Lamp and method of producing same

A lamp assembly, comprising:

• a sleeve extending in the direction of a longitudinal axis from a closed first sleeve end to an opposite open second sleeve end, an inner surface of said sleeve including a lamp sealing portion extending in a plane which is transverse to said longitudinal axis and is located between said first sleeve end and said second sleeve end, and an outer surface of said sleeve including a groove extending in said plane;
• a base component having a mounting portion and including contacts structured and arranged for connection to a connector;
• a lamp extending in said sleeve, being sealed therein at said lamp sealing portion, and including lead wires coupled to said contacts;
• and
• a first retainer member extending from a first end segment to an opposite second end segment, and a second retainer member extending from a third end segment to an opposite fourth end segment said groove being disposed between and matins with said first and said third end segments, said first and said third end se2ments being attached to each other, said second and said fourth end segments being tensioned relative to said mounting portion in a first mode and being fixed to said mounting portion in a second mode, and
• wherein said first end segment comprises a first U-shaped band including at least one first indent, curved towards said axis, and having a first leg and a second leg, and said third end segment comprises a second U-shaped band including at least one second indent, curved towards said axis, and having a third leg and a fourth leg, said first leg overlapping and attached to said third leg, and said second leg overlapping and attached to said fourth leg, and further wherein a portion of said sleeve is disposed between said first and second U-shaped bands and said first and second indents are disposed within and mate with said groove.

A method of producing a lamp assembly, comprising the steps of:

• forming at least one circumferential groove in an outer surface of a lamp sleeve, said at least one groove extending in a plane which is transverse to a longitudinal axis of said lamp sleeve;
• affixing a lamp internal of said lamp sleeve;
• forming a base component having a mounting portion;
• shaping a first end segment of respective first and second retainer members so as to be engageable and mateable with said at least one groove;
• shaping a second end segment of said respective first and second retainer members so as to be tensioned relative to said mounting portion when said first and second retainer members are coupled to said mounting portion;
• attaching said first and second retainer members to said sleeve such that each first end segment contacts and mates with said groove;
• coupling said first and second retainer members to said base component;
• focusing said lamp relative to said base component by moving said retainer members relative to said mounting portion until said lamp is focused;
• and
• fastening each second end segment to said mounting portion, and
• wherein said sleeve is glass and further wherein forming said at least one circumferential groove comprises circumferentially heating an outer surface of said glass sleeve and circumferentially roller forming a single groove extending 360° about said axis.