Abstract:
An electrical contact modifier is configured to allow the use of a “single-element” medium base light bulb in a three-way lamp holder/switch. The device allows the three-way switch to replicate the “OFF-ON” functionality of a standard one-way light switch. The apparatus may be implemented as a single-socket bulb extender, or alternately, a device that is concealed within the lamp holder body and/or attached to the base of a one-way “single-element” light bulb.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority from provisional application 60/859,316 filed Nov. 15, 2006. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to electric light fixtures, and more particularly to three way bulbs and sockets. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    There is a desire on the part of many consumers to use a “single-element” bulb in a three-way light fixture. For example, many ecologically-minded persons prefer to use the more efficient compact fluorescent bulbs in place of traditional wire filament incandescent bulbs. Three-way versions of compact fluorescent bulbs are difficult to find and expensive. In other cases, a consumer may wish to have only a single level of illumination from a lamp fitted with a three-way light socket. 
         [0004]    A three-way socket has a common connection, usually all or part of the threaded portion of the base receptacle. Additionally, there are two connections in the bottom of the base designed to connect, respectively, a tip connection and a ring connection on the three-way bulb. In the off (or first) position of the power switch, no power is sent to any connection. In the second position, power is sent to the ring, thus making a powered connection through the lighting element to the common connection. In the third position, power is provided to the tip connection, and not to the ring, thus lighting a second element typically of higher power. In the fourth position, power is provided to both the ring and the tip, thus giving the combined light output of both the bulb-lighting elements. 
         [0005]    A “single-element” (or one-way) bulb has no ring connection. A problem with using a single-way (one level of illumination) bulb in a three-way socket is that as the power switch is turned, the illumination pattern will be off-off-on-on rather than the desired off-on. This can be a nuisance. 
         [0006]    What is needed is a simple, consumer-friendly device that will adapt a three-way light socket to operate a “single-element” bulb in the desired of-on configuration. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An object of the present invention is to provide a means of modifying a three-way lamp holder/switch to accommodate a “single-element” compact fluorescent or other type of medium-base light bulb, using a simple, durable device that can fit within the confines of a typical three-way household lamp without compromising utility or safety, while at the same time duplicating the functionality of an “OFF-ON” type of switching system. 
         [0008]    In one embodiment, a three-way to one-way bulb adapter according to the principles of the present invention is realized in an adapter having a top with a standard one-way bulb socket and a bottom being a modified three-way bulb base. The ring of the base is wired to the tip of the socket, and the tip of the base has no connection. The common of the base and the common of the socket are connected. Since the ring connection of the base is powered on-off-on-off as the switch in a three-way lamp socket is turned, the result is to power a one-way bulb screwed into the adapter in the same sequence. 
         [0009]    In another embodiment, a disc shaped button adapter for insertion into a three-way lamp socket is made from a disc of non-conductive material with a notch in the disc designed to fit over the ring connection of a three-way bulb socket. The disk has a connector means which connects the three-way bulb ring connector to a tip connector on a one-way bulb when the disc adapter is inserted into a three-way bulb socket and a one-way bulb is then inserted into the same socket. The disc adapter electrically isolates the tip connector of the three-way lamp socket. 
         [0010]    In yet another embodiment, the adapter is made from a ring-shaped non-conductive material having a flexible electrically conductive interior. The adapter is sized to fit over the tip and ring connector of a standard three-way socket, and has a non-conductive pip on the underside so as to electrically isolate the tip connector of a three-way base. The conductive interior makes electrical connection between the ring connector of a three-way socket and a light bulb inserted into the socket with the adapter in place between the two. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a bottom view of a three-way to one-way bulb adapter. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a three-way to one-way bulb adapter. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a top down view of a three-way to one-way bulb adapter. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a view of a one-way light bulb being inserted into a three-way to one-way bulb adapter. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a schematic wiring diagram of a three-way to one-way bulb adapter. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a side view of a three-way to one-way bulb button adapter. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a top-down view of a three-way to one-way bulb button adapter. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7A  is a top-down view of a standard three-way bulb socket (prior art). 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a side view of a one-way bulb positioned above a button adapter. 
           [0020]      FIG. 8A  is a top-down view of a three-way to one-way bulb button adapter in place in a standard three-way bulb socket. 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is a side view of another embodiment of a three-way to one-way button adapter. 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is a top view of a three-way to one-way button adapter. 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  is a bottom view of a three-way to one-way button adapter. 
           [0024]      FIG. 12  is a side view showing a button adapter positioned below a standard one-way bulb as it would be in use (socket not shown). 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0025]    A “single-element” light bulb, for the purposes of this document, refers to one which is capable of a single level of illumination when energized. Any type of medium-base light bulb could be used. However, a need exists to utilize compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and LED bulbs. 
         [0026]    A three-way lamp holder/switch is often found in many table and floor lamps. When combined with what is typically an incandescent three-way light bulb, three levels of illumination are produced by the lamp. The standard three-way lamp holder has four switch positions: off, low, medium, and high. By utilizing the outside of the light bulb&#39;s screw-in base as a common electrical ground, with two concentric electrical contacts (called, respectively, tip and ring) on the bulb&#39;s male base, the three-way lamp holder enables independent or simultaneous activation of the two separate filaments within the incandescent bulb. 
         [0027]    A commonly used three-way incandescent bulb is rated at 50-100-150 watts of electrical consumption and proportional illumination. With the increasing costs of excessive electrical power consumption, more attention is being paid to the benefits of replacing incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient ones. The major advantage of the compact fluorescent bulb over its incandescent equivalent is that it typically uses approximately 25% of the electricity consumed by the incandescent bulb for the same amount of light output. 
         [0028]    It is possible, if not always easy, to find three-way compact fluorescent light bulbs. Anecdotal evidence suggests that there may be technical issues with the current generation of these bulbs, which would account for the difficulty sometimes encountered with finding them. The high cost of these bulbs may also tend to depress demand, and their subsequent availability. 
         [0029]    When a “single-element” compact fluorescent or incandescent type of light bulb is used in a three-way lamp holder/switch, the sequence of illumination when rotating the switch&#39;s activating knob is “OFF-OFF-ON-ON,” which can be annoying to a consumer. This invention modifies that sequence to the more conventional “OFF-ON-OFF-ON”. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the underside of an adapter  45  according to the principles of the present invention is shown; having a tip  20  connector made of a non-conductive material, a conductive a ring connector  40 , and the common connector  50 . 
         [0031]    In one embodiment, and referring to  FIG. 2 , the adapter  45  is shown in side view, comprising a lower end with a modified three-way bulb base  42  having a tip  20 , ring  40  and common  50  connection, and a one-way bulb socket  65  having an interior  60  into which a one-way bulb (not shown) may be inserted. Referring to  FIG. 3 , a top-down view of the adapter  45  is shown, revealing the interior  60  showing a single tip  70  connection and a common connection  52 . The ring connection is absent. As may be seen in  FIG. 4 , a single-element one-way bulb  80  may be inserted into the adapter  45 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 5  reveals how the adaptation is accomplished.  FIG. 5  shows an electrical schematic diagram of how the internal connections of the adapter are made. Of first note is that there is no electrical connection made to the tip  20 . The ring  40  on the bulb base  42  is connected electrically to the tip connection  70  of the bulb socket  65 . The common connection  50  of the base  42  is electrically connected to the common connection  53  of the socket  65 . 
         [0033]    Thus, the tip of a bulb  80  inserted into the socket  65  will be powered whenever the ring  40  of the base  42  is powered. Since there is no connection between the bulb  80  whatever to the tip  20 , power applied to the tip  20  will have no effect on bulb illumination. The ring  40  of the base  42  is powered on low and high positions of the lamp switch (not shown) thus powering the tip  185  of a bulb  80  giving the desired off-on-off-on illumination sequence. 
         [0034]    In a simpler embodiment, referring to  FIG. 6 , a side view of a button adapter  150  is shown. The adapter  150  is of a circumference designed to fit snugly into a standard three-way lamp socket. It has a body  190  made of a non-conductive stiff insulating material, such as high-temperature plastic or cardboard. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the adapter  150  has an index slot  165  to hold it in position over the ring connector  160  of a bulb base as shown in  FIG. 7A . 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 6A , an adapter connector means  180  part of the button adapter is shown disassembled from the button adapter. The adapter connector means  180  is made from a strip of conductive material bent into a roughly “J” shape, having a tip contact portion  181 , a ring contact portion  182  and a neck portion  183 . As shown in cutaway  FIG. 6B , when assembled the neck portion  183  is sandwiched between the bottom  190 A and top  190 B of the body  190 . The body may be made of two pieces as shown, or it may simply be of a material such as cardboard which is split so as to receive the neck portion  183  of the adapter connector means  180 . 
         [0036]    Thus, as shown in  FIG. 7 , on the top of the button adapter  150  the adapter connector means  180  is an electrically conductive contact designed to mate at the ring contact portion  181  with a ring connection  160  of a three-way lamp base  187  shown in top view in  FIG. 7A  (prior art) and with the tip contact  185  of a bulb  180  (prior art). Thus, as shown in  FIG. 8A , when the button adapter  150  is inserted into a three-way lamp base  187  the adapter connector means  180  electrically connects through the ring contact portion  182  a ring contact  160  of a three-way lamp base  187 , then through the tip contact portion  181  to a tip contact  185  of a one-way light bulb  80 . The tip contact of the lamp base  188  is electrically isolated. As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the tip contact portion  181  of the adapter connector means  180  is in position so as to connect to a bulb tip contact  185  on a bulb  80 .  FIG. 8A  shows a top view of a lamp base  187  showing the adapter  150  in place. As may be seen, the index notch  165  seats over the lamp base ring connector  160  electrically contacting the adapter ring contact portion  182  to the lamp base ring connector  160 . 
         [0037]    In yet another embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 9  (side view),  10  (top view) and  11  (bottom view), an adapter  200  is shown having a rigid non-conductive frame  225 , a non-conductive tip connector  210  on the bottom where it would non-electrically connect with the tip connector when installed in a lamp base (not shown). A conductive portion having a bottom  215  and top  220  is situated so as to engage on the bottom  215 , when the adapter is inserted into a three-way lamp socket (not shown), with the lamp socket ring connection (not shown) and the top portion  220  would connect with the tip of a bulb  80  in  FIG. 12  when inserted into a lamp base with the adapter  200  fitted therein. Typically, a three-way lamp socket ring connector is fabricated from a metallic spring strip designed to connect with the ring connection of a bulb base and to be compressed when the bulb is screwed into the lamp base. The non-conductive tip  210  of the adapter  200  is to be thin enough to allow the spring strip to make connection when a bulb  80  is screwed in a three-way base (not shown.) In use, the button adapter  200  is intended to be attached to the tip of a bulb  80 , using a nonconductive adhesive so as to keep a consumer&#39;s fingers from being in the lamp socket during installation.