Fluorescent tube attaching structure

A fluorescent tube attaching structure for attaching a fluorescent tube that extends in a longitudinal direction, has a pair of end portions with respect to the longitudinal direction and an intermediate portion between the pair of end portions, and is provided with a terminal on each of the end portions, comprising:

• a base;
• a holder which is supported by the base and holds the intermediate portion of the fluorescent tube while restraining the fluorescent tube from moving in a radial direction;
• a pair of electrical connectors disposed apart from one another and connected to the base with the holder disposed therebetween;
• a pair of operating members, a respective one of the pair of operating members sized for slidable connection to a respective one of the pair of electrical connectors and movable, when slidably connected to the electrical connector, to and between a full insertion position and an intermediate insertion position, each one of the pair of operating members being a rigid, unitary construction;
• and
• a pair of contacts to which the terminals of the pair of end portions of the fluorescent tube are attachable in an attaching direction corresponding to the radial direction of the fluorescent tube, a respective one of the pair of contacts supported by a respective one of the pair of electrical connectors, wherein
• each one of the pair of contacts includes a main body and a pair of elastic pieces, the main body having an intermediate panel and a pair of facially-opposing, spaced-apart flange panels connected to the intermediate panel to form a U-shaped configuration as viewed in cross-section with respective ones of the main bodies being fixedly connected to a respective one of the pair of electrical connectors in a stationary state, respective ones of the pair of elastic pieces facing each other and being integrally connected to and extending from respective ones of the pair of facially-opposing, spaced-apart flange panels in a cantilevered manner, the pair of elastic pieces being movable relative to the main body and towards each other from a normal, relaxed state to a flexed, clamping state and away from each other from the normal, relaxed stated to a flexed, spread-apart state, the pair of elastic pieces being resiliently biased towards the normal, relaxed state,
• the pair of elastic pieces have a pair of straight portions extending substantially straight in the attaching direction and facing each other, respectively, and
• on the pair of straight portions, a pair of contact portions for clamping the corresponding terminal of the fluorescent tube therebetween are formed, respectively,
• wherein, for each respective one of the pair of operating members, the pair of electrical connectors and the pair of contacts, when the operating member is moved into the intermediate insertion position, the operating member contacts the pair of elastic pieces and moves the pair of elastic pieces from the normal, relaxed state to the flexed, spread-apart state and, when the operating member is moved from the intermediate insertion position to the full insertion position, the operating member contacts the pair of elastic pieces and moves the pair of the elastic pieces from the flexed, spread-apart state through the normal, relaxed state and to the flexed, clamped state.