Illumination – Plural light sources – With support
Patent
1991-01-24
1992-11-10
Lazarus, Ira S.
Illumination
Plural light sources
With support
362252, 362806, 439418, F21V 2100
Patent
active
051618818
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to lamp holders and festoon lighting systems.
The invention relates more particularly to lamp holders of the kind used in festoon lighting systems, which can be fixed at selected points along a length of electrical supply cable. The holders incorporate probes which penetrate the insulation of the cable to make contact with the conductors of the cable as required. Such holders are usually formed in two or more principal body parts which screw together to clamp the holder firmly to the cable and simultaneously hold the probes in contact with the cable conductors through penetration points in the cable insulation.
Presently used lamp holders available for low voltage supplies, usually 12 or 24 volts, and for mains voltage supplies, usually 110 volts or 230 and 240 volts, suffer from various disadvantages but are especially vulnerable to water ingress causing corrosion and premature failure in use. Further, removal or shifting of the holder along the line normally leaves bared connectors which can corrode and can be dangerous.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a lamp holder comprising a base, incorporating a lamp socket, having upstanding probes electrically connected to the lamp socket and formed with two opposing recesses, one at each side of the probes, shaped to receive an insulated electrical supply cable which extends beyond the recesses and across the probes in use, and a cap arranged to fit on to the base and to press down on the cable to force the probes through the cable insulation to make contact with the cable conductors and simultaneously press the cables into the recesses to provide a pressure-tight seal between the outer surface of the cable and the holder, characterized in that the cap has an unbroken rim, is non-deformable, and has an internal formation co-operable with a lug or lugs on the base to latch-fit for permanent fixing to the base in such a manner as to co-operate with the base and the cable to form a pressure-tight seal between the interior and exterior of the cap.
Preferably, the recesses are formed to accommodate substantially the whole of the cable and the cap is formed with a non-recessed base.
A separate peripheral seal may be fitted between the abutting surfaces of the cap and the base.
The recesses may be provided with upstanding lips to form line indentations in the outer circumference of the electrical cable to improve sealing between the holder and the cable.
Upstanding lips may be provided on the base around and between the probes.
The holder may be used with a trapezoidal or hemispherical (having a flat base) cable in cross-section, in which case the recesses are shaped such that the cap bears on the larger base of the trapezoid or hemisphere as the case may be, so that pressure applied to the cable is distributed from all sides of the recess.
Where conventional lighting cable is used which is generally rectangular in cross-section with rounded corners, the recesses in the base are preferably like-shaped and arranged to have a depth of at least about 75% of the natural depth of the cable.
The base may be shaped to receive a lamp globe with one or more seals to form a water-tight seal between the globe end of the base.
The globes are preferably formed of polycarbonate material which can also be conveniently tinted in selected colors. Glass, polystyrene and other translucent materials may be used where desired. For low voltage applications, the socket is preferably formed with probes which extend down through the body of the base and terminate with narrow female connectors to receive the conventional wire connectors of tungsten halogen lamps. The wire connectors are preferably crimped so that the lamp is held firmly in position when the holder is vibrated or orientated once the lamp is in position.
In a mains voltage form, the base may be formed with or provided with a bayonet or screw fitting for a mains voltage lamp.
In that case seal for the lamp is preferably mounte
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patent: 4944689 (1990-07-01), Carr
Lazarus Ira S.
Luminaire Developments Limited
Quach Y.
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