Patent ID: 8177393

Claim:
A light unit for use in a light string, comprising: a bulb having a light source with lead wires and a separator; a switch member a pair of spring terminals; and a socket having two or more conductive terminals and adapted to receive the bulb and the switch member, wherein the switch member is adapted to cause the pair of spring terminals to contact one another to form an electrical short circuit across the pair of conductive terminals and the light source when the bulb is completely or partially removed from the socket, and wherein the lead wires form an electrical connection across the conductive terminals, and the separator breaks contact between the pair of spring terminals when the bulb is seated in the socket and wherein the bulb and socket have a longitudinal center axis defining generally a center line between right and left portions of each, and wherein said separator is positioned on either side of the center line, and wherein said spring terminals each extend from inside the socket from opposite sides thereof and when the bulb is not present, contacting each other at their distal ends generally midway between in the socket; said separator being positioned to engage only one of said conductive terminals when said bulb is placed in the socket.