Abstract:
A socket for a lamp is disclosed, in particular for a vehicle lamp, comprising a socket housing and at least two contact elements fixed in the socket housing for housing and electrical contacting of the lamp. According to the invention, the contact elements of the socket housing are fixed by means of a positive or non-positive fit with a socket pin which may be fixed therein.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a base according to the preamble of patent claim  1 , to a lamp provided with such a base, according to the preamble of patent claim  17  and to a method of producing such a lamp, according to the preamble of patent claim  18 . 
       PRIOR ART 
       [0002]    The base according to the invention can be used in principle, for a large number of lamps which have a base at one end. The main application area of the base, however, is likely to be in lamps for vehicle headlights which are inserted into a base via a pinched portion at one end. 
         [0003]    A lamp with such a base is described, for example, in the applicant&#39;s application DE 10 2004 007 150, which was published after the priority date. These conventional lamps use a base with a metallic base part for accommodating the lamp. This metallic base part is inserted into a second, approximately cup-like plastic base part which is provided with two contact springs. These serve for making electrical contact with the lamp and are integrated in the second plastic base part by means of injection molding. The lamp-side end portions of the contact springs each contain a groove-like recess for accommodating power-supply leads of the lamp. In the case of this solution, the power-supply leads are inserted into the recesses of the contact springs and fixed by means of welding. The disadvantage with such lamps is that, on the one hand, an additional base part is required for accommodating the lamp and, on the other hand the operation for joining the lamp and contact springs, on account of the welding, requires high production outlay. 
         [0004]    In order to simplify production, it is known, from the general prior art, for the contact springs to be configured, on the lamp side, with a clamp-like retaining region for accommodating the lamp and making electrical contact therewith. For this purpose, the lamp is inserted into the retaining region of the contact springs via a base-side pinched portion. This solution does indeed allow simplified production of the lamp since, in relation to DE 10 2004 007 150 from the prior art, no welding is necessary and it is possible to dispense with an additional base part for accommodating the lamp, but the configuration of the contact springs in the retaining region i.e. in the region in which the pinched portion of the lamp is accommodated and electrically contacted, means that this solution is not suitable for installation in the base by means of injection molding since, on account of the retaining region, encapsulation of the contact springs is only possible to a certain extent. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The object of the invention is to provide a base for a lamp, in particular for a vehicle lamp, a lamp provided with such a base and also a method of producing such a lamp, which, in relation to conventional solutions, allows simplified production, along with minimal outlay in terms of equipment, and also improved securing of the lamp on the base. 
         [0006]    This object is achieved, in respect of the base, by the combination of features of claim  1 , in respect of the lamp, by the features of claim  17  and, in respect of the method of producing the lamp, by the features of claim  18 . Particularly advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims. 
         [0007]    The base according to the invention for a lamp, in particular for a vehicle lamp, has a base housing and at least two contact elements which are fixed in the base housing and are intended for accommodating the lamp and making electrical contact therewith. According to the invention, the contact elements of the base housing are fixed in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner by means of a base slide which can be secured in the base housing. The contact springs may thus be configured with a retaining region for accommodating the lamp and making electrical contact therewith, in which case the securing of the lamp in the base is significantly improved in relation to DE 10 2004 007 150 of the prior art. This solution allows simplified installation of the lamp in the base and production which is likewise significantly simplified in relation to the methods of the generic type, since it is possible to dispense with the separate operating steps for forming the weld. 
         [0008]    The base slide is preferably a base part which can be inserted into the base housing and serves to fix the electrical contact elements following insertion into the base housing. 
         [0009]    In the case of a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base slide can be introduced radially into an accommodating portion of the base housing. 
         [0010]    The base slide along with the base housing preferably forms, at least in certain sections, a common base surface and/or side surface. On account of the base being closed off via the base slide, penetration of moisture and dirt into the base housing is effectively prevented and the service life of the lamp is significantly increased. 
         [0011]    According to a particularly preferred exemplary embodiment, the base slide has a multiplicity of protrusions which can be introduced into recesses of the base housing. The protrusions make it easier to slide the base slide into the base housing. 
         [0012]    It has proven to be particularly advantageous to form the recesses of the base housing as longitudinal grooves which extend at right angles to a longitudinal axis of the base housing. 
         [0013]    In order to ensure that the base slide is installed in the correct position in the base housing, at least two longitudinal grooves are formed with a larger cross section than the other longitudinal grooves. 
         [0014]    The base slide is preferably fixed on the base housing via a locking element. In the case of a particularly preferred exemplary embodiment, the locking element has at least one latching nose. Since all that is required, in order to install the contact elements in the base housing, is for the base slide to be pushed radially into the base housing, the production of the base is simplified to a considerable extent (so-called one-touch solution). 
         [0015]    The base housing preferably has at least two recesses for accommodating the contact elements, the recesses being arranged such that the contact elements are located essentially parallel to one another. The recesses are arranged in the base housing such that contact springs are fixed between the base slide and the base housing. This facilitates the installation of the lamp in the base. 
         [0016]    According to one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the contact elements used are contact springs, of which the spring legs are preferably angled in relation to one another. 
         [0017]    The base slide has an essentially slot-like recess for accommodating a leg of the first contact spring and an abutment surface for a leg of the second contact spring. As a result, following installation of the base slide, the contact springs are retained in the base housing via this base slide and yielding of the contact spring as the lamp is plugged in is prevented. 
         [0018]    The contact springs preferably have at least one spring leg which can be brought into force-fitting and/or form-fitting engagement with the lamp. 
         [0019]    According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base can be brought into abutment with a headlight, in particular a vehicle headlight, directly or indirectly via an essentially annular flange. In order to avoid the penetration of moisture and dirt into the reflector housing of the headlight, a sealing element, for example a sealing disk may be arranged between the flange and the headlight housing. Instead of the sealing element, it is also possible to provide a spring element, for example made of metal, or a retaining ring for bridging tolerances of the headlight. 
         [0020]    The base housing can preferably be rotated relative to the headlight and can be secured in a releasable manner thereon by means of a bayonet closure. This allows straightforward installation of the lamp on the vehicle headlight. 
         [0021]    It is preferred to form the base housing, and/or the base slide from an electrically insulated material, preferably from a plastic. It is possible here for that region of the base which is arranged in the vicinity of the lamp vessel to consist of a high-temperature plastic material and for the base slide, which is subjected to less pronounced thermal loading, to be produced from a more cost-effective plastic. 
         [0022]    The lamp according to the invention has a base and contact elements which are fixed in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner in the base housing by means of the base slide. 
         [0023]    The method of producing a lamp according to the invention, the lamp being inserted into a base, and electrically contacted, via contact elements, has the following steps: 
         [0000]    a) introducing the contact elements into the base housing;
 
b) pushing the base light into the base housing in order to fix the contact elements; and
 
c) inserting the lamp into a retaining portion of the contact elements.
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]    The invention is explained in more detail hereinbelow with reference to a preferred exemplary embodiment. In the drawings: 
           [0025]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic illustration of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the base according to the invention with lamp inserted; 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  shows a three-dimensional illustration solely of the base from  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  shows a three-dimensional illustration solely of the base housing from  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  shows a three-dimensional illustration of the base housing from  FIG. 2  with contact springs inserted; 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  shows a three-dimensional illustration of the base as the base slide is being pushed in; 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  shows a three-dimensional illustration of the base housing with the base slide pushed part of the way in; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 7  shows a three-dimensional illustration of the base slide and the arrangement of the contact springs relative to one another in space. 
       
    
    
     PREFERRED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0032]    The invention is explained hereinbelow by way of a vehicle-headlight discharge lamp which has a base at one end. As has already mentioned in the introduction, however, the base according to the invention is not in any way limited to such types of lamp. 
         [0033]      FIG. 1  shows a three-dimensional illustration of a base  1  according to the invention having a lamp  2  of type W16W, as are used for example in a vehicle headlight as an indicator or brake lamp inserted in it. Such a lamp  2  has a luminous means (not illustrated) which is connected to power-supply leads and is inserted into a lamp vessel  4  made of quartz glass. The lamp vessel  4  is sealed, and inserted into the base  1  via a pinched portion  6 , which is located at one end and has an essentially rectangular cross section. This base has a base housing  8  which, on the lamp side, has an installation recess  10  for accommodating the lamp  2  in the base housing  8 . The base housing  8  contains two contact elements which are configured as contact springs  12 ,  14  and, in the region of the installation recess  10  of the lamp  2 , for a retaining portion  16  for accommodating the pinched portion  6  of the lamp  2  and are each electrically contacted to one of the two power-supply leads of the luminous means (not illustrated). The base housing  8  has, on the lamp side, an essentially cylindrical fastening portion  18  which has, on its outer circumferential surface  20  three radially projecting, approximately crosspiece-like connecting elements  22  (in  FIG. 1 , one of the connecting elements  22  is concealed by the fastening portion  18 ), which engage in corresponding retaining elements of a headlight and can be secured there (not illustrated). On the side which is directed away from the lamp vessel, the fastening portion  18  merges into a flange  24 , which is annular at least in certain sections. This flange has an abutment surface  26  which, for the purpose of installing the base  1  in the headlight, can be brought into abutment against the headlight via a sealing disk  28  arranged on the fastening portion  18 . In the installed state of the base  1 , the sealing disk  28  is arranged between the flange  24  and headlight and prevents moisture and dirt from penetrating into the headlight. Following the flange  24 , on the side which is directed away from the lamp vessel, the base housing  8  merges into an essentially box-like grip part  30 . For the purpose of installing the base  1  on the headlight, the base is inserted into the headlight via the fastening portion  18  and secured on the headlight, by way of a rotary movement relative to that, by means of the connecting elements  22 —in other words, the connecting elements  22 , along with the retaining elements of the headlight, form a bayonet closure via which the base  1  can be secured in a releasable manner on the headlight. Introduction of the base  1  into the headlight is facilitated by a chamfer  32  formed on the end side of the fastening portion  18 . 
         [0034]    According to  FIG. 2 , which shows a three-dimensional illustration solely of the base  1  from  FIG. 1 , the contact springs  12 ,  14  are arranged in the base housing  8  such that two end portions  34 ,  36  of the contact springs  12 ,  14  project radially out of the base housing  8  and can be electrically contacted via a contact plug (not illustrated). According to the invention, the contact springs  12 ,  14  are fixed in a form-fitting and force-fitting manner in the base housing  8  by means of a base slide  38  which can be secured in the base housing  8 . The contact springs  12 ,  14  may thus be configured with the retaining region  16  (see  FIG. 1 ) for accommodating the lamp  2  and making electrical contact therewith, in which case the securing of the lamp  2  in the base  1  is significantly improved in relation to the prior art. Furthermore, according to the invention, production of the lamps is likewise significantly simplified in relation to the methods of the generic type, since it is possible to dispense with the separate operating steps for forming a weld. According to  FIG. 2 , the contour of the base slide  38  is adapted to the contour of the base housing  8  such that the base slide  38  along with the base housing  8  forms a common base surface  40  and side surface  42 . As a result, moisture and dirt are prevented from penetrating into the base housing  8  and the service life of the lamp is significantly increased. In the case of the exemplary embodiment shown, the base housing  8  and the base slide  38  are formed from an electrically insulating plastic. 
         [0035]    As can be gathered from  FIG. 3 , which shows a three-dimensional illustration solely of the base housing  8  from  FIG. 2 , this base housing has an accommodating portion  44  which is open at the bottom and on the end side and is intended for accommodating the base slide  38  (see  FIG. 2 ). The accommodating portion  44  contains two approximately groove-like recesses  46 ,  48  for accommodating the contact springs  12 ,  14 , the recesses being arranged in the base housing  8  such that the contact springs  12 ,  14  can be brought into abutment against supporting surfaces  52 ,  54  of the recesses  46 ,  48  and can be secured between the base slide  38  and the base housing  8  (see  FIG. 2 ). A first recess  46  is arranged in a plug-side end portion  54  of the base housing  8  and is assigned to a first leg  56  (see  FIG. 4 ) of the contact spring  14 . The second recess  48  is formed on a connecting crosspiece  64  running between the side walls  60 ,  62  of the base housing  8 , in the direction of a longitudinal axis  58  of the base housing  8 , and is assigned to a leg  66  of the contact spring  12  (see  FIG. 4 ). The recess  48  is provided, along the edges, with a chamfer  68  in each case, in order to facilitate insertion of the contact spring  12 . 
         [0036]    As can be seen, in particular from  FIG. 4 , which shows a three-dimensional illustration of the base housing  8  with contact springs  12 ,  14  inserted, the depth of the recesses  46 ,  48  corresponds approximately to the thickness of the legs  56 ,  66  of the contact springs  12 ,  14 , in which case the spring legs  56 ,  66  each terminate flush with the top side of the recesses  46 ,  48 . The contact springs  12 ,  14  are pressed into the recesses  46 ,  48  such that the spring legs  56 ,  66  run essentially parallel to one another and project radially out of the base housing  8 . 
         [0037]    According to  FIG. 5 , which shows a three-dimensional illustration of the base housing  8 , with contact springs  12 ,  14  inserted, as the base slide  38  is being pushed in, this base slide is pushed into the accommodating portion  44  of the base housing  8  in a radial direction, i.e. 90° to the longitudinal axis  58  of the base housing  8 , as is indicated by an arrow. For this purpose the approximately L-shaped base slide  38  has four crosspiece-like guide protrusions  70 ,  72 ,  74 ,  76  which can be introduced into guide recesses  78 ,  80 ,  82 ,  84  of the base housing  8 . In the case of the exemplary embodiment shown, the guide recesses  78 ,  80 ,  82 ,  84  of the base housing  8  are in the form of longitudinal grooves which extend, at right angles to the longitudinal axis  58  of the base housing  8 , into a radially widened region  86  of the accommodating portion  44 . The longitudinal grooves  78 ,  80  of the base housing  8 , these grooves being at the top in  FIG. 5 , each extends, beyond the radially widened region  44 , into the side walls  60 ,  62  of the base housing  8  (see  FIG. 3 ). The guide protrusions  70 ,  72 ,  74 ,  76  make it easier to push the base slide  38  into the base housing  8 , and fix the base slide in the direction of the longitudinal axis  58  in the accommodating portion  44  of the base housing  8 . In order to facilitate installation of the base slide  38  in the base housing  8 , the two longitudinal grooves  82 ,  84  of the base housing  8 , these grooves being at the bottom in  FIG. 5 , are formed with a larger cross section than the two longitudinal grooves  78 ,  80  at the top. The base slide  38  is fixed on the base housing  8  via two locking elements  90 ,  92  which are provided with a latching nose  88  and are arranged between the guide protrusions  70 ,  74  and  72 ,  76  (the locking element  92  is concealed by the base slide  38  in  FIG. 5 ). For this purpose, the locking elements  90 ,  92  are designed elastically and, once the base slide  38  has been pushed all the way in, engage behind an edge  94  (see  FIG. 3 ) of the base housing  8  via the latching noses  88 , in the region between the longitudinal grooves  78 ,  82  and  80 ,  84 . 
         [0038]    As can be gathered, in particular, from  FIG. 6 , which shows a three-dimensional illustration of the base housing  8  with the base slide  38  pushed part of the way in, this base slide rests, via a guide surface  98  on the top collar  96  on a supporting surface  100  of the base housing  8 , this supporting surface being set back axially in relation to the side surface  42  of the base housing  8 , and is guided via this supporting surface as it is pushed into the base housing  8 . Once the base slide  38  has been pushed in, a plug-side portion  102  of the collar  96  remains free and, this portion being provided with a rounded formation  104 . According to  FIG. 6 , the installation recess  10  of the base housing  8  is of an essentially circular design and is widened radially via two diametrically arranged rectangular grooves  106 ,  108 . These serve for supporting the contact springs  12 ,  14  in the installation recess  10 . For this purpose, protrusions  126  of the contact springs  12 ,  14  which are bent through 90° can be brought into abutment against the narrow side  112  of the rectangular grooves  106 ,  108 . 
         [0039]    According to  FIG. 7 , which shows a three-dimensional illustration of the base slide  38  and the arrangement of the contact springs  12 ,  14  relative to one another in space, the base slide  38  has, in the region between the guide protrusions  70 ,  72 , an essentially slot-like recess  114  for accommodating the legs  66  of the first contact spring  12  and an abutment surface  116  for the leg  56  of the second contact spring  14  (see  FIG. 4 ). As a result, following installation of the base slide  38 , the contact springs  12 ,  14  are retained in the base housing  8  via this base slide, and yielding of the contact springs  12 ,  14  as the lamp  1  is plugged into the retaining portion  16  is prevented. The contact springs  12 ,  14  have spring legs  118 ,  120  which are angled through 90° in relation to the spring legs  56 ,  66  and, on the lamp side, form the approximately clamp-like retaining portion  16 , which can be brought into force-fitting and form-fitting engagement with the pinched portion  6  of the lamp  2  and is in electrical contact therewith (see  FIG. 1 ). The lamp-side end portions  112 ,  124  of the spring legs  118 ,  120  each have two protrusions  126  which project beyond the spring legs  118 ,  120  and are bent through 90° into the retaining portion  16 , in which case they form essentially parallel side surfaces  128  for guiding side surfaces  130  of the pinched portion  6  of the lamp  2  (see  FIG. 1 ) in the retaining portion  16 . Also formed on the spring legs  118 ,  120  in each case are two clamp-like spring protrusions  132  which are bent toward one another and merge into hardening portions  134  which run in an axis-parallel manner in relation to the longitudinal axis  58  of the base housing  8  and have a retaining region  136  which is bent in an approximately C-shaped manner. The spring protrusions  132  are brought into abutment against the side surfaces  130  of the pinched portion  6  via the retaining regions  136  and thus fix the lamp  2  in the retaining region  16  (see  FIG. 1 ). The end portions  34 ,  36  of the spring legs  118 ,  120 , these end portions projecting out of the base housing  8 , are provided, on both sides with all-round chamfers  138 , which facilitate introduction of the contact plug (not illustrated). 
         [0040]    The essential steps for producing the lamp  1  are explained hereinbelow with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 5 . In a first operating step, the contact spring  14  is introduced into the accommodating portion  44  in the direction of the longitudinal axis  58  of the base housing  8  and brought into abutment against the supporting surface  54 . The second contact spring  12  is then pushed into the accommodating portion  44  and brought into abutment against the supporting surface  52  of the connecting crosspiece  64 . In the following operating step, as is indicated by an arrow in  FIG. 5 , the base slide  38  is pushed radially into the accommodating portion  44  of base housing  8 . As the base slide  38  is pushed into the accommodating portion  44  of the base housing  8 , the leg  66  of the contact spring  12  penetrates into the recess  114  of the base slide  38 , and the leg  56  of the other contact spring  14  is guided on the abutment surface  116  of the base slide  38  (see  FIG. 7 ). The guide protrusions  70 ,  72 ,  74 ,  76  of the base slide  38 , as the latter is pushed in, are guided in the longitudinal grooves  78 ,  80 ,  82 ,  84  of the base housing  8 . Once the base slide  38  has been pushed all the way in, it is fixed on the base housing  8  via the locking elements  90 ,  92 , which are provided with latching noses  88 . Finally, the lamp  2  is pushed into the retaining portion  16  of the contact springs  12 ,  14  via the pinched portion  6  and, on account of the spring action of the fastening portions  134 , fixed in the base  1 . 
         [0041]    The base  1  according to the invention allows a so-called one-touch solution since all that is required, in order to install the contact springs  12 ,  14  in the base housing  8 , is for the base slide  38  to be pushed radially into the base housing, in which case it latches there automatically. 
         [0042]    The invention discloses a base  1  for a lamp  2 , in particular for a vehicle lamp, having a base housing  8  and at least two contact elements  12 ,  14  which are fixed in the base housing and are intended for accommodating the lamp  2  and making electrical contact therewith. According to the invention, the contact elements  12 ,  14  of the base housing  8  are fixed in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner by means of a base slide  38  which can be secured in the housing.