CA2509132A1 - High temperature lamp connector and socket for double-ended lamp - Google Patents

High temperature lamp connector and socket for double-ended lamp Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2509132A1
CA2509132A1 CA002509132A CA2509132A CA2509132A1 CA 2509132 A1 CA2509132 A1 CA 2509132A1 CA 002509132 A CA002509132 A CA 002509132A CA 2509132 A CA2509132 A CA 2509132A CA 2509132 A1 CA2509132 A1 CA 2509132A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
lamp
connector
upright
opposed
electrical contact
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
CA002509132A
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2509132C (en
Inventor
Michael J. Frappier
William H. Gosselin
Jonathan B. Arold
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Osram Sylvania Inc
Original Assignee
Osram Sylvania Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Osram Sylvania Inc filed Critical Osram Sylvania Inc
Publication of CA2509132A1 publication Critical patent/CA2509132A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2509132C publication Critical patent/CA2509132C/en
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01RELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R33/00Coupling devices specially adapted for supporting apparatus and having one part acting as a holder providing support and electrical connection via a counterpart which is structurally associated with the apparatus, e.g. lamp holders; Separate parts thereof
    • H01R33/02Single-pole devices, e.g. holder for supporting one end of a tubular incandescent or neon lamp

Abstract

A socket (5) for a double-ended lamp (12) comprises a pair of opposed connectors (10) including single-piece ceramic housings (14) each having a top surface (16) and a bottom surface (18) and including a contact receiving area (20) formed in the top surface (16).
An electrical contact (22) is positioned in the contact receiving area (20) and secured by any suitable means. The electrical contact (22) has a rectangular base (24) with two sides (26, 28) and two ends (30, 32). Opposed, upright walls (34, 36) extend from the sides (26, 28) of the base (24), and an upright clip (38) extends from one end of the base, for example, end (30). The upright walls (34, 36) and the upright clip (38) have portions projecting beyond the top surface (16) of the ceramic housing (14) to receive an end (40) of the lamp (12) therein. The electrical contact (22) is further mounted within a supplemental spring (50) having opposed legs (54, 56) which are adjacent to the upright walls (34, 36) of the contact. The legs (54, 56) engage the upright walls (34, 36), particularly when a lamp is inserted, providing increased tension thereto. The opposed connectors (10) are separated by a given distance and attached to a connecting bar (70).

Description

Attorney Docket No.: 04-1-767 HIGH TEMPERATURE LAMP CONNECTOR AND SOCKET FOR
DOUBLE-ENDED LAMP
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to lamp sockets and more particularly to high-temperature lamp sockets for double-ended lamps BACKGROUND ART
Double-ended metal halide arc discharge (amps are known. Some kinds of these lamps have achieved wide usage in entertainment lighting. One particular version of such a lamp is designated SharXS~ and is produced by Osram Photo-Optic. Lamps of this type are available from Osram Sylvania Inc., Danvers, MA 01923. These lamps are provided in wattages from 200 to 1200 and operate at quite high temperatures. In fact, typical operating temperatures in area of the connector are in the range of 200 to 300°C in lamp fixtures. It is, of course, imperative that the connectors employed with these lamps also be able to operate for long periods of time at such temperatures and still maintain good electrical contact. One type of socket for double-ended lamps is shown and described in German Gebrauchmuster No. 295 04 517, filed March 22, 199. The socket comprises a pair of spaced ceramic bodies containing electrical contacts in the form of a clip with a single lateral retaining spring. However, because of the limited number of contact surfaces and the single retaining spring, poor electrical and mechanical contact with the lamp can result, particularly after multiple lamp insertions and high-temperature operation. In particular, bending or over depression of the single retaining spring will result in poor or no electrical contact or a lack of contact force.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to obviate the disadvantages of the prior art.

Attorney Docket No.: 04-1-767 It is another object of the invention to provide connectors that enhance high-temperature lamp sockets, It is yet another object of the invention reduce the cost of high-temperature lamp sockets.
Still another object of the invention is the reduction of the complexity of such sockets.
These objects are accomplished, in one aspect of the invention. by a connector for a lamp that comprises a ceramic housing having a top surface and a bottom surface and including a contact receiving area formed in the top surface. An electrical contact is positioned in the contact receiving area, the electrical contact having a rectangular base with two sides and two ends and having opposed, upright walls extending from the sides of the base. An upright clip extends from an end of the base and the upright walls and the upright clip have portions projecting beyond the top surface of the ceramic housing to receive an end of a lamp therein. The electrical contact is mounted within a supplemental spring having opposed legs which are adjacent to the upright walls of the contact. The supplemental spring engages the upright walls when a lamp is inserted in order to maintain contact force during operation of the lamp.
In another aspect of the invention, a lamp socket is provided for a double-ended lamp wherein the lamp socket has opposed connectors as described above. The opposed connectors are separated by a given distance and attached to a connecting bar.
The contact design improves the insertion and retention forces resulting in better insertion and retention of the lamp, lower contact resistance, and lower contact temperature. The lower insertion force results in less stress on the lamp during installation.
The improved retention force during lamp operation results in a longer operating life and better long-term performance after multiple lamp installations.

Attorney Docket No.: 04-1-767 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a lamp socket and connectors in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective of the assembled lamp socket; and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic elevational view of a lamp useable with the socket.
Fig. 4 is a graphical representation comparing the contact resistance of a lamp socket of this invention versus that of a prior art lamp socket as a fiu~ction of operating time.
Fig. 5 is a graphical representation comparing the contact temperature of a lamp socket of this invention versus that of a prior art lamp socket as a function of operating time.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the supplemental spring.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects, advantages and capabilities thercoi~, reference is made to the following disclosure and appended claims taken in conjunction with the above-described drawings.
Referring now to the drawings with greater particularity, a socket 5 for a lamp 12 comprises a pair of opposed connectors 10. The connectors 10 include single-piece ceramic housings 14 each having a top surface 16 and a bottom surface 18 and including a contact receiving area 20 formed in the top surface 16. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the ceramic is a steatite. Other useful ceramics include cordiorite, alumina, and porcelain. The one-piece ceramic housin~~ design reduces the number of parts as well Attorney Docket No.: 04-1-767 as the overall weight. An electrical contact 22 is positioned in the contact receiving area 20 and secured by any suitable means, such as eyelet 80. ~~he electrical contact 22 has a rectangular base 24 with two sides 26, 28 and two cads 30. 32 and is preferably made from a high temperature nickel, such as 201 Nickel. It may also be desirable to provide the electrical contact with a pure nickel plating at a thickness of 2-4 microinches.
Opposed, upright walls 34, 36 extend from the sides 26, 28 of the base 24, and an upright clip 38 extends from one end of the base, for example, end 30. The upright walls 34, 36 and the upright clip 38 have portions projecting beyond the top surface 16 of the ceramic housing 14 to receive an end 40 of the lamp 12 therein.
Because the end 40 of the lamp 12 is generally cylindrical, the opposed, upright walls 34, 36 have curved terminal ends 42 to accommodate the curved surface and additionally the opposed, upright walls 34, 36 are resilient so as to fi-ictionally engage the end 40 of the lamp 12.
The upright clip 38 has its terminal end 44 horseshoe-shaped to engage a second zone 46, typically a threaded projection, of the end 40 of the lamp 12.
To further insure good electrical and mechanical contact between the lamp and upright walls 34 and 36, the electrical contact 22 is mounted within a supplemental spring 50.
The supplemental spring 50 is substantially U-shaped with a bight 52 positioned beneath the rectangular base 24 of the electrical contact 22 and with its opposed legs 54, 56 adjacent to the upright walls 34, 36. The opposed legs 54, 56 of the supplemental spring 50 engage the upright walls 34, 36 of the contact 22, particularly when a lamp is inserted, providing increased tension thereto. Preferably, the supplemental spring material should substantially retain its resiliency to at least a temperature of about 300-350°C. More preferably, the supplemental spring 50 is made from Inconel 718. The contact structure with the supplemental spring greatly enhances the retention ol~ the lamp.
Furthermore, Attorney Docket No.: 04-1-767 the additional contact surfaces act to reduce the electrical resistance between the lamp and the connectors.
An alternative embodiment of the supplemental spring SOa is shown in Fig. 6.
The opposed legs 54a, 56a have a notch 90 located in a region adjacent to bight 52. By adjusting the size of the notches 90 in the supplemental spring SOa, it is possible to change the force applied to the upright walls 34, 36 of the contact 22 without changing the spring material itself. In a preferred embodiment, the supplemental spring is made from 0.040-inch thick Inconel 718, each notch is 0.06 inches high by 0.09 inches deep, and the opposed legs are about 0.188 inches wide.
A wire connector 60 is attached to the upright clip 38 by a screw or bolt 65 and comprises a metal block 62, preferably of brass, and can be nickel plated. The block 62 has two orthogonal apertures 64, 66 therethrough; a first of the apertures, for example 64, for receiving the screw or bolt 65 to mount the wire connector 60 to the upright clip 38. The second of the apertures 66 is formed to receive a wire from a power supply.
Preferably, the aperture 66 comprises a bore through the metal block 62 so that the wire from the power supply may be inserted from either side of the block.
As noted, the socket 5 comprises opposed connectors 10 that are separated by a given distance and are attached to a connecting bar 70, as by eyelets 23.
Figs. 4 and 5 are graphs comparing the contact resistance and contact temperature of the lamp socket of this invention versus a prior art socket similar to the one described in German Gebrauchmuster No. 295 04 517. The data was obtained by operating identical lamps in the lamp sockets which were not installed in fixtures. The data is shown as a function of operating time. The advantages of lower contact resistance and lower contact temperature for the lamp socket of this invention are evident.

Attorney Docket No.: 04-1-767 While there have been shown and described what are present considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (12)

1. A connector for a lamp comprising:
a ceramic housing having a top surface and a bottom surface and including a contact receiving area formed in said top surface;
an electrical contact positioned in said contact receiving area, said electrical contact having a rectangular base with two sides and two ends;
opposed, upright walls extending from the sides of said base, and an upright clip extending from an end of said base, said upright walls and said upright clip having portions projecting beyond said top surface of said ceramic housing to receive an end of a lamp therein; and the electrical contact being mounted within a supplemental spring, the supplemental spring having opposed legs disposed adjacent to the upright walls of the contact.
2. The connector of Claim 1 wherein said opposed, upright walls have curved terminal ends to receive said end of said lamp.
3. The connector of Claim 2 wherein said opposed, upright walls are resilient so as to frictionally engage said end of said lamp.
4. The connector of Claim 3 wherein said upright clip has its terminal end horseshoe-shaped to engage a second zone of said end of said lamp.
5. The connector of Claim 1 wherein the legs of the supplemental spring engage said upright walls when the lamp is inserted into the electrical contact.
6. The connector of Claim 1 wherein said supplemental spring is substantially U-shaped with a bight positioned beneath said rectangular base of said electrical contact.
7. The connector of Claim 6 wherein said upright clip is provided with a wire connector, said wire connector comprising a metal block having two orthogonal apertures therethrough, a first of said apertures receiving a means to mount said wire connector to said clip and the second of said apertures being formed to receive a wire from a power supply.
8. The connector of Claim 6 wherein the opposed legs of the supplemental spring are notched in a region adjacent to the bight.
9. A connector for a lamp comprising:
a ceramic housing having a top surface and a bottom surface and including a contact receiving area formed in said top surface;
an electrical contact positioned in said contact receiving area, said electrical contact having a rectangular base with two sides and two ends;
opposed, upright walls extending from the sides of said base, and an upright clip extending from an end of said base, said upright walls and said upright clip having portions projecting beyond said top surface of said ceramic housing to receive an end of a lamp therein, said opposed, upright walls being resilient so as to frictionally engage said end of said lamp and having curved terminal ends to receive said end of said lamp; and the electrical contact being mounted within a supplemental spring, the supplemental spring being substantially U-shaped and having opposed legs disposed adjacent to the upright walls of the contact, the legs of the supplemental spring engaging said upright walls when the lamp is inserted into the electrical contact.
10. The connector of Claim 9 wherein said upright clip is provided with a wire connector, said wire connector comprising a metal block having two orthogonal apertures therethrough, a first of said apertures receiving a means to mount said wire connector to said clip and the second of said apertures being formed to receive a wire from a power supply.
11. The connector of Claim 9 wherein the supplemental spring has a bight positioned beneath said rectangular base of said electrical contact and the opposed legs are notched in a region adjacent to the bight.
12. A socket for a double-ended lamp comprising:
two opposed connectors, each in accordance with Claim 1, said two connectors being separated by a given distance and being attached to a connecting bar.
CA2509132A 2004-08-31 2005-06-03 High temperature lamp connector and socket for double-ended lamp Expired - Fee Related CA2509132C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10/930,664 2004-08-31
US10/930,664 US7059888B2 (en) 2004-08-31 2004-08-31 High temperature lamp connector and socket for double-ended lamp

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2509132A1 true CA2509132A1 (en) 2006-02-28
CA2509132C CA2509132C (en) 2013-08-06

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA2509132A Expired - Fee Related CA2509132C (en) 2004-08-31 2005-06-03 High temperature lamp connector and socket for double-ended lamp

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US7059888B2 (en)
EP (1) EP1630907B1 (en)
JP (1) JP4651019B2 (en)
CN (1) CN100423381C (en)
CA (1) CA2509132C (en)
DE (1) DE602005002321T2 (en)

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KR101257512B1 (en) * 2005-08-29 2013-04-23 니혼앗짜쿠단시세이소 가부시키가이샤 Fluorescent tube attaching structure
DE102006027183A1 (en) * 2006-06-12 2007-12-13 Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft für elektrische Glühlampen mbH Connectors
US7267567B1 (en) 2006-07-31 2007-09-11 Osram Sylvania Inc. Lamp socket with lever holder
US7165990B1 (en) 2006-07-31 2007-01-23 Osram Sylvania Inc. Lamp socket with novel wire connector
JP4291345B2 (en) * 2006-09-01 2009-07-08 ホシデン株式会社 Connected device
WO2008117182A2 (en) * 2007-02-23 2008-10-02 Fci Cable clamp
KR100904326B1 (en) 2007-04-11 2009-06-23 류봉현 Lamp socket
KR101380305B1 (en) * 2007-06-22 2014-04-03 삼성디스플레이 주식회사 Backlight assembly
GB0722253D0 (en) * 2007-11-13 2007-12-27 Gew Ec Ltd Uv lamp
JP2009146820A (en) * 2007-12-17 2009-07-02 Hosiden Corp Contact and connecting device
WO2009113205A1 (en) * 2008-03-13 2009-09-17 シャープ株式会社 Lamp connector, backlight device, and liquid crystal display device
JP4963130B2 (en) * 2010-01-12 2012-06-27 日本航空電子工業株式会社 connector
JP5310639B2 (en) * 2010-04-20 2013-10-09 岩崎電気株式会社 Heating lamp unit, base and socket used therefor
USD758646S1 (en) 2014-02-11 2016-06-07 Ip Holdings, Llc Double ended lamp reflector kit

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FR938613A (en) 1943-01-14 1948-10-20 Lampes Sa Improvements to the bases and sockets of electric lamps and similar apparatus
JPS53120791U (en) * 1977-03-02 1978-09-26
JPS5979982A (en) * 1982-10-29 1984-05-09 松下電工株式会社 Method of producing blade retaining spring unit
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US20060046558A1 (en) 2006-03-02
CN100423381C (en) 2008-10-01
EP1630907A1 (en) 2006-03-01
EP1630907B1 (en) 2007-09-05
CN1747257A (en) 2006-03-15
US7059888B2 (en) 2006-06-13
DE602005002321T2 (en) 2008-05-29
CA2509132C (en) 2013-08-06
DE602005002321D1 (en) 2007-10-18
JP2006073531A (en) 2006-03-16
JP4651019B2 (en) 2011-03-16

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Effective date: 20190603