Abstract:
A connector includes a tubular wall on a first body containing a lamp envelope, coaxially receiving an insulating tube mounted on a second body having a cavity that receives the first body, spring metal strip terminals on the outside of the tubular wall in resilient contact with spring metal strip terminals on the inside of the cavity, and microprocessor controlled heated and cooled air delivered to the lamp envelope by way of the insulating tube in response to a sensor that monitors at least one of lamp amalgam temperature and lamp radiation.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the invention 
     The invention relates to a two-part electrical connector for a flourescent lamp, more specifically to a connector assembly that receives a lamp envelope in one body of the connector that inserts into another body and locks against rotation within the other body, and by engagement of electrical contacts on the two bodies locks axially with the other body of the connector, the bodies comprising concentric tubes forming an axial passageway through the connector for delivering heating or cooling gas through the connector to the lamp envelope. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,448 patented Jul. 11, 1978 by Chipner et al. describes a lamp base containing a lamp envelope. The base is axially received in an annular socket collar that is more flexible than the lamp base. The depth of the base in the socket collar is limited by an annular radially outward extending ring on the base resting on a radially inward extending annular ring within the collar. Prongs associated with electrical pins on the lamp base that are connected to the lamp wires, catch under the annular ring within the collar preventing axial withdrawal of the base from the collar. The socket collar snaps onto an electrical supply connector by way of an annular groove around the connector. Conductive tabs which extend axially upward from a wall that seals the bottom of the electrical supply connector make radial outward contact with the lamp base electrical pins which extend into the electrical supply connector. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is one object of the invention to provide a connector for a flourescent lamp that receives a lamp envelope in a first body that is axially, slidingly received in a second, electrical supply, body. 
     It is another object of the invention that temperature controlling fluid is delivered to a lamp in the first body by way of a conduit through the first and second body. 
     A connector includes a first body comprising a first end, a second end, and a first axis extending through said first end and said second end, means on said first end adapted for receiving a lamp, a first wall on said first body extending axially from said second end along a length of said first body toward said first end, a first axial tubular opening having a third end and a fourth end, extending through said first wall, a first metal electrical contact strip extending axially along an outer surface of said first wall, a fifth end of said strip extending radially over said first wall at said second end adjacent to said third end of said first axial tubular opening, a sixth end of said strip comprising means for attaching electrical wire from said lamp to said strip, extending radially over said first wall adjacent to said fourth end of said first axial tubular opening, a second body comprising a seventh end and an eighth end, a cavity extending axially into said second body from an opening in said seventh end, receiving said first wall in said second body, an electrically non-conductive tube having a ninth end open through said eighth end, extending axially along a length of said second body in said cavity toward said seventh end, in said first axial tubular opening, coaxial with said first axial tubular opening, a second metal electrical contact strip extending from said eighth end, axially along a length of said second body in said cavity toward said seventh end, in radially inward contact of said second strip with said first metal contact strip, a lamp mounted in said first end, fluid conduit means connected to the ninth end of said electrically non-conductive tube, a fluid in contact with said lamp, moving in said conduit means, means for sensing at least one of radiation from the lamp and temperature of the lamp, microprocessor controlled fluid heating means connected to the means for sensing and to the fluid conduit means, responsive to the means for sensing for controlling temperature of the lamp by the fluid, said first metal electrical contact strip extending axially along said first wall in a longitudinal radially open recess. At least one of said first strip and said second strip is resilient, the first and second strips contacting in said recess. Three faces about the first axis on the outer surface of said first wall, including at least one face of said three faces on each side of said first metal electrical contact strip, comprising an asymmetrical pattern when viewed axially, each face of said three faces in radially opposed adjacency to a face on an inner surface of said cavity. 
     Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to one from reading the ensuing description of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In order that the invention be more fully comprehended, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the lamp envelope receiving body of the connector assembly. 
     FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the body of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a top schematic view of the body of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a front schematic view of the body of FIG. 1 less the contact strips, including a lamp envelope. 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom schematic view of the body of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the electrical supply body of the connector assembly. 
     FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the body of FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 8 is a top schematic view of the body of FIG. 6 
     FIG. 9 is a cross section view of the body of FIG. 8 taken along  9 — 9 . 
     FIG. 10 is a bottom schematic view of the body of FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 11 is a schematic view of the spring metal contact strips of the bodies of FIGS. 1 and 6 locking together. 
     FIG. 12 is a cross section view of another body of the invention that receives the body of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 13 is a cross section view taken at the top of the body of FIG. 12, of the body of FIG. 12 receiving the body of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 14 is a front schematic view of a connector of the invention comprising the bodies of FIGS.  1  and  6 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Before explaining the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the detail of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the drawings since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. It is also to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed is for the purpose of description only and not of limitation. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-5,  11  and  12 , spring metal contact strips  32   a ,  32   b ,  32   c , and  32   d , are similar to each other in shape and in how they mount on one-piece molded rigid plastic or ceramic body  34 . 
     Top  36  of spring  32   b  wraps over an edge  38  of vertical wall  40  in recess  44  of the wall. Edge  38  is shown adjacent to cut-away view of contact  32   c  in FIG.  2 . 
     Bottom  64  of spring metal contact strip  32   b  wraps over edge  68  of vertical ridge portion  77  that separates hole  54  from tubular opening  74 . 
     Hollow  58  is designed to receive lamp envelope  46  which is glued to inner wall  66  of the shell. 
     Lamp envelope  46  may contain an amalgam which is included in many present mercury vapor lamps to control the amount of mercury vapor in the lamp by taking in or releasing mercury vapor. One amalgam that is widely used in present mercury vapor lamp manufacture is indium plus mercury. It is known that the amount of mercury vapor in a lamp envelope can be controlled by cooling or heating the amalgam, hereinafter called the mercury vapor control amalgam. The amount of mercury vapor may also be controlled by cooling or heating the envelope. 
     Tubular opening  74  formed through vertical wall  40  provides a conduit to the lamp envelope for cooling or heating gas for changing the temperature of the mercury vapor control amalgam  52  in the envelope or a portion of the envelope at the shell. 
     Electrical terminal  48  of strip  32   b  receives one of the wires  45  from the lamp envelope in terminal hole  49  (FIG.  1 ). Terminal hole  49  extends through U-fold  78  of the spring. U-fold  78  comprises bottom portion  50  of the spring which extends through hole  54  in horizontal top  56  of hollow  58  shell  60  portion of body  34 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 6-11, spring metal contact strips  80   a ,  80   b ,  80   c , and  80 d in recess  99  of housing  92 , are similar to each other in shape and in how they mount on body  84 . 
     Body  84  is preferably one piece plastic or ceramic, and is preferably rigid. Body  84  comprises tube  90  which extends from bottom wall  112  into housing  92 , and preferably extends through bottom wall  112 . 
     In another preferred embodiment body  84  comprises a ceramic high voltage insulation tube  90  fixedly mounted in a rigid plastic housing  92 . 
     Tube  90  provides a conduit to the lamp enclosure for the cooling or heating gas. 
     Cavity  86  of hollow shell  88  is designed to receive vertical wall  40  of body  34  so that tube  90  of body  84  extends into tubular opening  74  in body  34 , concentric with tubular opening  74 , axis  70  and  72  preferably coinciding when body  34  is inserted into body  84 . In FIG. 13, body  34  is inserted into body  85  which but for sealed rod  91  is similar to body  84 . 
     The concentric tubes form an axial passageway through the assembled bodies for delivering heating or cooling gas through the assembled bodies to the lamp envelope. 
     In another preferred embodiment of the invention, a sealed element is used. Preferably the element is hollow. A hollow, sealed rod  91  is shown in FIG. 12 described later herein. 
     When body  34  is inserted axially into body  84 , horizontal radially inward extending crease  62  on outer contact surface  42  of contact strip  32   b  slides over and locks against horizontal radially inward extending crease  76  on inner contact surface  94  of the C-fold  96  in contact strip  80   c , and bodies  34  and  84  are aligned rotationally about axis  70  and axis  72  by radially outward angular portion  102  of vertical wall  40  in radially outward angular groove  104 . 
     Electrical wiring connection end  106  of spring  80   a  extends through slot  110  in bottom wall  112 . Each contact strip  80  is prevented from being pulled out of cavity  86  by rivets  120 . Connection end  106  is wired to an electrical supply which is not shown. 
     Referring to FIG. 11, springs  32   b  and  80   c  are in locking alignment against axial movement of one of spring metal contact strip  32   b  and  80   c  along the other. Strips  32   b  and  80   c  are shown spaced apart for clarity of illustration. 
     Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, in body  85 , the same numbers are applied to like elements which are in body  84 . Rod  91  which extends from end  97  toward end  98  closely fits into tubular opening  74  when body  34  is received in body  85 . 
     Each recess  99  is on a radial line  101  with a recess  44 . 
     Radially inward extending crease  76  preferably extends into recess  44  of wall  40  where it contacts crease  62 . 
     Faces  113 ,  114 ,  115 ,  116 , and  117  between recesses  44  in wall  40  are parallel to faces  125 ,  126 ,  127 ,  128  and  129  respectively between recesses  99  in housing  93 . The asymmetrical shape of the faces on wall  40  permit inserting wall  40  in cavity  86  in only one position rotationally about axis  72 . 
     Preferably, radially adjacent surfaces of assembled body  34  in body  84  are spaced from each other such that the adjacent surfaces do not interfere axially with each other or with axially passing strip  32   b  or  80   c  to prevent axial separation of the bodies when body  34  is withdrawn from body  84 . Prevention of axial separation of the bodies is performed preferably solely by the engagement of crease  76  in crease  62 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 4,  9 , and  12 , length  100  of wall  40  from end  108  of wall  40  to horizontal top  56  of shell  60  is less than the depth  82  of cavity  86  from end  98  of body  84  and of body  85 . Preferably the distance of crease  62  from horizontal top  56  and the distance of crease  82  from end  98  is such that when crease  82  is in crease  62 , the engagement of the creases holds end  98  of body  84  spaced axially from horizontal top  56 , that is, the axial surfaces of body  84  are spaced axially from body  34  when body  34  is mounted on body  84 . In FIG. 14, connector  122  comprises assembled bodies  34  and  84 . Passageway  124  of concentric tubular opening  74  and tube  90  delivers temperature control gas  134  from supply tube  130  to lamp envelope  46 . 
     Temperature control gas impinging on lamp envelope  46  exits the connector preferably by way of passageways  136 . 
     Exit passageway may be provided by space between the tube and body  34  or other ways. 
     Temperature control gas supply microprocessor controlled module  140  heats or cools gas to control lamp envelope or amalgam temperature in response to sensor  144  which preferably monitors lamp radiation. Sensor  144  may be mounted in contact with the lamp for measuring temperature of the envelope or amalgam by thermal conduction. 
     Heating and cooling respectively of the gas is provided preferably by an electric resistance heating element  148 , and by compressed gas received by way of an electrically controlled valve  150 . 
     Heating and cooling may be provided by air passed through filter  156  and over an array of peltier effect junctions  160  which are supplied electrical power in which current flow direction is switched for heating or cooling at the junctions. 
     While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described, and that certain changes in form and arrangement of parts and in the specific manner of practicing the invention may be made without departing from the underlying idea or principles of this invention within the scope of the appended claims. Drawing Designators of the Formal Drawings (Informal list) 
       32   a  spring metal contact strip 
       32   b  spring metal contact strip 
       32   c  spring metal contact strip 
       32   d  spring metal contact strip 
       34  molded plastic or ceramic body 
       36  top of spring 
       38  edge 
       40  vertical wall 
       42  outer contact surface of contact strip  32   b    
       44  recess in vertical wall  40   
       45  lamp envelope wires 
       46  lamp envelope 
       48  electrical terminal 
       49  terminal hole 
       50  bottom portion of spring  32   
       52  mercury vapor control amalgam  52  in the tube 
       54  hole 
       56  horizontal top 
       58  hollow 
       60  shell 
       62  crease, horizontal radially inward extending 
       64  bottom of spring metal contact strip  32   b    
       68  edge 
       66  inner wall 
       70  axis 
       72  axis 
       74  tubular opening 
       76  crease, horizontal radially inward extending 
       77  vertical ridge portion 
       78  U-fold 
       80   c  spring metal contact strip 
       80   d  spring metal contact strip 
       80   b  spring metal contact strip 
       80   a  spring metal contact strip 
       82  depth of cavity  86   
       84  molded plastic body 
       85  body 
       86  cavity 
       88  hollow shell 
       90  tube 
       91  rod 
       92  housing 
       94  inner contact surface of contact strip 
       96  C-fold 
       97  end of body  84   
       98  end of body  84   
       99  recess 
       100  length of wall  40   
       101  radial line 
       102  radially outward angular portion 
       104  radially outward angular groove 
       106  electrical wiring connection end 
       108  end of wall  40   
       110  slot 
       112  bottom wall 
       113  face 
       114  face 
       115  face 
       116  face 
       117  face 
       120  rivet 
       122  connector 
       124  passageway 
       125  face 
       126  face 
       127  face 
       128  face 
       129  face 
       130  supply tube 
       134  gas 
       136  passageway 
       140  supply module 
       144  sensor 
       148  heating element 
       150  valve 
       156  filter 
       160  peltier effect junction array