Fixing structure for safety fuse of Christmas lamp

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6462472
  • Patent Number
    6,462,472
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, April 12, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, October 8, 2002
    22 years ago
Abstract
The present invention proposes a fixing structure for the safety fuse of a Christmas lamp. The Christmas lamp of the present invention has two conductive filaments installed at two sides in a lamp casing. A fixing block is installed in the casing to fix the positions of the two conductive filaments. A tungsten filament is connected between the top ends of the two conductive filaments. The potion of the two conductive filaments between the tungsten filament and the fixing block is bent to form a fixing structure. A small section of safety fuse is exactly fixed on the two conductive filaments through the help of the fixing structure. Thereby good conductivity can be maintained, and material of safety fuse can be saved.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to a modified Christmas lamp and, more particularly, to a fixing structure for safety fuse of a Christmas lamp.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




Along with the increasing enhancement of living standard, people have been more and more appreciating the savor of living. Therefore, some occasional decorations are usually disposed, and there are many different celebration activities. For instance, to greet the advent of the Christmas, some strings of Christmas lamps are disposed on trees to decorate them as Christmas trees.




A general string of Christmas lamps is formed by connecting a plurality of Christmas lamps, with a safety fuse installed between the two lamp filaments in each Christmas lamp. When the tungsten filament of a Christmas lamp bums out, higher current will bum the outer insulation of the safety fuse therein such that the two lamp filaments can conduct current via the safety fuse. Although the damaged lamp can not glow, other lamps still can emit light. The user can replace the damaged lamp with a new one. If damaged lamps accumulate to a certain amount such that replacement is not feasible, the loading of the safety fuses of damaged lamps will too high and the safety fuses will bum out. The whole string of Christmas lamps can not emit light anymore. Thereby safety consideration can be enhanced to prevent danger. As shown in FIG.


1


(


a


), a Christmas lamp in prior art uses a fixing block


10


to fix two conductive filaments


12


during the fabrication, and there are a plurality of rounds of safety fuse


14


wound around the two conductive filaments


12


. After the step of trimming filaments, a tungsten filament


16


is installed at the top end of the two conductive filaments


12


, as shown in FIG.


1


(


b


). Finally, a lamp casing (not shown) is installed outside to form a complete Christmas lamp. However, during the step of trimming filaments, the two conductive filaments


12


are usually gripped toward each other such that the distance between them is reduced, resulting in loosening of the safety fuse


14


wound around the two conductive filaments


12


, as shown in FIG.


1


(


b


). The conductivity will thus become worse. Moreover, because a plurality of rounds of safety fuse is needed such that it can be fixed on the two conductive filaments


12


, more material of safety fuse is required.




SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION




Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a fixing structure for the safety fuse of a Christmas lamp such that the safety fuse can be exactly fixed to maintain good conductivity.




Another object of the present invention is to provide a fixing structure for the safety fuse of a Christmas lamp such that material of safety fuse can be saved.




According to the present invention, a Christmas lamp has two conductive filaments installed at two sides in a lamp casing. A fixing block is installed in the casing to fix the positions of the two conductive filaments. A tungsten filament is connected between the top ends of the two conductive filaments. The potion of the two conductive filaments between the tungsten filament and the fixing block is bent to form a fixing structure. A small section of safety fuse is exactly fixed on the two conductive filaments through the help of the fixing structure.




The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of the safety fuse of a Christmas lamp in prior art;





FIG. 2

is a perspective view of a Christmas lamp of the present invention;




FIGS.


3


(


a


) to


3


(


c


) are perspective views showing the procedures of installing the safety fuse according to an embodiment of the present invention;




FIGS.


4


(


a


) and


4


(


b


) are perspective views of a Christmas lamp of the present invention before and after a tungsten filament is installed, respectively.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




The present invention is characterized in that the middle potion of each conductive filament of a Christmas lamp forms a fixing structure to exactly fix a small section of safety fuse on the two conductive filaments.




As shown in

FIG. 2

, a Christmas lamp


18


comprises a lamp casing


20


. Two parallel conductive filaments


22


, generally being magnesium-coated filaments, are installed at two sides in the casing


20


. A fixing block


24


is installed at the middle potions of the two conductive filaments


22


to fix their positions. A tungsten filament


26


is connected between the top ends of the two conductive filaments


22


. Corresponding positions of the two conductive filaments


22


are bent to form a fixing structure


28


. The fixing structure


28


is situated between the tungsten filament


26


and the fixing block


24


. A small section of safety fuse


30


is exactly fixed on the two conductive filaments


22


through the help of the fixing structure


28


.




The steps of installing the safety fuse


30


on the fixing structure


28


are shown in FIG.


3


. As shown in FIG.


3


(


a


), the conductive filament


22


is bent to form an N-shape fixing structure


28


. As shown in FIG.


3


(


b


), a small section of safety fuse


30


is placed at the bent concavities of the fixing structure


28


. As shown in FIG.


3


(


c


), the fixing structure


28


is tightly gripped to firmly fix the safety fuse


30


on the two conductive filaments


22


.




After the installation of the safety fuse


30


, as shown in FIG.


4


(


a


), the two conductive filaments


22


must undergo a step of trimming filaments, and a tungsten filament


26


is installed at the top ends of the two conductive filaments


22


, as shown in FIG.


4


(


b


). In this case, even if the two conductive filaments


22


are gripped toward each other during the step of trimming filaments such that the distance between them is reduced, the safety fuse


30


on the two conductive filaments


22


will not loosen. Good conductivity can thus be maintained. Moreover, it is not necessary to wind a plurality of safety fuse around the two conductive filaments


22


. Only a small section of safety fuse is required to be fixed on the two conductive filaments


22


. Therefore, material of safety fuse


30


can be saved so as to reduce the cost.




Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have suggested in the foregoing description, and other will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.



Claims
  • 1. A Christmas lamp with a safety fuse fixing structure, comprisinga lamp casing; a pair of conductive filaments each having a portion thereof extending into said lamp casing, each of said conductive filament portions within said lamp casing having a bent portion respectively formed therein, said bent portions of said pair of conductive filaments defining a fixing structure; a tungsten filament disposed in said lamp casing and being respectively connected to end portions of said pair of conductive filaments; a fixing block disposed in said lamp casing and encompassing an intermediate section of each of said pair of conductive filament portions extending into said lamp casing; and, a safety fuse supported by said fixing structure within said lamp casing and connected to said two conductive filaments, said fixing structure being disposed intermediate said tungsten filament and said fixing block.