Patent ID: 7626131

Claim:
A light for use in a light string, said light comprising: a bulb; a filament in said bulb; a bulb holder carrying said bulb, said bulb holder having at least one hole therein and a button depending therefrom; a first and a second Dumet wire extending from said filament inside said bulb through said at least one hole in said bulb holder to the exterior of said bulb holder; a socket carrying said bulb holder, said bulb holder removably seatable in said socket, said socket having an interior wall; a first and an opposing second electrical terminal carried by said interior wall of said socket, said first and second Dumet wires engaging said first and second electrical terminals, respectively, when said bulb holder is seated in said socket, a shunt, said shunt having a first cantilevered portion extending from said first electrical terminal partially across said socket, said first cantilevered portion having a first distal end, said first distal end having a first tooth depending therefrom; a second cantilevered portion extending from said second electrical terminal across said socket toward said first cantilevered portion, said second cantilevered portion having a second distal end, said second distal end having a second tooth depending therefrom, said first and second cantilevered portions being dimensioned so that, when said bulb holder is removed from said socket, said first and second teeth rub against each other and said first and second cantilevered portions are in electrical contact whereby electrical current flows from said first electrical terminal to said second electrical terminal through said shunt, and, when said bulb holder is inserted into said socket, said first and second teeth rub against each other and said bulb holder moves said second cantilevered portion away from said first cantilevered portion so that said first and second cantilevered portions lose electrical contact whereby electrical current flows from said first and second electrical terminals through said first and second Dumet wires and thence through said filament wherein said first cantilevered portion has a first thickness and said second cantilevered portion has a second thickness and wherein said first thickness is greater than said second thickness; wherein said second cantilevered portion is attached to said second electrical terminal so that, when said second cantilevered portion pivots toward or away from said first cantilevered portion, said first and second teeth are urged against each other thereby cleaning said first and second teeth for better electrical contact; and wherein said second cantilevered portion is attached to said second electrical terminal by an offset hinge permitting lateral movement of said second tooth in addition to arcuate movement, said offset hinge permitting said second tooth to cam against said first tooth.