Abstract:
A lamp assembly for attachment to a vehicle, comprising a lamp which includes a housing having an axially extending member, the axially extending member extendable through an opening in a vehicle mounting panel and below the vehicle mounting panel. An anti-theft collar is included around at least a portion of the axially extending member, the collar being securable to said axially extending member. The collar has a first set of projections to snap fit attach to the vehicle mounting panel at a first depth and a second set of projections to snap fit attach to the vehicle mounting panel at a second depth.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/567,709 filed on Dec. 7, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is related to electric lamps for vehicles, and more specifically to theft resistant attachment of an electric lamp to a vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Vehicles, for example, trucks, may utilize replaceable lamps, for example, side marker lamps, that are installed on the sides of trucks and/or trailers in order to clearly mark the boundaries of the trucks and/or trailers at night. Historically, these lamps had to be replaced on a regular basis when lamp elements failed. Prior art lamp assemblies utilized a system that permitted removal of the lamp assemblies for replacement. For example, by rotating the lamp assembly in a bracket permanently affixed to the vehicle where rotation of the lamp assembly allows the lamp assembly to be completely removed from the bracket. 
         [0004]    However, there are times when a lamp that is not easily removable, such as by a thief, is desirable. Therefore there is a need for a vehicular lamp mounting that is theft resistant. The present application is directed towards meeting that need. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    According to one aspect, a lamp assembly for attachment to a vehicle is disclosed, comprising: a lamp which includes a housing having an axially extending member, said axially extending member extendable through an opening in a vehicle mounting panel and below the vehicle mounting panel; a collar around at least a portion of said axially extending member; said collar being securable to said axially extending member; said collar having a first set of projections to snap fit attach to the vehicle mounting panel at a first depth; and, said collar having a second set of projections to snap fit attach to the vehicle mounting panel at a second depth. The first set of projections may comprise first tabs which project radially outward of said collar, said first tabs being deflectable radially inwardly as said collar is inserted into the opening in the vehicle mounting panel, said first tabs being located co-planar with each other. The second set of projections may comprise second tabs which project radially outward of said collar, said second tabs being deflectable radially inwardly as said collar is inserted into the opening in the vehicle, said second tabs being located co-planar with each other and at a depth axially below said first tabs. The collar may comprise a third plurality of tabs, wherein said third plurality of tabs project radially inwardly and bite into said axially extending member to secure said axially extending member to said collar. The collar may comprise a fourth plurality of tabs positioned on a bottom surface of said collar and oriented inwardly. 
         [0006]    According to another aspect, a theft resistant collar adapted for use in connection with a lamp assembly for attachment to a vehicle is disclosed, the lamp assembly having a lamp which includes a housing having an axially extending member extendable through an opening in a vehicle mounting panel and below the vehicle mounting panel, comprising: a cylindrical collar body sized to fit around at least a portion of axially extending member below the vehicle mounting panel; said collar being securable to said axially extending member; said collar having a first set of projections to snap fit attach at a first depth; and, said collar having a second set of projections to snap fit attach at a second depth. The first set of projections may comprise first tabs which project radially outward of said collar, said first tabs being deflectable radially inwardly as said collar is inserted into the opening in the vehicle mounting panel, said first tabs being located co-planar with each other. The second set of projections may comprise second tabs which project radially outward of said collar, said second tabs being deflectable radially inwardly as said collar is inserted into the opening in the vehicle, said second tabs being located co-planar with each other and at a depth axially below said first tabs. The collar may comprise a third plurality of tabs, wherein said third plurality of tabs project radially inwardly and bite into said axially extending member to secure said axially extending member to said collar. The collar may comprise a fourth plurality of tabs positioned on a bottom surface of said collar and oriented inwardly. 
         [0007]    Still additional features and embodiments of the invention as well as advantages associated therewith will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the descriptions herein, including the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of the lamp assembly. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a right side elevational view of the  FIG. 1  lamp assembly. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a left side elevational view of the  FIG. 1  lamp assembly. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the  FIG. 1  lamp assembly. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of the  FIG. 1  lamp assembly. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a perspective assembly view of the  FIG. 1  lamp assembly including a lamp, grommet skirt, and a collar. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the  FIG. 6  grommet skirt. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the  FIG. 7  grommet skirt. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a front elevational view of the  FIG. 7  grommet skirt. 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a left side elevational view of the  FIG. 7  grommet skirt. 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a right side elevational view of the  FIG. 7  grommet skirt. 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is a bottom plan view of the  FIG. 7  grommet skirt. 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  is a side cross sectional view of the  FIG. 7  grommet skirt taken along line  13 - 13  in  FIG. 8 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the  FIG. 6  collar. 
           [0022]      FIG. 15  is a top plan view of the  FIG. 14  collar. 
           [0023]      FIG. 16  is a front elevational view of the  FIG. 14  collar. 
           [0024]      FIG. 17  is a left side elevational view of the  FIG. 14  collar. 
           [0025]      FIG. 18  is a right side elevational view of the  FIG. 14  collar. 
           [0026]      FIG. 19  is a bottom plan view of the  FIG. 14  collar. 
           [0027]      FIG. 20  is a side elevation view of the  FIG. 1  lamp assembly mounted on a first portion of a vehicle. 
           [0028]      FIG. 21  is a side elevation view of the  FIG. 1  lamp assembly mounted on a first portion of a vehicle. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0029]    Reference will now be made to certain embodiments and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of this disclosure and the claims are thereby intended, such alterations, further modifications and further applications of the principles described herein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure relates. In several figures, where there are the same or similar elements, those elements are designated with the same or similar reference numerals. 
         [0030]    Vehicular lamp assemblies may now utilize LEDs or other lighting as the illumination element. The present application therefore provides a lamp assembly that prevents, or at least impedes, the lamp assembly from being removed from the vehicle after the lamp assembly has been installed thereon. The purpose of the disclosed lamp assembly is to make it hard to steal the disclosed lamp assembly off the vehicle, and if done so then with substantially damaging the lamp assembly in the process of removal. 
         [0031]      FIGS. 1-5  illustrate lamp assembly  50 . Lamp assembly  50  includes lamp  52 , grommet skirt  54  and collar  56 . 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , lamp assembly  50  is shown in an exploded assembly view showing lamp  52 , grommet skirt  54  and collar  56 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , lamp  52  includes housing  58 , including a transparent or translucent lens, and defining a rim  60  and axially extending member  62  (cylindrical, oblong, square or otherwise) extending from the bottom of housing  58  with wires  64  extending below member  62 , with terminals  66  attached to the free ends of wires  64 . Rim  60  is preferably configured to have a larger width or diameter than the width or diameter of the axially extending member  62 , which allows the axially extending member  62  to be inserted through a hole in a vehicle mounting panel, while the rim  60  is held against the outside surface of the vehicle mounting panel. Terminals  66  are used to electrically couple lamp  52  to the vehicle or trailer electrical system using conventional plug terminals. Housing  58  may be formed from any suitable material including, but not limited to, plastic, glass, and the like. 
         [0033]    Referring now to  FIGS. 7-13 , grommet skirt  54  is shown. Grommet skirt  54  includes flange  68  with rim  70  around the periphery of flange  68 . Rim  70  includes wall  72  and outer surface  74 . Wall  72  and flange  68  define recess  76 . As shown in  FIGS. 9-13 , grommet skirt  54  also includes projection  80  extending from the bottom of flange  68  with inner opening  82  extending through flange  68  and projection  80  so that projection  80  surrounds the periphery of inner opening  82 . As shown in  FIG. 13 , rim  70 , flange  68  and projection  80  define recess  78 . The lamp  52  and skirt  54  are merely an example of what may be used in connection with the present invention. Other shapes and arrangements, particularly those known in vehicle lighting, such as running lights, brake lights, and otherwise may be employed. Grommet skirt  54  is preferably formed from a flexible material, such as rubber, although other materials may be used as well, including, including, but not limited to, plastic, ceramic, metal, and the like. 
         [0034]    Referring now to  FIGS. 14-19 , collar  56  is illustrated. Collar  56  includes body  84 , defining inner opening  86 . Collar  56  and/or body  84  may be cylindrical, or at least tubular, although it may be other shapes as well. Collar  56  preferably includes a plurality of projections, such as for example tabs  88  and a plurality of tabs  90  and a plurality of tabs  92 . In the illustrated embodiment, four tabs  88  are positioned around the periphery of body  84  oriented outward at a uniform relative axial position around the periphery of body  84  near top surface  94  of cylindrical body  84 . The illustrated embodiment of collar  56  also includes four tabs  90  oriented around the periphery of cylindrical body  84  oriented outward at a lower relative axial position compared to tabs  88  and positioned closer to bottom surface  96  of cylindrical body then top surface  94 . The illustrated embodiment of collar  56  also includes four tabs  92  located on cylindrical body  84  oriented inwardly around the periphery of inner opening  86 . Collar  56  also includes three tabs  98  positioned on bottom surface  96  and oriented inwardly toward inner opening  86 . More or less such projections may be used, such as two, three, five or otherwise at a given level or depth. Collar  56  may be formed from any suitable material including, but not limited to, metal, plastic, ceramic, rubber and the like. In a preferred embodiment, collar  56  is formed into a cylindrical shape from a unitary sheet of metal as shown in  FIG. 14 , with tabs  88 ,  90 , and  92  pressed radially inward or outward using appropriate metal forming techniques known in the art. 
         [0035]    Lamp assembly  50  is assembled by stringing wires  64  and terminals  66  through inner openings  82  and  86  shown in  FIG. 6 . Housing  58  is then positioned in recess  76  with rim  60  abutting wall  72  so that outer surface  74  surrounds the periphery of housing  58 . Collar  56  is then press fit over member  62  thereby sandwiching grommet skirt  54  between housing  58  and collar  56 . Tabs  92  interface with member  62  to allow only a one-way motion in a relative tightening direction when pressing collar  56  up member  62  in the direction of housing  58 . Tabs  92  are configured that they may interface with member  62  to prevent, or at least impede, movement in the opposite direction such as when pulling collar  56  away from housing  58 . Tabs  98  may block member  62  from advancing past bottom surface  96  when pressing collar  56  onto member  62 . Once assembled as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5 , lamp assembly  50  is preferably permanently assembled such that disassembly would result in damage to one or more components of lamp assembly  50 . 
         [0036]    Lamp assembly  50  is mounted on a vehicle or trailer by stringing wires  64  and terminals  66  through an opening in the vehicle or trailer and inserting collar  56  into the opening in the vehicle or trailer with grommet skirt  54  abutting the outer surface of the vehicle or trailer and covering the hole in the vehicle or trailer. It includes one or more lighting elements, such as LED&#39;s, under lens or cover  58 . Tabs  88  and/or  90  are configured to snap through an opening in the outer panel of the vehicle or trailer that lamp assembly  50  is mounted and to then lock against the back side of that opening to prevent removal of lamp assembly  50 . Tabs  88  and  90  are located at different depths as shown in  FIG. 3  with tabs  88  being located at depth D 1  and tabs  90  being located at depth D 2 . The combination of tabs  88  and  90  at depths D 1  and D 2  allow lamp assembly  50  to be used in a variety of vehicles having different mounting panel or opening thicknesses. 
         [0037]    Various depths D 1  and D 2  can be achieved by varying the relative axial position of tabs  88  and  90  and/or the configuration of grommet skirt  54 . In addition to various “depths”, various levels may be used in addition or instead of various depths. Such levels or depths may be coplanar or non-coplanar. As an example of coplanar depths, as shown in  FIG. 11 , grommet skirt  54  includes thickness T. As shown in  FIG. 16 , the axial position of tabs  88  may be identified by height H 1  and the axial position of tabs  90  may be identified by height H 2 . Collar  56  may be manufactured with varying heights H 1  and H 2  and grommet skirt  54  manufactured with varying thickness T. Appropriate components may then be selected for grommet skirt  54  and/or collar  56  to generate a depth D 1  and/or D 2  for a particular application while keeping other components standard. For example, the height H 1  and its corresponding depth D 1  corresponds to the distance between surface  102  and  106  of vehicle panel  100  (metal or otherwise, such as part of a vehicle)  100 , shown in  FIG. 20 . As a further example, the height H 2  and its corresponding depth D 2  corresponds to the distance between surface  108  and  112  of vehicle panel  107  (metal or otherwise, such as part of a vehicle), shown in  FIG. 21 . 
         [0038]    Tabs  88  and  90  are deflectable inwardly during installation to permit easy snapping of lamp assembly  50  into position on a vehicle or trailer. After being mounted, tabs  88  and/or  90  snap back into the illustrated configuration and block removal of lamp assembly  50  through the mounting hole in the vehicle or trailer. 
         [0039]    Referring again to  FIG. 20 , lamp assembly  50  is illustrated installed through vehicle panel  100 . As illustrated, vehicle panel  100  includes outer surface  102 , opening  104 , and inner surface  106 . Lamp assembly  50  is inserted through opening  104 , which biases tabs  88  and  90  inwardly to clear opening  104 . Once tabs  88  clear opening  104 , they spring back into the illustrated configuration and abut inner surface  106 . Attempts to pull lamp assembly  50  out of opening  104  are resisted by tabs  88  abutting inner surface  106 . Grommet skirt  54  rests on outer surface  102  and obscures opening  104 . 
         [0040]    Referring now to  FIG. 21 , lamp assembly  50  is illustrated installed through vehicle panel  106 . Vehicle panel  106  is substantially thicker than vehicle panel  100  and includes outer surface  108 , opening  110  and inner surface  112 . Lamp assembly  50  is inserted through opening  110 , which biases tabs  88  and  90  inwardly to clear opening  110 . Once tabs  90  clear opening  110 , they spring back into the illustrated configuration and abut inner surface  112 . Attempts to pull lamp assembly  50  out or opening  110  are resisted by tabs  90  abutting inner surface  112 . Grommet skirt  54  rests on outer surface  108  and obscures opening  110 . It shall be understood that vehicle panels  100  and  107  may comprise any structure suitable for mounting lighting assemblies on a vehicle, such as a truck or trailer. 
         [0041]    While not illustrated, the mounting features disclosed herein can be combined with other known mounting features. For example, bayonet style mountings are common in side marker lamps where the lamp assembly includes a profiled geometry that only allows insertion of lamp assembly  50  into the mounting hole in one orientation after which the lamp assembly may be rotated and locked into final position. Such assembly may also include a fastener to secure the rotational position of the lamp assembly. Tabs  88  and/or  90  may be included with such a configuration to prevent removal of the lamp assembly regardless of its orientation after installation. As such, installation may be first axial insertion into the mounting hole followed by rotational snap fitting of the tabs or other protrusions. 
         [0042]    Similarly, tabs  88  and  90  may be configured for use with a helical style installation where the lamp assembly is rotated in a helical path when installing onto the vehicle or trailer. Such a system may optionally secure the angular orientation of the lamp assembly in the mounting hole. In such a system, tabs  88  and  90  could be configured to block removal of lamp assembly while the helical installation feature may optionally also be used to maintain the angular positioning of the lamp assembly. 
         [0043]    While the embodiment disclosed herein utilizes tabs  92  to secure collar  56  to member  62 , other methods may be utilized to permanently affix collar  56  to member  62  and/or housing  58 . For example, member  62  may include recesses to receive tabs  92  or member  62  may optionally include a locking structure that would interface with cylindrical body  84  to lock collar  56  onto member  62 . Optionally, one set of tabs, such as inwardly directed tabs  92  resist movement or partial separation in one axial direction, whereas another (e.g. tabs  88  and/or  90 ) may resist in the opposite axial direction. Furthermore, other forms of comparatively permanent mounting may be utilized including, but not limited to, adhesives, cements, welding, brazing, or otherwise. 
         [0044]    While the embodiment disclosed herein utilized two levels of tabs  88  and  90 , additional or fewer levels of tabs may be included as desired to increase the applications for which a single configuration lamp assembly  50  my be used in. Similarly, additional or fewer individual tabs  88 ,  90  and  92  may be used as desired. 
         [0045]    This disclosure serves to illustrate and describe the claimed invention to aid in the interpretation of the claims. However, this disclosure is not restrictive in character because not every embodiment covered by the claims is necessarily illustrated and described. All changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims are desired to be protected, not just those embodiments explicitly described.