Mechanical bypass light unit

A light unit for use in a light string, comprising:

• a bulb having a light source with lead wires and a separator;
• a switch member unit;
• a pair of spring terminals;
• and
• a socket having first and second opposing inner sidewalls and at least two conductive terminals on portions of said inner sidewalls and wherein said socket is adapted to receive the bulb and the switch member unit,
• wherein the switch member unit is adapted to cause the pair of spring terminals to contact one another to form an electrical short circuit across the pair of conductive terminals on the inner side wall of the socket and the light source when the bulb is completely or partially removed from the socket, and the separator breaks contact between the pair of spring terminals when the bulb is seated in the socket and wherein the bulb and socket have a longitudinal center axis defining generally a center line between right and left portions of each, the conductive body extending from said conductive terminal to a point spaced from said inner side wall and said center line, the conductive body extending from the other conductive terminal and extending across said center line to engage a portion of said first body.

A light unit for use in a light string, comprising:

• a bulb unit;
• a switch member;
• a socket having said inner conductive terminals on opposing inner walls and adapted to receive the bulb unit and the switch member,
• said bulb unit having a pair of conductive terminals and being sized to be received within the socket;
• the bulb unit including a separator element located on said bulb unit to be adjacent one of said inner walls of the socket and extends downwardly to engage said switch member
• wherein the switch member is adapted to form an electrical bridge circuit across the pair of conductive terminals when the bulb unit is completely or partially removed from the socket,
• wherein said switch member comprises a flexible unitary contact member spanning between the conductive terminals when said bulb unit is not installed in the socket, said flexible member having downwardly extending deflectable ends, said ends configured to electrically engage said inner conductive terminals, thereby connecting said conductive terminals, but when said separator is emplaced said lowermost contact surface of the bulb unit contacts at least one of said flexible deflectable ends so that at least one end is driven laterally thereby disconnecting contact between said flexible contact member and inner conducting terminals by moving said flexible member away from contact with said terminals.

A light unit for use in a light string, comprising:

• a bulb unit;
• a switch member;
• a socket having said inner conductive terminals on opposing inner walls and adapted to receive the bulb unit and the switch member,
• said bulb unit having a pair of conductive terminals and being sized to be received within the socket;
• the bulb unit including a separator element located on said bulb unit to be adjacent one of said inner walls of the socket and extends downwardly to engage said switch member
• wherein the switch member is adapted to form an electrical bridge circuit across the pair of conductive terminals when the bulb unit is completely or partially removed from the socket,
• wherein said switch member comprises a flexible unitary contact member spanning between the conductive terminals when said bulb unit is not installed in the socket, said flexible member configured to electrically engage said inner conductive terminals, thereby connecting said conductive terminals, but when said separator is emplaced said lowermost contact surface of the bulb unit contacts at least a portion of the flexible member is deflected so that at it is driven laterally thereby disconnecting contact between said flexible contact member and inner conducting terminals by moving said flexible member away from contact with said terminals.