Electrical power outlet for a motor vehicle comprising an integrated illumination device

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6796832
  • Patent Number
    6,796,832
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, March 27, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 28, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
The invention provides an electrical power outlet, especially for connecting, to the electrical circuit of a motor vehicle, an appliance or an accessory comprising a male plug which is the complement of the outlet, of the type comprising a body made of an insulating material which comprises a cylindrical container of vertical axis capable of accommodating the body which is the complement of the male plug, and which bears means for electrically connecting the outlet to an electrical power circuit of the vehicle, wherein the insulating body comprises a cavity for an illumination lamp, and bears means for electrically connecting the lamp to an electrical circuit of the vehicle.
Description




The present invention relates to an electrical power outlet intended to equip a motor vehicle.




More particularly, the invention relates to an electrical power outlet for connecting, to the electrical circuit of a motor vehicle, an appliance or an accessory comprising a male plug which is the complement of the outlet.




The most widespread conventional arrangement of a power outlet of this sort is that of the cigarette lighter outlet in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, the male plug then incorporating a heating element powered by the electrical outlet.




However, it is found that more and more vehicles are being equipped with different power outlets which are arranged at various locations of the vehicle, such as the boot, doors, glove boxes, etc.




This multiplication of electrical power outlets allows the connection of various appliances or accessories which must be powered by a current with the possibility of sometimes high electrical consumption.




Such accessories are in particular mobile telephones, components belonging to an acoustic device in the passenger compartment, appliances for cleaning by suction, etc.




According to a known design of a power outlet, it mainly consists of a body made of an insulating material which comprises a cylindrical container capable of accommodating the body which is the complement of the male plug, and which bears means for electrically connecting the outlet to an electrical power circuit of the vehicle.




An outlet of this sort is fitted by virtue of a cut-out or window formed in a panel of the vehicle, the outline of which is the complement of that of the insulating body, the outlet comprising a connector in order to connect it with a complementary connector belonging to a branch of the electrical harness of the vehicle.




Fitting a power outlet therefore requires electrical assembly and connection operations.




Moreover, it is found that such power outlets are fitted in regions of the vehicle which also comprise devices for illuminating this region.




An illumination device of this sort comprises a casing with a lamp, the casing being mounted in a cut-out in a panel of the region and comprising a connector for connecting the lamp to another branch of the electrical harness of the vehicle.




Thus, the fitting of a power outlet and of an illumination device in the same region of the vehicle involves a large number of components and leads to mounting and connection operations which are complex and many.




In order to overcome these drawbacks, the invention provides an electrical power outlet characterized in that the insulating body comprises a cavity for an illumination lamp, especially for powerful illumination of a region of the vehicle, and bears means for electrically connecting the lamp to an electrical circuit of the vehicle.




According to other characteristics of the invention:




the container of the insulating body is internally lined with a fixed contact sleeve and bears a first conducting strip which connects the sleeve to a first pin of a connector;




the insulating body bears a fixed contact pad arranged at the centre of the container and a second conducting strip which connects the central contact pad to a second pin of a connector;




the bottom of the cavity comprises a socket with two opposite poles, which accommodates the cap of the lamp;




the insulating body bears two conducting strips which connect the two poles of the socket to two pins of a connector;




the electrical outlet comprises a common connector for connecting the outlet and the lamp;




the common connector is a three-pin connector, the first conducting strip connects one of the poles of the socket to the first pin of the common connector, and the insulating body bears a third conducting strip which connects the other pole of the socket of the lamp to a third pin of the common connector;




the pins of the common connector are borne by an insulating support made as a single part with the insulating body;




the pins of the common connector are borne by an insulating support attached to the insulating body;




each pin of the connector consists of a free end of the associated conducting strip;




each connector pin is borne by the insulating support attached to the common connector and is electrically connected to a tab of the associated conducting strip;




the insulating body is a part moulded from plastic which incorporates the container and the cavity;




the insulating body comprises means of positioning and fastening the conducting strips;




the insulating body comprises an upper horizontal plate for assembling the outlet into which the container opens;




the cavity comprises an open face, away from the said bottom, through which the light flux from the lamp emerges;




the open face of the cavity opens out into the assembly plate of the insulating body;




the electrical outlet comprises an integrated switch for controlling the lamp;




the third strip is made in two sections between which the switch is inserted;




the electrical outlet comprises an articulated lid for closing the container;




the lid is an articulated closing flap, held elastically in the closed position in which it lies substantially in the plane of the upper assembly plate.











Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the following detailed description for the understanding of which reference may be made to the appended drawings in which:





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of the various components of a first embodiment of a power outlet incorporating an illumination device according to the teachings of the invention;





FIG. 2

is a perspective view of the outlet of

FIG. 1

which is shown with its components assembled and its outlet lid in the open position;





FIG. 3

is a lateral view along the arrow F


3


of

FIG. 2

, without the lid;





FIG. 4

is a bottom view of the outlet shown in

FIG. 2

;





FIG. 5

is a view in longitudinal section, along the line


5





5


of

FIG. 4

, with the lid in the closed position, and in which the outlet is shown in the mounted position in a panel of the vehicle;





FIG. 6

is a view in transverse section along the line


6





6


of

FIG. 5

;





FIGS. 7

to


11


are views similar to those of

FIGS. 1

to which illustrate a second embodiment of an outlet according to the invention which incorporates a switch for controlling the illumination device;





FIG. 12

is a longitudinal end-on view along the arrow F


12


of

FIG. 11

;





FIGS. 13

to


18


are views similar to those of

FIGS. 1

to


6


which illustrate a third embodiment of an electrical power outlet according to the invention with a modular design of the common connector;





FIG. 19

is a longitudinal end-on view along the arrow F


19


of

FIG. 17

; and





FIGS. 20

to


22


are views similar to those of

FIGS. 1

to


3


which illustrate a variant embodiment of the lid for closing the container of the power outlet.











In the following description, identical, similar or analogous components will be denoted by the same reference numbers




By way of non-limiting example, in order to facilitate understanding of the description and of the claims, a vertical (V), longitudinal (L) and transverse (T) orientation will be adopted according to the reference V, L, T indicated in the figures.




Similarly, the terminology front, rear, left and right will be adopted with reference to the figures, and especially to

FIG. 1

which is a perspective right front three-quarters view.




An electrical power outlet


30


, which mainly consists of a body


32


made by moulding a plastic, is shown in

FIGS. 1

to


6


.




The insulating body


32


comprises an upper horizontal assembly plate


34


delimited by upper


36


and lower


38


faces, which comprises a circular opening


40


and a substantially rectangular opening


42


which extend respectively downwards by means of a container


44


of the power outlet and by means of a cavity


46


of an illumination device which is incorporated, according to the teachings of the invention, into the power outlet.




By way of variant, the opening may take any other shape, and in particular a circular shape.




The plate or platen


34


is of substantially rectangular shape oriented in the longitudinal direction and, in the embodiments illustrated in the figures, the openings


40


and


42


are adjacently placed in the longitudinal direction so as to provide a highly compact unit.




According to a known general design, the container


44


is in the shape of a cylindrical pot of vertical axis A


1


and is especially delimited by a cylindrical skirt


48


and by a lower horizontal bottom


50


.




The cavity


46


of the illumination device which accommodates a lamp


52


, here with a general vertical axis A


2


, is of an overall parallelepipedal rectangle shape delimited by a peripheral lateral wall


54


and by a horizontal lower bottom


56


.




Under its lower face


38


, the upper plate


34


comprises a peripheral shoulder


60


, mainly around the cavity


46


, the outline of which is the complement of that of a cut-out


62


formed in a panel


64


of part of the motor vehicle and in which the outlet


30


, integrating the lamp


52


, is mounted.




To keep the outlet


30


vertically in the assembled position in the cut-out


62


, the insulating body


32


comprises two ribs


164


of vertical and longitudinal orientation formed outside the wall


54


and each of which is delimited by an upper shoulder


66


extending below the lower face


38


at a distance which, as can be seen in

FIG. 5

, corresponds substantially to the thickness of the panel


64


.




Away from the ribs


164


, and as can be seen in the right part of

FIG. 5

, the body


32


comprises an elastically deformable tab


68


which is moulded with the lateral wall


48


of the container


44


and which extends generally vertically upwards with its upper free end


70


which delimits a notch or lip


72


located facing the lower face


38


.




Thus, this design allows the easy and economic assembly of the outlet


30


by introducing the edge of the cut-out


62


from the side of the ribs


164


, then by generally tilting vertically downwards in order to introduce the tab


68


which is elastically deformed by virtue of its outer face forming a ramp which co-operates with the edge corresponding to the cut-out until its notch


72


interlocks under the cut-out.




This method of attachment allows the outlet


30


to be dismantled by elastically deforming the tab


68


.




It is of course necessary that the vertical distance separating the lower face


38


from the shoulders


66


and from the notch


72


corresponds substantially to the thickness of the panel


64


.




The number and the position of the ribs


164


and of the tabs


68


may vary depending on the application, and especially depending on the interlocking forces, the value of which is determined by the specifications of the client incorporating the outlet in a panel.




The body


32


shown in

FIGS. 1

to


6


also allows the outlet


30


to be assembled by means of the lower peripheral clip


76


, in panels of different thicknesses, especially when it involves a is panel coated externally with a fabric or with a covering carpet.




For this purpose, the front transverse face of the lateral wall


54


of the container


46


comprises a series of notches


78


formed between the ribs


164


, while the rear longitudinal part of the lateral wall


48


of the container


44


comprises, on each side of the elastic tab


68


, similar notches


80


.




The clip


76


is a cut and folded sheet-metal part which mainly consists of a peripheral collar


82


, the upper face


84


of which is plane and horizontal in order to bear under the lower face


65


of the panel


64


.




The internal outline


86


of the collar


84


comprises a front elastic lug


88


which extends facing the notches


78


and two rear lugs


90


which extend facing the notches


80


.




With reference to

FIG. 5

, it is understood that, after having put the insulating body


32


in place in the cut-out


62


, the panel


64


is clasped between the lower face


38


of the plate


34


and the upper face


84


of the collar


82


with snap-fastening of the lugs


88


and


90


into the notches


78


and


80


.




As is shown in

FIG. 5

, the clip


76


may be used in combination with assembly by snap-fastening of the tab


68


, in order to prevent any accidental dismantling, or indeed it may be used when the thickness of the panel


64


, delimited by its upper


63


and lower


65


faces, is greater or smaller, the tab


68


then no longer having a fastening function, the latter being provided by the clip


76


alone.




The power outlet


30


mainly consists of the container


44


which internally accommodates a metal tubular sleeve


92


which internally lines the inner cylindrical wall


94


of the skirt


48


in the upper part thereof, the sleeve comprising, at its upper end, a horizontal collar


94


which is supported in a counterbore


96


of the opening


40


in order to position it in its assembled position in which it is immobilized by lugs


96


of the wall


94


accommodated in recesses


98


of the sleeve.




The sleeve


92


is angularly oriented about the axis A


1


with respect to the container


44


by virtue of a lug


100


, cut out from the sleeve


92


near to its lower edge


102


, which projects radially outwards and which is accommodated in a groove


104


formed in the wall


94


which is open vertically upwards in order to allow the lug


100


to pass through when the sleeve


92


is put in place in the container


44


.




As can be seen in

FIG. 5

, the rear part (to the left) of the lateral wall


48


of the container


44


comprises a vertical slot


106


facing the lateral wall


54


of the cavity


46


, which extends over part of the height and which forms a passage, allowing, as will be explained below, an electrical connection with the cylindrical and conducting external lateral face


108


of the sleeve


92


.




The bottom


50


of the container


44


comprises a central hole


110


, delimited laterally by a tubular collar


112


of vertical axis which projects inside the container


44


, and to which a fixed contact pad P


2


belonging to a conducting strip L


2


is fitted.




The fitting and the positioning of the sleeve


92


and of the fixed pad P


2


are such that they allow their electrical connection with the complementary means of a standardized male outlet (not shown in the figures).




Thus, the sleeve


92


is especially partly defined by the standard SAE J563.




The collar


112


makes it possible to prevent any metal object that might fall into the container


44


from causing an accidental short circuit between the sleeve


92


and the pad P


2


and thus destroying the fuse equipping the corresponding electric circuit of the vehicle.




The lamp


52


is, in this case, by way of non-limiting example, of the W5W type and it conventionally comprises a body or bulb


114


and a lower cap


116


which comprises two contacts or terminals


118


,


120


, each one of which is provided in order to be connected to a contact pad P


1


, P


3


, respectively, belonging to a socket


122


for assembling the cap


116


of the lamp which is incorporated into the bottom of the cavity


46


.




The socket


122


thus comprises an insulating body


124


, produced integrally by moulding with the bottom


56


, below the latter and it houses two pairs of fixed contact pads P


1


and P


3


, each one of which belongs respectively to a first electrical connection strip L


1


and to a third electrical connection strip L


3


(see FIG.


1


).




In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, each pair of pads P


1


, P


3


in this case has the shape of a fork which, when the lamp


52


is in place, clasps the corresponding terminal


118


,


120


.




However, the invention is in no way limited to this type of lamp and to this configuration of the pads P


1


and P


3


, it being possible for the lamp to be of any type and especially an LED, the pads P


1


, P


3


of the socket


122


being of a design and of a shape matched to the cap


116


of the lamp.




The pads P


1


and P


3


are put in place vertically upwards in the insulating body


124


of the socket


122


and they are retained there by virtue of associated dogs


128


and


130


, respectively, which are produced integrally with the pads P


1


, P


3


of the strips L


1


and L


2


, by cutting and folding, and which are accommodated in complementary slots of the insulating body


124


of the socket


122


thereby retaining the strips L


1


and L


3


vertically in position.




Each electrical connection strip L


1


, L


2


and L


3


and the connector common to the power outlet and to the illumination device which are integrated into the insulating body


32


will now be described.




The second strip L


2


is the power strip which connects the is central fixed pad P


2


to a pin B


2


of the connector which is itself provided in order to be connected to the electrical circuit device of the vehicle.




Because of the high power likely to be supplied by the outlet, for example of the order of 120 W, the strip L


2


is cut and folded from thick sheet metal and its two front and rear opposed longitudinal ends form respectively the fixed central pad P


2


and the pin B


2


of the common connector.




The insulating body


142


of the connector


140


is, in this case, produced integrally by moulding with the insulating body


32


and it has an overall parallelepipedal rectangle shape with a horizontal orientation, being located at the front longitudinal end under the cavity


46


.




The body


142


is delimited by a lateral wall


144


of rectangular outline and by a rear transverse and vertical bottom


146


.




The rear wall


146


comprises an opening


148


in the form of a vertical and longitudinal slot for the passage of the pin B


2


, the strip L


2


being retained in position with its orientation generally horizontal by virtue of a lug


150


which is elastically interlocked above a complementary shape


152


of the body of the socket


122


, and by the interlocking of the rear free end forming the fixed pad P


2


in shapes


154


and


156


at the bottom


50


of the container


44


.




The first conducting strip L


1


provides the connection to the negative pole of the electrical circuit of the vehicle, that is to say to earth, and it is cut and folded from sheet metal of smaller thickness than that of the strip L


2


, with its rear free end


160


which is folded vertically upwards and elastically deformable in order to come into bearing contact with the outer surface of the sleeve


92


, through the slot


106


, as can be seen in FIG.


5


.




At its other end, the first strip L


1


comprises a horizontal longitudinal pin B


1


belonging to the connector


140


.




The pin B


1


enters longitudinally into the insulating body


142


by virtue of an opening


162


provided for this end (see FIG.


1


).




The strip L


1


is fastened in position by the dog


128


, in the same way as the third strip L


3


, which is fastened by the dog


130


.




The design of the third strip L


3


is similar to that of the first strip L


1


, but it only connects the pad


120


of the lamp


52


to a positive wire of the circuit, having for this purpose a third pin B


3


made as a single part with the strip L


3


and which enters the body of the connector


140


in the same way as the pin B


1


.




As can be seen in

FIG. 5

, as well as in

FIGS. 13 and 19

relating to the third embodiment, the three pins B


1


, B


2


and B


3


are of horizontal, longitudinal orientation and are coplanar.




Thus the connector


140


with its insulating body


142


and its three pins form a common connector for the connection of the electrical power outlet


30


incorporating a lamp


52


, according to the teachings of the invention, this common connector comprising a common pin B


1


for the connection to earth of the outlet and of the lamp.




To complete the outlet according to the invention, it is possible to provide a transparent or translucent plate


170


for closing the opening


42


which is flush with the upper face


36


of the plate


34


.




In a known manner, it is desirable, especially for aesthetic reasons, to close off the container


44


when the power outlet is not in use.




For this purpose, the invention proposes, in the first three embodiments, using an attached lid


172


which, in this case, is a cover made of a flexible material which comprises a body


174


capable of being accommodated, in the closed position, inside the sleeve


92


(see FIG.


5


), the body being slightly compressed elastically and being retained in the sleeve by friction.




The lid


172


is attached to the plate


34


by means of an articulation tab


176


comprising a fold


178


forming a hinge, the tab


176


being fitted into a recess


180


formed in the lower face


38


of the plate


34


(see FIG.


3


), being held therein by the interlocking of complementary shapes, the assembly of the tab


176


being “locked” when the product is in place in the cut-out


62


to the extent where it is imprisoned between the plate


34


and the part facing the upper face


63


of the panel


64


.




Inscriptions, for example of voltage and power, may be produced by moulding the cover


172


, or in the form of stickers affixed to the cover, or by deposition of paint, etc.




According to the variant embodiment shown in

FIGS. 20

to


22


, the lid


172


may be produced in the form of a rigid flap assembled articulated onto the plate


34


and which, in its closed position towards which it is returned elastically by a torsional spring


210


fitted around its articulation axis A


3


, lies in a horizontal plane flush with the upper face


36


of the plate


34


, in the same way as the transparent plate


170


which closes the cavity


46


, thus improving the aesthetic appearance of the assembly and preventing users from forgetting to re-close the lid


172


after use of the power outlet.




As can especially be seen in

FIGS. 20

to


22


, the upper face


36


of the upper plate


34


comprises an opening


212


which accommodates the articulated flap


172


in the closed position.




The spring


210


is mounted on a pivot


214


produced integrally with the plate


32


and its vertical


216


and horizontal (not visible in the figures) end strands bear respectively on a rear facet


218


of the insulating body and in a housing under the inner face of the flap


172


in order to urge the flap


172


permanently in the closed horizontal position bearing on the upper face of the opening


212


.




In the various embodiments illustrated in the figures, the general axis of the lamp


52


and of the cavity


46


which accommodates it is a vertical axis A


2


parallel to the axis A


1


of the container


44


such that the light flux supplied by the lamp


52


is generally directed vertically upwards, with reference to the figures.




The invention is not limited to this design, it being possible for the illumination device to have an axis A


2


in a different orientation, forming an angle with respect to the axis A


1


of the outlet, for example horizontal. The assembly


30


may, for example, then be placed on the side of a rear shelf of the passenger compartment of the vehicle and be accessible to the rear passengers while providing illumination for the boot.




The second embodiment illustrated in

FIGS. 7

to


12


, which differs from the first embodiment in that it comprises an integrated switch for controlling the lamp, will now be described.




For this purpose, a switch


190


of overall known design with a control button


192


in its upper face is assembled by elastic interlocking in a complementary opening


194


formed in the upper plate


34


, between the container


44


and the cavity


42


, the length of the plate being, for this purpose, greater than in the first embodiment.




The body


196


of the switch extends vertically below the plate


34


with its two terminals


198


and


200


which extend vertically in the space between the container


44


and the cavity


42


.




In order to control the supply to the lamp


52


, by means of the switch


190


, the electrical connection strip L


3


is made in two parallel sections L


3


G and L


3


D.




The section L


3


D comprises the pin B


3


and, at its rear longitudinal end, a tab bent in the vertical direction


202


which comprises at its free end a contact patch


204


which, in the assembled position of the switch


190


, bears elastically against the terminal


200


.




The section L


3


G has an overall design similar to that of the strip L


3


of the first embodiment, with the pair of poles P


3


and the dog


130


, while its rear longitudinal end is extended by a vertical tab


206


and a contact patch


208


which, in the mounted position, bears elastically against the terminal


198


.




The assembly consisting of the two sections L


3


G and L


3


D and the switch


190


thus provides electrical continuity between the poles P


3


and the terminal B


3


, which may be interrupted when the switch


190


is open.




The means of attaching the outlet


30


are, in this case, simplified, that is to say that they only comprise the ribs


164


and the tab


68


in the absence of the system consisting of the clip


76


and the notches


78


and


80


provided in the first embodiment.




The third embodiment illustrated in

FIGS. 13

to


18


will now be described, an embodiment which differs from the first embodiment by the design of the common connector


140


which in this case is produced in a modular form in order to provide an insulating body


32


for the outlet


30


which is a standard component and with which is associated a connector


142


, the shape and the dimensions of the body


142


, and of the U-shaped clips CA


1


, CA


2


and CA


3


of which may be modified according to the model of the vehicle which accommodates the power outlet


30


.




For this purpose, the body


142


is a part moulded from insulating plastic independently of the body


32


, with shapes which overall are similar to those of the first two embodiments.




In order to attach the body


142


under the cavity


46


, the insulating body comprises two vertical arms


220


and


222


which extend along the longitudinal faces of the lateral wall


54


of the cavity, vertically below the latter, with mutually facing inner faces


224


and


226


of vertical and longitudinal orientation which are provided in order to accommodate the corresponding faces


228


and


230


of the body


142


between them, the arms


220


and


222


thus being accommodated vertically in two vertical slideways formed in the body


142


.




Each slideway thus consists of the face


228


,


230


associated with two vertical ribs


229


,


231


.




In the vertical direction, the body


142


is attached by two lips or hooks


232


and


234


which, in the assembled position of the body


142


, are accommodated under the lower faces


236


and


238


, of horizontal orientation, of the body


142


(see

FIGS. 15

,


16


,


18


and


19


).




The upper face


145


of the upper horizontal partition


144


of the insulating body


142


of the connector


140


comprises three longitudinal grooves R


1


to R


3


which accommodate the upper horizontal arms belonging to three metallic U-shaped clips CA


1


, CA


2


and CA


3


, the longitudinal lower arms of which form the pins B


1


, B


2


and B


3


, respectively.




The three U-shaped clips are mounted in the body


142


so that the three pins B


1


, B


2


and B


3


project inside the insulating body passing through slots formed in the rear transverse partition


146


thereof.




According to another design (not shown), the body


142


may be overmoulded around the three U-shaped clips CA


1


to CA


3


.




The free upper faces


240


,


242


and


244


of the upper arms of the three U-shaped clips CA


1


to CA


3


form contact surfaces for connecting each U-shaped clip with the associated connection strip L


1


to L


3


, the front longitudinal end of which is shaped for this purpose.




In this design, the strips L


1


to L


3


are components which are standardized with respect to the power outlet


30


in order to form a common component, only the connector


140


with its U-shaped clips CA


1


to CA


3


may be of different shapes and dimensions depending on the model.




In order to come into contact with the upper faces


240


,


242


and


244


, the three strips L


1


to L


3


thus each comprise a horizontal arm


241


,


243


and


245


which are coplanar, the contacts being established by slight elastic deformation, vertically upwards, of the tabs


241


,


243


and


245


when the body


142


is elastically interlocked between the arms


220


and


222


.



Claims
  • 1. An electrical device for connecting an illumination lamp to an electrical circuit of a motor vehicle, said electrical device of the type comprising a body made of an insulating material which comprises a cavity for the illumination lamp and which bears means for electrically connecting the lamp to the electrical circuit of the vehicle, wherein the insulating body comprises a cylindrical container of a vertical axis containing a power outlet for connecting to an electrical circuit of the motor vehicle, and an appliance or an accessory not being an illumination lamp, said appliance or said accessory comprising a male plug which is the complement of the outlet,wherein the cylindrical container is capable of accommodating the male plug in a complementary way, and wherein the insulating body bears means for electrically connecting the power outlet to an electrical power circuit of the vehicle.
  • 2. An electrical device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises an integrated switch for controlling the lamp.
  • 3. An electrical device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises an articulated lid for closing the container.
  • 4. An electrical device according to claim 1, wherein the container of the insulating body is internally lined with a fixed contact sleeve and bears a first conducting strip which connects the sleeve to a first pin of a connector; the insulating body bears a fixed contact pad arranged at the center of the container and a second conducting strip which connects the central contact pad to a second pin of a connector; the bottom of the cavity comprises a socket with two opposite poles, which accommodates the cap of the lamp; and the insulating body bears two conducting strips which connect the two poles of the socket to two pins of a connector.
  • 5. An electrical device according to claim 4, wherein each pin of the connector consists of a free end of the associated conducting strip.
  • 6. An electrical device according to claim 4, wherein the device comprises a common connector for connecting the outlet and the lamp.
  • 7. An electrical device according to claim 6, wherein the pins of the common connector are borne by an insulating support attached to the insulating body.
  • 8. An electrical device according to claim 6, wherein the pins of the common connector are borne by an insulating support made in a single piece with the insulating body.
  • 9. An electrical device according to claim 8, wherein each connector pin is borne by the insulating support attached to the common connector and is electrically connected to a tab of the associated conducting strip.
  • 10. An electrical device according to claim 4, wherein the insulating body is a part moulded from plastic which incorporates the container and the cavity.
  • 11. An electrical device according to claim 10, wherein the insulating body comprises means of positioning and fastening the conducting strips.
  • 12. An electrical device according to claim 11, wherein the insulating body comprises an upper horizontal plate for assembling the outlet into which the container opens.
  • 13. An electrical device according to claim 12, wherein the cavity comprises an open face, away from said bottom, through which the light flux from the lamp emerges.
  • 14. An electrical device according to claim 12, wherein the cavity comprises an open face away from said bottom through which the light flux from the lamp emerges and wherein the open face of the cavity opens out into the assembly plate of the insulating body.
  • 15. An electrical device according to claim 12, wherein the outlet comprises a lid including an articulated closing flap, held elastically in the closed position in which the flap lies substantially in the plane of the upper assembly plate.
  • 16. An electrical outlet device according to claim 6, wherein the common connector is a three-pin connector; the first conducting strip connects one of the poles of the socket to the first pin of the common connector; and the insulating body bears a third conducting strip which connects the other pole of the socket of the lamp to a third pin of the common connector.
  • 17. An electrical device according to claim 16, wherein the outlet comprises an integrated switch for controlling the lamp and wherein the third strip is made in two sections between which the switch is inserted.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
01 04216 Mar 2001 FR
US Referenced Citations (7)
Number Name Date Kind
1274552 Hubbard et al. Aug 1918 A
1314218 Rodrigues Aug 1919 A
1634404 Douglas Jul 1927 A
1722886 Beck Jul 1929 A
2684470 Cataldo Jul 1954 A
5007863 Xuan Apr 1991 A
5536175 Forish Jul 1996 A
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number Date Country
40 41 886 Jul 1992 DE
1 033 791 Sep 2000 EP
07-085934 Mar 1995 JP
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry
French Search Report, Jan. 11, 2002.