US3577116A

US3577116A - Lamp socket and terminal

Info

Publication number: US3577116A
Application number: US751079A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bruno Baumanis
Original assignee: Molex LLC
Current assignee: Molex LLC
Priority date: 1968-08-08
Filing date: 1968-08-08
Publication date: 1971-05-04
Anticipated expiration: 1988-05-04

Abstract

A lamp socket for receiving an easily replaceable lamp bulb, comprising a plastic housing having a pair of opposing terminals extending therethrough for receiving the base of the lamp bulb therebetween to make both mechanical and electrical contact therewith, and mounting means integrally formed with a sidewall of the housing for snapping the lamp socket onto a mounting tab extending from a panel. A first embodiment of mounting means includes a resilient arm having a lock tab at the free end thereof for insertion into an aperture in the panel mounting tab, and a second embodiment includes a pair of opposing arms and a nib extending therebetween from one wall of the housing. The arms hold the panel tab against the housing wall and the nib is received in the aperture of the panel tab to retain the socket on the panel.

Description

ates atent 11113,577,11

72 Inventor BrunoBaumanis 3,283,286 11/1966 Webbetal 339/145 RiverForest,lll. 3,335,387 8/1967 Mueller 339/125X 211 ApplNo. 751,079 3,417,367 12/1968 Daytonetal. 339/145 1 1 Filed FOREIGN PATENTS m i g l 713,458 8/1954 GreatBritain 339/126R Downers Grove, 111. Primary Examiner-Richard E. Moore Attorney-Olson, Trexler, Wolters & Bushnell [54] LAMP SOCKET AND TERMINAL ABSTRACT: A lamp socket for receiving an easily replacea- 6 Claims, Drawing Figs.

ble lamp bulb, comprising a plastic housing havmg a pair of [52] US. Cl 339/125 pposing terminals extending thereth 'ough for receiving the Cl H011 13/60 base of the lamp bulb therebetween to make both mechanical Of Search and electrical cgntact therewith and mounting means in- 8, 60,59, 50, 17, 205; 248/71, (inquired), 217,

tegrally formed with a sidewall of the housing for snapping the 220.5,223;24/(1nquired), 73-7, 81.7, 73 (SC) lamp socket onto a mounting tab extending from a panel. A first embodiment of mounting means includes a resilient arm [56] References cued having a lock tab at the free end thereof for insertion into an UNITED STATES PATENTS aperture in the panel mounting tab, and a second embodiment 3,027,537 3/1962 Hess et a1 339/217X includes a pair of opposing arms and a nib extending 2,581,481 1/1952 Hartman et a1. .1 151/41.75 therebetween from one wall of the housing. The arms hold the 3,060,401 /1962 Fraser 339/125 panel tab against the housing wall and the nib is received in 3,253,084 5/1966 Taylor 174/52 the aperture of the panel tab to retain the socket on the panel.

8 K /0 2 59 .47 l z 5 4 Q/ \71 m 75? 70 65 i 64 46; Z1

l 4Z 1 .l' A $9 upper end of the housing LAMP SOCKET AND TERMINAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to lamp sockets and more particularly to those lamp sockets which are mountable on the chassis of a unit of electrical equipment.

Conventionally, in the case of automobiles, high fidelity record players, radios, television receivers, and the like, small lamps are used to illuminate dials, etc., or to indicate that the equipment is functioning. Usually these small lamps are the type which have a threaded or a bayonet-type base and are screwed or twisted into a complementary socket which has been fastened to the chassis of the equipment by means of rivets or screws.

Fastening a lamp socket in the above-described manner requires high installation costs and is time consuming. In addition, the placement of these socket and lamp arrangements often is such that they are virtually inaccessible once the unit is completed. Consequently, when the time arrives to change a burned out lamp, it becomes a major undertaking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention a plastic lamp housing is provided. Terminals which are preattached by crimping to lead wires are inserted into the housing and snapped into place with the wires extending from the housing. The ends of the terminals opposite to the lead wires are configured for engagement with a lamp inserted into the housing.

The housing is provided with an integral lateral resilient struc-- ture for latching onto a mounting panel.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and'improved lamp socket which is easily and quickly mounted on the chassis of a unit of electrical equipment and which accommodates a lamp which is easily replaceable.

' It is another object of this invention to provide a lamp socket of the above-described type which is snapped onto a chassis and receives a lamp which is inserted .thereinto.

It is yet another. object of this invention to provide a lamp socket of the abovedescribed type which includes a snap-in mounting tab for insertion into an aperture in the chassis of a unit of electrical equipment.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a lamp socket which accommodates a glass base, push in-pull out lamp which is inexpensive to produce and replace.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A better understanding of the present invention and its organization and construction may be had by referring to the description below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

' FIG. l is an exploded perspective view of a lamp socket, lamp and mounting 'panel tab according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the lamp socket, mating lamp and mounting tab of FIG. I shown in an assembled condition;

FIG. 3 is a bottom end view of the lamp socket of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a lamp socket mounted on a panel mounting tab, according to the invention; and FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings in more detail, a lamp socket, indicated generally by the numeral 10, is shown in FIGS. 1-3 thereof. The lamp socket comprises a one-piece, molded plastic housing 12 including four interconnected, rectangularly shaped sidewalls I4, l6, l8 and 20, respectively, in rectangular section, and a pair of

end walls

22 and 24. Two opposing sidewalls, 16 and 20, extend outwardly from the to form

projections

26 and 28,

respectively, the space 30 therebetween providing protection or a covering for a lamp 32 received therein, (FIGS. 1 and 2). A cavity 34 in the upper end wall 24 and extending into housing 12, is provided to receive the base 31 of lamp 32 which is mounted therein.

A pair of spaced-apart terminal-receiving

apertures

36 and 38 extend into lower end wall 22 through the housing 12 and open into cavity 34. A pair of flat terminals 40and 42 received therein, respectively, extends outwardly into cavity 34 to make an electrical connection with the

lamp terminals

44 and 46 at the base 31 of the lamp 32.

The

flat terminals

40 and 42 of the socket are separate and snap into place in respective apertures in the housing 12. The inserted ends 70 and of the terminals extend into cavity 34 and are V-shaped, with the edges 71 and 73, respectively, thereof being in opposing relation to receive the base 31 of lamp 32 therebetween.

Lamp bulb 32 is of the type having an integrally formed glass base 31 and head 37, with a pair of terminals extending from head 31 thereof through the base and turned back across the recesses therein. Upon the insertion of the lamp base into cavity 34, the base is engaged by the opposing terminal ends with edges 71 and 73 thereof extending into respective recesses of the lamp base, to hold the lamp in place and also making both a mechanical and electrical connection with the terminals thereof. The lamp is easily replaceable, a bad lamp is merely pulled from cavity 34 and a new lamp is inserted therein.

Each of the

terminals

40 and 42 includes a

tab

48 and 50, respectively, each of which upon insertion of a respective terminal into a corresponding aperture in the housing, engages a

shoulder portion

52 and 54, respectively, molded into the housing. This prevents the terminals from being inadvertently pulled from the housing via end wall 22. Each of the free ends of the terminals includes a crimp connector for connecting the terminals to external circuitry via

wires

75 and 77, to supply current for the energization of lamp 32. While a crimp connector is provided herein, itis to be understood that any suitable means of connecting a wire to the terminal may be used.

A second pair of

wall projections

56 and 58 extends outwardly from-sidewalls l4 and I8 and parallel thereto, respectively, one on each side of wall 20 at right angles thereto, and a third, medial wall 60 extends outwardly from the surface of wall 20 a distance equal to that of the

extensions

56 and 58 and in parallel relation thereto. While

extensions

56 and 58 are substantially the length of the

walls

14 and 18, respectively, the third, medial wall 60 is substantially shorter. A U- shaped base support 62 is formed at the upper end of housing 12 (FIG. 3) and extends outwardly from wall 20 between

extensions

56 and 58, and in alignment with medial wall 60 as shown in FIG. 2. Formed with the bight 64 of the U-shaped base support 62 and extending outwardly therefrom substantially parallel to wall 20, or perpendicular tothe plane of the U-shaped base support, and toward medial wall 60, is a resilient arm 66. The arm 66 includes a lock tab 67 extending therefrom inwardly toward wall 20. The lock tab 67 includes an inclined cam surface 65 on one end and a shoulder portion 69 at the opposite end thereof which is adapted for snapping into an aperture 68 in a mating panel tab 70 connected to a chassis or mounting panel of a unit of electrical equipment.

The

outer edges

72, 74 and 76 (FIG. I) of the

wall extensions

56 and 58, and medial wall member 60, respectively, are slid over and rest on the surface of mounting tab 70 of the mounting panel upon receipt of the tab 70 between arm 66 and wall- 20. Thus, the panel member is well separated from the lamp and electrical connections to the socket itself. The lock tab 67 is forced outwardly as the cam surface 65 thereof slides over tab 70 until the aperture 68 in the tab comes into alignment with shoulder 6?. At that time shoulder 69 is snapped into the aperture to lock the socket 10 to tab 70 and the chassis. The aperture 68 is spaced approximately the same distance from the end 81 of tab 70 as is the lock tab 67 from the base support 64 so that the two will be aligned upon the mounting of a socket on the panel tab.

of flatterminals 40a and Ma of the lock or snap-in type are received in

apertures

36a and 38a, respectively, in the housing with ends 4 and don thereof extending into cavity 34a to make electrical and mechanical contact with the lamp electrodes extending along opposite sides of the lamp base.

Unlike lamp socket it), there are no upwardly extending projections of opposing walls Mia and 20a to provide a protective shield or covering for a lamp received in cavity 34av The elimination of these wall projections, however, allows illumination on all sides of the cavity, whereas in the lamp socket 110 the light rays were allowed to be emitted only in two sidewise directions and endwise therefrom. Furthermore, the means for mounting the socket Mia and panel tab 700 is somewhat different from that of lamp socket of FIGS. 1- 3 In the case of socket i041, a protruding nib 90 is'formed integrally with and extends outwardly from the plane of wall a. Also connected to wall 2041, on opposite sides of nib 90, and near the vertical edges of wall 20a, are a pair of opposing, inwardly facing arms @2 and M. The arms are each L-shaped in cross section, with a first leg 35 of the L being connected along the sidewall of the housing and the other leg 87 of the L extending inwardly toward the corresponding leg 87 of the L of the opposing arm. Between each of the legs 87 of arms 82 and M and the wall 2% there is provided a space 86 (HO. 4). Tab 70a of the mounting panel, which is of a width approximately equal to the distance between arms as and 84, is received between the opposing arms in space as. The tab 70a is forced into space db camming over the inclined leading end portion of the nib @ii until aperture 63a in the tab 70a receives the nib 9th therein. This locks the lamp socket to the tab 70a.

Once the nib 94]) is fully received in aperture baa, the lamp socket Mia is not easily removed from the tab 70m. A shoulder 92 on the opposite trailing end of nib 9t) prevents the pulling of lamp socket ltia from panel tab 70a.

Although one particular mounting structure for the socket has been disclosed, others are within the purview of the invention. By way of specific example I mention the connector disclosed and claimed in my copending application for Side Mount Connector, Ser. No. 749,207, filed July 31, 1968, which is herein incorporated by reference.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, since many modifications may be made. It is therefore contemplated to cover by the present application any and all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.

lclaim:

t. A lamp socket for mounting on a panel member including an aperture therein, said lamp socket comprising a housing of insulating material including a cavity in one end thereof for receiving a lamp member therein, a pair of terminals mounted in said housing and having first ends thereof extending into said cavity for electrically and mechanically connecting said lamp member thereto, the opposite ends of said terminal pair connecting said terminals to external wiring for energizing said lamp member, and means connected to said housing for mounting said socket to said panel member, said means including a resilient member extending from said housing for snapping into the aperture in said panel member, said mounting member comprising an arm connected at one end thereof on a sidewall of said housing, said am extending in a direction substantially parallel to said housing along said wall and including at the free end thereof an inwardly facing lock tab, said panel member being receivable between said arm and said housing whereby said lock tab is inserted into said aper-.

ture in said panel member to secure said lampsocket to the latter,'said sidewall including a plurality of projections formed thereon, and extending outwardly therefrom in the direction of said arm and wherein said panel member is received between said armand said extensions so as to rest on the latter. I 2. A lamp socket as claimed in claim ll wherein said one end of said arm includes a U-shaped base support member, said one end of said arm being connected at the bight portion of said U, and extending therefrom substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the U, with the ends of the legs of the latte being connected to said sidewall of said housing.

3. A lamp socket for mounting on a panel member including an aperture therein, said lamp socket comprising a housing of insulating material including a cavity in one end thereof for receiving a lamp member therein, a pair of terminals mounted in said housing and having first ends thereoflextending into said cavity for electrically and mechanically connecting said lamp member thereto, the opposite ends of said terminal pair connecting said terminals to external wiring for energizing said lamp member, and means connected to said housing for mounting said socket to said panel member, said means including a resilient member extending from said housing for snapping into the aperture in said panel member, said mounting member includes a nib extending from a sidewall of said housing, wherein said mounting means further includes a pair of opposing inwardly facing arms mounted on said sidewall on opposite sides of said nib, said arms being spaced from said wall for receiving therebetween said panel member, said nib being received in said aperture in said panel member upon the receipt of said panel member between said arms, said nib including on the leading end thereof a cam surface and on the trailing end thereof a shoulder portion, said cam surface engaging said panel member upon receiving the latter between said arms, and said shoulder portion engaging said panel member at the edge of said aperture upon the receipt of said nib in the latter, to prevent easy removal of said lamp socket from said panel member.

4. The combination comprising a panel member having an aperture therein, and a lamp socket for mounting thereon, said lamp socket comprising: a housing of an insulating material, having a cavity in one end thereof for receiving the base of a lamp, first and second apertures extending-through said housing from the opposite end thereof and communicating with said cavity, first and second terminals, each being mounted in a respective one of said apertures with first ends thereof extending into the cavity for electrically and mechanically contacting said lamp base, the opposite ends of the terminals connected to external circuitry for energizing said lamp, and mounting means formed integrally with said housing on a sidewall thereof, said mounting means including a resilient arm having a first end attached to said sidewall, said arm extending along said sidewall at a predetermined distance therefrom, and including at the second end thereof a locking tab, said tab being receivable in the aperture in said panel upon the receipt of said panel between said arm and said sidewall of said housing, thereby to secure said lamp socket to said panel, said panel member including a tab of a predetermined width having an aperture therethrough located a predetermined distance from the free end thereof, and wherein said resilient arm of said lamp socket is of a predetermined length so as to align said aperture in said panel tab and said lock tab, thereby to insure the receipt of the latter in the former.

5. A lamp socket for mounting on a panel member having an aperture therein, said lamp socket comprising: a housing of an insulating material, having a cavity in one end thereof for receiving the base of a lamp, first and second apertures extending through said housing from the opposite end thereof and communicating with said cavity, first and second tertures with first ends thereof extending into the cavity for electrically and mechanically contacting said lamp base, the opposite ends of the terminals connected to external circuitry for energizing said lamp, and mounting means formed integrally with said housing on a sidewall thereof, said mounting means including a resilient arm having a first end attached to said sidewall, said arm extending along said sidewall at a predetermined distance therefrom, and including at the second end thereof a locking tab, said tab being receivable in the aperture insaid panel upon the receipt of said panel between said arm and said sidewall of said housing, thereby to secure said lamp socket to said panel, a plurality of support projections integrally formed with said sidewall and facing outwardly toward said resilient arm, so that upon the receipt of said panel member between said arm and sidewall said panel member rests on said projections.

6. A lamp socket for mounting on a panel tab of a predetermined width, having an aperture extending therethrough, said lamp socket comprising: a housing of insulating material having fou'r interconnected sidewalls and a pair of end walls, one of said end walls including a cavity therein for receiving the base of a lamp, and a pair of apertures extending through said housing from the opposite end wall thereof and communicating with said cavity, a pair of terminals, each being mounted in one of said apertures with a first end thereof extending outwardly into said cavity in spaced-apart relation for receiving said lamp base therebetween thereby to make an electrical connection therewith, and mounting means including a nib integrally formedwith and extending outwardly from a first sidewall of said housing, and a pair of opposing arm members integrally formed with and extending from said first sidewall on opposite sides of said nib and spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the predetermined width of said panel tab, said panel tab being receivable between said spaced-apart arm members so that said nib is inserted into said aperture in said panel tab, thereby to secure said lamp socket thereto.

Claims

1. A lamp socket for mounting on a panel member including an aperture therein, said lamp socket comprising a housing of insulating material including a cavity in one end thereof for receiving a lamp member therein, a pair of terminals mounted in said housing and having first ends thereof extending into said cavity for electrically and mechanically connecting said lamp member thereto, the opposite ends of said terminal pair connecting said terminals to external wiring for energizing said lamp member, and means connected to said housing for mounting said socket to said panel member, said means including a resilient member extending from said housing for snapping into the aperture in said panel member, said mounting member comprising an arm connected at one end thereof on a sidewall of said housing, said arm extending in a direction substantially parallel to said housing along said wall and including at the free end thereof an inwardly facing lock tab, said panel member being receivable between said arm and said housing whereby said lock tab is inserted into said aperture in said panel member to secure said lamp socket to the latter, said sidewall including a plurality of projections formed thereon, and extending outwardly therefrom in the direction of said arm and wherein said panel member is received between said arm and said extensions so as to rest on the latter.

2. A lamp socket as claimed in claim 1 wherein said one end of said arm includes a U-shaped base support member, said one end of said arm being connected at the bight portion of said U, and extending therefrom substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the U, with the ends of the legs of the latter being connected to said sidewall of said housing.

3. A lamp socket for mounting on a panel member including an aperture therein, said lamp socket comprising a housing of insulating material including a cavity in one end thereof for receiving a lamp member therein, a pair of terminals mounted in said housing and having first ends thereof extending into said cavity for electrically and mechanically connecting said lamp member thereto, the opposite ends of said terminal pair connecting said terminals to external wiring for energizing said lamp member, and means connected to said housing for mounting said socket to said panel member, said means including a resilient member extending from said housing for snapping into the aperture in said panel member, said mounting member includes a nib extending from a sidewall of said housing, wherein said mounting means further includes a pair of opposing inwardly facing arms mounted on said sidewall on opposite sides of said nib, said arms being spaced from said wall for receiving therebetween said panel member, said nib being received in said aperture in said panel member upon the receipt of said panel member between said arms, said nib including on the leading end thereof a cam surface and on the trailing end thereof a shoulder portion, said cam surface engaging said panel member upon receiving the latter between said arms, and said shoulder portion engaging said panel meMber at the edge of said aperture upon the receipt of said nib in the latter, to prevent easy removal of said lamp socket from said panel member.

4. The combination comprising a panel member having an aperture therein, and a lamp socket for mounting thereon, said lamp socket comprising: a housing of an insulating material, having a cavity in one end thereof for receiving the base of a lamp, first and second apertures extending through said housing from the opposite end thereof and communicating with said cavity, first and second terminals, each being mounted in a respective one of said apertures with first ends thereof extending into the cavity for electrically and mechanically contacting said lamp base, the opposite ends of the terminals connected to external circuitry for energizing said lamp, and mounting means formed integrally with said housing on a sidewall thereof, said mounting means including a resilient arm having a first end attached to said sidewall, said arm extending along said sidewall at a predetermined distance therefrom, and including at the second end thereof a locking tab, said tab being receivable in the aperture in said panel upon the receipt of said panel between said arm and said sidewall of said housing, thereby to secure said lamp socket to said panel, said panel member including a tab of a predetermined width having an aperture therethrough located a predetermined distance from the free end thereof, and wherein said resilient arm of said lamp socket is of a predetermined length so as to align said aperture in said panel tab and said lock tab, thereby to insure the receipt of the latter in the former.

5. A lamp socket for mounting on a panel member having an aperture therein, said lamp socket comprising: a housing of an insulating material, having a cavity in one end thereof for receiving the base of a lamp, first and second apertures extending through said housing from the opposite end thereof and communicating with said cavity, first and second terminals, each being mounted in a respective one of said apertures with first ends thereof extending into the cavity for electrically and mechanically contacting said lamp base, the opposite ends of the terminals connected to external circuitry for energizing said lamp, and mounting means formed integrally with said housing on a sidewall thereof, said mounting means including a resilient arm having a first end attached to said sidewall, said arm extending along said sidewall at a predetermined distance therefrom, and including at the second end thereof a locking tab, said tab being receivable in the aperture in said panel upon the receipt of said panel between said arm and said sidewall of said housing, thereby to secure said lamp socket to said panel, a plurality of support projections integrally formed with said sidewall and facing outwardly toward said resilient arm, so that upon the receipt of said panel member between said arm and sidewall said panel member rests on said projections.

6. A lamp socket for mounting on a panel tab of a predetermined width, having an aperture extending therethrough, said lamp socket comprising: a housing of insulating material having four interconnected sidewalls and a pair of end walls, one of said end walls including a cavity therein for receiving the base of a lamp, and a pair of apertures extending through said housing from the opposite end wall thereof and communicating with said cavity, a pair of terminals, each being mounted in one of said apertures with a first end thereof extending outwardly into said cavity in spaced-apart relation for receiving said lamp base therebetween thereby to make an electrical connection therewith, and mounting means including a nib integrally formed with and extending outwardly from a first sidewall of said housing, and a pair of opposing arm members integrally formed with and extending from said first sidewall on opposite sides of said nib and spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the predetermined width of said paNel tab, said panel tab being receivable between said spaced-apart arm members so that said nib is inserted into said aperture in said panel tab, thereby to secure said lamp socket thereto.