END CAP FOR A TUBULAR LIGHT SOURCE

• US 20150364886A1
• Filed: 01/07/2014
• Published: 12/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: GIELEN, Vincent Stefan David, BUKKEMS, Peter Johannes Martinus, JANSEN, Martijn Evert Paul, WANG, Hongwu, VERHOEVEN, Mark Johannes Antonius, ZHOU, Liang, CALON, Georges Marie, DEN BOER, Reinier Imre Anton
• Granted Patent: US 9,923,325 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/272 Details of end parts, i.e. the parts that connect the light source to a fitting; Arrangement of components within end parts F21K9/278 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/002 making direct electrical contact, e.g. by piercing F21V21/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 25/04 breaking the electric circuit
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/701 the switch being actuated by an accessory, e.g. cover, locking member
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/942 for tubular fluorescent lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/96 with switch operated by engagement or disengagement of coupling

Abstract

The present invention relates to an end cap (104) for a tubular light source the tubular light source configured to be arranged in a lighting fixture comprising a socket, wherein the end cap (104) comprises a housing portion having a connection end, two connector pins (116) at least partly arranged on an outside of the housing portion at the connection end, wherein the connector pins (116) are configured to fit in the sockets of the lighting fixture, a first spring loaded switching element (110) configured to be alternately positioned in an actuated state and a non-actuated state, wherein the first spring loaded switching element (110) protrudes at the connection end of the housing portion in the vicinity of the connector pins (116) when positioned in its non-actuated state, and a second spring loaded switching element (112) configured to be positioned in an actuated state and a non-actuated state, wherein the switching elements (110, 112) are configured to be individually positioned in their respective actuated states to form an electrical connection between the socket and the tubular light source when the end cap (104) is mounted into the socket of the fixture.

Claims

1. An end cap for a tubular light source, the tubular light source configured to be arranged in a lighting fixture comprising a socket, wherein the end cap comprises:

a housing portion having a connection end;

two connector pins at least partly arranged on an outside of the housing portion at the connection end, wherein the connector pins are configured to fit in the socket of the lighting fixture;

a first spring loaded switching element configured to be alternately positioned in an actuated state and a non-actuated state, wherein the first spring loaded switching element protrudes at the connection end of the housing portion in the vicinity of the connector pins when positioned in its non-actuated state; and

a second spring loaded switching element configured to be positioned in an actuated state and a non-actuated state,

a bridging element located between the first spring loaded switching element and the second spring loaded switching element,

wherein electrical connection is formed between the bridging element and a conductive receiving means when the first spring loaded switching element and the second spring loaded switching element are depressed into an actuated position configured to be individually positioned in their respective actuated states by means of mounting the tubular light source into the socket of the fixture.

2. The end cap according to claim 1, wherein the first and second spring loaded switching elements are arranged in their actuated states by applying a translational force onto a front portion of the first and the second spring loaded switching element, respectively.

3. The end cap according to claim 2, wherein the first switching element is configured to return to its non-actuated state when no translational force is applied onto its front portion.

4. The end cap according to claim 1, wherein the front portion of at least one of the switching elements has an arrow shaped configuration.

5. The end cap according to claim 1, wherein the second spring loaded switching element protrudes at the connection end of the housing portion in the vicinity of the connector pins when positioned in its non-actuated state

7. The end cap according to claim 5, wherein the second switching element is configured to return to its non-actuated state when no translational force is applied to its front portion.

8. The end cap according to claim 1, wherein the end cap further comprising:

a first fixed tongue connected to a first of the two connector pins;

a second fixed tongue connected to a second of the two connector pins;

a base plate connected to a first and a second resilient tongue, the first resilient tongue being arranged to abut the first fixed tongue and the second resilient tongue being arranged to abut the second fixed tongue to complete a conductive path between the first resilient tongue and the first connector pin and between the second resilient tongue and the second connector pin, respectively, when both of the two spring loaded switching elements are in the actuated state;

wherein each of the two spring loaded switching elements comprising a first and a second separating element;

wherein the first and second separating elements of each of the two spring loaded switching elements, in the non-actuated state, is individually arranged to separate both the first fixed tongue from the first resilient tongue and the second fixed tongue from the second resilient tongue, respectively, thus opening the conductive path between the resilient tongues and the connector pins.

9. The end cap according to claim 1, wherein the first spring loaded switching element further comprises a lock mechanism, wherein actuation of the second spring loaded switching element unlocks the lock mechanism allowing the first spring loaded switching element to be actuated.

10. The end cap according to claim 2, wherein the electrical connection between the socket and the tubular light source is formed by actuating the second spring loaded switching element while inserting the connector pins of the tubular light source into the socket of the fixture.

11. The end cap according to claim 9, wherein de-actuating of the first spring loaded switching element de-actuates the second spring loaded switching element.

12. A tubular light source comprising:

a lighting tube comprising a plurality of light emitting elements; and

the end cap according to claim 1 arranged on each ends of the lighting tube.

13. The tubular light source according to claim 12, further comprising warning means, the warning means comprising a blinking light positioned onto the at least one end cap.

14. The tubular light source according to claim 12, further comprising a relay which in combination with the switching elements enables operation of the tubular light source when mounted in the lighting fixture.

15. The tubular light source according to claim 12, further comprising a timer which in combination with the switching elements enables operation of the tubular light source when mounted in the lighting fixture.

16. A luminaire comprising:

a tubular light source according to claim 12; and

a fixture comprising sockets for receiving the respective end caps and for connecting the tubular light source to an electrical power supply.

6. (canceled)