EP2037546A2 - Fluorescent lamp socket with increased contact safety - Google Patents

Abstract

The lamp holder has a housing made of an insulating material i.e. injection-moldable plastic material. A contact is arranged in the housing. A rotor (26) is made of an insulating material and supported in a rotatable manner. The rotor has supporting units (31,32,34) that are provided for the contact. The supporting units push the contact at pins, where the contact is formed by a springy contact sheet. The rotor is supported rotatably about an axis on the housing. The supporting units are formed by a projection that is provided on the rotor.

Description

The invention relates to a socket for lamps, in particular gas discharge lamps, preferably fluorescent lamps.

Fluorescent lamps often consist of a straight discharge tube with sockets at both ends. Each base carries two pins, which are used for mechanical storage of the fluorescent lamp and the electrical supply thereof. There are different lamp holders for such fluorescent lamps in use. An example of this is the EP 1 251 603 A2 refer to. The illustrated therein lamp socket has an existing insulating material housing in which a rotor is inserted, which also consists of insulating material. The rotor is rotatable about an axis coaxial with the lamp tube of the fluorescent lamp received by the socket. The rotor is provided with an insertion slot into which the pins of the fluorescent lamp can be inserted in the radial direction. On both flanks of the rotor are resilient contact plates, which come into contact with the pins of the fluorescent lamp when the pins are inserted into the rotor and the lamp is rotated by 90 ° about its longitudinal axis.

The contact springs must develop sufficient contact pressure on the pins to allow a safe current transfer. This requires fairly stiff contact springs. Correspondingly large are the forces required to rotate the fluorescent lamp, which in turn may result in the lamp not being installed in its correct contact position, for example 90 °, when installed the insertion position is rotated. Such a case can lead to reduced contact forces, thus to increased contact resistance and ultimately to an inadmissible heating.

It is an object of the invention to provide a lamp holder with increased security.

• Die erfindungsgemäße Lampenfassung weist ein Gehäuse aus Isolierstoff und mindestens einen in dem Gehäuse gelagerten Kontakt sowie einen Rotor auf, der drehbar gelagert ist und aus Isolierstoff besteht. An dem Rotor ist ein Abstützmittel für den Kontakt angeordnet. Während der Kontakt in dem Gehäuse gehalten ist, dreht sich das Abstützmittel mit dem Rotor mit. Es bewegt sich somit relativ zu dem Gehäuse und zu dem Kontakt. Dieser Umstand kann dazu genutzt werden, die Abstützung des Kontakts nur dann wirksam werden zu lassen, wenn die Lampe in Betriebsstellung gedreht wird. Wenn die Lampe nicht in Betriebsstellung sondern in Einführstellung steht, kann das Abstützmittel unwirksam sein. Mit anderen Worten, das Abstützmittel kann dazu genutzt werden, den Kontakt an den Stift der Lampe heranzudrücken, wenn die Lampe in Betriebsstellung gedreht wird. Dadurch gelingt es mit relativ nachgiebigen Kontakten, eine Lampenfassung zu schaffen, die eine hohe Kontaktkraft ermöglicht. Aufgrund der hohen Kontaktkraft ergibt sich ein niedriger elektrischer Übergangswiderstand zwischen dem Kontakt und dem Stift der Lampe. Die Gefahr der Kontakterwärmung oder Überhitzung ist gebannt.

This object is achieved with the lamp socket according to claim 1:

• The lamp socket according to the invention comprises a housing made of insulating material and at least one contact mounted in the housing and a rotor which is rotatably mounted and made of insulating material. On the rotor, a support means for the contact is arranged. While the contact is held in the housing, the support means rotates with the rotor. It thus moves relative to the housing and to the contact. This circumstance can be used to make the support of the contact effective only when the lamp is turned to the operative position. If the lamp is not in the operating position but in the insertion position, the support means may be ineffective. In other words, the support means can be used to press the contact against the pin of the lamp when the lamp is rotated in the operating position. This makes it possible with relatively resilient contacts to create a lamp socket, which allows a high contact force. Due to the high contact force results in a low electrical contact resistance between the contact and the pin of the lamp. The danger of contact heating or overheating is banned.

The contact of the lamp holder is preferably formed by a resilient contact plate. This may have a preferably arcuately curved or angled end, which is set up to rest on the support means. The support means helps to force the contact against the pin of the lamp. The support means preferably urges the contact radially inward relative to the rotor.

It is advantageous if a pin support means, e.g. can be arranged between the pins of the lamp. This makes it possible to have relatively large pressure forces acting between the contact and the pin of the lamp, without the pin of the lamp is overloaded.

Further, it is advantageous if the support means lying opposite a stop means is provided. The stop means may e.g. a projection provided on the rotor which defines a slot or passage with the support means. While the support means e.g. is formed as an arcuate rib, the stop means may be formed by a triangular nose or the like. The stop means may be used to prevent the contact from being too far radially inward when the rotor is in the lamp insertion position. Finally, a rotor is thus created which actively moves the contact from a radially further outer position when the rotor is in the lamp insertion position to a radially further inner position when the rotor is in the operating position.

• Figur 1 die Lampenfassung in Explosionsdarstellung,
• Figur 1a den Rotor der Fassung nach Figur 1 in gesonderter Perspektivdarstellung,
• Figur 1b den Rotor der Fassung nach Figur 1 in gesonderter Perspektivdarstellung, gedreht um 180°,
• Figur 2 die Lampenfassung in Vertikalschnittdarstellung mit Rotor in Einführposition und
• Figur 3-5 die Lampenfassung nach Figur 2 in Vertikalschnittdarstellung in verschiedenen Zwischenpositionen, und
• Figur 6 de Lampenfassung in Vertikalschnittdarstellung mit Rotor in Betriebsstellung.

Further details of advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of claims, the drawings or the description. The description is limited to essential aspects of the invention and other circumstances. The drawing discloses further details and is additionally to be used. In the drawing, an embodiment of the invention is illustrated. Show it:

• FIG. 1 the lamp socket in exploded view,
• FIG. 1a the rotor of the socket after FIG. 1 in a separate perspective view,
• FIG. 1b the rotor of the socket after FIG. 1 in a separate perspective view, rotated by 180 °,
• FIG. 2 the lamp holder in vertical section with rotor in insertion position and
• Figure 3-5 the lamp socket after FIG. 2 in vertical section in different intermediate positions, and
• FIG. 6 en Lampholder in vertical section with rotor in operating position.

In the FIG. 1 illustrated lamp socket 1 has a housing 2 made of insulating material, which may comprise, for example, two housing parts 3, 4. The housing parts 3, 4 consist of an insulating material, such as an injection-moldable plastic. While the housing part 4 forms a substantially flat rear wall, protrude from the flat side of a plurality of projections, the housing part 3 is provided with a U-shaped edge 5, which rises from a front side and an interior 6 delimits. At one end of the housing part 3, one or more feet 7 are provided, which serve for fastening the lamp holder 1 to a lamp or other carrier, including locking lugs 8, 9 may be provided.

The housing part 3 is provided with an insertion slot 10, which passes through the edge 5 and the front of the housing part 3. The insertion slot 10 also passes through a pipe-socket-like projection 11 protruding from the front of the housing part 4 into its interior 6. Further extensions 12, 13, 14 extend from the front wall of the housing part 3 into the interior 6 in order to mount the housing part 4 and Form contacts 15, 16 which are to be stored in the interior space 6. The contacts 15, 16 are mirror images of each other. The following description of the contact 15 thus applies in accordance with a mirror image for the contact 16.

The contact 15 has a contact lug 17, which acts as a leaf spring. It has an arcuate, or multi-faceted, curved end portion 18 which is curved about the lug 11. An edge 19 is the housing part 4, that faces the rear wall of the housing 2. This edge 19 is straight. The opposite, the front wall facing edge 20, however, is provided with a cutout 21 which is arranged at a distance from the end portion 18.

Subsequent to the cutout 21, the contact lug 17 merges into a holding and connecting section 22. This is bent in the present embodiment as a rectangular hook and serves to fix the contact 15 in the interior 6 of the housing part 3. For this purpose, the housing part 3 in its interior 6 corresponding holding structures, in which the contact 15 can be inserted.

For electrical contacting, the contact 15 has, for example on its underside, one or more openings 23, to which a free contact tongue 24 can be assigned. The contact tongue 24 and the opening 23 may form a male contact. Alternatively, other connection means may be provided.

In addition, a contact slot 25 may be provided on the holding and connecting portion 22, for example in order to produce an electrical bridge to the contact 16 can. Alternatively, the two contacts 15, 16 made of a sheet metal part and thus be connected by a web, which can be separated out if necessary.

To the socket 1 includes a rotor 26 having a front disc-shaped portion 27 and a tube extension 28 which extends away from the portion 27. He embraces the approach 11 and is locked with this. The insertion slot 10 intersects the rotor 26 and the tube extension 28 transversely, severing the edge of the disc-shaped front side of the rotor 26 only on one side. For storage and mounting of the rotor 26 in the housing 2 are used in particular FIG. 2 apparent, provided on the inner wall of the tube extension 28, extending in the circumferential direction ribs 29, 30 which are latched during assembly of the housing 2 with the lug 11. This can be outside with a Toothing or be provided with ribs.

On the rotor 26 a plurality, preferably four, at 90 ° angles spaced-apart support means 31 to 34 are provided, which, in particular from the FIGS. 1a and 2 are formed, preferably formed as arcuate ribs, which are arranged in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the disc-shaped portion 27 and extending into the inner space 6 inside. On its inner side, the support means 31 to 34 may be provided with lugs 36, 37, 38, 39 protruding toward the center of rotation 35 of the rotor, forming cams for actuating the contacts 15, 16.

The support means 31 to 34 opposite are radially further inside, that is closer to the center of rotation 35, several, preferably four, stop means 40, 41, 42, 43 are provided, for example, in the form of triangular, from the tube extension 28 in the radial direction outwardly projecting Noses are formed. The stop means 40 to 43 form with the support means 31 to 34 each have a slot-like passage. How out FIG. 2 As can be seen, the end portions 18 of the two contacts 15, 16 preferably each extend through such a slot-like passage.

• Wie in Figur 2 dargestellt, steht der Rotor 26 in einer Lampeneinführposition so, dass der Einführschlitz 10 mit seinem an dem Rand 5 des Gehäuseteils 3 ausgebildeten Eingang 44 fluchtet. Die insbesondere im Bereich ihrer Kontaktfahnen 17 leicht nach innen, d.h. zum Drehzentrum 35 hin durchgebogenen Kontakte 15, 16 sind frei entspannt und erstrecken sich mit ihren Enden 18 durch die Schlitze zwischen dem Abstützmittel 31 und dem Anschlagmittel 40 bzw. dem Abstützmittel 34 und dem Anschlagmittel 43. Es kann nun eine Lampe in die Lampenfassung 1 eingesetzt werden, indem ihre Stifte (von denen mindestens einer ein Kontaktstift ist) in den Einführschlitz 10 eingeschoben werden. Die Stifte 45, 46 sind in Figur 2 lediglich gestrichelt angedeutet.

The lamp holder 1 described so far works as follows:

• As in FIG. 2 shown, the rotor 26 is in a lamp insertion position so that the insertion slot 10 is aligned with its formed on the edge 5 of the housing part 3 input 44. The in particular in the region of their contact lugs 17 slightly inwardly, ie to the center of rotation 35 through bent contacts 15, 16 are freely relaxed and extend with their ends 18 through the slots between the support means 31 and the stop means 40 and the support means 34 and the stop means 43. It can now be a lamp in the lamp holder 1 are used by their pins (at least one of which is a contact pin) are inserted into the insertion slot 10. The pins 45, 46 are in FIG. 2 indicated only by dashed lines.

By rotation of the lamp by 90 ° about the center of rotation 35, the pins 45, 46 from the position after FIG. 2 (Lamp insertion position) to the position after FIG. 6 put (operating position). FIG. 2 shows the rotor 26 at 0 °, FIG. 3 at 30 °, FIG. 4 at 45 °, FIG. 5 at 60 ° and FIG. 6 at 90 °. As can be seen, the contact lugs 17 upon rotation of the rotor 26 in the phases of rotation to FIGS. 3 to 5 be pushed by the stop means 41, 43 to the outside and thereby avoid radially outward.

During the 90 ° rotation, the stop means 42 must first pass the projection 49 and then the projection 48, which are provided on the housing part 4 and each dodge in the radial direction. This requires a certain torque. This results in a spin-lock effect that facilitates operation.

As long as the rotor 26 has not passed through its 60 ° rotational position, the support means 33, 34, run as FIGS. 2 to 5 shows, through the cutouts 21 of the contacts 15, 16 and remain inactive.

When the rotor 26 has passed through its 60 ° position, the support means 31, 32 abut against the ends 18 of the contacts 15, 16 and urge them with their lugs 36, 37 inwards. As a result, the contact lugs 17 are tensioned against the pins 45, 46 and a high contact pressure is generated.

As can be seen, the contacts 15, 16 in the contact state according to FIG. 6 This is the case when the rotor 26 is rotated in the operating position, ie when the insertion slot 10 is rotated approximately 90 ° to the input 44 , The rotation refers to the center of rotation 35.

In contrast, when the rotor 26 in lamp insertion according to FIG. 2 located, the contacts 15, 16 are taken only at one end, namely at the respective holding and connecting portion 22. The end 18 can move in the game of the respective clearance between the nose 36, 39 and the stop means 40, 43 reasonably free.

In the transition between the insertion position according to FIG. 2 and the operating position according to FIG. 6 the contacts 15, 16 are also held only at one end, namely the holding and connecting portion 22, while the other ends 18 are free to pivot radially outward. The ends 18 are opposite at this stage no slings.

The lamp socket according to the invention has a housing 2 with a rotor 26. In the housing 2 contacts 15, 16 are mounted, which have resilient contact lugs 17 in the pivoting direction. The free ends 18 of the contact lugs can be supported on stop means 31 to 34, which are moved by the rotor 26. In the supporting position, they are positioned at the ends 18 of the contacts 15, 16. When the lamp is rotated from its insertion position to its operating position, however, the support means 31 to 34 are removed from the ends 18 of the contacts 15, 16, so that the lamp is de-energized and relatively freely rotatable. Only towards the end of this rotational movement provided on the support means 31 to 34 provided cam at the ends 18 of the contacts 15, 16 and urge them radially inward and tension the contacts 15, 16 against the pins 45, 46 of the lamp.

reference numeral

1

lamp socket

2

casing

3, 4

housing parts

5

edge

6

inner space

7

foot

8, 9

latching means

10

insertion

11

approach

12, 13, 14

projections

15, 16

contacts

17

contact tag

18

end

19, 20

edge

21

neckline

22

Holding and connection section

23

opening

24

contact tongue

25

contact slot

26

rotor

27

section

28

Tubular extension

29, 30

ribs

31-34

support means

35

turning center

36-39

nose

40-43

slings

44

entrance

45, 46

pencils

47

Job

48, 49

projections

Claims (16)

Lamp socket (1) for a lamp with at least two pins (45, 46),
with a housing (2), which consists of an insulating material,
with at least one contact (15) arranged in the housing (2),
with a rotatably mounted rotor (26), which consists of an insulating material and at least one support means (31) for the contact (15). Lamp holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotor (26) is rotatably mounted on the housing (2) about an axis (35). Lamp holder according to claim 2, characterized in that the rotor (26) has an insertion slot (10) for pins (45, 46) of the lamp, wherein the insertion slot (10) passes through the axis (35) at right angles. Lamp holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact (15) is formed by a resilient contact plate. Lamp holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact (15) has an end (18) which is adapted to rest on the support means (31). Lamp holder according to claim 5, characterized in that the end (18) is curved arcuately formed. Lamp holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the support means (31) is adapted to urge the contact (15) against a pin (45, 46) of the lamp. Lamp holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the support means (31) is adapted to urge the contact (15) relative to the rotor (26) radially inwardly. A lamp socket according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact (15) is moved radially inwardly by rotation of the rotor (26) when the rotor (26) is rotated to a position in which its insertion slot (10) is transverse to one Lamp insertion position is. Lampholder according to claim 1, characterized in that on the housing (2) there is provided a pin support means in use between the pins (45, 46) of the lamp. Lamp socket according to Claim 10, characterized in that the pin support device is formed by a projection (11) which extends from a housing part 4 into a tube extension (28) of the rotor (26) and the rotor (26) on the housing (11). 2) secures. A lamp socket according to claim 1, characterized in that the support means (31) is formed by a rib formed on the rotor (26) to be brought into contact with a contact outer side. Lamp holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the support means (31) opposite a stop means (40) is arranged. Lamp socket according to claim 12, characterized in that between the stop means (40) and the support means (31) is formed a gap through which a portion of the contact (15) extends. Lamp holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the stop means (40) is formed by a projection provided on the rotor (26). A lamp socket according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact (15) at a location spaced from its end (18) location has a cutout (21) to allow the support means (31) upon rotation of the rotor (26) passage.

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