Light socket assembly for use with conductors arranged in a ribbon cable

• US 20040115984A1
• Filed: 12/12/2002
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Fleming, David, Rudy, William J.
• Application Number:
  US10/317,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20040115984A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/405
• 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: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/67 insulation penetrating terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/09 for baseless lamp bulb

Abstract

An electrical socket assembly including a contact organizer having a passage therethrough configured to receive a group of insulated conductive wires. The contact organizer includes notches that extend from a surface of the contact organizer to the passage. The electrical socket assembly also includes contacts securely held in the notches. The contacts have bottom portions configured to pierce insulation and engage the conductive wires. The contacts have upper portions extending beyond the notches. The upper portions are configured to engage conductive pads to convey at least one of power and data signals from the conductive wires.

Claims

1. An electrical socket assembly comprising:

a contact organizer having a passage therethrough configured to receive a group of insulated conductive wires, said contact organizer including notches that extend from a surface of said contact organizer to said passage; and

contacts securely held in said notches, said contacts having bottom portions configured to pierce insulation and engage the conductive wires, said contacts having upper portions extending beyond said notches, said upper portions being configured to engage conductive pads to convey at least one of power and data signals from the conductive wires.

2. The socket assembly of claim 1, wherein said bottom portions of said contacts have blades and said notches include channels aligned with centerlines of corresponding passages, said channels directing said blades to pierce insulation on conductive wires in said passages.

3. The socket assembly of claim 1, further comprising a circuit board having a lower side containing conductive pads that engage said upper portions of said contacts when said circuit board is abutted against said surface of said contact organizer.

4. The socket assembly of claim 1, wherein each of said notches in said contact organizer includes first and second channels that intersect one another, said first channels intersecting said passage, said second channels being aligned transverse to said passage proximate said surface of said contact organizer, said first channels in said notches receiving said bottom portions of said contacts and said upper portions of said contacts being deflectable into said second channels.

5. The socket assembly of claim 1, wherein said upper portions of said contacts extend at an acute angle to said surface of said contact organizer, said upper portions being deflectable down into said notches.

6. The socket assembly of claim 1, further comprising a light source connected to a circuit board, said circuit board having conductive pads that are electrically connected to said light source and that engage said upper portions of said contacts to electrically connect said light source to said contacts.

7. The socket assembly of claim 1, further comprising a light assembly including a housing that receives a light source, said housing having latch catches that snapably engage latches extending from said contact organizer in order to retain said light assembly and said light source to said contact organizer.

8. The socket assembly of claim 1, wherein said passage includes multiple parallel passages arranged adjacent one another and said contact organizer includes at least one notch proximate each of said passages.

9. The socket assembly of claim 1, wherein said passage includes multiple parallel passages arranged adjacent one another and said contact organizer includes at least two notches aligned with one of said passages.

10. The socket assembly of claim 1, further comprising a cable containing insulated inner and outer conductive wires laminated to one another, said inner conductive wire being configured to carry power, said outer conductive wires being configured to carry data signals.

11. The socket assembly of claim 1, wherein said contact organizer is overmolded onto the conductive wires.

12. An electrical socket assembly, comprising:

a cable carrying a conductive wire;

a contact organizer provided about said cable, said contact organizer including a notch extending from said cable to a surface of said contact organizer;

a contact removably inserted into said notch and engaging said conductive wire;

a circuit board mounted to said contact organizer, said circuit board having a trace that is electrically connected to said contact; and

a light assembly carrying a light source, said light assembly mounted about said contact organizer with said light source configured to engage said contact in order that said light source is electrically connected to said conductive wire.

13. The socket assembly of claim 12, wherein said contact includes a bottom portion having a blade and said notch includes a channel aligned with said conductive wire, said channel directing said blade to pierce insulation on said conductive wire.

14. The socket assembly of claim 12, wherein said contact has an upper portion and a bottom portion and said notch in said contact organizer includes a first channel and a second channel that intersect one another, said second channel being proximate said surface of said contact organizer, said first channel in said notch receiving said bottom portion of said contact and said upper portion of said contact being deflectable into said second channel.

15. The socket assembly of claim 12, wherein said contact has an upper portion extending at an acute angle to said surface of said contact organizer, said upper portion being deflectable down into said notch.

16. The socket assembly of claim 12, wherein said light source is connected to said circuit board, said trace on said circuit board being electrically connected to said light source to electrically connect said light source to said contact.

17. The socket assembly of claim 12, wherein said light assembly includes a housing having latch catches that snapably engage latches extending from said contact organizer in order to retain said light assembly and said light source to said contact organizer.

18. The socket assembly of claim 12, wherein said contact organizer includes multiple parallel passages arranged adjacent one another, said contact organizer including at least one notch proximate each of said passages.

19. The socket assembly of claim 12, wherein said contact organizer includes multiple parallel passages arranged adjacent one another and said contact organizer includes at least two notches aligned with one of said passages.

20. The socket assembly of claim 12, wherein said cable contains insulated inner and outer conductive wires laminated to one another, said inner conductive wire being configured to carry power, said outer conductive wires being configured to carry data signals.