Lighting system

A jack for use with different types of plug connectors, which comprises:

• a socket having an opening and a bore extending from said opening along a longitudinal axis, said bore having a first cylindrical portion adjacent said opening and bearing threads adapted to be received by matching threads disposed on a first type plug connector having a stem portion which is screwable into said socket;
• a stem retaining means disposed at a predetermined distance along said longitudinal axis of said bore, said stem retaining means including a plug retaining element operably associated with said bore and adapted for releasable snap-fit engagement with a selected portion of a circumferential groove formed in a stem portion of a second type plug connector when the stem portion of said second type plug connector is slidably inserted through the opening in said socket and along said bore;
• and
• first and second conductive jack elements disposed at a predetermined distance apart along said longitudinal axis and beyond said first cylindrical portion, said first and second jack conductive element each being positioned with respect to said longitudinal axis so as to be capable of engaging spaced apart first and second conductive plug elements disposed on said stem portions of said plug connectors when said first type plug connector is screwed into said socket or said second type connector is slidably inserted through the opening of said socket.

A jack for use with different types of plug connectors, which comprises:

• a socket having an opening and a bore extending from said opening along a longitudinal axis, said bore having a first cylindrical portion adjacent said opening and bearing threads adapted to be received by matching threads disposed on a first type plug connector having a stem portion which is screwable into said socket;
• a stem retaining means disposed at a predetermined distance along said longitudinal axis of said bore, so as to releasably retain a second type plug connector having a stem portion surface formulation which is pluggable into said socket;
• first and second conductive jack elements disposed at a predetermined distance apart along said longitudinal axis and beyond said first cylindrical portion, said first and second jack conductive elements each being positioned with respect to said longitudinal axis so as to be capable of engaging spaced apart first and second conductive plug elements disposed on said stem portions of said plug connectors when said first type plug connector is screwed into said socket or said second type plug connector is plugged into said socket;
• wherein said bore further has a second portion disposed beyond said first cylindrical portion and contains a module having a module bore into which said first and second conductive jack elements extend so that when said first or second type plug connector is inserted into said socket, the stem of said first or second type plug connector passes through at least a portion of said module bore and said first conductive plug element of said first or second type plug connector engages said first conductive jack element and said second conductive plug element of said first or second type plug connector engages said second conductive jack element.

A lighting system comprising:

• A power jack including
• a socket having an opening and a bore extending from said opening along a longitudinal axis, said bore having a first cylindrical portion adjacent said opening and bearing threads adapted to be received by matching threads disposed on a first type plug connector having a stem portion which is screwable into said socket,
• a stem retaining means disposed at a predetermined distance along said longitudinal axis of said bore, so as to releasably retain a second type plug connector having a stem portion surface formulation which is pluggable into said socket, and
• a first and second conductive jack elements disposed at a predetermined distance apart along said longitudinal axis and beyond said first cylindrical portion, said first and second conductive elements each being positioned with respect to said longitudinal axis so as to be capable of engaging spaced apart conductive plug elements disposed on said stem portions of said plug connectors when said first type plug connector is screwed into said socket or said second type plug connector is plugged into said socket;
• a luminaire assembly including
• a lamp socket subassembly, including a lamp socket mounted to a lamp-socket support means and adapted for suspension from a support structure,
• a globe subassembly, including a globe having an open end and a globe support means having a central passageway permitting positioning of said lamp socket support means therein, said globe subassembly further including globe retaining means for releasably retaining said globe at a distance from said globe support means so as to provide one or more air-flow passageways between said globe support means and said globe, and
• securing means for releasably securing said lamp socket support means to said globe support means while said lamp socket support means is positioned within said globe support means and providing one or more air-flow channels between said globe support means and said lamp socket support means;
• and
• a first type plug connector or a second type plug connector operably associated with a support structure which operably associates said power jack and said luminaire assembly.