MOLD FILL WALL FOR SNAP-IN TERMINAL RETENTION

Abstract: A wall means to prevent the flow of mold vinyl fill from entering the interior of a snap-in terminal during the socket molding process.

Description: The present invention relates to a socket assembly comprising a snap-in lamp terminal for use in a socket housing for receiving, locating and positioning a wedge-base bulb having a pair of filament extension wires positioned on sides of the wedge base, a pair of troughs extending transverse to the wedge base, the wedge base further having a centrally located cylindrical vent tube and a bulbular evacuated chamber both in the same longitudinal axis, the vent tube bounded by laterally extending side wings of the wedge base, the snap-in terminal comprising: a lamp receiving portion and a conduit receiving portion; the conduit receiving portion including wire retention means; the lamp receiving portion having a terminal base and terminal side portions; cantilevered contact are projecting into the interior of the lamp receiving portion; the contact arms including spring contact members for communication with the detent troughs of the bulb and filament wires of the bulb; a wire guide means projecting into the interior of the lamp receiving portion such that a wiping action will occur when the wedge-base bulb is inserted into the terminal thereby straightening any skewed portion of the filament wires. A snap-in lamp terminal of this type has become known from US-A-4 181 390. In this design the wire guide means provides for better filament wire positioning. To this end the wire guide means protrudes out toward the center of the terminal and wipes near the surface of the vent tube. This wiping action was designed to realign a filament wire skewed onto the middle of the wedge-base extending across the body of the vent tube. Realignment occurs when the wire guide interferes with the filament wire and pushes it back to its proper mating position. Alignment of skewed filament wires protruding toward the exterior edge of the side wing occurs by interference with the terminal base. This interference urges the skewed filament wire back to its proper mating position. The wire guide in some cases cannot reach extremely skewed filament wires and the terminal base cannot align skewed filament wires to the extreme outer edge of the side wing. Because of these extremely skewed filament wires, a wedge-base bulb might light intermittently or possibly not at all, and a costly manual realignment of the filament wires becomes necessary. Furthermore the snap-in lamp terminal of US-A-4,181,390 is restricted in its utility because it cannot be molded into vinyl without costly manufacturing provisions to prevent the vinyl mold fill from leaking into the terminal interior and insulating the electrical contact arms. It is an object of the invention to provide a socket assembly comprising a snap-in lamp terminal for wedge-base bulbs with improvements in the wire guide design to urge proper alignment of the filament wires of the bulb which may be skewed onto the central vent tube, with the snap-in lamp terminal being adapted to be used with a soft vinyl-filled socket without flow of the mold material into the interior of the terminal. To this end a snap-in lamp terminal of the above identified type, according to the present invention, is characterized in that said terminal side portions of the lamp receiving portion are shaped as continuous terminal sides so that the lamp receiving portion is of a generally channelized shape; the cantilevered contact arms extend from the terminal sides via folded tabs; the terminal sides have curved bulb guides at the lamp receiving end to communicate with the wedge-base bulb; the wire guide means projects into the generally channelized lamp receiving portion from one of the terminal sides adjacent said curved bulb guides such that the wire guide means wipes along the vent tube of the bulb; and the snap-in terminal further comprises a mold fill retention means to prevent unwanted flow of molded socket fill material into the generally channelized lamp receiving portion of the snap-in terminal. EP-A-158 845, which has been filed before and published after the priority date of the present application belonging to the prior art according to art 54(3) EPC, discloses a snap-in lamp terminal of a different type wherein mold-fill retention means comprising a mold-fill retention wall is provided to stop the flow of mold-fill material into the interior of the terminal. The present invention urges better electrical contact upon installation. In particular, it provides a wire guide which wipes onto and not near the surface of the vent tube urging better alignment for even extremely skewed filament wires onto the vent tube. Furthermore, the mold-fill retention means prevents the vinyl mold fill from leaking into the terminal channel and insulating the electrical contact arms. This provision allows the snap-in terminal to be molded directly into the vinyl socket providing a less costly water resilient vinyl socket. Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a typical wedge-base bulb or lamp which is inserted into the socket-terminal assembly described herein; Fig. 2 is a perspective-exploded view showing the wedge-base bulb, the socket housing and snap-in terminal; Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the housing shown in Fig. 2 with the snap-in terminal shown in place and the wedge-base bulb in position to be inserted; Fig. 4 is a sectional view through fig. 3 illustrating the wedge-base bulb in position, and in communication with the snap-in terminal, the wire guide means, and redundant terminal means; Fig. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the bulb retention features of the snap-in terminal as well as the cantilevered redundant terminal in communication with the filament wire; Fig. 6 is a sectional end view illustrating the wiping action of the wire guide means; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the snap-in terminal with cantilever redundant terminal means; fig. 8 is a side view of the subject terminal; Fig. 9 is an end view of the subject terminal; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a snap-in terminal with cantilever redundant terminal means; Fig. 11 is a plan view of the subject terminal illustrating a tab redundant terminal; Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing a vinyl fill molded socket for the subject terminal; Fig. 13 is a sectional view illustrating the molded socket, snap-in terminal and core assembly tool; Fig. 14 is a sectional end view of the core tool; Fig. 15 is a detailed section illustrating the mold fill retention wall and a pair of terminals in place; Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing the folded redundant terminal in the subject snap-in terminal; Fig. 17 is a perspective view showing the base redundant terminal in the subject snap-in terminal; and Fig. 18 is a side sectional view of the base redundant terminal shown in the subject snap-in terminal. Referring to Fig. 1, a wedge-base bulb typical of the bulbs or lamp utilized in the subject invention in an automotive environment is illustrated along with its filament wires. The wedge-base bulb 32 consists of a bulbular evacuated chamber 34, a wedge-base 36 and a vent tube 38. The vent tube 38 is a cylindrical shape and centrally located on wedge-base 36 in the longitudinal axis of bulbular evacuated chamber 34. The centrally located cylindrically shaped vent tube 38 separates two side wings 40 of the wedge base. The side wings 40 encapsulate the filament wires 42 and also have a concave detent trough 44. The troughs 44 are perpendicular to the vent tube 38. The filament wires 42 extend out from the end of the side wings and are bent along the face of the side wings in the longitudinal axis of the bulbular evacuated chamber 34. The filament wires are bent along the flat surface 46 of the side wings. The flat surface 46 is opposite the side wing surface carrying the concave detent trough 44. Referring now to Fig. 2, the wedge-base bulb 32 is shown in perspective with socket 50 and in snap-in terminal 70. Socket 50 is generally of tubular construction and shape and comprises a bulb housing section 54 and a terminal axis chamber 56. Also included in this particular socket embodiment is rim 52 which is designed as a stop for panel mounted bulbs. The bulb housing 54 is of cylindrical shape. The terminal access chamber 56 is also generally cylindrically shaped and is designed to accept a pair of terminals 70. Terminal guides 64, shown in Fig. 3, are slotted through terminal access chamber 56 and bulb housing 54 terminating in end stop 62. The snap-in terminal 70 is inserted into the terminal access chamber 56 through terminal guide ports 66. The terminal guide ports 66 are separated by terminal guide center posts 68. Also provided in tubular socket 50 are wedge clamps 58. The purpose of these wedge clamps is to communicate with the snap-in terminal 70 and lock it in place. This occurs via wedge member 60 shown in Fig. 3 which is attached to the interior of wedge clamp 58. Wedge clamp 58 is cantilevered onto the housing assembly such that the portion at the end of bulb housing 54 when pulled will move outboard of housing 50 being hinged on terminal access chamber 56 thereby pulling wedge member 60 out of communication with terminal 70 and releasing terminal 70 from the socket 50. The wedge 60 communicates with the wedge receiving slot 82, shown in Fig. 10, provided in snap-in terminal 70. Referring now to Fig. 10, as well as Fig. 2, the snap-in terminal 70 comprises a lamp receiving portion 72 and a conduit receiving portion 74. The conduit receiving portion 74 communicates with conduit 76 via crimped wire retention flanges 78 and provides sufficient physical and electrical connection to snap-in terminal 70. The lamp receiving portion 72 is generally a channelized part comprising a terminal base 80 and terminal sides 84. The terminal base 80 provides the previously mentioned wedge receiving slot 82 and forms the base from which terminal sides 84 are formed. Cantilevered from terminal sides 84 on the interior side of the channel are contact arms 86 and 88. The contact arms 86 and 88 are formed by a folding action resulting in tabs 89. On each contact arm 86 and 88 are concave spring contacts 90. The purpose of the contacts 90 are to communicate with the filament wires 42 or the concave detent troughs 44. Formed from the bulb end of one of the terminal sides 84 is wire guide means 92. The purpose of the wire guide means is to communicate with filament wires 42 which may be skewed along vent tube 38. The communication between the wire guide means 92 and the filament wires 42 is the result of the wiping action of the wire guide means 92 along the vent tube 38. At the end of this wiping action, the filament wire 42, if skewed along the vent tube 38, should now be in proper mounting position in the longitudinal axis of bulbular evacuated chamber 34. The interaction between the filament wire 42 as supported by side wing 40 and wire guide means 92 results in the deformation of wire guide means 92. Also provided at the bulb end of the terminal sides 84 are bulb guides 94 which are rounded tabs to guide the side wings 40 into communication with the contact arms 86 and 88. The contact arms 86 and 88 are cantilevered into the interior of the channelized portion of the snap-in terminal 72 to provide a spring biased retention force on the wedge-base bulb 32 by engaging the concave detent troughs 44 via concave spring contacts 90 and by engaging filament wires 42 with concave spring contacts 90. Alingment of skewed filament wires 42 protruding toward the exterior edge of the side wing 40 are urged toward proper alignment through interference with the terminal base 80. Also shown in Figs. 2 and 10 is the preferred embodiment of the redundant terminal means which is designed to make electrical contact with filament wires 42 which are skewed onto the sides of side wings 40 or out of reach of the wire guide 92 and not aligned by interference with base 80. The redundant terminal means illustrated in Figs. 2 and 10 is shown as cantilevered redundant terminal 96. This cantilevered redundant terminal 96 is formed from the folded tab 89 on the contact arm 86 which is designed to communicate with concave detent trough 44. The cantilevered redundant terminal 96 is positioned in the interior of the generally channelized lamp receiving portion 72 and is directed toward contact arm 88 which is designed to communicate with filament wire 42. Fig. 4 is a sectional view through Fig. 3 illustrating the wedge-base bulb in position, and in communication with the snap-in terminal, the wire guide means,and redundant terminal means. Fig. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the bulb retention features of the snap-in terminal as well as the cantilevered redundant terminal in communication with the filament wires. Fig. 6 is a sectional end view illustrating the wiping action of the wire guide means. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the snap-in terminal with cantilever redundant terminal means. Fig. 8 is a side view of the subject terminal. Fig. 9 is an end view of the subject terminal. Another version of the redundant terminal means is illustrated in Fig. 11 and is shown as tab redundant terminal 98. The tab redundant terminal 98 is notched out from contact arm 88 which is the contact arm designed to communicate with the filament wire 42. Still another version of the redundant terminal means is shown in Fig. 16 as folded redundant terminal 102. Again, this folded redundant terminal 102 is formed from the contact arm 88 which is designed to communicate with filament wire 42. It is formed from folded tab 89 and bent back along contact arm 88 in the same longitudinal direction. Still another redundant terminal means is illustrated in Fig. 17 and is shown as the base redundant terminal 100. The base redundant terminal 100 is designed for use with snap-in terminals which fit into sockets that do not require wedge receiving slots 82. The base redundant terminal 100 is notched up from the terminal base 80 into the interior of the generally channelized lamp receiving portion 72. The base redundant terminal 100, in addition to being positioned into the interior of the generally channelized lamp receiving portion 72 is also directed toward the contact arm 88 which is designed to communicate with the filament wires 42. The end of base redundant terminal 100, shown as 101 in Fig. 17, is a twisted tang member designed to make contact with skewed filament wires 42 which are outboard of the side wings 40. This is also illustrated in side sectional view in Fig. 18. The snap-in terminal 70 has another feature which is designed to be used with mold filled sockets 106 shown in Figs. 12 through 15. The mold filled socket 106 is shown in perspective view in Fig. 12 with a pair of snap-in terminals 70 in place. Shown in Fig. 13 is a core tool 108 which is inserted around the snap-in terminal assembly 70 and the mold (not shown) prior to vinyl fill operations. The vinyl is shot into the mold around the core tool 108 and the snap-in terminal assembly 70 thereby encapsulating the terminal and conduit 76. The encapsulation provides a strong strain relief function for the conduit 76, as well as a moisture sealing function. Attention is now invited to mold fill retention wall 104 on snap-in terminal 70 in Figs. 11,13,15,16. The mold fill retention wall 104 communicates with the core tool 108 and the mold to prevent the flow of vinyl fill material into the generally channelized lamp receiving portion 72 of snap-in terminal 70. The mold fill retention wall 104 communicates with tabs 105 to seal the generally channelized lamp receiving portion 72 from excess vinyl fill material and flash in the fill process. Without the mold fill retention wall 104 and tabs 105, molded vinyl fill sockets would be much more expensive to make and the vinyl fill material would likely flow into the generally channelized lamp receiving portion 72 thereby interfering with the insertion of the wedge-base bulb 32 or the electrical contact of filament wires 42 with the snap-in terminal 70 or the communication of the concave detent troughs 42 with the concave spring contacts 90.

Claims: A socket assembly comprising a snap-in lamp terminal (70) in a socket housing (50) for receiving, locating and positioning a wedge-base bulb (32) having a pair of filament extension wires (42) positioned on sides of the wedge base (36), a pair of troughs (44) extending transverse to the wedge base (36), the wedge base further having a centrally located cylindrical vent tube (38) and a bulbular evacuated chamber (34) both in the same longitudinal axis, the vent tube (38) bounded by laterally extending side wings (40) of the wedge base (36), the snap-in terminal (70) comprising: a lamp receiving portion (72) and a conduit receiving portion (74); the conduit receiving portion (74) including wire retention means; the lamp receiving portion (72) having a terminal base (80) and terminal side portions; cantilevered contact arms (86, 88) projecting into the interior of the lamp receiving portion (72); the contact arms (86, 88) including spring contact members (90) for communication with the detent troughs (44) of the bulb and filament wires (42) of the bulb (32); a wire guide means (92) projecting into the interior of the lamp receiving portion (72) such that a wiping action will occur when the wedge-base bulb (32) is inserted into the terminal (70) thereby straightening any skewed portion of the filament wires (42), characterized in that said terminal side portions of the lamp receiving portion (72) are shaped as continuous terminal sides (84) so that the lamp receiving portion (72) is of a generally channelized shape; the cantilevered contact arms (86, 88) extend from the terminal sides via folded tabs (89); the terminal sides (84) have curved bulb guides (94) at the lamp receiving end to communicate with the wedge-base bulb (32); the wire guide means (92) projects into the generally channelized lamp receiving portion (72) from one of the terminal sides (84) adjacent said curved bulb guides (94) such that the wire guide means (92) wipes along the vent tube (38) of the bulb (32); and the snap-in terminal (70) further comprises a mold fill retention means (104) to prevent unwanted flow of molded socket fill material into the generally channelized lamp receiving portion (72) of the snap-in terminal (70). The socket assembly of claim 1, characterized in that the mold fill retention means comprises a mold retention wall (104). The socket assembly of claim 2, characterized in that the mold fill retention wall (104) is in communication with tabs (105) to seal the generally channelized lamp receiving portion (72) of the snap-in terminal (70). The socket assembly of claim 1 characterized in that said snap-in terminal comprises redundant terminal means (96, 98, 100, 102). The socket assembly of any of the preceding claims characterized in that the terminal base (80) of said snap-in terminal (70) further comprises a wedge receiving slot (82) for engagement with the socket housing (54). The socket assembly of claim 5, characterized by a generally tubular shaped socket (50) for receiving the wedge-base bulb (32) and the snap-in terminal (70); the socket (50) comprising a bulb housing (54) and a terminal access chamber (56) for a pair of snap-in terminals (70); the bulb housing (54) being of generally cylindrical shape and having a pair of end stops (62) which define a bulb entrance to the housing; a pair of terminal guides (64) slotted through the terminal access chamber (56) and bulb housing (54) terminating with the end stops (62) in the bulb housing (54); terminal guide ports (66) providing access to the terminal guides (64) for the snap-in terminals (70); and the bulb housing (54) further comprising wedge clamps (58) hinged from the socket assembly and providing a wedge for communication with he terminal base wedge receiving slot (82) thereby entrapping the snap-in terminal (70).

Inventors: DURAND, REMIE P.
Applicants: CHRYSLER CORPORATION
Application year: 1986
Main classification: H01R33
IPC codes: H01R33, H01R43