Abstract:
The connecting apparatus for facilitating installing, maintaining and replacing light bulbs comprises a non-conductive base grip including two electrodes manufactured from conductive material embedded in the base grip. The two electrically conductive electrodes are electrically isolated from each other and comprise a clamping structure and a prong. The clamping structure is designed to “clamp” or “grip” onto posts or screws on a light bulb. The prong provides a point for “hot” and “neutral” electrical leads to enter or leave the connecting apparatus. The clamping structures are applied with slight pressure to posts or screws on a light bulb and remain applied through the use of a gripping force or friction.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     Not Applicable. 
     STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to an apparatus, i.e., a connecting structure, which facilitates connecting, removing, and replacing light bulbs in a lighting fixture. In particular, the apparatus is designed to operate with a PAR-36 light bulb or any other similar bulb which has separate positive and negative post and/or screw connectors on the light bulb requiring additional effort to secure the electrical source to the light bulb, i.e., tightening screws or soldering wires. While this apparatus was designed to function with a PAR-36 light bulb, the principles and teachings of this invention are applicable to other types of light bulbs with similar types of postive and negative electrical connections. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     The prior art encompasses several structures for securing light bulbs to an electrical source, including: a threaded, screw-in bulb; a plug-in bulb; a solder connection; and a set screw. Drawbacks of these prior art structures include, in some cases, difficulty in the installation and/or replacement of the light bulb. Another drawback is that they can also result in time consuming labor where there are many light bulbs which are required to be replaced over a large area, i.e. in large landscaping and/or commercial projects. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which facilitates installing a light bulb in a light fixture. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which facilitates exchanging a light bulb in a light fixture. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which expedites installing a light bulb in a light fixture, thereby saving time and money. 
     A still further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which expedites exchanging a light bulb in a light fixture thereby saving time and money. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus which provides a more secure manner of connecting an electrical source to a light bulb. 
     The connecting structure of the present invention comprises a base grip including two electrodes manufactured from conductive material embedded in the base grip. Each of the two metal electrodes are electrically isolated from each other and comprise a clamping structure and a prong. The clamping structure is designed to “clamp” or “grip” onto the posts or screws on the light bulb. The prong provides a point for electricity to enter or leave the connecting structure. The prong on the first electrode is the “hot” terminal and the prong on the second electrode is the “neutral” terminal. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1   a  shows an elevated perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the inventive apparatus. 
         FIG. 1   b  shows a bottom perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the inventive apparatus. 
         FIG. 2   a  shows a top view of the first preferred embodiment of the inventive apparatus. 
         FIG. 2   b  shows a cross-sectional front view of the first preferred embodiment of the inventive apparatus. 
         FIG. 3  shows a front view of the base grip of the first preferred embodiment of the inventive apparatus. 
         FIG. 4   a  shows a front view of one of the electrodes of the first preferred embodiment of the inventive apparatus. 
         FIG. 4   b  shows an elevated perspective view of one of the electrodes of the first preferred embodiment of the inventive apparatus. 
         FIG. 5  shows a front view of the second preferred embodiment of the inventive apparatus connected to a PAR-36 light bulb and an electrical source. 
         FIG. 6  shows an exploded front view of the second preferred embodiment of the inventive apparatus along with a PAR-36 light bulb and an electrical source. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The instant invention is directed to a connecting apparatus for facilitating the installation and/or replacement of light bulbs in a lighting fixture. Specifically, the connecting apparatus is for use with PAR-36 light bulbs but the teachings will operate with any light bulb which possess two physically separate connection posts. The benefits of this invention are more realizable in large commercial or landscape lighting systems involving a large number of light fixtures where a great deal of time and expense is involved in installing, maintaining, and/or replacing such a large number of light bulbs. The ease and speed with which the light bulbs may be replaced is readily apparent to one skilled in the art. 
     Initially,  FIGS. 5 and 6  depict a PAR-36 lightbulb ( 60 ) connected to and/or adjacent to a quick release connector ( 10 ). In each of these figures, the PAR-36 light bulb ( 60 ) is depicted with brackets ( 66 ) and screws ( 68 ). The brackets ( 66 ) present a point for electrical contact with the luminous elements contained within the PAR-36 light bulb ( 60 ). The screws ( 68 ) represent a prior art method of securing electrical leads to the brackets ( 66 ) for supplying electricity to the PAR-36 light bulb ( 60 ). 
       FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  show perspective views of the first preferred embodiment of the instant invention. The quick release connector ( 10 ) comprises a base grip ( 20 ), which has a first and a second electrode ( 30  and  40 ) embedded therein. The first and a second electrodes ( 30  and  40 ) are embedded in the base grip ( 20 ) in a manner such that they are not in physical and/or electrical contact. The base grip ( 20 ) comprises first and second clamp openings ( 22  and  26 ) and first and second prong openings ( 24  and  28 ). 
     The base grip ( 20 ) is preferably manufactured from a rigid or hard rubber which is non-flexible and non-conductive. Alternatively, the base grip ( 20 ) may be manufactured from a soft, pliable rubber so long as the material is non-conductive and the first and second electrodes ( 30  and  40 ) do not come into physical and/or electrical contact with each other. As another alternative, the base grip ( 20 ) may be manufactured from any non-conductive material, such as ceramic or plastic, or any other non-conductive material commonly known to those having ordinary skill in the art. 
     The first and second electrodes ( 30  and  40 ), manufactured from an electrically conductive material, each comprise a clamp ( 32  and  42 ) and a prong ( 34  and  44 ). The clamp ( 32 ) on the first electrode ( 30 ) protrudes from the base grip ( 20 ) through the first clamp opening ( 22 ). The clamp ( 42 ) on the second electrode ( 40 ) protrudes from the base grip ( 20 ) through the second clamp opening ( 26 ). In a similar manner, the prong ( 34 ) on the first electrode ( 30 ) protrudes from the base grip ( 20 ) through the first prong opening ( 24 ). Further, prong ( 44 ) on the second electrode ( 40 ) protrudes from the base grip ( 20 ) through the second prong opening ( 28 ). 
     Each of the clamps ( 32  and  42 ), protrude from the base grip ( 20 ) such that they do not contact either the other clamp ( 42  or  32 ) or the prong ( 34  or  44 ) on the other electrode ( 30  or  40 ). Similarly, each of the prongs ( 34  and  44 ) protrude from the base grip ( 20 ) such that they do not contact either the other prong ( 44  or  34 ) or the clamp ( 32  or  42 ) on the other electrode ( 30  or  40 ). In the first preferred embodiment, the prongs ( 34  and  44 ) protrude from the top of the base grip ( 20 ) and the clamps ( 32  and  42 ) protrude from the bottom of the base grip ( 20 ). In the second preferred embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the prongs ( 34  and  44 ) protrude from the side of the base grip ( 20 ) and the clamps ( 32  and  42 ) protrude from the bottom of the base grip ( 20 ). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the prongs ( 34  and  44 ) act as a connection point for an electrical source comprising “hot” and neutral leads ( 52  and  54 ). Also as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the clamps ( 32  and  42 ) are in physical contact with terminal posts ( 62  and  64 ) on a light bulb ( 60 ). The clamps ( 32  and  42 ) are designed to securely fasten to the terminal posts ( 62  and  64 ) by means of pressure or friction. The quick release connector ( 10 ) may be easily attached to or removed from a light bulb ( 60 ) by simply pushing or pulling on the base grip ( 20 ) such that the clamps ( 32  and  42 ) move apart slightly to accommodate the terminal posts ( 62  and  64 ) of the light bulb ( 60 ). 
     For ease in explaining the operation of the quick release connector ( 10 ), this description will refer to the first electrode ( 30 ) as receiving the electrically “hot” lead ( 52 ) and the second electrode ( 40 ) as receiving the electrically neutral lead ( 54 ). In operation, either the first or second electrode ( 30  or  40 ) may receive the electrically “hot” lead ( 52 ) and the remaining second or first electrode ( 40  or  30 ) may receive the electrically neutral lead ( 54 ). The electrical source supplies electrical current to the prong ( 34 ) on the first electrode ( 30 ). The electrical current is then conducted through the first electrode ( 30 ) to the clamp ( 32 ) which in turn conducts the electrical current to one of the terminal posts ( 62 ) on the light bulb ( 60 ). The electrical current is then conducted out of the light bulb ( 60 ) through the other terminal post ( 64 ) and into the clamp ( 42 ) on the second electrode ( 40 ). Finally, the electrical current is conducted through the second electrode ( 40 ) to the prong ( 44 ) where it is conducted to the electrically neutral lead ( 54 ) thereby completing the electrical circuit. 
     To achieve the objects of the present invention, the electrical leads ( 52  and  54 ) are easily secured to and/or removed from the prongs ( 34  and  44 ), through the use of male/female connections. In both preferred embodiments, the electrical leads ( 52  and  54 ) are secured to the prongs ( 34  and  44 ) using a female electrical connector which slips over the male connector, the prongs ( 34  and  44 ). Alternatively, the electrical leads ( 52  and  54 ) may be secured to the prongs ( 34  and  44 ) through the use of screws, soldering and/or wire nuts, or any other method known to persons having ordinary skill in the art. 
     The above described invention is capable of being used in nearly any lighting system, whether it is high, standard or low voltage, or whether it is indoor or outdoor lighting. A skilled artisan will recognize that this invention may be used on its own or in combination with any of the other prior art embodiments in various lighting systems. 
     The above-described preferred embodiments are intended to illustrate the principles of the invention, but not to limit its scope. Other embodiments and variations of these preferred embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.