Patent Publication Number: US-6992429-B2

Title: Lamp for an automobile

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a lamp for an automobile. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventional lamps for automobiles include lamps disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,232,707 and 6,056,417. The lamps for automobiles in each of these patents have substantially the same configuration, and therefore the lamp for an automobile disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,417 will hereinafter be described as a typical example. 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a lamp for an automobile disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,417. As shown in the figure, this lamp includes a lamp  110 , and a base portion  130  to which the lamp  110  is mounted. 
     The lamp  110  is designed such that pairs of lead wires  11  mounted to both ends of filaments  12  are charged with electricity to cause a current to flow through the filaments  12  to thereby emit light due to electrical resistance of the filaments  12 . The filaments  12  are disposed within a generally spherical glass envelope  21  of a bulb  20 , and an inactive gas is enclosed in the glass envelope  21 . Intermediate portions of the lead wires  11  are fixed by a pinch seal portion  22  of the bulb  20 , and the lead wires  11  extend downwardly from the pinch seal portion  22 . An exhaust tube  13  is sealed at a central portion of the pinch seal portion  22 . This exhaust tube  13  is a tube used to establish an inactive gas atmosphere in the glass envelope  21  and after establishing the inactive gas atmosphere, is subjected to melt sealing to close the tube. 
     The base portion  130  includes a resin adapter  140  and a fixing member  150 . 
     The resin adapter  140  includes a lamp mounting portion  141  for mounting the pinch seal portion  22  of the lamp  110 , and a portion  142  which forms a base cap when lead wires are folded around its external surface, with a fitting cavity  143  being formed vertically therein. The fitting cavity  143  is fitted with the pinch seal portion  22  of the lamp  110  to thereby allow the lamp  110  to be mounted in the resin adapter  140 . 
     When the lamp  110  is mounted in the resin adapter  140 , portions of the lead wires  11  extending downwardly from a lower end of the portion  142  are bent or folded upwardly so that the folded portions of the lead wires  11  extend along a lower surface of the resin adapter  140 . These folded portions of the lead wires  11  become a base cap through which a current is supplied from the outside. 
     Peripheral portions of the portion  142  of the resin adapter  140  are fitted with the fixing member  150  to fix the folded portions of the lead wires  11  in order to prevent the folded portions from being shifted from the proper positions. 
     The lamp  110  is manufactured in accordance with the following procedure before being mounted in the resin adapter  140 . 
     First of all, the lead wires  11  of the lamp  110  are folded outwardly at a position lower than that of the lower end of the pinch seal portion  22 . Folding the lead wires  11  makes it possible to prevent the lead wires from being melted or burned in the later melt sealing procedure. Next, the inactive gas atmosphere is established inside the lamp  110  through the exhaust tube  13 , and an opening portion of the exhaust tube  13  is then subjected to the melt sealing procedure for heating and melting of the opening portion. Finally, the folded lead wires  11  are unfolded and restored into the original straight wires. 
     The lamp  110  having the lead wires  11  unfolded into the original straight wires is mounted in the resin adapter  140  to thereby assemble the lamp for an automobile. 
     However, the conventional lamp for an automobile has the following problems (i) to (iii). 
     (i) Since the lead wires  11  are unfolded for restored into the original straight wires after being firstly folded, the unfolding of the lead wires  11  is insufficient in some cases. In a case where the unfolding of the lead wires  11  is insufficient, there is a fear that the lead wires  11  are bent during insertion of the lead wires  11  into fine insertion holes  141  of the resin adapter  140 , and in the worst case, the lead wires  11  can not be inserted into the insertion holes  141  of the base portion  140 . 
     (ii) The positions of the filaments  12  inside the lamp are defined by a distance from a reference surface using an upper end of the resin adapter  140  in the base portion  130  as a reference surface. If the filaments are shifted from their proper positions, then an adverse influence is exerted on an illuminating angle. However, in the conventional lamp for an automobile, when the lamp  110  is mounted in the resin adapter  140 , the lamp is continued to be inserted into the insertion cavity  143  of the resin adapter  140  until an upper end of the resin adapter  140  comes in contact with the glass envelope  21  of the bulb  20  in order to be positioned. For this reason, if processing accuracy for the glass envelope  21  of the bulb  20  is poor, then a position shift occurs in the reference surface, the positions of the filaments  12  are shifted accordingly, and hence the lamp concerned becomes a defective product. 
     (iii) A distal end side of the folded portions of each of the lead wires is held between the fixing member  150  and the resin adapter  140 , whereby the lamp  110  is fixed to the resin adapter  140 . In other words, the lamp  110  is merely fixed to the resin adapter  140  only by fixed portions of the lead wires  11 . Hence, a firm fixing means is not provided against a vertical position shift. As a result, the filaments  12  may be shifted from their proper positions, or the lamp  110  may move vertically in some cases. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In the light of the foregoing, the present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems associated with the prior art, and it is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a lamp for an automobile in which it is possible to avoid lack of conformity so that when a base portion is mounted with a lamp and lead wires are bent or can not be inserted, it is possible to prevent the lamp from moving, and it is possible to prevent the positions of filaments from being shifted from the proper positions irrespective of processing accuracy of the glass envelope of the lamp, and as a result it is possible to prevent products from being inferior in quality. 
     According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lamp for an automobile including a lamp and a base portion in which the lamp is mounted, in which the lamp includes: a bulb; lead wires extending from a base of the bulb; and a pinch seal portion formed in the base of the bulb for fixing the lead wires, and the base portion includes: a resin adapter having a pair of adapter half bodies adapted to be put onto the pinch seal portion from left and right side portions of the pinch seal portion in a transverse direction for mounting on the pinch seal portion. 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the lamp for an automobile according to the first aspect of the present invention, each of the adapter half bodies includes: a lamp mounting portion to which the lamp is mounted; and a portion which is intended to serve as a base cap (hereinafter sometimes referred to simply as the base cap portion), and a seal-portion-accommodating recessed portion for accommodating the pinch seal portion is formed in the lamp mounting portion, and a lead wire accommodating portion for accommodating the lead wires is formed in the base cap portion. 
     According to a third aspect of the present invention, the lamp for an automobile according to the second aspect of the present invention further includes: ribs formed on front and rear surfaces of the pinch seal portion so as to extend in a transverse direction on the front and rear surfaces of the pinch seal portion; and rib grooves adapted to be engageable with the ribs and formed on inner wall surfaces of the seal-portion-accommodating recessed portion in each of the adapter half bodies so as to extend in a transverse direction of the inner wall surfaces of the seal-portion-accommodating recessed portion. 
     According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the lamp for an automobile according to the third aspect of the present invention further includes holding portions having a saw-tooth structure in which peak portions and valley portions each extending in a transverse direction of inner wall surfaces of the seal-portion-accommodating recessed portion are alternately vertically formed, the holding portions being formed on the inner wall surfaces of the seal-portion-accommodating recessed portion in each of the adapter half bodies. 
     According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the lamp for an automobile according to the second aspect of the present invention further includes: a lead wire fixing groove into which a portion of the lead wire accommodated in the lead wire accommodating portion is fitted, the portion being folded at a lower end of the base cap portion, the lead wire fixing groove being formed in the lower end of the base cap portion; and a tip fixing groove into which a tip of the lead wire is fitted, the tip fixing groove being formed in an upper portion with respect to the lead wire fixing groove in an external wall of the base cap portion. 
     According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the lamp for an automobile according to the first aspect of the present invention further includes fixing means for fixing the pair of adapter half bodies in a state in which the pair of adapter half bodies are mounted on the pinch seal portion. 
     According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the lamp for an automobile according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the fixing means includes a ring-like fixing member in which a fitting hole is formed into which peripheral portions of the pair of adapter half bodies in a joining state are fitted. 
     According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the lamp for an automobile according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the fixing means includes: engagement projections provided on one of the pair of adapter half bodies; and engagement members provided in the other of the pair of adapter half bodies adapted to be engageable with the engagement projections. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the accompanying drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a lamp for an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view of the lamp for an automobile according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 3(   a ) and  3 ( b ) are a side elevational view of a lamp and a front elevational view of the lamp; 
         FIGS. 4(   a ) to  4 ( f ) are a left side elevational view, a front elevational view, a right side elevational view, a rear elevational view, a plan view, and a bottom view of an adapter half body; 
         FIGS. 5(   a ) and  5 ( b ) are a plan view and a front elevational view of a fixing member; 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevational view showing a state in which an adapter half body is mounted on the lamp; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a pair of adapter half bodies mounted on the lamp; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which lead wires are folded at a lower end of a pair of adapter half bodies; 
         FIG. 9  is a plan view of a base portion according to another embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic perspective view of a lamp for an automobile disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,417. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a lamp for an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view of the lamp for an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a lamp  1  for an automobile includes a lamp  10 , and a base portion  30  in which the lamp  10  is mounted. 
     First, the lamp  10  will hereinafter be described. 
       FIGS. 3(   a ) and  3 ( b ) are a side elevational view and a front elevational view of the lamp  10 . As shown in these figures, the lamp  10  is designed such that when a pair of lead wires  11  attached to both ends of a filament  12  is charged with electricity, a current is caused to flow through the filament  12  to emit light due to electrical resistance of the filament  12 . 
     Note that while in the figures, two sets of pairs of lead wires  11  are mounted to ends of two filaments  12 , respectively, one set or three or more sets of pairs of lead wires  11  may also be adopted. 
     The above-mentioned filaments  12  are disposed within a glass enclosure  21  of a bulb  20 . An inactive gas is enclosed in the glass enclosure  21 . This bulb  20  is formed by sealing an opening end portion of a hemispherically closed glass tube. The sealed portion is called a pinch (or press) seal portion  22 . The pinch seal portion  22  is formed in a base of the bulb  20 . 
     Intermediate portions of the lead wires  11  are fixed by the pinch seal portion  22 , and portions of the lead wires  11  beyond the intermediate portions extend downwardly from the pinch seal portion  22 . A protrusion protruding from a lower end of the pinch seal portion  22  shows a lower end of an exhaust tube  13  after completion of a melt sealing procedure. 
     Ribs  23  are formed on the front surface and rear surface of the pinch seal portion  22 , respectively. The ribs  23  are formed in order to prevent adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B as will be described later from being vertically shifted from their proper positions. Each rib  23  is a rod-like projection having an elongated shape and is formed on the pinch seal portion  22  so as to extend in a transverse direction of the pinch seal portion  22  relative to the axis of the bulb. A pair of ribs  23  is desirably formed so as to have the same position or height on the seal portion. 
     Note that the width of each rib  23  is arbitrary, and each rib  23  has only to extend in a transverse direction of the pinch seal portion  22  and hence may be short or long. 
     Moreover, note that each rib  23  may be formed together with the pinch seal portion  22  when the glass tube is sealed, or may be formed after the pinch seal portion  22  is formed. 
     Next, the base portion  30  will hereinafter be described. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , this base portion  30  is a portion in which the above-mentioned lamp  10  is mounted, and is constituted by a resin adapter  40  and a fixing member  60 . 
     Note that the fixing member  60  is an optional constituent element and hence may be omitted. 
     First of all, the resin adapter  40  will now be described. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the resin adapter  40  is composed of a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B. Since the adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B formed in pairs are substantially identical to each other, the adapter half body  40 A is described here as a typical one. 
       FIGS. 4(   a ) to  4 ( f ) are a left side elevational view, a front elevational view, a right side elevational view, a rear elevational view, a plan view, and a bottom view of the adapter half body  40 A. These figures are views of six surfaces of the adapter half body  40 A. As shown in these figures, the adapter half body  40 A is made of an insulating resin, and is constituted by a lamp mounting portion  41  and a portion  42  intended to serve as a base cap (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “a base cap portion”). 
     The lamp mounting portion  41  is a portion in which the pinch seal portion  22  of the lamp  10  is to be mounted. A seal-portion-accommodating recessed portion  43  having a width slightly larger than a thickness of the pinch seal portion  22  is formed inside the lamp mounting portion  41 . 
     The base cap portion  42  is a portion which is intended to become a base cap to which an electrical current is supplied from the outside. A lead wire accommodating portion  44  having a width larger than a diameter of each lead wire  11  is formed as a recess on an inside wall of the base cap portion  42 . 
       FIG. 6  is a side elevational view showing a state in which the adapter half body  40 A is mounted on the pinch seal portion  22  of the lamp  10 . As shown in the figure, when the adapter half body  40 A is mounted on the pinch seal portion  22 , the pinch seal portion  22  can be accommodated in the seal-portion-accommodating recessed portion  43  of the lamp mounting portion  41 , and also the lead wires  11  can be accommodated in the lead wire accommodating portion  44  of the base cap portion  42 . Consequently, the adapter half body  40 A can be put onto the pinch seal portion  22  of the lamp  10  in a transverse direction and mounted on the pinch seal portion  22  from either one of the left and right side portions of the pinch seal portion  22 . 
     The adapter half body  40 B can be mounted to the remaining half surface of the pinch seal portion  22  in a similar way. 
     When a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B is put onto the pinch seal portion  22  from both the left and right side portions of the pinch seal portion  22  in the transverse direction and mounted on the pinch seal portion  22  as described above, the lead wires  11  can be inserted in the opening of the lead wire accommodating portions  44 . For this reason, even if the unfolding of the lead wires  11  of the lamp  10  is insufficient, there is no fear that in accommodating the lead wires  11 , the lead wires  11  will be hooked on the resin adapter. Thus, it is possible to remove such a problem that the lead wires  11  are bent or can not be inserted. As a result, it is possible to prevent a product from becoming inferior in its quality independently of the shape of each lead wire  11 . 
     In the above-mentioned seal-portion-accommodating recessed portion  43 , the rib grooves  45  which are adapted to be engaged with the ribs  23  and which extend in a transverse direction are formed in the wall surfaces facing each other, respectively. 
     When the adapter half body  40 A is mounted on the pinch seal portion  22 , a rib  23  formed in the pinch seal portion  22  of the lamp  10  is inserted into the rib groove  45  of the adapter half body  40 A while being slid transversely, whereby the adapter half body  40 A can be mounted to either the left or right half surfaces of the pinch seal portion  22  of the lamp  10 . 
     The adapter half body  40 B can be mounted on the remaining half surface of the pinch seal portion  22  in a similar way. 
     Since the ribs  23  of the pinch seal portion  22  are respectively engaged with the rib grooves  45  of a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B, it is possible to prevent a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B from being vertically shifted from their correct positions. As a result, it is possible to prevent the lamp  10  from moving. 
     Moreover, the pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B is not vertically shifted, even if the processing accuracy for the bulb  20  of the lamp  10  is poor, as long as the formation positions of the ribs  23  in the pinch seal portion  22  are accurately held, and distances between the filaments  12  and the reference surface of the resin adapter  40  can be held constant, and hence it is possible to prevent defective products from being manufactured. 
     In addition, in the seal-portion-accommodating recessed portion  43  of each of the adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B, holding portions  53  are respectively formed in the front and rear inner wall portions facing each other. The holding portions  53  of each of the front and rear inner wall portions have a saw-tooth structure in which peak portions and valley portions each extending transversely are vertically and alternately formed. 
     The peak portions in the saw-tooth structure of the holding portions  53  are made of a resin such as, for example, polyethylene, nylon, choroethene, ABS resin and the like, and hence are soft. Thus, when the pinch seal portion  22  is put into the seal-portion-accommodating recessed portion  43 , the peak portions of the holding portions  53  are deformed or sheared by the pinch seal portion  22 . For this reason, even if the processing accuracy of the pinch seal in the pinch seal portion  22  varies so that the pinch seal portion  22  is more or less thickened, the pinch seal portion  22  can be put into the seal-portion-accommodating recessed portion  43 . 
     Moreover, since the pinch seal portion  22  is inserted between a pair of front and rear holding portions  53  to be held between the holding portions  53 , it is possible to prevent the pinch seal portion  22  from moving transversely. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4(   a ) to  4 ( f ), a lead wire fixing groove  46  is formed in a lower end of the base cap portion  42  of the adapter half body  40 A. 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B is mounted on the lamp  10 .  FIG. 8  is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the lead wires  11  are folded at the lower ends of a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B. As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , when the lead wires  11  of the lamp  10  are folded at the lower end portion of the base cap portion  42  of the adapter half body  40 A, the folded portions of the lead wires  11  can be fitted into the lead wire fixing grooves  46 . 
     For this reason, due to formation of the lead wire fixing grooves  46 , it is possible to prevent any of the lead wires  11  from sideslipping or sliding on the lower end portion of the cap intended portion  42 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4(   a ) to  4 ( f ), tip fixing grooves  47  and  48  are respectively formed in the upper portion of the base cap portion with respect to the lead wire fixing grooves  46  in a surface and a rear face of an external wall of the base cap portion  42 . 
     Thus, as shown in  FIG. 8 , since the tips of the lead wires  11  can be fitted into the tip fixing grooves  47  and  48 , it is possible to prevent the tips of the lead wires  11  from being shifted from their proper positions. 
     Due to formation of the lead wire fixing grooves  46 , and the tip fixing grooves  47  and  48 , it is possible to prevent the lead wires  11  from being shifted from their predetermined positions. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4(   a ) to  4 ( f ), a groove  49  is formed adjacent to the lead wire fixing grooves  48 . This groove  49  is a groove for fixing a fixing member  60  as will be described later. 
     Also, a projection  51  and a hole  52  are respectively formed on left- and right-hand sides of the seal-portion-accommodating recessed portion  43  on a side end face of the adapter half body  40 A. For this reason, when a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B are mounted on the left- and right-hand sides of the pinch seal portion  22 , their projections  51  are inserted into the corresponding holes  52 , respectively, whereby the pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B can be joined to each other, and also a position shift can be prevented. 
     Next, the fixing member  60  will be described. 
       FIG. 5(   a ) is a plan view of the fixing member  60 , and  FIG. 5(   b ) is a front elevational view of the fixing member  60 . As shown in  FIGS. 5(   a ) and  5 ( b ), the fixing member  60  has a ring-like shape. A fitting hole  62  is formed so as to vertically extend throughout a central portion of a member body  61  made of an insulating resin to thereby form the fixing member  60 . The fitting hole  62  is a hole into which the peripheral portions of the base cap portions  42  in a state of a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B being joined to each other are to be inserted. 
     For this reason, the peripheral portions of the base cap portions  42  of a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B in the joined state are fixed within the fitting hole  62  of the fixing member  60  to thereby reliably fix a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B in the joined state. 
     A portion  63  capable of being fitted into the groove  49  of the adapter half body  40 A is formed in the fitting hole  62 . Thus, when the base cap portions  42  are fitted with the fixing member  60 , it is possible to prevent the fixing member  60  from being shifted leftward and rightward. 
       FIG. 9  is a plan view of a base portion  30  according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, among the components of the base portion  30 , a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B is essential, but the above-mentioned fixing member  60  is merely optional. In a case where the base portion  30  is constituted by only a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B, engagement projections  71  and engagement portions  72  have to be formed in the adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B provided in pairs, respectively. 
     The engagement projections  71  can be projections which are formed on a surface and a rear surface of the joining portion in the adapter half body  40 A, respectively. 
     The engagement portions  72  are pivotably mounted on a surface and a rear surface (opposite surfaces) of the joining portion in the adapter half body  40 B, respectively, and their tips are provided with claws directed inwardly, respectively. 
     For this reason, when a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B are joined to each other, the claws of the engagement portions  72  are engaged with the engagement projections  71 , and the pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B can be simply fixed in the joined state. 
     Note that the fixing unit is not limited to the fixing member  60 , or a combination of the engagement projections  71  and the engagement portions  72 , and hence any unit may also be adopted as long as it is adapted to fix a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B in a state in which the pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B is mounted on the pinch seal portion  22 . 
     The lamp  1  for an automobile of this embodiment offers the following operations and effects (1) to (6). 
     (1) When a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B is fitted onto the pinch seal portion  22  from the left- and right-hand side portions of the pinch seal portion  22  in a trans verse direction and mounted on the pinch seal portion  22 , the lead wires  11  can be inserted through the opening of the lead wire accommodating portions  44 . For this reason, even if unfolding of the lead wires  11  of the lamp  10  is insufficient, there is no fear that in accommodating the lead wires  11 , the lead wires  11  are hooked or caught on the resin adapter. Thus, it is possible to prevent such problem that the lead wires  11  are bent or can not be inserted. As a result, it is possible to prevent a defective product from being manufactured independently of the shape of each lead wire  11 . 
     (2) Since the rib grooves  45  of a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B are engaged with the ribs  23  of the pinch seal portion  22 , it is possible to prevent a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B from being vertically shifted. As a result, it is possible to prevent the lamp  10  from moving. 
     (3) A pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B is not vertically shifted. Thus, even if the processing accuracy for the bulb  20  of the lamp  10  is poor, as long as the formation positions of the ribs  23  in the pinch seal portion  22  are accurately held, the distances between the filaments  12  and the reference surface of the resin adapter  40  can be held constant, and hence it is possible to prevent defective products from being manufactured. 
     (4) The holding portions  53  are respectively formed in the front and rear inner wall surfaces facing each other in the seal-portion-accommodating recessed portion  43  of each of the adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B. The holding portions  53  formed in each of the front and rear inner wall surfaces have a saw-tooth structure in which peak portions and valley portions each extending transversely are alternately formed. The peak portions of the holding portions having the saw-tooth structure are made of a resin and hence are soft. Thus, when the pinch seal portion  22  is put into the seal-portion-accommodating recessed portion  43 , the portions of the holding portions  53  are sheared or deformed by the pinch seal portion  22 . For this reason, even if the processing accuracy for the pinch seal in the pinch seal portion  22  varies, and hence the pinch seal portion  22  is more or less thickened, the pinch seal portion  22  can be inserted into the seal-portion-accommodating recessed portion  43 . 
     Moreover, since the pinch seal portion  22  is inserted to be held between a pair of front and rear hold portions  53 , it is possible to prevent the pinch seal portion  22  from moving transversely. 
     (5) Portions of the lead wires  11  folded at the lower ends of the cap intended portions  42  can be fitted into lead wire fixing grooves  46 , respectively. Hence, due to formation of the lead wire fixing grooves  46 , it is possible to prevent the lead wires  11  from sideslipping on the lower end portions of the cap intended portions  42 . Moreover, since the tips of the lead wires  11  can be fitted into the tip fixing grooves  47  and  48 , it is possible to prevent the lead wires  11  from being shifted from their predetermined positions. 
     (6) The peripheral portions of a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B in the joined state are fitted within the fitting hole  62  of the fixing member  60  to thereby enable a pair of adapter half bodies  40 A and  40 B to be simply fixed in the joined state. 
     According to the first aspect of the present invention, a pair of adapter half bodies can be fitted onto the pinch seal portion from the left- and right-hand side portions of the pinch seal portion in a transverse direction and mounted on the pinch seal portion. Hence, even if the unfolding of the lead wires of the lamp is insufficient, there is no fear that in accommodating the lead wires, the lead wires are hooked or caught. For this reason, it is possible to prevent lack of conformity that the lead wires are bent or can not be inserted. As a result, it is possible to prevent a defective product from being manufactured independently of a shape of each lead wire. 
     According to the second aspect of the present invention, when a pair of adapter half bodies is fitted onto the pinch seal portion from the left- and right-hand side portions of the pinch seal portion in a transverse direction and mounted on the pinch seal portion, the lead wires can be inserted through the opening of the lead wire accommodating portions. For this reason, even if the unfolding of the lead wires of the lamp is insufficient, there is no fear that in accommodating the lead wires, the lead wires are caught or hooked on the adapter. 
     According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the rib grooves of the adapter half bodies are engaged with the ribs of the pinch seal portion, it is possible to prevent the adapter half bodies from being vertically shifted. As a result, it is possible to prevent the lamp from moving. Moreover, since the adapter half bodies are not vertically shifted, even if the processing accuracy for the bulb of the lamp is poor, as long as the formation positions of the ribs in the pinch seal portion are accurately held, the distances between the filaments and the reference surface of the adapter half bodies can be held constant, and hence defective products can be prevented from being manufactured. 
     In addition, according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the peak portions of the holding portions having the saw-tooth structure are made of a resin and hence are soft, when the pinch seal portion is put into the seal-portion-accommodating recessed portion, the top portions of the holding portions are sheared off or deformed by the pinch seal portion. For this reason, even if the processing accuracy for the pinch seal in the pinch seal portion varies so that the pinch seal portion is more or less thickened, the pinch seal portion can be inserted into the seal-portion-accommodating recessed portion. Moreover, since the pinch seal portion is inserted to be held between a pair of front and rear holding portions, it is possible to prevent the pinch seal portion from moving transversely. 
     According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since portions of the lead wires folded at the lower end of the cap intended portion can be fitted into the lead wire fixing grooves, respectively, due to formation of the lead wire fixing grooves, it is possible to prevent the lead wires from sideslipping on the lower end portion of the base cap portion. Moreover, since the tips of the lead wires can be fitted into the tip fixing grooves, it is possible to prevent the lead wires from being shifted from their predetermined positions. 
     According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, since the lead wires of the lamp can be put between the fixing member and the base cap portions of the adapter half bodies due to adoption of the fixing member, it is possible to reliably fix the lead wires. 
     Also, according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the peripheral portions of a pair of adapter half bodies in the joined state are fitted within the fitting hole of the fixing member to thereby allow a pair of adapter half bodies to be reliably fixed in the joined state. 
     Moreover, according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, since when the adapter half bodies provided in pairs are joined to each other, engagement portions are engaged with engagement projections, a pair of adapter half bodies can be simply fixed in the joined state.