Socket for electrical devices, particularly tubular elongated lamps, such as double-based fluorescent lamps and/or starters therefor

A socket (1) for an electrical device having at least one projecting terminal, the socket being adapted for connection to at least one insulated electrical supply wire (W) including an internal electrical conductor, said electrical device including fluorescent lamp, starter therefor, or elongated tubular lamp,

• said socket comprising:
• a socket housing (2) of insulating material;
• at least one contact element (49) of electrically conductive material forming a single unitary element and comprising:
• a contact terminal portion (51) adapted for engagement with a projecting terminal of the electrical device located in the housing,
• a slit blade insulation piercing connector portion (53) including a blade part (57) formed with a conductor insertion slit (58), said slit cutting the at least one insulated electrical supply wire and forming an interference fit with the conductor of the wire, and
• a connecting portion (52) connecting said slit blade insulation piercing connector portion (53) with the contact terminal portion (51);
• said socket housing being formed with a terminal reception chamber (33, 48), open at a top of said chamber, said chamber being defined by a chamber bottom (38') and by spaced parallel chamber side walls (38),
• wherein at least one of said chamber side walls (38) is formed with blade receiving means (43) for receiving the blade part (57) of the slit blade insulation piercing connector portion (53) of the contact element, said chamber bottom (38') forming an abutment or stop for said blade part (57) of the contact element,
• wherein said parallel side walls including wire retention slits (39) directed towards the conductor insertion slit (58) of the slit blade insulation piercing connector portion (53);
• and
• said socket housing further being formed with two groove-like recesses (34, 35) forming wire receiving grooves (24, 25) open at the top,
• said wire receiving grooves (24, 25) being located immediately adjoining the respective one of said side walls of said chamber (33, 48), said wire receiving grooves (24, 25) further, at a side of said slits which is remote from said blade receiving means (43, 43') extending longitudinally away from the wire retention slits (39, 39');
• and
• said wire receiving grooves (24, 25) being wider than the wire retention slits (39, 39') and being dimensioned and shaped for reception of an end portion of the insulated wire projecting from the slit blade insulation piercing connector portion (53) and for protection of a cut end of the internal conductor with respect to accidental contact thereof,
• wherein the recesses (34, 35) are deeper than the conductor insertion slits (58) of the slit blade insulation piercing connector portion (53).