Abstract:
The invention relates to a lamp ring for a lamp, in particular an indicator lamp, which comprises a recess for coding and an additional recess for positioning the lamp ring in a base mounting machine. According to the invention, the second recess has an inner wall with a projection. The invention also relates to a lamp comprising a lamp ring of this type and to a base mounting machine for assembling a lamp of this type.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention relates to a lamp ring, a lamp provided with such a lamp ring and a base mounting machine with such a receptacle for producing such a lamp. 
     PRIOR ART 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show, by way of example, a known indicator lamp  2  for light indicator systems. This indicator lamp  2  is a low-volt halogen incandescent lamp with a glass bulb  4 , which is inserted into a shell  6 . A filament  8  is arranged in the glass bulb  4 , the power supply lines of said filament being connected to electrical terminals of a lampholder accommodating the indicator lamp  2  via the shell  6  and an electrical contact element  10 . The shell  6  is surrounded by a lamp ring  12 , which, as shown in  FIG. 2 , has a recess  14  for coding the indicator lamp  2 . 
     Generally, the lamp ring is soldered to the shell  6  using lead solder in a manual production process. The use of lead solder is forbidden from now on, however, so that the lamp ring  12  should be, for example, laser-welded to the shell  6 . In general, laser-welding takes place on an automated base mounting machine. 
     Since the above-described indicator lamp has a similar design to H3 lamps for motor vehicle headlamps, in particular for lower beam, upper beam and foglights, base mounting machines for H3 lamps are suitable for fitting and adjusting the indicator lamp in automated fashion. However, as shown in  FIG. 3  an H3 lamp ring  16  has, in addition to a rectangular recess  18  on the circumferential side, which corresponds to the first recess  14  of the lamp ring for the indicator lamp  2 , a diametrical arc recess  20  for coding purposes, special accommodating elements  22 ,  24  of the base mounting machine engaging in the rectangular recess  18  and the arc recess  20  in order to position the lamp ring  16  when it is welded to a shell. 
     One disadvantage is the fact that, owing to the special accommodating elements of the base mounting machine, the latter needs to be converted for fitting of the indicator lamp, which lasts for approximately 1.5 shifts and results in considerable conversion costs. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is based on the object of providing a lamp ring, a lamp provided with such a lamp ring and a base mounting machine for producing such a lamp, the lamp ring and the base mounting machine being designed such that the lamp according to the invention and known H3 lamps can be manufactured on one base mounting machine without the latter needing to be converted. 
     The lamp ring according to the invention for a lamp, in particular for a low-volt halogen indicator lamp, has a cutout for inserting a shell and fixing lugs for fixing the lamp ring to the shell. Furthermore, the lamp ring has a first recess on the circumferential side for coding the lamp. According to the invention, the lamp ring has a diametrical second recess for positioning the lamp ring in a base mounting machine, the second recess having at least one projection on its inner wall. 
     A lamp according to the invention has a lamp ring for engaging around a shell. The lamp ring is fixedly connected to the shell and has two diametrical recesses on the circumferential side, of which recesses one has at least one projection on its inner wall. 
     A base mounting machine according to the invention for producing a lamp with a lamp ring with two diametrical recesses on the circumferential side, of which one inner wall has at least one projection, has a first and a second accommodating element for engaging in the recesses, the second accommodating element having a profiled top region, which is matched to the inner wall of the recess with at least one projection. 
     This solution has the advantage that the lamp ring according to the invention can be welded to a shell on the same base mounting machine as a known H3 lamp without the base mounting machine needing to be converted. In addition, as a result of the at least one projection on the inner wall of the second recess, a particular geometry is achieved which prevents a lamp with the lamp ring according to the invention being inserted into a lampholder for an H3 lamp, so that the noninterchangeability of the individual lamp types is still guaranteed. At the same time, however, the insertion of the lamp according to the invention in a lampholder associated with it is not made more difficult. 
     In a preferred exemplary embodiment of the lamp ring, the projection is set back via a side face of the inner wall from an outer circumferential section of the lamp ring. 
     Preferably, a second projection is provided which is arranged opposite the first projection, the projections being spaced apart from one another via a bottom face. 
     The projections can have an identical design, visible faces of the projections lying in one plane and opposite opposing faces running parallel. 
     The side faces and the bottom face can lie on an imaginary arc with a constant radius, which corresponds to the radius of an arc recess for coding an H3 lamp ring. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to a preferred exemplary embodiment. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  shows a side view of a known indicator lamp; 
         FIG. 2  shows a plan view of the indicator lamp shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows an arrangement of a known lamp ring of an H3 lamp in a known base mounting machine; 
         FIG. 4  shows a plan view of a lamp ring according to the invention; 
         FIG. 5  shows an enlarged side view of the lamp ring shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  shows a section through the lamp ring shown in  FIG. 4  along the line A-A; 
         FIG. 7  shows an enlarged illustration of the second recess shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 8  shows a schematic arrangement of the lamp ring shown in  FIG. 4  between two accommodating elements of the base mounting machine according to the invention; 
         FIG. 9  shows a top region of an accommodating element of a base mounting machine according to the invention; 
         FIG. 10  shows an arrangement of a known lamp ring of an H3 lamp in the base mounting machine according to the invention; 
         FIG. 11  shows a plan view of a lamp ring in accordance with the second exemplary embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 12  shows an arrangement of the lamp ring shown in  FIG. 10  in a base mounting machine in accordance with the second exemplary embodiment of the invention, and  FIG. 13  shows an arrangement of a known lamp ring of an H3 lamp in the base mounting machine in accordance with the second exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 4  shows a plan view of a lamp ring  28  according to the invention for a lamp, in particular for a low-volt halogen indicator lamp for use in light indicator systems. 
     The lamp ring  26  has a mirror-symmetrical geometry with a circular cross section with a substantially rectangular, centered cutout  28  for accommodating a shell (not illustrated), into which a glass bulb with a filament can be inserted. In each case four fixing lugs  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  for welding, in particular laser-welding, the lamp ring  26  to the shell are arranged on longitudinal sides of the cutout  28  and lie opposite one another in pairs. In each case one plate-like temporary securing element  38 ,  40  is formed between the adjacent fixing lugs  30 ,  32  and  34 ,  36  and prevents mounting clips of the lampholder unintentionally being pressed between the adjacent fixing lugs  30 ,  32  and  34 ,  36  when the lamp is inserted into a lampholder. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the fixing lugs  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  each have a top section, which is set at an angle of approximately 90° with respect to a surface  42  of the lamp ring  26 . In order to achieve through-welding of the fixing lugs and therefore a high welding quality, the fixing lugs  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  each have an embossed region  34   a ,  36   a  with a reduced wall thickness. The embossed regions  34   a ,  36   a  have an oval shape, which can, however, be freely selected depending on the geometry of an embossing die. Owing to the reduced wall thickness, the top sections have an enlarged area on the front side. In this case, the embossed regions  32   a ,  36   a  are introduced into the top sections as shown in  FIG. 6  in such a way that planar welding faces  32   b ,  36   b  are formed, which can be arranged flat with opposite contact faces of the shell. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the lamp ring  26  furthermore has a known rectangular first recess  14  for coding the lamp and a second recess  44  according to the invention, which is designed to be diametrical with respect to the first recess  14 . The second recess  44  serves the purpose of accommodating an accommodating element  46  according to the invention of a base mounting machine (cf.  FIG. 8 ). 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the second recess  44  has an inner wall  48 , on which two opposite identical projections  60 ,  62  are formed. However, only one projection  60 ,  62  or a large number of projections  60 ,  62  can be provided. The projections  60 ,  62  are spaced apart from one another via a bottom face  64  and set back from outer circumferential sections  54   a ,  54   b  of the lamp ring  26  via side faces  50 ,  52 . The projections  60 ,  62  each have an edge region  54 ,  56 , which is formed from two visible faces  90 ,  92  lying in one plane and two opposing faces  94 ,  96  running parallel to one another. The bottom face  64  and the side faces  50 ,  52  are concave, whereby they lie on an imaginary arc  66  with a constant radius R, which corresponds to the radius of an arc recess  20  of an H3 lamp ring  16  (cf.  FIGS. 3 and 10 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , in the case of the arrangement of the lamp ring  26  in a base mounting machine according to the invention, in each case one top region of a first accommodating element  22  and of a second accommodating element  46  for fixing the lamp ring  26  when it is adjusted and welded to a shell engages in the first recess  14  and the second recess  44 , respectively. The top region of the first accommodating element  22  has a known rectangular cross section corresponding to the first recess  14 . The top region of the second accommodating element  46  has a cross section which substantially corresponds to the step-shaped cross section of the second recess  44 . 
     An enlarged illustration of the top region of the second accommodating element  46  according to the invention is shown in  FIG. 9 . The top region  70  is mirror-symmetrical and has two depressions  78 ,  80  in two opposite outer faces  70 ,  72 , so that a finger-like body section  74  is formed on the front side for dipping in between the projections  60 ,  62  of the second recess  44 . The outer faces  70 ,  72  are designed to be convex so as to correspond to the flat arrangement on the side faces  50 ,  52  of the lamp ring  26 . Likewise, the depressions  78 ,  80  are designed so as to be complementary to the projections  60 ,  62  of the second recess  44 . The body section  74  has a front face  76 , which can be designed to be convex so as to correspond to the flat arrangement on the bottom face  64 . The faces  70 ,  72 ,  76  and in each case one depression face  86 ,  88 , which connects the front face  76  to the outer faces  70 ,  72 , of the depression  78 ,  80  can be beveled so as to make it easy to introduce the accommodating element  46  into the recess  44 . The front face  76  and the outer faces  70 ,  72  are arranged on an imaginary arc  82  with a constant radius R, which is selected such that the front face  76  and the outer faces  70 ,  72  can be brought into a flat arrangement with an inner circumferential wall  84  of an arc recess  20  of an H3 lamp ring  16  (cf.  FIG. 10 ). 
     In order to fit the lamp, the lamp ring  26  is clamped in at right angles, i.e. with horizontally aligned top sections of the fixing lugs  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36 , between the two accommodating elements  22 ,  46  of the base mounting machine which engage in an interlocking manner into the recesses  14 ,  44 . The base mounting machine preferably has a large number of such accommodating elements  52 ,  54  on a rotating plate, so that a large number of lamp rings  26  can be fitted simultaneously. In a next fitting step, the shell is inserted into the cutout  28 . In this case, the shell has already been prefitted, i.e. the glass bulb with the filament is connected to the shell and power supply lines of the indicator lamp  2  emerge at its free end. Then, a ground contact with the shell is produced via one power supply line. The filament is adjusted with respect to the surface  42  of the lamp ring  26  and then the shell is welded to the fixing lugs  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  of the lamp ring  26  using a laser. Once the welding has taken place, the lamp ring  26  with the shell is removed from the base mounting machine and the second power supply line of the indicator lamp  2  is connected manually to an external electrical contact element, such as a cable, for example. The manual welding of the cable for the indicator lamp  2  is due to the base mounting machine, since the relatively long cables for the indicator lamp  2  are at present not provided. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , it is likewise possible to carry out fitting of an H3 lamp on the base mounting machine according to the invention. As has already been described at the outset with reference to  FIG. 3 , an H3 lamp ring  16  has substantially the same mirror-symmetrical geometry as the lamp ring  26  according to the invention with a circular cross section, a central cutout  28 , fixing lugs  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  and two plate-like temporary securing elements  38 ,  40 . Furthermore, the H3 lamp ring  16  has a rectangular recess  18  on the circumferential side which corresponds to the first recess  14  of the lamp ring  26  according to the invention for coding the H3 lamp. In addition to the rectangular recess  18 , the H3 lamp ring  16  has, for coding purposes, a diametrically arranged arc recess  20  with an arcuate inner circumferential wall  84 . 
     The fitting of the H3 lamp takes place substantially in the same way as in the case of the lamp according to the invention. The only difference consists in the fact that preferably the connection of the second power supply line of the filament to an external electrical contact element does not take place manually outside the base mounting machine but in automated fashion in the base mounting machine. During fitting, in order to position the H3 lamp ring  16 , the first accommodating element  22  engages in the rectangular recess  18  and the second accommodating element  46  engages in the arc recess  20 , the convex outer faces  70 ,  72  and the convex front face  76  bearing flat against the inner circumferential wall  84  as a result of the geometry according to the invention of the top region of the second accommodating element  46 , so that both the lamps according to the invention and known H3 lamps can be manufactured on the base mounting machine without any need to convert it. 
       FIG. 11  shows a plan view of a lamp ring  26 ′ for a lamp, in particular for a low-volt halogen indicator lamp for use in light indicator systems, in accordance with the second exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
     The lamp ring  26 ′ has a mirror-symmetrical geometry with a circular cross section with a substantially rectangular centered cutout  28 ′ for accommodating a shell (not illustrated), into which a glass bulb with a filament can be inserted. In each case four fixing lugs  30 ′,  32 ′,  34 ′,  36 ′ for welding, in particular laser-welding, the lamp ring  26 ′ to the shell are arranged on longitudinal sides of the cutout  28 ′ and lie opposite one another in pairs. In each case one plate-like temporary securing element  38 ′,  40 ′ is formed between the adjacent fixing lugs  30 ′,  32 ′ and  34 ′,  36 ′ and prevents mounting clips of the lampholder unintentionally being pressed between the adjacent fixing lugs  30 ′,  32 ′ and  34 ′,  36 ′ when the lamp is inserted into a lampholder. 
     The fixing lugs  30 ′,  32 ′ and  34 ′,  36 ′ of the lamp ring  26 ′ in accordance with the second exemplary embodiment of the invention have the same design and arrangement as the fixing lugs  30 ,  32  and  34 ,  36  of the lamp ring  26  in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the lamp ring  26 ′ in accordance with the second exemplary embodiment of the invention furthermore has a known, rectangular first recess  14 ′ for coding the lamp and a second recess  44 ′ according to the invention, which is arranged diametrically with respect to the first recess  14 ′. The second recess  44 ′ serves the purpose of accommodating an accommodating element  46 ′ in accordance with the second exemplary embodiment of the base mounting machine (cf.  FIG. 12 ). The second recess  44 ′ has an inner wall or edge, on which a central projection  60 ′ is arranged. The central projection  60 ′ splits the recess  44 ′ into two identical halves, which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the two sides of the central projection  60 ′. The outer edge of the central projection  60 ′ is formed by an arcuate arc, which lies on the circumference of the lamp ring  26 ′. An aperture  600 ′ in the form of a circular disk is arranged in the lamp ring  26 ′ in the region of the central projection  60 ′. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 12 , when the lamp ring  26 ′ according to the invention is arranged in a base mounting machine  460 ′ in accordance with the second exemplary embodiment of the invention, the top region of a first accommodating element  22 ′ engages in the first, rectangular recess  14 ′, and the top region of a second accommodating element  46 ′ of the base mounting machine engages in the second recess  44 ′. The second accommodating element  46 ′ is matched so as to fit the second recess  44 ′. In particular, the second accommodating element  46 ′ has a pin  461 ′, which engages in the aperture  600 ′ in the form of a circular disk, and two mirror-symmetrical sections  462 ′,  463 ′, which engage in the halves of the recess  44 ′ which are arranged on both sides of the projection  60 ′. The sections  462 ′,  463 ′ of the second accommodating element  46 ′ are connected to one another via a central section  464 ′, which bears against the outer edge of the central projection  60 ′. 
     The base mounting machine  460 ′ in accordance with the second exemplary embodiment is also suitable for processing known H3 lamp rings  16  depicted in  FIG. 3 . As is illustrated in  FIG. 13 , in this case the second accommodating element  46 ′ engages in the arcuate arc recess  20  of the H3 lamp ring  16 . In this case, the pin  463 ′ and the outer faces of the sections  462 ′,  463 ′ of the second accommodating element  46 ′ bear against the outer edge of the lamp ring  16  in the region of the arc recess  20 . 
     The invention diskloses a lamp ring for a lamp, in particular an indicator lamp, which has a recess for coding purposes and a further recess for positioning the lamp ring in a base mounting machine, the second recess having an inner wall with a projection, and a lamp with such a lamp ring and a base mounting machine for fitting such a lamp.