Patent ID: 7641517

Claim:
A device for holding a lamp in a light fixture, the device comprising a lamp base having a base fitting facing away from the lamp and from which extends a substantially cylindrical projection that carries lamp contact pins and has an outer surface formed with retaining formations arrayed with irregular spacing, and a socket having an annular collar forming a cup-shaped recess into which the cylindrical projection can be inserted with play and a floor defining the recess and formed with apertures provided with contacts and receiving the lamp contact pins, retaining formations on the inner circumference on the collar being arrayed complementarily to the lamp-base retaining formations and interfittable with same in only one defined angular alignment of the lamp base and the socket, a bayonet-like retention of the lamp base in the socket being effected by a plug-and-rotate motion, the cylindrical projection of the lamp base having a central plug projecting toward the socket and forming a lamp key coded for a predetermined lamp wattage, the floor of the socket having a hole corresponding to the plug and itself forming a socket key coded for the maximally admissible lamp wattage for the socket, the lamp base only being insertable into the socket when the lamp wattage indicated by the lamp key does not exceed the maximally admissible lamp wattage defined by the socket key.