Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-13
2001-06-26
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
C439S854000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250970
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a lamp socket, more particularly to an insulation displacement connector (IDC) wedge base angled lamp socket for a wedge based lamp used in a lighting module of a motor vehicle. This angled lamp socket of the present invention is particularly useful in front and rear automobile directional and safety lighting.
BACKGROUND ART
The need for a lamp socket wherein the horizontal axis of the lamp inserted therein extends in one direction and the terminals of the lamp socket extend in another direction and at an angle thereto is well known. Such a lamp socket is herein referred to as an angled lamp socket. One such angled lamp socket is referred to in the lamp industry as a right angle lamp socket. In such a lamp socket, the horizontal axis of the lamp and the terminals of the lamp socket are orientated at 90° relative to each other.
It is presently known to provide an angled lamp socket that is satisfactory for use in motor vehicle applications. Examples of such angled lamp sockets are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,197,187 and 5,411,407 (these patents are commonly owned with the instant application and are incorporated herein by reference). Another example is illustrated by Application Ser. No. 09/260,253 filed Mar. 2, 1999, (this application is presently assigned to the assignee of the present invention and is hereby incorporated by reference). However, such lamp sockets with wire leads require that the wires be stripped and terminals be crimped to them. These wires with crimped terminals are then either separately or together, as part of a connector, plugged into the terminals which contact the lamp. This requires additional terminals and an additional set of mating interfaces, resulting in both increased cost and decreased reliability.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to obviate the disadvantages of the prior art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved angled lamp socket.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an angled lamp socket that is less costly to fabricate than those heretofore provided.
It is an object of the invention to make a more reliable angled lamp socket by effectively connecting the socket wire leads directly to the same terminals that actually make contact with the lamp.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a more reliable angled lamp socket by using IDC contacts to engage the lead wires thereby eliminating the need for welding in the socket housing.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an angled lamp socket having improved life expectancy.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved method for assembling the angled lamp socket of the present invention.
This invention achieves these and other objectives by providing an angled lamp socket that comprises a body having a housing attached thereto. At least one lamp retaining member is provided within the body and is structured to retain a lamp that has a longitudinal lamp axis, such that the lamp axis will extend in a first direction when the lamp is inserted into the body. A plurality of “U” shaped IDC contacts is provided such that at least a portion of each is in the socket body with a portion extending beyond the bottom of the body. A socket housing disc, containing a plurality of slits to receive the portion of the IDC terminals protruding below the socket body, will be placed into the housing. The disc will contain a plurality of small finger-like projections on the rear of the disc that will place a normal force on wire leads placed into the housing. The disc will also contain a center post to help secure the disc in the housing and a plurality of holes through which molded projections from the bottom of the body will go to place stain relief on the wires. The housing contains a plurality of holes through which wires will be inserted. The floor of the housing will contain a plurality of grooves in which the wires will sit as they are inserted into the housing. These wires will be inserted in a second direction which will be at an angle to the first direction. Each wire will be fed through a hole into the housing where it will be held in place by the finger-like projections of the housing disc to prevent easy removal of the wires. The IDC terminals, securely located in the body and guided by the slits in the housing disc, terminate the wires at the same time that molded projections from the rear of the socket body put strain relief on the wires. A method for assembling an angled lamp socket is also provided.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5197187 (1993-03-01), Thomas
patent: 5397251 (1995-03-01), Kaminski
patent: 5823816 (1998-10-01), Uchida et al.
patent: 5954541 (1999-09-01), Ozai et al.
patent: 5971814 (1999-10-01), Boyd et al.
patent: 2 768 864 (1997-09-01), None
patent: 2 176 663A (1986-12-01), None
Boyd Steven M.
Key Edward H.
Thomas Ronald E.
Walker Richard P.
McNeill William H.
Nguyen Son V.
Osram Sylvania Inc.
Sircus Brian
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