Patent ID: 7618275

Claim:
A lamp and socket assembly comprising: a housing including a socket cavity, said socket cavity defined by side walls and a bottom wall; said housing including a vent hole passing though said bottom wall of said socket cavity; a lamp having a lamp base; a lamp socket disposed in said socket cavity of said housing, said lamp socket further including a through passage for receiving said lamp base therein and at least one retaining finger for retaining said lamp base in said through passage; an electrical contact insert received in said socket cavity; a plurality of electrical contacts received in and retained by said contact insert; a plurality of blade terminals interlocked with said contact insert, respective ones of said contacts, and said housing; and a hydrophobic and/or oleophobic vent patch applied over said vent hole on an interior of said bottom wall, said vent patch being positioned in between said contact insert and said bottom wall of said socket cavity and completely covering said vent hole to abrasive damage and therefore provides extended service life; wherein said vent patch is fabricated from a fabric material.