Abstract:
A lamp may be formed with radial arm electrical contacts from a ceramic body insulating body supporting a lamp capsule. A press sealed tubular lamp is held in an end of the ceramic body. The radial arms extend sideways from the ceramic body and support electrical contacts, that may be brought into electrical contact in an insert and twist type socket.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates to electric lamps and particularly to ceramic bases. More particularly the invention is concerned with high temperature electric lamps with ceramic bases. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
         [0005]    High temperature and high wattage electric lamps with ceramic bases typically have pin couplings that are axially inserted base first into a socket, or that are clamped to by mechanical closures. The straight pin insertion is not always secure, while the clamped to process is time consuming. There is then a need for a high wattage, high temperature lamp base that may be rapidly inserted and securely coupled in place. There is also a need for a high wattage, high temperature lamp base that can be inserted lamp capsule first. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    A lamp may be made from a lamp capsule having a press sealed end; and a base formed from an electrically insulating material, having an end of the base with a wall defining a receptacle sized and shaped to receive, along an axis of the base, the press sealed end of the lamp capsule. The base includes a first flange extending from a first side of the base, transverse to the axis. The first flange has a radial side, and has a first electrical contact supported on the first flange and exposed for electrical contact along the radial side. A similarly formed second flange extends from a second side of the base opposite the first side of the base, transverse to the axis; and has a similarly formed radial side including a second electrical contact. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic bottom view in cross section of a lamp base with attached radial arm electrical contacts. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  shows a schematic cross sectional view of a lamp capsule and lamp base with radial arm electrical contacts. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The lamp with radial arm electrical contacts  10  may be made with a lamp capsule  12  having a press sealed end  14 . In the preferred embodiment the lamp capsule  12  is a tubular lamp enclosing a multi-segment filament, typical of photo-optical lamps.  FIG. 1  shows a schematic bottom view of a lamp base with attached radial arm electrical contacts.  FIG. 2  shows a schematic cross sectional view of a lamp capsule and lamp base with radial arm electrical contacts. 
         [0010]    The lamp  10  also includes a base  16  formed from an electrically insulating material. The preferred insulating material is a molded ceramic, but could be a high temperature resin or other appropriate insulating material. The base  16  is formed with an end with a wall  18  defining a receptacle  20 . The preferred wall  18  stands up in the direction of an axis  22  of the base  16 . The wall  18  is sized and shaped to receive, along the axis  22  of the base  16 , the press seal  14  of the lamp capsule  12 . Since a press seal  14  is usually approximately flat on two opposed sides, the receptacle  20  is conveniently formed as a box with a narrow rectangular opening. The opening is shaped with sufficient width and breadth to receive the press seal  14  in axial insertion. The lamp capsule  12  and base  16  may be cemented together as is known in the art. Formed in the sidewall of the base is a first through passage  23 . 
         [0011]    The base  16  includes a first flange  24  extending from a first side of the base  16 , and adjacent the first through passage  23 . The first flange may have form of a radial arm. The first flange  24  extends transverse to the axis  22 . The first flange  24  has a radial side  28  that may include a section that is a body of rotation  30  about the base axis  22 . Formed in the first flange may be a trench  32  extending from the first through passage  23 . The trench  32  extends along the first flange  24  to a first electrical contact  34  supported on the first flange  24  and exposed for electrical contact along the radial side  28  in an appropriately shaped electrical socket. 
         [0012]    The base  16  includes a similarly formed second flange  25  extending from a second side of the base  16  opposite the first side of the base  16 , and again may have the form of a radial arm. The second flange  25  extends transverse to the axis  22 , and having a similarly formed radial side including a second electrical contact  35 . A similar second through passage and second trench lead to the second contact  35 . The first electrical contact  32 , and the second electrical contact  35  are electrically connected to the lamp capsule  12  to provide electrical coupling paths. For example a wire  38  may be coupled from the contact  34 , lie in the trench  32  and extend through the through passage  23  to the base interior for electrical coupling to a lamp lead  40 . The trench  32  may then be filled with cement  42  to insulate and protect the wire  38  in the trench  32 . Alternatively, the wire  38  may extend along the (untrenched) surface of the flange  24 . 
         [0013]    The first flange  24  may be further formed with a top side  36 , and the first electrical contact  32  may be further exposed for electrical contact on the top side  36  of the first flange  24 . Similarly, the first flange  24  may include a bottom side  42 , and the first electrical contact  34  may be further exposed for electrical contact along the bottom side  42  of the first flange  24 . Since the second flange  25  is similar to the first flange  24 , the second flange  25  may be formed with a top side or a bottom side and the second electrical contact  35  may be extended for exposure on such top or bottom side. The radial side  28  of the flanges  24 ,  25  may include a portion of a body of rotation  30  about the base  16  axis  22  to enhance mechanical or electrical twist coupling of the lamp base  16  in a socket. The extended flanges may be latched to or clipped to in appropriately formed matching sockets, thereby enabling rapid and secure lamp insertion. The radial periphery of the base or more specifically of the flanges may be keyed to the socket to help orient the lamp, or define the proper lamp for the socket. The contacts being mounted on the side extending flanges enable a socket to be designed that allows the lamp capsule to be inserted first in the lamp socket. 
         [0014]    While there have been shown and described what are at present considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.