Lamp

#This invention relates to lamps.

#In lamps utilized for marking, signalling and the like in automotive vehicles, it is common to provide a housing and lens with some type of seal therebetween. Such applications include carriers of dusty, corrosive or flammable materials. In some instances, the seal is provided for the protection of the internal components of the lamp. In other applications, such as fuel tankers, the seal is utilized to prevent flammable or explosive vapors from reaching the electrical contacts of the lamp.

#Heretofore, the most common construction comprised a housing and a lens having telescoping portions with a resilient seal interposed therebetween. In some types, the lens is retained in position by the interrelationship of the components. Typical of such a construction are the lamps described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,244,869, 3,096,026 and 2,707,747.

#FIG. 1 is a part sectional plan view of a lamp embodying the invention.

#FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2--2 in FIG. 1.

#FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3--3 in FIG. 2.

#Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the lamp embodying the invention comprises a housing 10 and a lens 11. The housing 10 is made of plastic and includes a base wall 12 extending radially and a peripheral wall 13 with a central boss 14 having an opening 15 to receive the socket 16 that holds the bulb 17.

#A seal 18 is provided on the inner surface of the base wall 12 and includes a first thin flat portion 19 co-extensive with the inner surface of the base wall and a second annular axially extending portion 20 which is heart-shaped and enlarged in cross section.

#The lens 11 includes a light transmitting generally flat wall 21 and an axially extending wall 22 telescoped within the peripheral wall 13 and spaced therefrom. The end of the annular wall 22 includes a generally rectangular groove 23 having inwardly tapered sidewalls into which the enlarged portion 20 of the resilient sealing member 18 extends to provide a seal and also yieldingly urge the lens axially outwardly with respect to the seal. The lens further includes an annular portion 24 extending beyond the peripheral portion 13 with circumferentially extending diametrically opposed lips 25. The housing includes a peripheral flange 26 that has a return radially inwardly extending portion 27 beneath which the lips 25 of the lens can extend by a rotating movement of the lens. To facilitate fabrication in a mold, the flange 26 has openings 28 that are aligned with the lips or portions 27 through which portions of a mold extend during the molding. Sealing member 18 preferably comprises a ring connected to the flat portion 19 by an annular neck portion 20a having a heart-shaped cross section defining outwardly extending lips (FIG. 5) which are compressed toward one another when the sealing member 18 is placed in groove 23 (FIG. 6).