Lamp unit with improved push-in type bulb holder

• US 6,079,848 A
• Filed: 07/10/1998
• Issued: 06/27/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph M Ahroni
• Original Assignee: Joseph M Ahroni
• Inventors: Ahroni, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Application Number:
  US09/113,574
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 362/226, 362/239, 362/249, 362/250, 362/391, 362/806, 439/404, 439/611, 439/391, 439/393, 439/395, 439/699.2, 439/419, 439/243, 439/619
• US Class Current: 362/249.01
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/002 making direct electrical contact, e.g. by piercing F21V21/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/06 with two current-carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts, having their axes parallel to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/242 the contact members being plates having a single slot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/806 Ornamental or decorative

Abstract

A light set has multiple light units mounted on a multi-wire insulated cord, each light unit comprising a plastic push-in lampholders containing a bulb with two lead wires, a socket member receiving a pair of push-in contact elements and lampholder, and a base unit which snaps together with the socket member over the cord preparatory to insertion of the contact elements and lampholders. The contact elements pierce the cord insulation on opposite sides of a cutout through a selected one of the cord wires and establish positive contact with both parts of the severed wire by straddling respective of the wire parts with a pair of sharp prongs. Positive positioning of the bulb leads with respect to the contact elements is established by flexible leg extensions on the lampholders which interfit at their free ends with the leads and swing back to a position in the socket member pressing the leads against the contact elements.

Claims

1. A lamp unit comprising:

a housing providing a wireway at one end and a socket at the opposite end;

a pair of elongated contacts extending along opposite sides of said socket and extending into said wireway; and

a plug-in holder seated in said socket and a bulb seated in said holder, said bulb having a pair of leads extending from the bulb and passing longitudinally through said holder toward said wireway to provide exposed lead portions which are bent back between said holder and contacts to engage said contacts,

said holder having a pair of integral flexible extensions each with a root end and a free end, said extensions being doubled back between said contacts and holder at said root ends and engaging said lead portions to keep them in engagement with said contacts.

2. A lamp unit according to claim 1 in which said free ends of said extensions are formed with a positioning slot through which a free end portion of the respective said lead wire extends and bends back to occupy a position between the respective extension and the holder.

3. A lamp unit according to claim 1 in which said extensions occupy longitudinal grooves in said holder occupied by said contacts.

4. A bulb holder comprising:

a one-piece molded plastic housing having a head, a body necked down from said head, and a pair of legs extending at root ends from said body oppositely from said head,

said legs having first sides which initially face toward one another and having second sides located oppositely from said first sides;

said legs being formed with end slots between their said sides;

said head being formed with a socket to receive a bulb;

said body having a wireway extending from said socket and exiting between said root ends for receiving a pair of lead wires projecting from the bulb and passing from said wireway along said first sides by contact portions, then through said end slots, and finally doubling back along part of said second sides; and

said legs being flexible so as to be adapted to be bent outwardly at said root ends and back toward said head to thereby expose said contact portions of the bulb leads.

5. A bulb and holder unit comprising:

a bulb having a base end with a pair of lead wires extending therefrom;

a bulb holder having a head, a body necked down from said head, and a pair of legs extending at root ends from said body oppositely from said head and having outer ends;

said legs having first sides which initially face toward one another and having second sides located oppositely from said first sides;

said legs being formed at their outer ends with slots between their said sides;

said head being formed with a socket receiving said bulb, and said body having a wireway extending from said socket and exiting between said root ends for receiving said lead wires;

said lead wires projecting from the bulb and passing from said wireway along said first sides by contact portions, then through said end slots, and finally doubling back by end portions along part of said second sides; and

said legs being flexible so as to be adapted to be bent outwardly and back to rest against said head to thereby expose said contact portions of the bulb leads for engagement with contacts and to thereby position said end portions between said second sides and said body.

6. A light set comprising:

a lampholder with a tubular socket member having an entry end and having a pair of locking legs extending from the opposite end and presenting beveled lead-in faces at their free ends joining locking shoulders between the legs which are spaced from the free ends of the legs;

a base member having a pair of guide fingers projecting between said legs and having retaining shoulders at the base end of the fingers which are engaged by said locking shoulders, said legs and guide fingers having a snap fit with one another when the socket member and base member are pushed endwise forward one another with said fingers positioned between said legs and engaging said lead-in faces, and free end portions of said legs interfitting with said base member adjacent said guide fingers such that said base member prevents spreading apart of said legs;

a wireway between said fingers and between said socket member and said base member;

a pair of contact elements mounted in a socket in said socket member and projecting into said wireway for engaging an interrupted wire extending through said wireway and interrupted between said contact elements;

and a push-in bulb assembly plugged into said socket member from said entry end and having a bulb with a pair of wire leads engaging said contact elements.

7. A light set according to claim 6 in which said base member has recesses outwardly of opposite longitudinal side edges of said guide fingers which are defined by retaining wings projecting from said base member, said recesses receiving said free end portions of said locking legs, and said wings preventing spreading apart of said locking legs.

8. A light set according to claim 6 in which an electrical cord having multiple side-by-side wires separated by insulation extends through said wireway and provides said interrupted wire, and said contact elements each have a pair of spaced-apart pointed prongs cutting through said insulation and straddling and engaging said interrupted wire, said prongs each having an outer sharp cutting edge which slopes inwardly toward a pointed end of the respective prong whereby the prongs are urged toward one another responsive to cutting of the insulation by the prongs when the prongs are pushed endwise into the wireway from said socket member before said bulb assembly is plugged into the socket member.

9. A light set according to claim 7 in which said bulb assembly has a bulb holder for said bulb, said holder having a pair of integral flexible extensions, said extensions being doubled back between said contacts and said holder and engaging portions of said leads such as to keep them in engagement with said contacts.

10. A light set comprising:

a lampholder housing providing a transverse wireway at a base end thereof and a socket with an entry at the opposite end thereof, said housing having a base wall along said wireway;

a cord extending through said wireway, said cord having side-by-side wires separated and enclosed by insulation;

a pair of elongated contact elements at opposite sides of said socket and projecting into said wireway into engagement with one of said wires at opposite sides of an interruption in such wires, said contact elements each having a pair of spaced-apart pointed prongs cutting through said insulation and straddling said interrupted wire, said prongs each having an outer sharp cutting edge which slopes inwardly toward a pointed end of the prong whereby the prongs are urged toward one another and the interrupted wire responsive to cutting of the insulating by the prongs when the contact elements are pushed endwise into the wireway from said sockets;

and a push-in-bulb assembly seated in said socket and presenting two light bulb leads at opposite sides thereof engaging respective of said contact elements.

11. A lampholder comprising:

a plug-in type body having a socket open to one end of the body and having a pair of openings at the opposite end of the body connecting with said socket for the passage of a pair of lead wires from a bulb seated in said socket;

a pair of flexible legs extending from said opposite end and notched at their free ends to receive the lead wires, said legs being sufficiently flexible to be adapted to be folded back against said body.