins being substantially equal and larger than the distance between the bulb pins.

9. A connector of a given connector length for connecting a fluorescent light bulb having a given bulb length, said bulb further having first and second end members each having electrically positive and negative pins spaced apart from one another a first bulb pin distance for engagement of said light bulb into said connector, said connector extendable into a lighting fixture housing, including first and second housing-receiving members, each of said first and second housing-receiving members having companion openings, the openings in each of the housing-receiving members being spaced apart a second opening distance larger than the first bulb pin distance, the distance between said bulb-receiving members being longer than the given length of the fluorescent light bulb, said connector comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) an elongated shield selectively securable relative to said housing;

said shield including an opening for receipt of one of the ends of the bulb, and further including first and second bulb pin contacts;

(c) means for selectively securing said shield to said housing; and

(d) positive and negative connector pins extending away from said housing and said bulb, each of said connector pins being selectively engageable within one of the first and second housing-receiving members of said lighting fixture, the length of the connector housing and the length of the bulb being substantially equal to the distance between the lighting fixture housing-receiving members.

10. The connector of claim 9 wherein said means for selectively securing said shield to said housing includes an opening delivered around said housing and an angled shoulder delivered interiorally around said opening, and a series of slots around the shield for companion receipt within said connector housing opening, said shield slots defining an angle with a terminating should for no-go contact with companion slots terminating the openings defined around said housing.

12. A method of retrofitting a fluorescent light bulb into a lighting fixture housing, comprising the steps of:

(a) removing from said lighting fixture housing a first fluorescent light bulb;

(b) providing a second fluorescent light bulb having a given length and further having first and second end members each having electrically positive and negative bulb pins spaced apart from one another a given bulb pin distance;

(c) affixing to each end of said second fluorescent light bulb a connector comprising;

(1) housing having distal and dorsal ends;

(2) an elongated shield secured by and extending away from said housing;

said shield including an opening for receipt of one of the ends of the second bulb, and further including first and second bulb pin contacts; and

(3) positive and negative connector pins extending dorsally away from said housing and said bulb, said connector pins being selectively engageable within one of the first and second bulb-receiving members of said lighting fixture;

the length of the connector housing and the length of the second bulb being substantially equal to the distance between the lighting fixture bulb-receiving members, the distance between the connector pins and the distance between the means for receipt of pins being substantially equal and larger than the distance between the bulb pins;

(d) affixing the second fluorescent light bulb onto each of the connectors through the shield opening and moving said bulb into each of said connectors such that the bulb pins are in electric communication relative to the bulb pin contacts; and

(e) placing the positive and negative connector pins through the bulb-receiving members.

13. A method of assembling a fluorescent lighting fixture assembly, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a fluorescent light bulb having a given length and further having first and second end members, each end member having electrically positive and negative bulb pins spaced apart from one another a given bulb pin distance;

(b) providing a lighting fixture having first and second lighting fixture housing bulb-receiving members, each of the first and second bulb-receiving members having means for receipt of connector pins, said means for receipt of said connector pins being spaced apart a receiving distance larger than the given bulb pin distance, the distance between the bulb-receiving members being longer than the given length of the fluorescent light bulb;

(c) providing a connector comprising;

(1) a housing having distal and dorsal ends;

(2) an elongated shield secured by and extending distally away from said housing, said shield including an opening for receipt of one of the ends of the bulb and further including first and second bulb pin contacts;

(3) positive and negative connector pins extending dorsally away from said housing and said bulb, said connector pins being selectively engageable within one of the first and second bulb-receiving members of said lighting fixture;

the length of the connector housing and the length of the bulb being substantially equal to the distance between the lighting fixture bulb-receiving members, the distance between the connector pins and the distance between the means for receipt of said connector pins being substantially equal and larger than the distance between the bulb pins;

(d) securing a connector to each end of the fluorescent bulb;

(e) introducing one of the connectors with the bulb affixed therein into one of the first and second bulb-receiving members; and

(f) securing the other of the connectors and the bulb into the other of the first and second bulb-receiving members.