Lamp with a clipped-on contact
AssigneeOsram Sylvania Inc.
InventorsMichael R. Kling, Jeffrey P. Buschmann, Michael J. Swantner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lamp includes a reflector having a passageway opening to a heel of the reflector, a lamp capsule having a lead that extends rearward through the passageway, a conductive clip that spans a diameter of the heel and that has tabs that extend forward at opposite sides of the heel and an arm that extends rearward, the arm being attached to a portion of the lead that projects out of the passageway, and a base that is attached to the heel and that engages the tabs at the opposite sides of the heel. The arm holds the lamp capsule in place and electrically connects the lamp capsule to the base. The arm may be a semi-detached central portion of the clip that is bent to be substantially parallel to an axis of the lead.
Claims23
A lamp comprising:
- a reflector having a heel at a rear end thereof and a first passageway opening to said heel;
- a lamp capsule in said reflector and having a first lead that extends rearward through said first passageway;
- a conductive clip that spans a diameter of said heel and that has tabs that extend forward at opposite sides of said heel, said clip having an arm that extends rearward and that is attached to a portion of said first lead that projects out of said first passageway to hold said lamp capsule in said reflector;
- and
- a base that is attached to said heel and that engages said tabs at the opposite sides of said heel.
A method of assembling a lamp, comprising the steps of:
- providing a reflector that has a heel at a rear end thereof and a first passageway that opens to the heel;
- positioning a conductive clip on the heel with the clip spanning a diameter of the heel, the clip having tabs that extend forward at opposite sides of the heel and a lead attachment;
- positioning a lamp capsule in the reflector, the lamp capsule having a first lead that extends rearward through the first passageway;
- attaching the lead attachment to a portion of the first lead that projects out of the first passageway to hold the lamp capsule in the reflector;
- and
- attaching a base to the heel with the base engaging the tabs at the opposite sides of the heel.
A method of assembling a lamp, comprising the steps of:
- providing a reflector that has a heel at a rear end thereof and a first passageway that opens to the heel;
- providing a conductive clip having engagement members that engage opposite sides of the heel and further having a lead attachment;
- holding the clip on the heel by engaging the engagement members of the conductive clip on the heel with the clip spanning opposed lateral wall portions of the heel;
- positioning a lamp capsule in the reflector, the lamp capsule having a first lead that extends rearward through the first passageway;
- attaching the lead attachment to the first lead to hold the lamp capsule in the reflector;
- and
- attaching a base to the heel with the base contacting the conductive clip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.