Clip means for fastening of decorative lamp parts

Clip means for fastening of decorative lamp parts comprises a male (or caught) member having an enlarged head of spear or mushroom shape extending from a stem and a female (or catch) member constituted of a cavity like an aperture, a through-recess or a gap between a pair of bosses to take the male member wherein each catch or caught means may choose to respectively locate on or extend from a first part of the decorative lamp parts including lampshield, lamp base, lamp etc. to be conjugated with a second part of the decorative lamp parts complementary to and to be fastened to the said first part of the parts by clipping the caught or male member into the catch or female member. Said catch and caught means may be applied in singular set or disposed in double sets diametrically, catch and/or caught member may desirably made integrally with the first and/or second part where flange, extending stem etc. are made available. The disposition of the members may direct horizontally, vertically or angularly from any part of the lamp parts.

The present invention relates generally to clip means and more particularly 
to clip means for fastening decorative lamp parts. 
A decorative lamp such as Christmas lights comprises usually the following 
parts including lamp bulb, lamp base, lamp holder even lamp shield. 
Fastenings between adjacent parts are called for wherever falling-apart 
due to the loose connection between parts tends to occur. 
Peg and hole pair is most commonly seen snap together means, however, 
occasions of slip-out are frequently experienced due to no positive 
securing element is provided thereon. 
fastening means having simple structure and easy-to-apply in nature are of 
course essential pre-requisites, however, a sure enough detaining effect 
should count as even more desirable. 
Therefore the main object of the present invention is to provide a 
fastening means in the form of clip-together members yet with securing 
element provided self-containedly to one of the members to ensure 
reliability of the fastening. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fastening means of 
clip-together type which is composed of a catch member or female member 
and a caught member or male member. The fastening function is performed 
through the clipping of the male member which generally including a 
wholesome or split spear head or mushroom head into a female member which 
constitutes an aperture, a concave through-recess or a gap between a pair 
of spaced bosses, and be detained therein. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a clip mean for 
fastening of lamp parts wherein each catch or caught means may choose to 
respectively locate on or extend from a first part of the parts to be 
fastened to a second part thereof. 
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a catch and 
caught type clip means for fastening which may be applied in singular set 
or diametrically disposed double sets, wherein the disposition of the 
members may direct horizontally, vertically or angularly from any part of 
the lamp parts with the aid of extension stem, flange means etc.

Now referring to FIGS. 1(A) and 1(B), the clip means for the fastening of 
adjacent parts of a decorative lamp which may consist of a lamp bulb (10), 
a lamp base (20), a lamp holder (30) even a lamp shield (40), the clip 
means is composed of a male or caught member (60) and a female or catch 
member (50). The cooperation of the two constitutes a sure grip 
there-between. 
FIG. 1 shows three alternatives of catch or female member (5) including: 
In FIG. 1(A), a recess type catch (51) which is a concave through-recess 
disposed on a flange (21) or (31) respectively on a lamp base (20) or a 
lamp holder (30) constituting a part thereof. The recess is formed between 
a pair of broken sections (511--511) of the flange. 
In FIG. 1(B), a gap type catch (52) formed between a raised boss pair 
(521--521), cross-section of each boss can be round, triangle, square 
whatever geometric from in shape, here is shown in FIG. 1(B), a round 
cross section boss; and 
In FIG. 1(C), an aperture type catch (53) which is substantially an opening 
surrounded by a solid closure (531), the opening may be of any shape of 
cross-section, so far as it is capable of let entering of a caught or male 
member and have the head part detained therein. Said solid closure can be 
formed as an integral part to the lamp base (20) or lamp holder (30) where 
fastening of the part is called for. 
FIG. 2 shows two forms of caught or male member (60) including: in FIG. 
2(A), a spear type caught (61) and in FIG. 2(B), a mushroom type caught 
(62) each with an extension stem (63) connected respectively to a spear or 
mushroom shaped head (61,62). Head (61,62) may be a whole piece or each 
split into two halves (611--611, 621--621). The splitting provides the 
head portion with additional flexibility to the caught members (61,62) 
which are of themselves elastic materials. 
The spear head or mushroom head is so shaped and constructed as to 
facilitate entering the through-recess, the gap, and the aperture of the 
catch means and be detained therein with embulged head. 
The stem (63) can be made integrally with any desired part of the lamp 
parts or adhered to rims, flanges etc. thereof and extended at any angle, 
preferably angles &gt;90 therefrom. 
The abovesaid catch/caught pair may be arbitrarily matched such as in: 
through-recess/spear pair (51/61), recess/mushroom pair (51/62), 
aperture/split mushroom pair (53/621), etc. 
In application, single pair or diametrically disposed double pairs are at 
option. 
Now referring to FIGS. 3 to 9 for examples of application 1-7 embodying the 
present invention. 
Example 1 (FIGS. 3A, 3B) having a recess/spear match (51/61) wherein the 
spear (61) is disposed at the upper rim of a lamp holder (30) and formed 
integral thereupon. The stem (63) extended upwardly therefrom at an angle 
&gt;90 with said rim of the holder, the through-recess 51 to retain the spear 
(51) is formed by two taper faced broken sections (511--511) on the flange 
(21) of the lamp base (20). The match (51/61) are in diametrically 
disposed double pairs as clearly indicated in FIG. 3(B). 
This Example 1 is served for the convection between a lamp base (20) and a 
lamp holder (30). 
Example 2 (FIGS. 4A and 4B) is for the connection of a lamp shield (40) and 
a lamp holder (300, the clip means selected is of a spear/recess pair 
(51/61). 
A diametrically disposed double pairs of 51/61 match are seen with the 
through recesses (61) formed by broken sections (511--511) as a pair of 
flange (31) around the periphery of the lamp holder (30), and the spear 
(61) is extended straight-downwardly from under the rim of the lamp shield 
(40). As mentioned in the Example 1, the recess may be composed of an 
opposite taper faced pair (511--511). 
Example 3 (FIGS. 5A and 5B) is also a recess/spear match (51/61), for the 
connection of a lamp base (2) having a rim of flange 21, upon which the 
spear shaped caught members are seen disposed diametrically and depended 
thereupon and extended downwardly at an angle &gt; or =90. 
The recess (51) to retain the spear (61) is formed by broken sections 
(511--511) of a flange (31) disposed peripherically around the waist of 
the holder (3). The catch/caught pair of course may be optionally a single 
pair, and opposite faces (511--511) are tapered as usual. 
Example 4 (FIG. 6) shows a match of gap (52) formed between two bosses 
(521--521) each of round cross-section and a mushroom (62). 
The bosses (521) are disposed adjacent the upper rim of a lamp holder (30) 
while the mushroom head (62) extends downwardly from an oversized flange 
(21) of a lamp base (20) which is buried in the holder (30) and not seen. 
Thus the match pair (52/62) is formed, however, the bosses may be of other 
choices of the shape of the cross-section, triangular, square, etc. 
optionally. A single boss detainer instead of the gap between two bosses 
may even be considered if feasible. 
Example 5 (FIGS. 7A and 7B) depicts a connection between a lamp base (20), 
appears only its flanged upper rim (21) and a lamp holder (30) with its 
upper rim flange (31) broken into sections (511--511). The clip means in 
this embodiment constitutes a split spear head in halves (621--621) 
extended downwardly from an oversized flange (21) with the stems of the 
spear bent in angle &gt;90 then have the split spear halves (621--621) 
retained in the recess (51) formed between broken sections (511--511). 
Other than split halves (621--621) the spear can be a wholesome one (62) 
instead. 
Diametrically disposed double match pairs (51/621) are seen in FIG. 7B, 
which can also be a single pair. 
Example 6 (FIGS. 8A and 8B) shows an aperture/split spear match (53/611) 
with a single pair of clip means provided at one side of the lamp 
base-lamp holder connection. The caught member of split spear (611--611) 
is seen in FIG. 8(B) with its stem (63) extended horizontally from and 
made integrally on the upper rim flange (21). A notch (611V) is cut along 
the stem (63) enabling to be bent downward into a right angle so that the 
spear head (611--611) can be inserted into the aperture (53) provided on 
enclosing lug (531) projecting horizontally from the upper rim of the lamp 
holder (30). 
The caught member (611--611) can also be a whole piece member (61). 
Example 7 (FIGS. 9A and 9B) provides a couple of gap/spear matches (52/61) 
between a lamp holder (30) and a lamp base (20) which is cleared from any 
flange or rim. The bosses (521) forming the gap (52) is seen in FIG. 9B in 
triangular cross-section, yet they can be of any geometric shapes, round 
as usual and square, etc., otherwise. 
The caught member is shown in spear shape (61), of course can also be 
mushroom (62). The clip means can be in single or diametrically disposed 
double pairs. 
A component list is hereunder attached for easy references. 
COMPONENT LIST 
10 Bulb 
20 lamp base 
21 flange 
30 lamp holder 
31 flange 
40 lamp shield 
50 catch (female) member 
51 recess type 
511 flange halves 
52 gap type 
521 boss 
53 aperture type 
531 lug 
60 caught (male) member 
61 spear type 
611 halves 
62 mushroom type 
621 halves 
63 extension stem