Light bulb socket having a plurality of thread locks to engage a light bulb

• US 9,214,776 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2014
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ken Smith
• Original Assignee: Ken Smith
• Inventors: Cofini, Michael Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Prasad, Chandrika
• Application Number:
  US14/203,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20140248786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 439352-358, 439/220
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6276 comprising one or more balls engaging in a hole or a groove
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/0836 characterised by the lamp holding means
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/22 for screw type base, e.g. for lamp

Abstract

A threadless light socket assembly allows a light bulb to be changed by pushing or pulling the light bulb into or out of the socket provides an outer insulator housing and an insulator cap which carrying a ground socket in a medial channel that grounds a light bulb base to a power supply. Plural spring biased thread locks protrude into center of the ground socket and are staggered in height to align with threads defined in a light bulb base. A positive contact is in the socket assembly supplies positive power from a power supply to the light bulb base. The threadless light socket has interchangeable components to allow installation in new and existing light fixtures.

Claims

1. A light bulb assembly comprising:

a light bulb receptacle which defines a medial chamber configured to receive a light bulb;

a plurality of thread locks spaced from one another at different circumferential locations of the medial chamber, wherein the thread locks are configured to engage the light bulb received within the medial chamber and to retain the light bulb within the medial chamber;

a positive lead configured to be electrically coupled with a positive terminal of the light bulb received within the medial chamber; and

a negative lead configured to be electrically coupled with a negative terminal of the light bulb received within the medial chamber.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the light bulb receptacle comprises an electrically conductive socket which is electrically coupled with the negative lead and the negative terminal of the light bulb received within the medial chamber.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the thread locks are configured to allow axial movement of a threaded base of the light bulb within the medial chamber without rotation of the threaded base.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the light bulb receptacle is configured to allow rotation of a threaded base of the light bulb within the medial chamber and with respect to the light bulb receptacle.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the thread locks are offset from one another in an axial direction of the light bulb receptacle corresponding to threads of a threaded base of the light bulb and to permit rotation of the light bulb within the medial chamber and with respect to the light bulb receptacle.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the light bulb receptacle is configured to allow axial movement of a threaded base of the light bulb with respect to the light bulb receptacle.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the thread locks are configured to move radially outwardly to allow the axial movement of the threaded base of the light bulb with respect to the light bulb receptacle.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the thread locks are biased radially inwardly to retain the threaded base of the light bulb within the medial chamber.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the thread locks protrude past an interior surface of the light bulb receptacle and into the medial chamber to engage threads of the threaded base of the light bulb within the medial chamber.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the thread locks comprise electrically conductive balls.

11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the thread locks are configured to engage threads of a threaded base of the light bulb received within the medial chamber.

12. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the light bulb receptacle comprises a cylinder having a plurality of medial channels at the different circumferential locations of the medial chamber, and wherein the thread locks are configured to move within the medial channels.

13. The assembly of claim 12 further comprising a plurality of springs configured to bias the thread locks towards the light bulb within the medial chamber.

14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein the light bulb receptacle comprises a plurality of thread lock seats configured to retain the thread locks within the medial channels, and further comprising a housing configured to retain the springs within the medial channels.

15. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the thread locks are configured to move relative to the light bulb receptacle.

16. A light bulb assembly comprising:

an electrically insulative housing which defines a housing channel;

an electrically conductive socket within the housing channel and which defines a medial chamber configured to receive a light bulb;

wherein the electrically conductive socket comprises a plurality of thread locks at different circumferential locations of the medial chamber;

wherein the thread locks protrude inwardly of an interior surface of the electrically conductive socket into the medial chamber to engage threads of a threaded base of the light bulb received within the medial chamber and to retain the threaded base of the light bulb within the medial chamber;

a positive lead configured to be electrically coupled with a positive terminal of the light bulb received within the medial chamber; and

a negative lead configured to be electrically coupled with a negative terminal of the light bulb received within the medial chamber.

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein the thread locks are configured to move radially outwardly to permit axial movement of the threaded base of the light bulb within the medial chamber.

18. The assembly of claim 16 wherein the thread locks are offset from one another in an axial direction of the electrically conductive socket corresponding to the threads of the threaded base of the light bulb and to permit rotation of the light bulb within the medial chamber.

19. The assembly of claim 16 wherein the electrically conductive socket comprises a cylinder having a plurality of medial channels at the different circumferential locations of the medial chamber, wherein the thread locks are configured to move within the medial channels, and further comprising a plurality of springs configured to bias the thread locks towards the threaded base of the light bulb within the medial chamber.

20. A light bulb assembly comprising:

an electrically insulative housing comprising a plurality of opposing ends, wherein the housing defines a housing channel between the opposing ends;

a cylindrical electrically conductive socket within the housing channel, wherein the electrically conductive socket comprises a plurality of opposing ends, a medial chamber intermediate the opposing ends, and a plurality of medial channels which are spaced from one another at different circumferential locations of the medial chamber;

a plurality of balls within the medial channels, a plurality of thread lock seats which are configured to retain the balls within the medial channels, and a plurality of springs which bias the balls to protrude inwardly of an interior surface of the electrically conductive socket and into the medial chamber to engage and retain a threaded base of a light bulb within the medial chamber of the electrically conductive socket;

wherein the balls are configured to move radially outwardly within the medial channels to permit axial movement of the threaded base of the light bulb within the medial chamber;

wherein the medial channels are offset from one another in an axial direction of the electrically conductive socket corresponding to threads of the threaded base of the light bulb and to permit rotation of the light bulb within the medial chamber;

an electrically insulative cap adjacent to one of the opposing ends of the housing;

a positive lead configured to be electrically coupled with a positive terminal of the light bulb received within the medial chamber; and

a negative lead configured to be electrically coupled with the electrically conductive socket and a negative terminal of the light bulb received within the medial chamber.