US3775607A

US3775607A - Lamp housing assembly

Info

Publication number: US3775607A
Application number: US00279558A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Blomstedt
Original assignee: Honeywell Information Systems Italia SpA
Current assignee: Bull HN Information Systems Italia SpA; Bull HN Information Systems Inc
Priority date: 1972-08-10
Filing date: 1972-08-10
Publication date: 1973-11-27
Anticipated expiration: 1990-11-27

Abstract

A lamp housing assembly, including a baseplate and two substantially identical molded members, for supporting light bulbs used in illuminating regions of a display panel. The two molded members are bonded together and the baseplate is removably attached to the bonded molded members. The bonded molded members are adapted to receive springs, which removably couple the lamp housing assembly to a display panel backplate. The lamp housing assembly can also be removably fastened to mounting strips by projections coupled to the baseplate. A plurality of lamps, secured in the lamp housing assembly by the baseplate provide continuous illumination in event of failure of one of the lamps. Removable partitions can be inserted in the lamp housing assembly, utilizing redundant light bulbs to illuminate separate areas of the display panel. Apertures are provided to ventilate the heat produced by the bulbs, while minimizing stray light.

Description

United States Patent [191 Blomstedt Nov. 27, 1973 [73] Assignee: Honeywell Information Systems Inc'.,

Waltham, Mass.

[22] Filed: Aug. 10, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 279,558

[75] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl 240/73 R, 240/2.l, 240/8.16, 240/52.1, 340/381 [51] Int. Cl F215 1/02 [58] Field of Search 240/73 R, 73 DA,

240/73 QD, 52.1, 2.1, 1 R, 8.16; 340/381 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,555,543 1/1971 Lynch 240/52.l X 3,703,720 11/1972 Cartelli. 340/381 3,681,552 8/1972 Bailey 340/381 X 2,797,407 6/1957 Greenlee et a1. 340/381 X 3,639,745 2/1972 Shiki 240/52.1 X 3,508,043 4/1970 Dellert 240/52.l

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,480,168 4/1967 France 240/8.l6 809,130 2/1959 Great Britain... 240/8.16 618,745 4/1961 Canada 240/8.l6 706,592 3/1954 Great Britain 240/8.l6

8/1960 Germany ..240/8.l6 2/1965 Germany ..240/8.l6

Primary Examiner-Richard L. Moses Attorney-William W. Holloway, Jr. et a1.

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT A lamp housing assembly, including a baseplate and two substantially identical molded members, for supporting light bulbs used in illuminating regions of a display panel. The two molded members are bonded together and the baseplate is removably attached to the bonded molded members. The bonded molded members are adapted to receive springs, which removably couple the lamp housing assembly to a display panel backplate. The lamp housing assembly can also be removably fastened to mounting strips by projections coupled to the baseplate. A plurality of lamps, secured in the lamp housing assembly by the baseplate provide continuous illumination in event of failure of one of the lamps. Removable partitions can be inserted in the lamp housing assembly, utilizing redundant light bulbs to illuminate separate areas of the display panel. Apertures are provided to ventilate the heat produced by the bulbs, while minimizing stray light.

16 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEU NUVZ 71973 SHEET 1 BF 4 PATENTED NHV 2 71973 SHEET 3 0F 4 1 LAMP HOUSINGv ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION translucentregions of adisplay panel. The illumination:

of the translucent areas is the result of activation of lamps behind the display panel in response to appropriate signals. Lamp housing assembly units structurally support the light bulbs and optically isolate the translucent regions.

It is known in the prior. art to fabricate lamp housing assembly units from single blocks of material. These units are typically machinedor cast from metal and;

provide support for amultiplicity of light-bulbs for rea sons concerned with economy of fabrication. Another approach is to provide compartments for the light bulbs formed by regions of interlaced opa'que strips. The light bulbs themselves are supported on a plate attached'tothe rear of the interlaced strips. The plurality. of light bulbs provide illumination for a multipicity'of translucent regions of the display panels. However, a lamp housing assembly, which contains several light bulbs, or the compartment assembly restricts the variety. of display panel configurationswhich can be accomodated. Moreover, the reduction of the number of lamps in each lamp housing'assembly, to increase the numberof compatible display panel configurations, results in an unacceptable increase in the-cost illumination of each translucent display area. I

The lamp housing assembly units of the prior art typically provide'a single method of coupling housing units to a display unit, thereby limiting the different types of display configurations with which the lamp-housing assembly units may beutilized.

In many display applications, a translucent area is normally illuminated by more than one lamp-to provide an operable display even in the presence of a single lamp failure. Thislamp redundancy featureisunimportant, however, in many display applicationswhere each light bulb can be-used to illuminate a separate-region of the display panel. In the prior art, no methodis pro'-- vided for conveniently changing'a lamp housingassembly to or from a lamp redundancy mode of operation.

The heat of the light bulbs'is ventilated by apertures.

in the lamp housing assembly unit. These apertures require additional fabrication in thelamphousing assemblies of the prior art.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to or to illuminate an area of a display panel with at least two lightbulbs according to the requirements of the application.

It is another object of the. present invention to provideheat-venting apertures without increasing the complexity of fabrication.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method for conveniently reconfiguringarrangements of lamp housing: assembly unitsrto be compatible with different display configurations.

It is still another objectof the present invention to provide a single inexpensive lamp housing assembly.

- without requiring the presence ofalargemultiplicity of light bulbs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The aforementioned and other objectsare accomplished, according to the present invention, by a lamp housing assembly comprised of a baseplate and' two substantially identical molded housing units. The molded housing units are placed opposedly and bonded togetherv toform a lamp housing assembly body. The baseplate is demountably attached to. the assembly body. and, in addition to providingadditional strength for the lamphousingassembly', removablyv secures a plurality of light bulbs'inside the assemblyibody.

The lamp housing assembly is adapted to receive" springs which provide apparatus for removably: attaching the lamp housing assembly to a display panel unit. Projections, coupled to the baseplate, provide an alternativemethod of removably attaching the lamp housing assembly to the ventilation panel unit.

The molded housing units are fabricatedso thatone or more removable-partitionscan be attachedto the as-- sembly body to isolate optically each one" or selected groupsof the plurality of light bulbs. The structure of the molded. housing units provided nentilation apertures-in the assembly body without additional fabrication.

These and other featuresof the invention will be understood upon reading of the following description along with the drawings;

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is' an exploded perspective view of a lamp housing assembling according'to the preferredembodiment. One of the two substantially identical members demountably coupling the'lamp housing assembly to adisplay panel backplate.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a methodofdemount' ably coupling-the lamp housing assembly to a backplate of=a display panel.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a method of demountably coupling the lamp housing assembly to mounting strips behind a display panel;

DESCRIPTION OF'THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Detailed Description of the Figures Referring now to FIG. l,'a schematic perspective diagram of a portion of a'Lamp" Housing. Assembly is shown. A Lamp Housing Unit 20, a removable partition 30', a'Base plate 10, Light Bulbs 40, and-aLeaf'Spring Unit 50 are shown. A second substantially identical. Lamp Housing Unit 20, positioned opposedly to the first Housing Unit 20, and a second substantially identical Leaf Spring Unit 50 are ommitted from FIG. 1. The arrangement of these elements is evident from FIG. 5.

Referring now to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, a plan view of Baseplate 10, the elements comprising Baseplate are shown. Baseplate 10 is comprised ofa conducting ma terial and forms an electrical connection for Light Bulbs 40. Projections 11 of Baseplate 10 are used to couple an electrical contact to the Lamp Housing Assembly and/or to demountable couple the Lamp Housing Assembly mechanically to a display unit.

Baseplate 10 has two Baseplate Openings 13 for Positioning Light Bulbs 40. Conducting Lips 41 prevent Light Bulbs 40 from passing completely through Openings 13, as well as providing an electrical contact between the Light Bulbs 40 and Baseplate 10.

Light Bulbs 40 are removably secured in Openings 13 by Conducting Springs 14. Spring Openings 16 are adapted to engage Protuberances 42 of Light Bulbs 40, thereby securing Light Bulbs 40 in Baseplate Openings l3. Conducting Springs 14, by mechanically contacting Protuberances 42, provide second electrical terminals for Light Bulbs 40. Connection Openings provide a convenient method for attaching electrical leads from a power source to Conducting Springs 14.

Conducting Springs 14 are electrically isolated from Conducting Lips 41 by Insulating Regions 43 of the Light Bulbs 40, and are electrically isolated from Base plate by Insulating Washers l9.

Notches 12 in Baseplate 10 have been provided for positioning and demountably securing Baseplate 10 to a Lamp Housing Body 5. The Lamp Housing Body 5 is comprised of two substantially identical Lamp Housing Units 20, positioned opposedly and ultrasonically bonded together in the preferred embodiments.

Referring next to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, which is a plan view of a Lamp Housing Unit 20, the elements of the Lamp Housing Units 20 are shown. In the preferred embodiment, Lamp Housing Units 20 have been molded from high impact plastic, but other materials can be used.

Ventilation Openings 21 provide aperatures in the Lamp Housing Body 5 to vent air heated by the Light Bulbs 40. Lamp Openings 22 provide structure which allows Light Bulbs 40 to extend into the Lamp Housing Body 5. Housing Openings 23 are provided for additional hot air ventilation or can be used to couple a Wire Spring Unit, used in place of the Leaf Spring Unit 50 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4. Housing Openings 23 can also be used to align and support a plurality of Lamping Housing Assemblies, which are positioned side by sidev Housing Rim 24 of Lamp Housing Unit 20 provides additional strength for the Lamp Housing Body. Housing Rim 24 is also used in combination with Leaf Spring Units 21 or Wire Spring Units to secure a Lamp Housing Assembly in a Display Panel Backplate Opening 61 ofa Display Panel Backplate 60 (i.e., shown in FIG. 5).

Projections 25 are inserted into Holes 26, when two Lamp Housing Units 20 are placed opposedly, to position accurately the Lamp Housing Units 20 of the bonded Lamp Housing Body. Housing Ribs provide the excess material used in ultrasonically bonding the two Lamp Housing units 20 together.

Housing Side 34, extending below Lamp Housing Base 33, is coupled to Baseplate Ridge 28 and Leaf Spring Ridge 29. Baseplate 10 is removably secured between Base Plate Ridge 28 and Leaf Spring Ridge 29 of the two bonded Lamp Housing Units when Protrusion 17 is coupled with Notch 12. Projection Coupling 18, which supports Protrusion 17, provides sufficient flexibility so that Protrusion 17 can be extracted from Notch 12 and Baseplate 10 can be withdrawn from the lamp housing Body.

Leaf Spring Unit 50 is shown FIG. 1 and, on a plan view, in FIG. 4. Leaf Spring Units 50 are attached to the Lamp Housing Body when Spring Surface 52 is supported by the upper surface of Leaf Spring Ridge 29 and Spring Finger 51 is engaged by Grove 27 in Lamp Housing Base 33. The Leaf Springs 53 of Leaf Spring Unit 50 extend the Leaf Spring Edges 54 after passing through the Display Panel Baseplate Opening 61 of Display Panel Backplate 60 (Le, FIG. 5). Then the Lamp Housing Assembly is demountable secured to the Display Panel Backplate by Leaf Spring Edges 54 and Lamp Housing Rim 24.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, two Light Bulbs 40 are provided in each Lamp Housing Assembly. To isolate the Light Bulbs optically, a Partition 30 can be removably secured in the Lamp Housing Body 5. Partition 30 has Partition Ridges 33 which fit into Partition Resseses 32 of the Lamp Housing Unit 20. The positioning of Partition 30 is determined by Partition Guides 31 of Lamp Housing Unit 20, positioned in the interior of the Lamp Housing Body.

Referring next to FIG. 5, a translucent Region 71 in a Display Panel is shown. Immediately behind the Display Panel 70, Display Panel Backplate 60 is positioned so that Display Panel Backplate Opening 61 is directly behind the Translucent Area 71. The Lamp Housing Assembly is coupled in Backplate Opening 61 by compressing the Leaf Springs 53 of Leaf Spring Unit 50. After passing through the Display Panel Backplate Opening 61, the Leaf Springs 53 expand so that the Lamp Housing Assembly is secured to the Display Panel Backplate 60 by the underside of Housing Rim 24 and the Leaf Spring Edges 54. To remove the Lamp Housing Assembly, the Leaf Spring Unit 50 is manually contracted so that passage through the Display Panel Backplate Opening 61 is possible. The Display Panel Backplate 60 must be sufficiently close to Display Panel 70 to prevent stray light from reaching adjoining Translucent Areas.

Instead of Leaf Spring Units 50, Wire Spring Units, coupled to the Lamp Housing Assembly 5, (Le. to Opening 23), may be employed in a similar fashion.

Referring next to FIG. 6, Mounting Strips with appropriately positioned Mounting

Slits

81, 82, 83, etc can be employed to detachably mount the Lamp Housing Assembly. Projections 11 are inserted in appropriate pairs of Mounting Slits 81, and not only support the Lamp Housing Assembly behind a Translucent Portion 71 of Display Panel 70, but also provide an electrical connection for the Baseplate l0. Mounting Strips 80 must be sufficiently near to Display Panel 70 to prevent stray light from reaching adjoining Translucent Areas. A second Lamp Housing Assembly may be positioned side-by-side with a first Assembly by placing the second Assembly in Mounting Slits 83. Placing one Baseplate Projection l 1 in TerminalStrip Opening 82, the second Baseplate Projection 11 being inserted in an opening in an appropriately located Mounting Slit, Lamp'Housing Assemblies can be positioned end-to-end.

Application of the Preferred Embodiment plate 10. Light Bulbs are accessible from the rear of a I Lamp Housing Assembly so that replacement of the Light Bulbs is possible without disturbing the display panel configuration.

The Lamp Housing Assembly, according to the preferred embodiment, contains two light Bulbs 40. With the dividing Partition 30 removed, the two Light Bulbs 40 provide a redundancy feature important in selected applications. The arrangement with two bulbs permits the maximum flexibility of display configuration, while maintaining the redundancy feature. When the Partition 30 is replaced in the Lamp Housing Assembly, two separate display regions may illuminated, individually or collectively.

The two methods of mounting a Lamp Housing Assembly, shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, provide flexibility in display configurations possible. Display Panel Backplate Openings may be added with comparative ease. Similarly, the positions of the Mountings Stripsand the Mounting Slits can be conveniently altered. Because each Lamp Housing Assembly in the preferred embodiment contains only two Light Bulbs, additional flexibility is achieved.

In the preferred embodiment, two Light Bulbs have been employed in the Lamp Housing Assembly. However a Lamp Housing Assembly can be constructed with several Light Bulbs. For example, a Lamp Housing Assembly with ten Light Bulbs and nine Partitions could be used to illuminate an in-line decimal display.

In the preferred embodiments shown in FIG. and FIG. 6, a translucent portion of a Display Panel 70 is demonstrated. However the translucent portion of the I display can be attached to the front of the Lamp Housing Assembly itself. Thus for example in FIG. 5, Translucent Portion 71- is coupled directly to Lamp Housing Body 5 and the Display Panel 70 is not used. This display system has greater flexibility than the illumination of a part of a fixed Display Panel.

The above description is included to illustrate the operation of the preferred embodiment and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is to be limited only by the the following claims. From the above discussion, many variations will be apparent to one skilled in the art that would yet be encompassed by the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A lamp housing assembly for supporting a plurality of lamps in a display unit comprising:

at least one removable partition;

a first part including a base section, first housing wall, a second housing wall and a third housing wall, said first housing wall extending above an upper surface at an exterior side of said base section, said second and said third housing walls extending above said upper surface at ends of said base section, said first housing wall connected to said second and third housing walls, said base-section having portions removed from an interiorside of said base section, said first housing wall including positioning means;

a second part substantially identical "to said first molded part, said interior sides of said .parts bonded together, wherein said third housing wall of each of said parts is bonded to said second housing walls of a remaining one of said part, said first, second and third housing walls forming an interior region of said lamp housing assembly, said lamps extending into said interior region through apertures formed by said portions removed from said base section, and said removable partition positioned in said interior region by said positioning means for optically separating at least one of said lamps from a remainder of said lamps; and

a base plate including means for removably coupling said plurality of lamps, said first and second parts further including fourth walls extending below a lower surface of said exterior side of said base section, said fourth walls further including first grooves generally parallel to said lower surface on interior sides of said fourth walls, said base plate slidably mounted in said first grooves.

2. The lamp housing assembly of claim 1 wherein said base plate includes a first coupling means for coupling sa'id assembly to said display unit.

' 3. The lamp housing assembly of claim 2 wherein said base plate includes at least two notches and wherein each of said first grooves contains a flexible projection, said flexible projection of said first and second parts engaging said grooves for positioning said base plate re.- movably in said first groovesj 4. The lamp housing assembly of claim 3 further including at least one leaf spring, wherein each of said fourth walls includes a second groove generally parallel to said lower surface, and disposed betweensaid first groove and said lower surface, wherein each of said first, second and third wallscontain a flange exterior to said lamp housing assembly, said leaf spring being coupled to said lamp housing assembly by engaging said second grooves, said exterior flange and said coupled leaf spring forming a second coupling means for coupling said lamp housing assembly to said display unit.

5. The lamp housing assembly of claim 3 further including a wire spring, wherein each of said first housing walls including an opening, said wire spring being coupled to said lamp housing assembly be engaging said opening, said coupled wire spring and said exterior flange providing third coupling means for coupling said lamp housing assembly to said display unit.

6. A display unit lamp housing module, said lamp housing module used in conjunction with a base plate and at least one leaf spring, said base plate having a first means for coupling to said display unit and means for coupling a plurality of removable lamps to said base plate, comprising: i

at least one removable partition, and

two substantially identical mated molded parts, each of said molded parts including a base portion and a wall portion extending from an upper surface of said base portion, said wall portions of said molded parts and said upper surfaces of said molded parts forming an interior region of said lamp housing module, said wall portions including outer flanges on an exterior of said lamp housing module, said each molded part further including a support wall extending from a lower surface of said base portion, said each support wall including a pair of inwardly facing flanges, said flanges and said lower surface forming an upper and a lower groove, lower grooves of said mated parts slidably engaging said base plate, said base portion having selected portions removed to form apertures in said module, said lamps extending into said interior region through said apertures, upper grooves of said mated parts for securing said leaf spring, said leaf spring and said outer flanges provided a second means for coupling to said display unit, said wall portions of said interior regions having positioning means for slidably coupling a said removable portion to said housing module, said partition adapted to isolate optically at least one of said plurality of lamps from a remainder of lamps 7. The lamp housing module of claim 6 for use in conjunction with a wire spring whereby said wall portions contain cavities for securing said wire spring, said wire spring and said out flanges forming a third means for coupling to said display unit.

8. The lamp housing module of claim 6 wherein a one of said pair of flanges includes a projection for positioning said base plate, said projection engaging a notch in said base plate.

9. The lamp housing module of claim 8 wherein surfaces of said mated parts to be positioned in contact include cavities and pins, cavities of a first of said mated parts engaging pins of said first mated part engaging cavities of said second mated part.

10. The lamp module of claim 9 wherein said parts are molded from high impact plastic and wherein said molded parts are ultrasonically bonded together.

11. A lamp housing assembly for positioning a plurality of lamps in a display unit comprising:

at least one removable partition a lamp housing including two substantially identical molded mated parts, each of said molded parts including a base section and a housing wall extending from an upper surface of said base section, said base sections and said housing walls forming an interior of said lamp housing assembly, said housing walls having an exterior flange, said base sections having portion removed to form a plurality base section apertures in said lamp housing, each of said molded parts further including a support wall extending from a lower surface of said base section, each of said support walls including a first and a second flange, said first flanges and said lower surfaces forming first grooves of said lamp housing, said first flanges and said second flanges forming second grooves of said lamp housing, said housing walls of said interior further including positioning means for positioning and securing said at least one removable partition;

a base plate having means for removably coupling said plurality of lamps to said base plate, said base plate slidably engaged in said second grooves, said lamps coupled to said base plate extending into said interior region, said removable partition optically separating at least one of said lamps from a remainder of said base plate further including means for coupling said lamps to a controllable power source, said base plate still further including a first coupling means for removably attaching said lamp housing assembly to said display unit; and

at least one leaf spring, said leaf spring secured in said first grooves of said lamp housing, said leaf spring and said exterior flange being a second coupling means for removably attaching said lamp housing assembly to said display unit.

12. The lamp housing assembly of claim 11 wherein said one of said first and second flanges includes a projection, and wherein said base plate includes at least two notches, said lamp housing projections engaging said notches to position removably said base plate relative to said lamp assembly.

13. The lamp housing assembly of claim 12 further including a wire spring, wherein said lamp housing walls have openings, said wire spring being attached to said lamp housing by being inserted in said openings, said wire spring and said exterior flange forming a third means for coupling said lamp housing assembly to said display unit.

14. The lamp housing assembly of claim 12 further including translucent areas, said translucent areas coupled to said lamp housing.

15. A display unit, utilizing a plurality of lamps for exhibiting patterns, comprising:

at least one front panel including a plurality of translucent areas, a selected translucent area exhibiting a one of said patterns when said area is illuminated by at least one lamp; plurality of lamp housing assemblies, each of said assemblies supporting at least two removable lamps in an interior region of said assemblies, each lamp housing assembly including at least one partition and means for removably coupling said partition to a remainder of said lamp housing assembly, said partition dividing said interior region, wherein two of said translucent areas can be illuminated by said removable lamps when said partition is coupled to said remainder of said lamp housing assembly, wherein one of said translucent areas region can be illuminated by more than one lamp when said partition is removed from said remainder of said lamp housing assembly; and

support means for positioning a one of said lamp housing assemblies behind a selected translucent area containing at least one of said patterns to be exhibited, wherein said support means includes movable mounting strips containing slots for removably engaging prongs of said lamp housing assembly.

16. The display unit of claim 15 wherein said support means further includes a display unit back plate and wherein said lamp housing assembly includes at least one leaf spring and an exterior rim for mounting said lamp housing assembly to said display unit base plate. k

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION 3,775,607 Dated mmbg; g 1913 Inventor(s) John W. Blomstedt Patent No.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 7, line 17, after "of", insert --said--.

Signed and sealed this 7th day of May 197E.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD H.LETCHER,JR. C MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 a u.s, eovznuuzbrr nmmm; ornc: son o-ug-sss,

FORM PC3-1050 (10 69)

Claims

1. A lamp housing assembly for supporting a plurality of lamps in a display unit comprising: at least one removable partition; a first part including a base section, first housing wall, a second housing wall and a third housing wall, said first housing wall extending above an upper surface at an exterior side of said base section, said second and said third housing walls extending above said upper surface at ends of said base section, said first housing wall connected to said second and third housing walls, said base section having portions removed from an interior side of said base section, said first housing wall including positioning means; a second part substantially identical to said first molded part, said interior sides of said parts bonded together, wherein said third housing wall of each of said parts is bonded to said second housing walls of a remaining one of said part, said first, second and third housing walls forming an interior region of said lamp housing assembly, said lamps extending into said interior region through apertures formed by said portions removed from said base section, and said removable partition positioned in said interior region by said positioning means for optically separating at least one of said lamps from a remainder of said lamps; and a base plate including means for removably coupling said plurality of lamps, said first and second parts further including fourth walls extending below a lower surface of said exterior side of said base section, said fourth walls furthEr including first grooves generally parallel to said lower surface on interior sides of said fourth walls, said base plate slidably mounted in said first grooves.

2. The lamp housing assembly of claim 1 wherein said base plate includes a first coupling means for coupling said assembly to said display unit.

3. The lamp housing assembly of claim 2 wherein said base plate includes at least two notches and wherein each of said first grooves contains a flexible projection, said flexible projection of said first and second parts engaging said grooves for positioning said base plate removably in said first grooves.

4. The lamp housing assembly of claim 3 further including at least one leaf spring, wherein each of said fourth walls includes a second groove generally parallel to said lower surface, and disposed between said first groove and said lower surface, wherein each of said first, second and third walls contain a flange exterior to said lamp housing assembly, said leaf spring being coupled to said lamp housing assembly by engaging said second grooves, said exterior flange and said coupled leaf spring forming a second coupling means for coupling said lamp housing assembly to said display unit.

6. A display unit lamp housing module, said lamp housing module used in conjunction with a base plate and at least one leaf spring, said base plate having a first means for coupling to said display unit and means for coupling a plurality of removable lamps to said base plate, comprising: at least one removable partition, and two substantially identical mated molded parts, each of said molded parts including a base portion and a wall portion extending from an upper surface of said base portion, said wall portions of said molded parts and said upper surfaces of said molded parts forming an interior region of said lamp housing module, said wall portions including outer flanges on an exterior of said lamp housing module, said each molded part further including a support wall extending from a lower surface of said base portion, said each support wall including a pair of inwardly facing flanges, said flanges and said lower surface forming an upper and a lower groove, lower grooves of said mated parts slidably engaging said base plate, said base portion having selected portions removed to form apertures in said module, said lamps extending into said interior region through said apertures, upper grooves of said mated parts for securing said leaf spring, said leaf spring and said outer flanges provided a second means for coupling to said display unit, said wall portions of said interior regions having positioning means for slidably coupling a said removable portion to said housing module, said partition adapted to isolate optically at least one of said plurality of lamps from a remainder of lamps.

7. The lamp housing module of claim 6 for use in conjunction with a wire spring whereby said wall portions contain cavities for securing said wire spring, said wire spring and said out flanges forming a third means for coupling to said display unit.

11. A lamp housing assembly for positioning a plurality of lamps in a display unit comprising: at least one removable partition a lamp housing including two substantially identical molded mated parts, each of said molded parts including a base section and a housing wall extending from an upper surface of said base section, said base sections and said housing walls forming an interior of said lamp housing assembly, said housing walls having an exterior flange, said base sections having portion removed to form a plurality base section apertures in said lamp housing, each of said molded parts further including a support wall extending from a lower surface of said base section, each of said support walls including a first and a second flange, said first flanges and said lower surfaces forming first grooves of said lamp housing, said first flanges and said second flanges forming second grooves of said lamp housing, said housing walls of said interior further including positioning means for positioning and securing said at least one removable partition; a base plate having means for removably coupling said plurality of lamps to said base plate, said base plate slidably engaged in said second grooves, said lamps coupled to said base plate extending into said interior region, said removable partition optically separating at least one of said lamps from a remainder of said base plate further including means for coupling said lamps to a controllable power source, said base plate still further including a first coupling means for removably attaching said lamp housing assembly to said display unit; and at least one leaf spring, said leaf spring secured in said first grooves of said lamp housing, said leaf spring and said exterior flange being a second coupling means for removably attaching said lamp housing assembly to said display unit.

15. A display unit, utilizing a plurality of lamps for exhibiting patterns, comprising: at least one front panel including a plurality of translucent areas, a selected translucent area exhibiting a one of said patterns when said area is illuminated by at least one lamp; a plurality of lamp housing assemblies, each of said assemblies supporting at least two removable lamps in an interior region of said assemblies, each lamp housing assembly including at least one partition and means for removably coupling said partition to a remainder of said lamp housing assembly, said partition dividing said interior region, wherein two of said translucent areas can be illuminated by said removable lamps when said partition is coupled to said remainder of said lamp housing assembly, wherein one of said translucent areas region can be illuminated by more than one lamp when said partition is removed from said remainder of said lamp housing assembly; and support means for positioning a one of said lamp housing assemblies behind a selected translucent area containing at least one of said patterns to be exhibited, wherein said support means includes movable mounting strips containing slots for removably engaging prongs of said lamp housing assembly.

16. The display unit of claim 15 wherein said support means further includes a display unIt back plate and wherein said lamp housing assembly includes at least one leaf spring and an exterior rim for mounting said lamp housing assembly to said display unit base plate.