LAMPHOLDER ASSEMBLY FOR GAS DISCHARGE OR FLUORESCENT LAMPS WITH A SINGLE LAMP CAP

Abstract: Lampholder for at least one gas discharge or fluorescent lamp with a single lamp cap, whereby the lampholder is provided with internal electrical contacts and electrical interconnections, so that the lampholder can be directly connected to a ballast, and the lampholder is, further, provided with the electrical contacts for the mains power supply. The lampholder to which the invention is related, further, consists of two sections, with a common tangent connection plane and internal recesses, whereby the electrical contacts, and/or interconnections, are spring mounted and are placed in the lampholder sections in such a way that when the lampholder sections are clamped together, the relating electrical contacts are connected. The invention in accordance with this application for patent, presents a technical construction of the electrical contacts and the electrical interconnections, as a result of which, the assembly thereof can be built up, exclusively, with simply formed and easy to assemble leaf springs, whereby the electrical contacts for the mains power supply are located in recesses and consist of two leaf springs (3, 4), clamping over internal side wall edges (16, 17) of the lampholder, whereby separate electrical interconnections also serve as a stop for the mains wires. This construction also provides an advantage in the assembling process of the lampholder.

Description: with- a single lamp cap. The invention relates to a lampholder assembly for at least one gas discharge or fluorescent lamp with a single lamp cap, intended to be electrically connected to at least a . ballast, and possibly also to a starter or another electrical or electronic component, and to the electrical contacts of the mains power supply, whereby the lampholder is provided with internal electrical contacts and electrical interconnections, so that the lampholder can be directly connected to the ballast, and possibly also to other electrical or electronic components to be connected, by means of the electrical contacts, whereby, further, the lampholder is provided with electrical contacts for the mains power supply wires, whereby the lampholder is comprised of a housing, consisting of at least two sections, with a common tangent connection plane and internal recesses, whereby, further, at least one electrical interconnection and/or at least one electrical contact is wholly, or partially, constructed as a spring element and fitted in one of the lampholder sections, in such a way, that when the lampholder sections are clamped together, the • relative electrical contacts to be connected to each other, are electrically connected. A similar lampholder has already been described in the Netherlands' Application for Patent 8402000. The purpose of this invention is to improve upon the existing lampholder. The relative lamps are, predominantly, loop-, u-, rod-, circle- and pi-shaped, and are well known from brochures of compact fluorescent lamps, with trade-names such as: PL, PLC, Dulux, Lynx and 2D. For the lampholder concerned, the trade-name LAMP ATE is used. The lampholder in accordance with the invention can be electrically connected to at least one electrical or elec¬ tronic component of a lighting fixture or system, whereby each of the components can be provided with at least one electrical contact for connecting to the lampholder. Similarly, the lamp can be provided with two, or four, electrical pin contacts, depending on the type of lamp, for example, with or without a separate starter, and whether or not constructed for adjusting the light output. Similarly, the ballast can also be provided with more than two electrical contacts, for example, when the ballast is 5 constructed for controlling and adjusting the light output of the lamp. When constructing a lighting fixture or system, it is important for an efficient method of procedure that the mains power supply wires can be connected to the lampholder, and that from this lampholder, the wires can be connected to another lampholder, and also a suppressor or interference condensor can be connected to one of the lampholders. In a preferred embodiment of the lampholder to which this invention is related, the lampholder is comprised of a housing consisting of two sections, with metal parts which form the internal electrical contacts and the internal electrical interconnections, whereby the internal electrical contacts and the internal electrical interconnections can be constructed separately, and can have a spring construction, in such a way, that when the lamphoider sections ' are clamped together, electrical .contact is obtained. In this case, it is essential that the metal . parts remain in their place and are, consequently, shut in or clamped in the recesses of the lampholder sections, when clamped together. This can be achieved by using precise clamp fittings, which imposes heavy demands on the production process and is, therefore, a disadvantage for manufacturing and assembling the lampholder. The clamping of the electrical contacts in the recesses of the lampholder section, can also adversely affect the functioning of the electrical, contacts, if an electrical clamping contact is used for connecting a pin contact, unless a more complicated, or composite, construction of the electrical • contacts of existing design should be used, which is a disadvantage. The more complicated, or composite, construction of the electrical, clamping contact would also be necessary in order to prevent the clamping function of the electrical contact, which can be interfered with due to spring mounted pressure on the electrical contact from a spring mounted electrical interconnection. or e e ec ns a a on wor o connec ng e ma ns power supply wires to the lampholder, preference is given to the use of plug-in contacts, which can be worked with efficiently. The construction is also affected by the standard and inpection specifications. The invention in accordance with this application for patent, aims at meeting the above requirements and eliminating the disadvantages described, and gives a technical construction of the electrical contacts and the electrical interconnections, as a result of which, the assembly of the electrical contacts and the electrical interconnections can be made of simply formed, easy to manufacture and easy to assemble leaf springs, taking into consideration the functional and qualitative requirements. In particular, the electrical contacts for the mains power supply wires can, in this manner, be easily assembled with two leaf springs, consisting of a contact spring and a clamping spring, which springs can have an u-formed clamping lip, whereby, in succession, the two springs can be clamped over two side wall edges of a recess, lying opposite to each other in the interior of the lampholder. In addition, the recess with the electrical ^ contact, into which the mains power supply wire is plugged-in from the outside, can be shut off with a metal strip in the interior of the lampholder, which metal strip, thereby, serves as a stop for the mains power supply wire to be plugged-in, and which metal strip, at the same time, functions as an electrical interconnection, whereby the recess can also be shut off by a protrusion from the opposite , lampholder section, which functions as a stop for the clamping spring, which can be eased open from the outside of the lampholder with the use of a screwdriver or something similar, to remove the wire, whereby it is also possible to construct the metal strip in such a way, that both stopping functions, as described above, are performed by the metal strip. In the electrical contacts for the mains power supply wires, the plugged-in wire is fixed between the clamping spring and the contact spring, whereby the function of the clamping spring is to press the mains power supply wire against the contact spring with sufficient force to obtain a good electrical contact. The electrical contacts, described above, can also be used for connecting the mains power supply wires from the lampholder to another lampholder, and for connecting the electrical contacts of a possible suppressor or interference condensor, for which purpose these electrical contacts for the mains power supply wires, can be made, double, for each electrical contact. The advantage of providing the contact spring and the clamping spring of the electrical contacts with an u-formed clamping lip, which can be clamped over a side wall edge of the recess, is, that the electrical contacts remain in their place when the relative section of the lampholder is held upside down and, also, that the assembling can, easily, be carried out with a loose fit tolerance. The electrical contacts which are placed in the other section of the lampholder, which section, in this case, does not have to be held upside down for the purpose of clamping the lampholder sections together, can be inserted with a loose fit, and can be constructed as strip formed clamping contacts-or slots, provided with broad shoulder edges, , which can rest on two protruding side wall edges of a recess, lying opposite each other, in order to achieve that the clamping function of the electrical contact in relation to the electrical connection is not hampered by the clamping of the electrical contact in a recess, or by any pressure on the electrical contact from the electrical interconnection. For optimal functioning of the electrical contacts, the metal parts in the lampholder, forming the electrical contacts, can be shut in by internal moulded-in protrusions of the lampholder sections. This construction can be applied for the described separate electrical contacts, as well as for electrical contacts, which are integrated with an electrical interconnection. For a reliable construction of the lampholder it is desirable, that the two lampholder sections, clamped together, are securely fastened together and that any connecting joint of the lampholder sections is proof against any external pressure, and can also withstand the internal pressure from the spring mounted metal-parts in the sections can be accomplished with, for example, an ultrasonic weld. It is possible to construct the lampholder with two sections, whereby one section functions as the holder of the lamp and the other section is constructed as cap. Further, the clamping spring for the lamp cap can be made of a plastic material and can be formed as an integral part of the lampholder, whereby the clamping spring for the lamp cap can have an one- or a two-sided construction. The invention will be explained, more fully, with the aid of drawings in which possible embodiments are shown. Fig. 1 and fig. 2 relate to each other and give sectional drawings with elevation views of a possible embodiment of the lampholder according to the invention, in which drawings aniviews the assembly of electrical contacts, electrical interconnections and the combined lampholder sections, with recesses and protrusions, are indicated. The lampholder housing comprises two combined sections, consisting of a, so-called, holder 9 and a cap 10. The electrical connection of the lamp to the lampholder is realised by the electrical clamping contacts 1 in the lampholder section, the so-called holder 9. The ballast, in this example, is electrically connected to the lampholder by electrical clamping contacts 2 in the holder 9, whereas the electrical contacts for the mains power supply wires are made in accordance with a so-called double clamping spring system, or a so-called cutting contact spring system, and, in accordance with the invention, assembled with a contact spring 3 and a clamping spring 4 in the cap 10, together with a part of each of the electrical interconnections 6 and 7 for both electrical contacts, and with a protrusion of the holder 9. In the lampholder shown, three electrical interconnections are used, namely, leaf spring 5 between clamping contact 1 and clamping contact 2, leaf spring 6 between clamping contact 1 and contact spring 3, and leaf spring 7 between clamping contact 2 and contact spring 3. The drawings show clearly how all the metal parts, when completely assembled, are shut in, or resiliently pressed, y mou e - n pro rus ons n e wo amp o er sec ons, namely, holder 9 and cap 10, without the clamping and electrical contact functions being hampered. Fig. 3 shows how electrical clamping contact 1 is provided with shoulder edges 11 , which will rest on the side wall edges 12 of recess 13, in which the electrical clamping contact is inserted, as a result of which the resilient clamping action of the lips 14 can function freely. Fig. 4 shows, with the electrical contact assembled, a similar construction for electrical clamping contact 2 as for electrical clamping contact 1 in fig. 3. At the same time, fig. 4, in combination with figs. 1 and 2, shows how the electrical interconnection 6, together with the protrusion 15, form a part of the electrical contact for the mains power supply wires, together with the contact spring 3 and the clamping spring 4 in figures 1 and 2. Fig. 5 shows how, when not yet assembled, the electrical clamping construction of each of the electrical contacts for the mains power supply wires can be assembled with a contact spring 3 and a clamping spring 4, whereby the contact springs 3 can also be provided with a spring element or lip 19 for making electrical contact with the relating electrical interconnection. The mains power supply wire, or another wire to be connected, can, when plugged-in, be fixed between the straight lip 20 of the contact spring 3, and one of the spring mounted lips 21 of the clamping spring 4. When assembled, the clamping spring 4 is, by means of an u-formed clamping lip 18, clamped over the protruding side wall edge 17 of recess 22, while the contact spring 3 is, in a similar manner, clamped over the protruding side wall edge 16 of recess 22. The electrical contacts for the mains power supply wires, as described above, can, further, be formed according to the standards of excisting consructions, with openings for the mains power supply wires and an opening for, for example, a screwdriver to remove the wire or wires. As is clear from the description and from the drawings, all the parts in the one lampholder section, in this case the cap 10, are fixed with a resilient clamping construction, whereby catching structures, such as bevelled edges, are used to make assembling easy. The advantage of this construction is that when the one lampholder section, in this case cap 10, is turned upside down, to place it on the other lampholder section, i.e. the holder 9, the parts which are already assembled, in this case the contact spring 3 and the clamping spring 4, will not fall out, or be displaced, which can also be effected by the clamping action of the clamping spring against the contact spring. In other embodiments of the lampholder, it is, of course, possible to provide more clamping contacts with a u-formed clamping element, for clamping over one or more protruding side wall edges of recesses in the lampholder. At the start of the assembling process of the described lampholder, the two lampholder sections, i.e. the holder 9 and the cap 10, are lying open and, first, the clamping contacts 1 and 2 are inserted into the holder 9, followed by leaf spring 5, and then leaf spring 6. Leaf spring 7 can be placed in the section after the relating clamping contact 2 has been fitted in the recess. The holder 9 can be constructed in such a way, that all the metal parts to be placed and fitted in it can only be assembled in one way, with enough tolerance and by using catching constructions, such as bevelled edges. When the cap, with its parts, is placed on the holder, with its parts, the lampholder is complete, whereby the lampholder sections can be clamped and joined together with, for example, an ultrasonic weld. The figs. 1 and 2 also show how the spring or springs 23, for clamping the lamp cap, can be moulded-in with the holder 9.

Claims: Claims 1. Lampholder for at least one gas discharge or fluorescent lamp with a single lamp cap, intended to be electrically connected to at least a ballast, and possibly also to a starter or another electrical or electronic component, and to the electrical contacts of the mains power supply, whereby the lampholder is provided with internal electrical contacts and electrical interconnections, so that the lampholder can be directly connected to the ballast, and possibly also to other electrical or electronic components to be connected, by means of the electrical contacts, whereby, further, the lampholder is provided with electrical contacts for the mains power supply wires, whereby the lampholder is comprised of a housing, consisting of at least two sections, with a common tangent connection plane and internal recesses, whereby, further, at least one electrical interconnection and/or at least one electrical contact is wholly, or partially, constructed as a spring element and fitted in one of the lampholder sections, in such a way, that when the two lampholder sections are clamped together, the relative electrical contacts to be connected to each other, are electrically connected, characterized in that the electrical contacts for the mains power supply wires are located in recesses (22), whereby respectively a contact spring (3), with a u-formed clamping element, and a clamping spring (4), with a u-formed clamping element, are clamped over two side wall edges (16) and (17) of the recess, lying opposite to each other, ' whereby further an electrical interconnection (6), in the form of a leaf spring, is used which shuts off the recess and can serve as a stop, for example, for the wire, or wires, to be connected electrically. 2. Lampholder as claimed in the previous claim, characterized in that the u-shaped clamping element of the contact spring (3) is provided with at least one spring element or lip (19), located outside the recess, for making electrical contact with the electrical interconnections (6, 7) to be connected. 3. Lampholder as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that provided with at least one spring mounted element or lip (21), located in the recess (22), whereby the spring mounted lip (21 ) has the function of pressing the mains power supply wire, or other wires to be plugged-in, against the contact spring (3), in order to obtain a good electrical contact. 4. Lampholder as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the recess (22), for the electrical contact in the lampholder for the mains power supply wires, is shut off by a protrusion (150 from the opposite lampholder section, located in the interior of the lampholder, whereby the protrusion also serves as a stop for the spring mounted elements or lips (23) of the clamping spring (4), and protects them. 5. Clamping spring, intended to be incorporated in a lampholder as claimed in one of the previous claims. 6. Contact spring, intended to be incorporated in a lampholder as claimed in one of the previous claims. 7. Lampholder for at least one gas discharge or fluorescent lamp with a single lamp cap, .intended to be electrically connected to at least a ballast, and possibly also to a starter or another electrical or electronic component, and to the electrical contacts of the mains power supply, whereby the lampholder is provided with internal electrical contacts and electrical interconnections, so that the lampholder can be directly connected to the ballast, and possibly also to other electrical or electronic components to be connected, by means of the electrical contacts, whereby, further the lampholder is provided with electrical contacts for the mains power supply wires, whereby the lampholder is comprised of a housing, consisting of at least two sections, with a common tangent connection plane and internal recesses, whereby, further, at least one electrical interconnection and/or at least one electrical contact is wholly, or partially, constructed as a spring element and fitted in one of the lampholder sections, in such a way, that when the two lampholder sections are clamped together, the relative electrical contacts to be connected to each other, are electrically connected, characterized in that at least one electrical contact of the lampholder, for connecting an electrical or electronic component to the lampholder, is located in a recess (13), whereby in the recess a clamping contact (1, 2) is fitted, provided with broad shoulder edges (11), which rest on the protruding side wall edges (12) of the recess, whereby further the clamping contact is shut in and/or pushed down in the recess by protrusions of the opposite lampholder section, and/or by an electrical interconnection, without hampering the clamping function of the lips (14) of the clamping contact (1 , 2) . 8. Lampholder as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the clamping contact (1, 2) is provided with a spring element which clamp over a protruding wall edge, or between wall edges, of a recess. 9. Clamping contact, intended to be incorporated in a lampholder as claimed in claims 7 and 8. 10. Assembly of components for a lighting fixture, including a lampholder, or parts thereof, as claimed in one of the previous claims. 11. Lighting fixture, or a part of this, provided with a lampholder, or parts thereof, as claimed in one of the previous claims.

Inventors: KUIPER ADRIANUS MARIA, KUIPER, ADRIANUS, MARIA
Applicants: KUIPER ADRIANUS MARIA, KUIPER, ADRIANUS, MARIA
Application year: 1986
Main classification: H01R33
IPC codes: H01R33