Patent Publication Number: US-2007121347-A1

Title: Securing apparatus for night light chamber cover

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to the field of lamps with integrated night lights. More specifically, the present invention is a variable locking sleeve with integral check-ring engaging a threaded coupling for holding varying-depth chamber covers on a single general design of a lamp.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      There are several types of lamps with night lights wherein the night light is integrated into body of the lamp. In such lamps, the electrical circuitry permits first the lighting of the night light by itself, then the lighting of the main light by itself, both lights at the same time and then finally, the lighting of neither light. The main light bulb is easily accessible via a conventional light bulb socket located at the top of the lamp body, generally inside and under a shade, also attached to the top of the lamp. The night light socket however, is generally concealed within the body of the lamp base.  
      In a prior art example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a lamp  100  comprises a lamp base  101 , a neck tube  102  attached to the top of a connecting apparatus  103  between the base and the tube, a socket  104  and a chamber cover  105 . The chamber cover sits atop a chamber base  106 , which together with said chamber cover in place collectively comprise a night light socket access chamber. A night light socket  107  with a night light bulb is installed into base  101  through a hole in the bottom of said chamber base and is held in place by a spring clip  108  which engages the edges of said hole. With the night light socket installed and the chamber cover lowered to seat on top of the chamber base, the night light bulb, socket and spring clip are hidden from view.  
      To hold the chamber cover in place, a locking ring  109  is slid downward along the neck tube and is threaded onto a set of threads  110  located at the bottom of the neck tube. The location of the threads on the neck tube coincides with the top of the chamber cover when the chamber cover is seated on the chamber base. As locking ring  109  is threaded onto threads  110 , the bottom of the locking ring impinges on the top of the chamber cover, thus holding it in place.  
      This arrangement, while suitable for certain implementations, limits efficient variability in the design. That is, for a given design configuration of lamp base, neck tube, connecting apparatus and socket, where the overall height of the lamp is to be maintained, the options for the chamber cover are limited. Specifically, for the given design as noted above, the depth of the chamber cover must remained fixed. Any change in the design depth of the chamber cover would necessitate a new design of either the depth of the lamp base, the neck tube or the interconnecting structure.  
      This can be an unsuitable situation where various depths of chamber covers might be desired for a given lamp design to provide variety of style without undue cost to the manufacture of the lamp.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A securing apparatus for holding a chamber cover onto a chamber base of a lamp is disclosed. The securing apparatus provides a simple and economical means for varying the depth of the cover associated with a specific lamp design without having to alter the remaining elements of the lamp. The invention thus affords a wide range of variation in the style of the cover for a given lamp.  
      In an exemplary embodiment, the securing apparatus comprises a locking sleeve with an integral check-ring designed to engage a threaded coupling mounted on the base of the neck tube. The locking sleeve is designed with a threaded lower end, which when engaged with the threaded coupling forces the bottom of the check-ring to engage the top of the cover when the cover is in place on the chamber base.  
      The length of the inventive locking sleeve may be varied to accommodate various depths of chamber covers. Varying only the depth of the locking sleeve to accommodate different covers without having to change other lamp elements to do so provides a less complex and less costly way to vary the design aspects of the cover, and by extension, the design of the overall lamp, than is permitted by the cited prior art. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Exemplary embodiments of the invention are discussed hereinafter in reference to the drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a section view through a lamp of the prior art indicating chamber cover  105 , locking ring  109  and threaded end  110 . When the cover is lowered and the locking ring is threaded onto the threaded end, the locking ring holds the cover in place.  
       FIG. 2  is a section view through the lamp of the present invention indicating chamber cover  205 , locking sleeve with integral check-ring  209  and threaded coupling  210 . When the cover is lowered and the locking sleeve is threaded onto the threaded coupling, the check-ring on the locking sleeve holds the cover in place. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
      The securing apparatus of the present invention, shown employed on an exemplary lamp  200  in  FIG. 2 , comprises a locking sleeve  209  which is threaded into a threaded coupling  210  mounted on the base of neck tube  202 . In the exemplary embodiment, lamp  200  comprises a lamp base  201 , a neck tube  202  attached to the top of a connecting apparatus  203  between the base and the tube, a socket  204  and a chamber cover  205 . The chamber cover sits atop a chamber base  206 , which together with said chamber cover in place collectively comprise a night light socket access chamber.  
      A night light socket  207  with a night light bulb is installed into base  201  through a hole in the bottom of said chamber base and is held in place by a spring clip  208  which engages the edges of said hole. With the night light socket installed and the chamber cover lowered to seat on top of the chamber base, the night light bulb, socket and spring clip are hidden from view.  
      Locking sleeve  209  comprises a shaft  209 A with a check-ring  209 B fixed to a top end of said shaft and a threaded end  209 C comprising a set of external threads machined into the lower end of said shaft. Check-ring  209 B may be permanently affixed to the top of shaft  209 A or it may be affixed by a threaded or alternate type of connection. Tube  202  passes through the center of said sleeve. Threaded coupling  210  comprises an internally threaded cup fixed concentrically in some manner to tube  202 . The coupling is shown as a cup fixed to the bottom of tube  202 , but it may comprise any type of threaded ring fastened in any manner at any point along the tube or the connecting apparatus without departing from the nature of the invention. Thus, the threaded coupling may be located either within or above the chamber base of said lamp while still providing its inventive utility.  
      The securing apparatus is designed such that when sleeve  209  is threaded into coupling  210 , the distance from the top of chamber base  206  to the underside of check-ring  209 B matches the depth of associated chamber cover  205 . The length of shaft  209 A may be varied to accommodate different depths of associated chamber covers.  
      To hold the chamber cover in place, said cover is slid down tube  202  until seated on the top of chamber base  206 . Then locking sleeve  109  is slid downward along the neck tube, its lower threaded end passing through cover  205 , and into threaded coupling  110 . As locking sleeve  109  is threaded into coupling  110 , the bottom of the check-ring impinges on the top of the chamber cover, holding it in place.  
       FIG. 3  depicts the lamp of  FIG. 2  with chamber cover  205  lowered onto the top of the chamber base  206 . The locking sleeve  209  of the securing apparatus, is shown threaded into threaded coupling  210  to hold cover  205  in place.  
      Using the inventive securing apparatus, it is possible to economically vary the aesthetics of the lamp by changing the design of the chamber cover. If the depth of a new-style cover is not altered during this process, no changes need to be made to the securing apparatus. However, if the depth of the cover is changed during the re-design process, the only other part of the lamp that needs adjustment is the length of locking sleeve  209 ; its length being selected to accommodate a deeper or shallower depth of cover.  
      For example, in the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , the same basic lamp is used with a new chamber cover  205 ′, which is of greater depth than its counterpart as shown in  FIG. 3 . To accommodate the change in cover depth, a new locking sleeve  209 ′ is used to secure the cover in place. No other elements of the lamp (i.e., its base, connecting apparatus, threaded coupling, neck tube or main light socket) need to be modified to make the cover adjustment.  
      Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept herein taught, and because many modifications may be made in the embodiments herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirements of the law, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.