Mechanical bypass light unit

• US 7,819,552 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seasonal Specialties LLC (Seasonal Specialties)
• Original Assignee: Seasonal Specialties LLC (Seasonal Specialties)
• Inventors: Wang, Dennis, Altamura, Steven J., Neuman, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar; Stephen F
• Application Number:
  US11/978,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20080130284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 362/251, 362/652, 362/654, 362/658, 362/249.05, 362/249.12, 362/249.13, 200/51.1, 200/242, 315/122, 439/188, 439271-274
• US Class Current: 362/249.12
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/00 Lighting devices or systems using a string or strip of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• 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 19/0055 by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0457 the sensor sensing the operating status of the lighting device, e.g. to detect failure of a light source or to provide feedback to the device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/02 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for decorative purposes, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7033 making use of elastic extensions of the terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7177 filament or neon bulb
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/08 Short-circuiting members for bridging contacts in a counterpart
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/09 for baseless lamp bulb
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/96 with switch operated by engagement or disengagement of coupling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/802 Position or condition responsive switch

Abstract

A light unit includes a bulb having a light source with lead wires and a separator, a switch member that includes a support member and a pair of spring terminals, and a socket having two or more conductive terminals and adapted to receive the bulb and the switch member. The switch member is adapted to cause the pair of spring terminals to contact one another to form an electrical short circuit across the pair of conductive terminals and the light source when the bulb is completely or partially removed from the socket. The lead wires form an electrical connection across the conductive terminals and the separator breaks contact between the pair of spring terminals when the bulb is seated in the socket.

Claims

1. A light unit for use in a light string, comprising:

a socket;

a bulb having a peripheral side wall and an elongated lower separator protrusion offset toward said periphery and a light source with lead wires located along the sides of said lower portion and a separator separately insertable support switching body interposed between the bulb and socket and separate and removable from the socket, said separator including a switch member in said body having a pair of spring terminals; and

having two or more conductive terminals lower terminal ends and adapted to receive the bulb and said lead wires on said bulb, wherein the switch member a pair of peripheral sidewalls defining a space therebetween, and a first terminal spanning more than half the distance between the sidewalls and a second terminal spanning at least the remaining space therebetween, so that, in their relaxed state, the terminals touch, and adapted to cause the pair of spring terminals to contact one another to form an electrical short circuit across the pair of conductive terminals when the bulb is at least partially removed from the socket, and wherein at least one of said terminals is configured to flex in response to contact with said protrusion on the bulb, thereby breaking the contact between the terminals.

2. The light unit according to claim 1 where said second terminal abuts the peripheral sidewall, and includes a deflectable portion adjacent said sidewall, and wherein said protrusion on said bulb is offset to the periphery of the bulb, so that when said bulb in inserted into the socket, the protrusion slides along the peripheral wall of the socket and deflects said second switch terminal.

3. The light unit of claim 1 wherein one of said terminals includes an upwardly pointing wedge adjacent the peripheral wall, and wherein said bulb protrusion is spaced from said peripheral wall, so that when said bulb is placed in said socket, said bulb protrusion will engage said wedge portion of said terminal, and move it from touching the other terminal thereby opening a shunt.

4. The light unit of claim 1 wherein said interposer includes a body protrusion separator extended from a bottom of the interposer, so as to insure that terminals in the socket remain separated from shorting.

5. The light unit of claim 4 wherein said shunting terminals include a single terminal surrounding at least half of the peripheral circumference of the switching body.

6. A light unit for use in a light string, comprising:

a socket having a hollow core defining an inner peripheral wall, and a pair of spaced apart socket terminals along said wall, a locking channel for preventing removal of a switching body unless rotated to a predetermined removal position;

a bulb having a peripheral side wall and an elongated lower protrusion a light source with contact leads located along the sides of said lower portion and a separately insertable support switching body interposed between the bulb and socket and separate and removable from the socket , said separator having an outer generally cylindrical periphery and including

a. a keyway for receiving said protrusion

b. a shunting member comprising two spaced apart shunting terminals on the periphery

c. a pair of spaced apart power terminals elsewhere on the periphery, said power terminals being connectable to contact leads on the bulb, where the bulb is emplaced in said switching body;

d. at least one guide pin on the outer periphery of the switching body for engaging the locking channel on the socket;

whereby the switching body creates a shunt across the socket terminals when the switching body is in a first position and a connection to the bulb contact leads when in a second position, and wherein said locking channel is configured to prevent removal of the bulb unless the switching body is in a rotational orientation to shunt the socket terminals.

7. The light unit of claim 6 wherein said pair of shunting terminals on said switching body are connected together via a shunt and are located on opposing sides of the periphery generally 180 degrees apart, and wherein said power terminals are located on the periphery on opposing sides of thereof generally 90 degrees rotation from the shunting terminals.