Patent ID: 7731545

Claim:
A socket for receiving and retaining a lamp and providing electrical connection to electrical lead-ins and of the lamp, said electrical lead-ins and projecting from said lamp in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal axis, said socket comprising: a first socket body portion arrayed about said longitudinal axis and including a receptacle aligned with said longitudinal axis for receiving a portion of the lamp; lead-in receptacles formed in said socket body, said receptacles being laterally disposed relative to said longitudinal axis; electrical lead-in contact receivers formed adjacent said lead-in receptacles; first and second radially spaced contact retainers associated with said contact receivers; an electrical contact positioned in each contact receiver, each of said electrical contacts comprising first and second spaced-apart lead-in engagers joined by a bight; a first tab extending from a distal end of said first lead-in engager and confined in said first radially spaced contact retainer; a second tab extending from a proximal end of said second lead-in engager and confined in said second radially spaced contact retainer; a wire receptor affixed to said contact; a second socket body portion affixed to said first socket body portion; and a contact retention spring positioned between an inside surface of said second socket body portion and first lead-in engager.