Abstract:
A pin lead incandescent lamp may be adapted for use in wedge type sockets. Opposed planar faces may be attached to the pins, enabling coupling to corresponding socket faces. Resilient U shaped pieces may be welded to the pins providing a simple coupling with a secure spring or friction coupling to standard wedge type socket.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to electric lamps and particularly to electric lamps with press-seals. More particularly the invention is concerned with press-seals to be fitted in wedge type sockets. 
     2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     Prior art wedge lamps have a relatively small press-seal thickness. The leads are also thin and are easily bent. The combination allows the lead wires to be bent back over the press-seal. The total thickness is not great and a wedge type sockets have been developed to receive these lamps with bent over lead wires. Larger lamps have a thicker press-seal dimension and have heavier wires. The lead wires are not easily bent over the press-seal, and even if they could be, the combined thickness is too large to be received in the existing wedge type sockets. As a result, brighter and more efficient tungsten halogen type lamps have not been used in standard wedge type sockets. There is then a need for a larger lamp or tungsten halogen lamp that can be fitted to existing wedge type sockets. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A larger, more efficient incandescent lamp may be adapted to a wedge type socket by restructuring the lead connections. The lamp includes a light transmissive envelope defining an enclosed volume; and has a press-sealed end. A filament type light source is positioned in the defined volume. A first electrical lead passes through the press-sealed end, and has a first end electrically coupled to the filament and has a second end extending along a first axis away from the press-seal, and is exposed on the lamp exterior for electrical connection. A second electrical lead passes through the press-sealed end, having a first end electrically coupled to the filament and having a second end extending along a second axis away from the press-seal, and is exposed on the lamp exterior for electrical connection. The second end of the first lead includes a first contact face and a second contact face. The first contact face and the second contact face are offset one from the other, and each contact face is approximately parallel to the other and to the first lead axis. The second end of the second lead may include a similar first contact face and a similar second contact face. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a front perspective view of a press-sealed lamp. 
         FIG. 2  shows a side perspective view of the press-sealed lamp of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a press-sealed lamp with a reflector. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The preferred lamp  10  is an incandescent lamp, such as a tungsten halogen lamp capsule, with a light transmissive envelope  12  defining an enclosed volume  14 . The envelope  12  may have any convenient shape, although the Applicant prefers an axially aligned tube. The envelope  12  includes a press-sealed end  16 .  FIG. 1  shows a front perspective view of a press-sealed lamp.  FIG. 2  shows a side perspective view of the press-sealed lamp of  FIG. 1 . 
     Positioned in the defined volume  14  is a filament that serves as the preferred type light source  18 . It is understood that any other convenient light could be used, such as a high or low-pressure discharge, LED, glow discharge or other light source. 
     The light source  18  is electrically powered through two lead connections. The first electrical lead  20  passes through the press-sealed end  16 . The first electrical lead  20  has a first end  24  electrically coupled to the light source  18  (filament) and has a second end  26  that is extended along a first axis  27  through the press-seal  16  and then axially away from the press-seal  16 , and where second end  26  is exposed on the lamp  10  exterior for electrical connection. 
     Similarly a second electrical lead  22  passes through the press-sealed end  16 , and has a similar first end electrically coupled to the light source (filament) and has a second end extended through the press-seal  16  and then along a second axis  30  and away from the press-seal  16 , where the second lead end is also exposed on the lamp  10  exterior for electrical connection. 
     The second end  26  of the first lead  20 , the portioned exposed on the lamp exterior includes two contact faces  32 ,  34 . The first contact face  32  and a second contact face  34  are offset one from the other, generally having a width and breadth sufficient to make good electrical contact in a wedge type socket, and generally planar in form (or modified planar as described below). Each of the two contact faces  32 ,  34  is approximately parallel to each other. Approximately parallel here means, actually parallel or within about 25 degrees of being parallel. The two contact faces  32 ,  34  may be frictionally wedged in contact with corresponding socket faces. When the contact faces  32 ,  34  are actually closely parallel; the socket may be formed with corresponding faces to frictionally pinch the second lead end along the two exposed contact faces  32 ,  34 . As the angle of inclination between the two contact faces  32 ,  34  increases, it becomes more difficult to securely pinch the two contact faces  32 ,  34  in electrical and mechanical contact. The preferred contact faces  32 ,  34  are approximately planar, as they are easily manufactured that way, but they may be curved, toothed, staircased, rippled or similarly shaped. It is only important the contact faces  32 ,  34  slidingly pass against corresponding mating faces formed on a retaining socket, and are subsequently reasonably retained in position mated to the corresponding socket faces. The preferred second end of the second lead  22  similarly includes a similar first contact face and a second contact face, the first contact face and the second contact face of the second lead  22  are also offset one from the other with each being approximately parallel to each other and to the second lead axis. In the preferred embodiment the contact faces  32 ,  34  of the first lead  20  and the similar faces of the second lead  22  are all approximately parallel with the broad faces of the press-seal  16 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, each second lead end ( 26 ) is formed as a cylindrical rod that extends from the press-seal  16 , approximately parallel to the other second lead end (shaft). Welded to each of the distal ends of the shafts are U shaped resilient pieces  40 ,  42  formed from flat stock metal. The first U piece  40  has an interior face  44  that is welded to the exposed lead end  26 . The first U piece  40  has a second interior face  46  that offset from the lead end  26  with a gap  48  formed between the lead end  26  and the second U interior face  46 . The exterior faces the U shape piece  40  form the contact faces  32 ,  34 . The U shape piece  40  has a bottom side  50  that forms a wedge that initially enters and centers the contact faces  32 ,  34  against corresponding socket faces. In the preferred embodiment, the U piece  40  is anchored to the exposed lead end  26 , for example by welding. The second side of U piece  40 , between faces  34  and  46  acts as resilient spring tensioning the contact faces  32 ,  34  against corresponding socket faces. It is understood that the socket faces may include resilient mating faces for contacting the contact faces  32 ,  34 . In this way the lamp  10  may be wedged into the socket, and held in place by friction or spring tension. 
       FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a press-sealed lamp with a reflector  60 . It is convenient to use small press sealed lamps with surrounding reflectors. The reflector body may be formed with a penetrating passage that the press seal of the lamp maybe positioned in. The lamp and reflector are optically aligned and cemented or otherwise coupled together. The lamp leads  62 ,  64  then extend rewards from the reflector  60 . The transverse thickness of the lamp press, the cement layer and the surrounding reflector defining the passage is far too thick to be admitted in a wedge type socket. By similarly forming the lamp lead ends extending form the press seal with opposed faces  66 ,  68  whose transverse separation fits the socket face separation in a wedge type socket, for example by appending springing U shaped adaptations on the lead ends, the light source and reflector combination may be adapted for use in a wedge type socket. A tungsten halogen reflector lamp may then be used in a wedge type socket. 
     The wedge contacts may be applied to the ends of heavier lead wires typical of larger lamps, thereby enabling the use of larger lamps in existing wedge type sockets. The more efficient, or longer-lived, albeit larger lamps including tungsten halogen type lamps may then be used in wedge type sockets. 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.