Incandescent lamp

Abstract

An incandescent lamp having a bulb and a male base at the trailing end thereof for placement in a conventional threaded electrical socket, the male base comprising a ring conductor secured to the necked down portion of the bulb and from which a plurality of electrically conductive resilient fingers rearwardly extend, the unrestrained composite diameter of the resilient fingers being less than the inside diameter of the conventional electrical socket. A second axial conductor projects rearwardly from the base of the lamp, being insulated from the ring connector by suitable dielectric whereby the male end of the lamp may be linearly inserted into the socket causing constriction of the fingers creating a firm electrical connection with the threaded peripheral conductor of the socket, the axial conductor of the lamp coming to rest against the exposed spring of the axial conductor of the socket whereby electrical energy is communicated to the filament of the lamp.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of artificial light and more particularly to an improved male base at the trailing end of an incandescent lamp for linear placement in a conventional, threaded electrical socket.

2. Prior Art

Many past proposals have been made for electrically connecting the male end of an incandescent lamp to an electrical socket. The standard for many years has been a lamp with a threaded trailing conductor and a trailing axial conductor separated by a suitable dielectric layer. The threaded lamp is screwed into and out of the conventional socket.

Alternatives have consisted of lamps each with a specially configurated male conductor end to be united with a specially configurated (non-standard) electrical socket. No proposal has been made for placement of an incandescent lamp rectilinearly into a standard threaded electrical socket.

BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention comprises an economical incandescent light bulb which is linearly press-fit into a conventional threaded electrical socket thereby eliminating the need to thread a bulb into said socket. The light bulb comprises one peripheral conductor at the reduced diameter trailing end of the bulb, having rearwardly directed resilient fingers biased radially outwardly and having an unrestrained composite diameter greater than that of the socket, the fingers being mounted to the glass of the bulb and inwardly radially displaceable counter to the memory of the fingers upon entry of the fingers into the threaded socket to firmly retain the connection.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved incandescent light bulb to be linearly press-fit into and releasably retained in a conventional threaded electrical socket.

It is another paramount object of the present invention to provide an electric light bulb one conductor of which is disposed at the reduced diameter trailing of the bulb comprising rearwardly directed resilient conductive fingers radially biased outward having an unrestrained composite diameter greater than the diameter of a conventional threaded electrical socket to accommodate radial deflection inwardly of the fingers whereby the bulb becomes releasably press-fit into the socket by axial insertion.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective representation of a presently preferred light bulb configuration according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation view with parts broken away for clarity of the light bulb of FIG. 1 disposed adjacent a conventional electrical socket; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the light bulb in press-fit electrically conducting relation with the socket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1-3 which illustrate the structure and use of a presently preferred incandescent light bulb 10 according to the present invention. Conventionally, the incandescent lamp 10 comprises a glass bulb 12 in which a filament is disposed. The glass bulb 12 is necked down or of reduced transverse diameter at the trailing end 14 thereof, the trailing end 14 being bonded or otherwise suitably physically attached to a ring conductor 16. The ring connector 16 is electrically connected to one end of the filament within the glass bulb 12 and comprises an annular collar 18 from which a plurality of rearwardly extending conductive fingers 20 project. Each finger is radially biased outwardly and rearwardly to a maximum diameter d.sub.1 (FIG. 2), which is of considerably greater magnitude than the diameter d.sub.2 of a conventional threaded electrical socket 22.

Each finger also curls inwardly at its trailing end 24 to (a) prevent free end interference upon insertion into or removal from the socket 22, (b) restrict the amount of deflection experienced by each finger 20 by reason of contact with the rearwardly extending central refractory separator 26 and (c) prevent electrical contact with the central socket conductor. The refractory separator 26 is stepped in diameter at radially directed portion 28 and comprises a relatively large annular wall 30 superimposed against and insulating the fingers 20 from a second axial conductor 32, the exposed end of which is also electrically insulated by a reduced diameter wall 34 of the refractory separator 26. Conductor 32 is electrically connected to the other end of the filament.

As mentioned, the socket 22 is conventional comprising a dielectric body 36 a peripheral threaded conductor 38, the diameter across the root of the threads being designated d.sub.2, and comprising axial socket conductor 40 connected to a conductive exposed U-shaped spring 42.

In use, the incandescent lamp 10 is advanced linearly and essentially axially into initial contact with and ultimate into retained press-fit relation within the socket 22, with the conductor 16 becoming disposed in electrical contact with the peripheral threaded conductor 38 and conductor 32 in electrical contact with the spring 42. Insertion results in a constriction of the composite diameter from d.sub.1 by deflection of the radially biased fingers 20 to a composite diameter equal to the socket diameter d.sub.2. The fingers 20 exert an outward bias against the socket 22 when located within the socket 22 to retain in the inserted condition against inadvertent removal. The assembled condition is illustrated in FIG. 3. This approach allows for linear insertion of a bulb in a conventional socket which is beneficial to the infirmed and useful when a socket is located in a hard to reach place.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An incandescent lamp for rectilinear insertion into press-fit conducting relation with a conventional threaded electrical socket comprising:

a bulb having an axis, the bulb containing a filament and having a necked down trailing end;

first conductor means connected to one end of the filament and mounted to the necked down trailing end of the bulb, said first conductor means comprising a plurality of axially extending, rearwardly directed, and outwardly radially biased resilient conductive fingers with memory, each finger being initially resiliently biased a predetermined radial distance from the axis of the bulb to form an initial composite diameter greater than the diameter of said threaded socket;

second conductor means carried in exposed relation at the trailing end of the bulb and connected to the other end of the filament; and

electrical insulating means disposed between the first and second conductor means;

whereby the resilient fingers are inwardly deflected reducing said composite diameter to one equal to the socket diameter upon rectilinear insertion of the trailing end of the lamp into the socket, the memory of the resilient fingers insuring electrical conduction with a conductor at the socket threads.

2. The incandescent lamp of claim 1 wherein the fingers are each joined to a conductive ring carried at the trailing end of the bulb and comprising said first conductor means.

3. The incandescent lamp of claim 1 wherein each finger is inwardly curved so that the free end thereof is situated well within said composite diameter.

4. The incandescent lamp of claim 1 wherein said electrically insulating means is stepped.