Fluorescent bulb retaining spring
First Claim
1. A fluorescent bulb retaining spring suitable for supporting a tube portion of a fluorescent bulb that has a base at one end, comprising:
- a spring body formed integrally of resilient metal and including;
a) a base member that comprises a fastening mechanism for attaching the retaining spring to a surface; and
b) a bulb retainer portion comprising two detent spring tongues and an associated abutment member for each detent spring tongue,wherein each abutment member comprises an inclined portion carried by an upstanding leg connecting the base member to the bulb retainer portion,wherein the two upstanding legs with their respective abutment members and the base member form a substantially annular configuration, andwherein at least one of the upstanding legs is integrally connected on one side of the base member and a second upstanding leg is connected by a lock beaded connection on the diametrically opposite side of the base member.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fluorescent bulb retaining spring (6) comprises a one piece, sheet-metal stamped and bent part, entirely and seamlessly comprised of one material. The retaining spring (6) can be produced especially simply from one rectangular piece of sheet metal of substantially uniform thickness, with all functional parts and functional regions created by cutting out spring tongues and bending them outwardly from the sheet. Connecting legs between a bulb retainer portion (9) and a fastening portion (8) form an annular region which is closed in force-locking fashion by a crimped connection (29, 31, 32), which can be produced in automated fashion as part of the stamping and bending operation.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A fluorescent bulb retaining spring suitable for supporting a tube portion of a fluorescent bulb that has a base at one end, comprising:
- a spring body formed integrally of resilient metal and including;
a) a base member that comprises a fastening mechanism for attaching the retaining spring to a surface; and b) a bulb retainer portion comprising two detent spring tongues and an associated abutment member for each detent spring tongue, wherein each abutment member comprises an inclined portion carried by an upstanding leg connecting the base member to the bulb retainer portion, wherein the two upstanding legs with their respective abutment members and the base member form a substantially annular configuration, and wherein at least one of the upstanding legs is integrally connected on one side of the base member and a second upstanding leg is connected by a lock beaded connection on the diametrically opposite side of the base member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- a spring body formed integrally of resilient metal and including;
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19. A method for forming a bulb retaining spring, suitable for supporting a tube portion of a fluorescent bulb that has a base at one end, comprising:
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providing a generally rectangular sheet of metal, and subjecting the metal sheet to a stamping and bending process to form said bulb retaining spring, wherein the formed bulb retaining spring comprises a spring body formed integrally of resilient metal and including (a) a base member that comprises a fastening mechanism for attaching the retaining spring to a surface; and
(b) a bulb retainer portion comprising two detent spring tongues and an associated abutment member for each detent spring tongue, wherein each abutment member comprises an inclined portion carried by an upstanding leg connecting the base member to the bulb retainer portion, and wherein the two upstanding legs with their respective abutment members and the base member form a substantially annular configuration. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification