Underhood lamp assembly with gravity-actuated switch

A lamp assembly adapted to be mounted to the underside of a hinged cover member of a vehicle to illuminate a compartment of the vehicle when the hinged member is opened to a predetermined extent, said lamp assembly comprising:

• a housing member capable of being moved between a pair of predetermined positions each angularly displaced from the other;
• means for attaching said housing member to the hinged cover member;
• a pendulum;
• means mounting said pendulum on said housing member for pivotal movement of said pendulum, relative to said housing member between a first pendulum position and a second pendulum position angularly displaced from said first pendulum position;
• said pendulum and said mounting means for the pendulum comprising means cooperating (a) to maintain said pendulum in its first position when said housing member is in one of said pair of predetermined positions and (b) to allow the pendulum to move, under an urging of gravity, from the pendulum's first position to its second position in response to movement of said housing member from its one predetermined position to another of said pair of predetermined positions for the housing member, angularly displaced from said one position of the housing member;
• a first electrical conductor comprising means electrically connectable to a source of electrical energy for said lamp assembly;
• a second electrical conductor comprising means for engaging said pendulum when the pendulum is in its second position, said second electrical conductor being spaced from and disengaged from said pendulum when the pendulum is in its first position;
• a third electrical conductor comprising means electrically connectable to a source of electrical energy for said lamp assembly;
• and
• a lamp electrically connected to said second and third electrical conductors,
• said first and second electrical conductors being electrically connected, causing said lamp to be illuminated, when said pendulum is in said second pendulum position, and said first and second electrical conductors being electrically disconnected, causing said lamp to be extinguished, when said pendulum is in said first pendulum position.

A lamp assembly, comprising:

• a housing member capable of being moved between a pair of predetermined positions each angularly displaced from the other;
• a pendulum;
• means mounting said pendulum on said housing member for pivotal movement of said pendulum, relative to said housing member, between a first pendulum position and a second pendulum position angularly displaced from said first pendulum position;
• said pendulum and said mounting means for the pendulum comprising means cooperating (a) to maintain said pendulum in its first position when said housing member is in one of said pair of predetermined positions and (b) to allow the pendulum to move, under an urging of gravity, from the pendulum's first position to its second position in response to movement of said housing member from its one predetermined position to another of said pair of predetermined positions for the housing member, angularly displaced from said one position of the housing member;
• a first electrical conductor comprising means electrically connectable to a source of electrical energy for said lamp assembly;
• a second electrical conductor comprising means for engaging said pendulum when the pendulum is in its second position, said second electrical conductor being spaced from and disengaged from said pendulum when the pendulum is in its first position;
• a third electrical conductor comprising means electrically connectable to a source of electrical energy for said lamp assembly;
• and
• a lamp electrically connected to said second and third electrical conductors,
• said first and second electrical conductors being electrically connected, causing said lamp to be illuminated, when said pendulum is in said second pendulum position, and said first and second electrical conductors being electrically disconnected, causing said lamp to be extinguished, when said pendulum is in said first pendulum position, wherein said mounting means for the pendulum comprises:
• a pivot pin defining the pivotal axis for said pendulum;
• means mounting said pendulum on said pivot pin;
• and
• means mounting said pivot pin on said member.

A lamp assembly, comprising:

• a housing member capable of being moved between a pair of predetermined positions each angularly displaced from the other;
• a pendulum;
• means mounting said pendulum on said housing member for pivotal movement of said pendulum, relative to said housing member, between a first pendulum position and a second pendulum position angularly displaced from said first pendulum position;
• said pendulum and said mounting means for the pendulum comprising means cooperating (a) to maintain said pendulum in its first position when said housing member is in one of said pair of predetermined positions and (b) to allow the pendulum to move, under an urging of gravity, from the pendulum's first position to its second position in response to movement of said housing member from its one predetermined position to another of said pair of predetermined positions for the housing member, angularly displaced from said one position of the housing member;
• a first electrical conductor comprising means electrically connectable to a source of electrical energy for said lamp assembly;
• a second electrical conductor comprising means for engaging said pendulum when the pendulum is in its second position, said second electrical conductor being spaced from and disengaged from said pendulum when the pendulum is in its first position;
• a third electrical conductor comprising means electrically connectable to a source of electrical energy for said lamp assembly;
• and
• a lamp electrically connected to said second and third electrical conductors,
• said first and second electrical conductors being electrically connected, causing said lamp to be illuminated, when said pendulum is in said second pendulum position, and said first and second electrical conductors being electrically disconnected, causing said lamp to be extinguished, when said pendulum is in said first pendulum position, wherein:
• said pendulum comprises an arm portion and a bob portion;
• said bob portion having a circular cross section in a plane (a) which is parallel to the pivotal axis of said pendulum and (b) extends transversely to said arm portion of the pendulum.