Water resistant and replaceable LED lamps for light strings

• US 8,376,606 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Santa's Best
• Original Assignee: 1 Energy Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Yu, Jing Jing
• Primary Examiner(s): MAY, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US12/610,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20100073963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 362652-659, 362/249.02, 362/249.06, 362/249.14, 362/249.16, 362/651, 362/647, 439/619, 439/699.1, 439/699.2, 439654-655, 439/660, 439/680
• US Class Current: 362/652
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/06 the fastening being onto or by the lampholder
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0005 of sources having contact pins, wires or blades, e.g. pinch sealed lamp F21V19/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/00 Globes; Bowls; Cover glasses with refracting properties F21V5/00; with reflecting properties F21V7/00; characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/506
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/005 Sealing arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• 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 33/965 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof holders

Abstract

Disclosed is a waterproof lamp assembly that allows easy replacement of LED elements to be replaced. The electrical wires providing power to the light string are molded together with a lamp holder and covered with a lamp cover to create a watertight seal. The entire lamp assembly is waterproof and the LED elements are replaceable. No soldering is required in the assembly process.

Claims

1. A method of providing a lamp assembly for a watertight LED string that allows replacement of an LED element comprising:

providing an LED bulb having two connector pins;

providing two electrical wires;

providing two LED connectors that have different sizes;

connecting said two LED connectors to said two electrical wires;

forming a lamp holder by covering said two electrical wires and said two LED connectors with plastic to form two socket holes in said lamp holder that have different sizes, said two socket holes disposed adjacent to a central opening formed in said lamp holder;

providing an LED adaptor having two holes that releasably accept said two connector pins so that said LED bulb can be replaced in said LED adaptor;

providing two terminals disposed on a bottom portion of said LED adaptor that tightly engage said two LED connectors through said socket holes, said two terminals having different sizes that match said different sizes of said socket holes such that said LED adaptor is disposed in said lamp holder in a predetermined direction;

providing a lamp cover having a base that is secured to said lamp holder that forms a water tight seal between said base of said lamp cover and said lamp holder.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing an extended portion of said lamp holder to form a tight seal between said lamp holder and said LED adaptor.

3. A lamp assembly for a watertight LED string that allows replacement of an LED element comprising:

an LED element having two connector pins;

two electrical wires;

two LED connectors that have different sizes that are connected to said two electrical wires;

a plastic housing that covers said two electrical wires and said two LED connectors to foam a lamp holder comprising two socket holes that have different sizes that mate with said two LED connectors that have two sizes, said two socket holes disposed adjacent to a central opening formed in said lamp holder;

an LED adapter having two holes that releasably accept two connector pins so that said LED bulbs can be replaced;

two terminals disposed on a bottom portion of said LED adapter that engage said two LED connectors through said socket holes, said two terminals having different sizes that engage said two socket holes having different sizes, so that said LED adapter engages said lamp holder in a predetermined direction;

a lamp cover having a base that is secured to said lamp holder that forms a watertight seal between said base of said lamp cover and said lamp holder.

4. The lamp assembly of claim 3 wherein said lamp holder further comprises:

an extended portion that forms a seal between said lamp holder and said LED adapter.