Mercury vapor lamp electrical connector

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6692309
  • Patent Number
    6,692,309
  • Date Filed
    Friday, March 28, 2003
    21 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, February 17, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
A connector includes a tubular wall on a first body containing a lamp envelope, coaxially receiving an insulating tube mounted on a second body having a cavity that receives the first body, spring metal strip terminals on the outside of the tubular wall in resilient contact with spring metal strip terminals on the inside of the cavity, and microprocessor controlled heated and cooled air delivered to the lamp envelope by way of the insulating tube in response to a sensor that monitors at least one of lamp amalgam temperature and lamp radiation.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the invention




The invention relates to a two-part electrical connector for a flourescent lamp, more specifically to a connector assembly that receives a lamp envelope in one body of the connector that inserts into another body and locks against rotation within the other body, and by engagement of electrical contacts on the two bodies locks axially with the other body of the connector, the bodies comprising concentric tubes forming an axial passageway through the connector for delivering heating or cooling gas through the connector to the lamp envelope.




2. Description of the Prior Art




U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,448 patented Jul. 11, 1978 by Chipner et al. describes a lamp base containing a lamp envelope. The base is axially received in an annular socket collar that is more flexible than the lamp base. The depth of the base in the socket collar is limited by an annular radially outward extending ring on the base resting on a radially inward extending annular ring within the collar. Prongs associated with electrical pins on the lamp base that are connected to the lamp wires, catch under the annular ring within the collar preventing axial withdrawal of the base from the collar. The socket collar snaps onto an electrical supply connector by way of an annular groove around the connector. Conductive tabs which extend axially upward from a wall that seals the bottom of the electrical supply connector make radial outward contact with the lamp base electrical pins which extend into the electrical supply connector.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




It is one object of the invention to provide a connector for a flourescent lamp that receives a lamp envelope in a first body that is axially, slidingly received in a second, electrical supply, body.




It is another object of the invention that temperature controlling fluid is delivered to a lamp in the first body by way of a conduit through the first and second body.




A connector includes a first body comprising a first end, a second end, and a first axis extending through said first end and said second end, means on said first end adapted for receiving a lamp, a first wall on said first body extending axially from said second end along a length of said first body toward said first end, a first axial tubular opening having a third end and a fourth end, extending through said first wall, a first metal electrical contact strip extending axially along an outer surface of said first wall, a fifth end of said strip extending radially over said first wall at said second end adjacent to said third end of said first axial tubular opening, a sixth end of said strip comprising means for attaching electrical wire from said lamp to said strip, extending radially over said first wall adjacent to said fourth end of said first axial tubular opening, a second body comprising a seventh end and an eighth end, a cavity extending axially into said second body from an opening in said seventh end, receiving said first wall in said second body, an electrically non-conductive tube having a ninth end open through said eighth end, extending axially along a length of said second body in said cavity toward said seventh end, in said first axial tubular opening, coaxial with said first axial tubular opening, a second metal electrical contact strip extending from said eighth end, axially along a length of said second body in said cavity toward said seventh end, in radially inward contact of said second strip with said first metal contact strip, a lamp mounted in said first end, fluid conduit means connected to the ninth end of said electrically non-conductive tube, a fluid in contact with said lamp, moving in said conduit means, means for sensing at least one of radiation from the lamp and temperature of the lamp, microprocessor controlled fluid heating means connected to the means for sensing and to the fluid conduit means, responsive to the means for sensing for controlling temperature of the lamp by the fluid, said first metal electrical contact strip extending axially along said first wall in a longitudinal radially open recess. At least one of said first strip and said second strip is resilient, the first and second strips contacting in said recess. Three faces about the first axis on the outer surface of said first wall, including at least one face of said three faces on each side of said first metal electrical contact strip, comprising an asymmetrical pattern when viewed axially, each face of said three faces in radially opposed adjacency to a face on an inner surface of said cavity.




Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to one from reading the ensuing description of the invention.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




In order that the invention be more fully comprehended, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:





FIG. 1

is a top perspective view of the lamp envelope receiving body of the connector assembly.





FIG. 2

is a front perspective view of the body of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

is a top schematic view of the body of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 4

is a front schematic view of the body of

FIG. 1

less the contact strips, including a lamp envelope.





FIG. 5

is a bottom schematic view of the body of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 6

is a top perspective view of the electrical supply body of the connector assembly.





FIG. 7

is a front perspective view of the body of FIG.


6


.





FIG. 8

is a top schematic view of the body of

FIG. 6







FIG. 9

is a cross section view of the body of

FIG. 8

taken along


9





9


.





FIG. 10

is a bottom schematic view of the body of FIG.


6


.





FIG. 11

is a schematic view of the spring metal contact strips of the bodies of

FIGS. 1 and 6

locking together.





FIG. 12

is a cross section view of another body of the invention that receives the body of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 13

is a cross section view taken at the top of the body of

FIG. 12

, of the body of

FIG. 12

receiving the body of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 14

is a front schematic view of a connector of the invention comprising the bodies of FIGS.


1


and


6


.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




Before explaining the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the detail of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the drawings since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. It is also to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed is for the purpose of description only and not of limitation.




Referring to

FIGS. 1-5

,


11


and


12


, spring metal contact strips


32




a


,


32




b


,


32




c


, and


32




d


, are similar to each other in shape and in how they mount on one-piece molded rigid plastic or ceramic body


34


.




Top


36


of spring


32




b


wraps over an edge


38


of vertical wall


40


in recess


44


of the wall. Edge


38


is shown adjacent to cut-away view of contact


32




c


in FIG.


2


.




Bottom


64


of spring metal contact strip


32




b


wraps over edge


68


of vertical ridge portion


77


that separates hole


54


from tubular opening


74


.




Hollow


58


is designed to receive lamp envelope


46


which is glued to inner wall


66


of the shell.




Lamp envelope


46


may contain an amalgam which is included in many present mercury vapor lamps to control the amount of mercury vapor in the lamp by taking in or releasing mercury vapor. One amalgam that is widely used in present mercury vapor lamp manufacture is indium plus mercury. It is known that the amount of mercury vapor in a lamp envelope can be controlled by cooling or heating the amalgam, hereinafter called the mercury vapor control amalgam. The amount of mercury vapor may also be controlled by cooling or heating the envelope.




Tubular opening


74


formed through vertical wall


40


provides a conduit to the lamp envelope for cooling or heating gas for changing the temperature of the mercury vapor control amalgam


52


in the envelope or a portion of the envelope at the shell.




Electrical terminal


48


of strip


32




b


receives one of the wires


45


from the lamp envelope in terminal hole


49


(FIG.


1


). Terminal hole


49


extends through U-fold


78


of the spring. U-fold


78


comprises bottom portion


50


of the spring which extends through hole


54


in horizontal top


56


of hollow


58


shell


60


portion of body


34


.




Referring to

FIGS. 6-11

, spring metal contact strips


80




a


,


80




b


,


80




c


, and


80


d in recess


99


of housing


92


, are similar to each other in shape and in how they mount on body


84


.




Body


84


is preferably one piece plastic or ceramic, and is preferably rigid. Body


84


comprises tube


90


which extends from bottom wall


112


into housing


92


, and preferably extends through bottom wall


112


.




In another preferred embodiment body


84


comprises a ceramic high voltage insulation tube


90


fixedly mounted in a rigid plastic housing


92


.




Tube


90


provides a conduit to the lamp enclosure for the cooling or heating gas.




Cavity


86


of hollow shell


88


is designed to receive vertical wall


40


of body


34


so that tube


90


of body


84


extends into tubular opening


74


in body


34


, concentric with tubular opening


74


, axis


70


and


72


preferably coinciding when body


34


is inserted into body


84


. In

FIG. 13

, body


34


is inserted into body


85


which but for sealed rod


91


is similar to body


84


.




The concentric tubes form an axial passageway through the assembled bodies for delivering heating or cooling gas through the assembled bodies to the lamp envelope.




In another preferred embodiment of the invention, a sealed element is used. Preferably the element is hollow. A hollow, sealed rod


91


is shown in

FIG. 12

described later herein.




When body


34


is inserted axially into body


84


, horizontal radially inward extending crease


62


on outer contact surface


42


of contact strip


32




b


slides over and locks against horizontal radially inward extending crease


76


on inner contact surface


94


of the C-fold


96


in contact strip


80




c


, and bodies


34


and


84


are aligned rotationally about axis


70


and axis


72


by radially outward angular portion


102


of vertical wall


40


in radially outward angular groove


104


.




Electrical wiring connection end


106


of spring


80




a


extends through slot


110


in bottom wall


112


. Each contact strip


80


is prevented from being pulled out of cavity


86


by rivets


120


. Connection end


106


is wired to an electrical supply which is not shown.




Referring to

FIG. 11

, springs


32




b


and


80




c


are in locking alignment against axial movement of one of spring metal contact strip


32




b


and


80




c


along the other. Strips


32




b


and


80




c


are shown spaced apart for clarity of illustration.




Referring to

FIGS. 12 and 13

, in body


85


, the same numbers are applied to like elements which are in body


84


. Rod


91


which extends from end


97


toward end


98


closely fits into tubular opening


74


when body


34


is received in body


85


.




Each recess


99


is on a radial line


101


with a recess


44


.




Radially inward extending crease


76


preferably extends into recess


44


of wall


40


where it contacts crease


62


.




Faces


113


,


114


,


115


,


116


, and


117


between recesses


44


in wall


40


are parallel to faces


125


,


126


,


127


,


128


and


129


respectively between recesses


99


in housing


93


. The asymmetrical shape of the faces on wall


40


permit inserting wall


40


in cavity


86


in only one position rotationally about axis


72


.




Preferably, radially adjacent surfaces of assembled body


34


in body


84


are spaced from each other such that the adjacent surfaces do not interfere axially with each other or with axially passing strip


32




b


or


80




c


to prevent axial separation of the bodies when body


34


is withdrawn from body


84


. Prevention of axial separation of the bodies is performed preferably solely by the engagement of crease


76


in crease


62


.




Referring to

FIGS. 4

,


9


, and


12


, length


100


of wall


40


from end


108


of wall


40


to horizontal top


56


of shell


60


is less than the depth


82


of cavity


86


from end


98


of body


84


and of body


85


. Preferably the distance of crease


62


from horizontal top


56


and the distance of crease


82


from end


98


is such that when crease


82


is in crease


62


, the engagement of the creases holds end


98


of body


84


spaced axially from horizontal top


56


, that is, the axial surfaces of body


84


are spaced axially from body


34


when body


34


is mounted on body


84


. In

FIG. 14

, connector


122


comprises assembled bodies


34


and


84


. Passageway


124


of concentric tubular opening


74


and tube


90


delivers temperature control gas


134


from supply tube


130


to lamp envelope


46


.




Temperature control gas impinging on lamp envelope


46


exits the connector preferably by way of passageways


136


.




Exit passageway may be provided by space between the tube and body


34


or other ways.




Temperature control gas supply microprocessor controlled module


140


heats or cools gas to control lamp envelope or amalgam temperature in response to sensor


144


which preferably monitors lamp radiation. Sensor


144


may be mounted in contact with the lamp for measuring temperature of the envelope or amalgam by thermal conduction.




Heating and cooling respectively of the gas is provided preferably by an electric resistance heating element


148


, and by compressed gas received by way of an electrically controlled valve


150


.




Heating and cooling may be provided by air passed through filter


156


and over an array of peltier effect junctions


160


which are supplied electrical power in which current flow direction is switched for heating or cooling at the junctions.




While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described, and that certain changes in form and arrangement of parts and in the specific manner of practicing the invention may be made without departing from the underlying idea or principles of this invention within the scope of the appended claims. Drawing Designators of the Formal Drawings (Informal list)






32




a


spring metal contact strip






32




b


spring metal contact strip






32




c


spring metal contact strip






32




d


spring metal contact strip






34


molded plastic or ceramic body






36


top of spring






38


edge






40


vertical wall






42


outer contact surface of contact strip


32




b








44


recess in vertical wall


40








45


lamp envelope wires






46


lamp envelope






48


electrical terminal






49


terminal hole






50


bottom portion of spring


32








52


mercury vapor control amalgam


52


in the tube






54


hole






56


horizontal top






58


hollow






60


shell






62


crease, horizontal radially inward extending






64


bottom of spring metal contact strip


32




b








68


edge






66


inner wall






70


axis






72


axis






74


tubular opening






76


crease, horizontal radially inward extending






77


vertical ridge portion






78


U-fold






80




c


spring metal contact strip






80




d


spring metal contact strip






80




b


spring metal contact strip






80




a


spring metal contact strip






82


depth of cavity


86








84


molded plastic body






85


body






86


cavity






88


hollow shell






90


tube






91


rod






92


housing






94


inner contact surface of contact strip






96


C-fold






97


end of body


84








98


end of body


84








99


recess






100


length of wall


40








101


radial line






102


radially outward angular portion






104


radially outward angular groove






106


electrical wiring connection end






108


end of wall


40








110


slot






112


bottom wall






113


face






114


face






115


face






116


face






117


face






120


rivet






122


connector






124


passageway






125


face






126


face






127


face






128


face






129


face






130


supply tube






134


gas






136


passageway






140


supply module






144


sensor






148


heating element






150


valve






156


filter






160


peltier effect junction array



Claims
  • 1. A connector comprising:a first body comprising a first end, a second end, and a first axis extending through said first end and said second end, means on said first end adapted for receiving a lamp, a first wall on said first body extending axially from said second end along a length of said first body toward said first end, a first axial tubular opening having a third end and a fourth end, extending through said first wall, a first metal electrical contact strip extending axially along an outer surface of said first wall, a fifth end of said strip extending radially over said first wall at said second end adjacent to said third end of said first axial tubular opening, a sixth end of said strip comprising means for attaching electrical wire from said lamp to said strip, extending radially over said first wall adjacent to said fourth end of said first axial tubular opening, a second body comprising a seventh end and an eighth end, a cavity extending axially into said second body from an opening in said seventh end, receiving said first wall in said second body, an electrically non-conductive rod, extending axially from said eighth end along a length of said second body in said cavity toward said seventh end, in said first axial tubular opening, a second metal electrical contact strip extending from said eighth end, axially along a length of said second body in said cavity toward said seventh end, in radially inward contact of said second strip with said first metal contact strip.
  • 2. The connector of claim 1 further comprising:said first metal electrical contact strip extending axially along said first wall in a first longitudinal radially outward open recess, from the extending of said first metal strip radially over said first wall adjacent to said third end to the radial extending of said first metal strip over said first wall adjacent to said fourth end.
  • 3. The connector of claim 2 further comprising:at least one of said first strip and said second strip is resilient, the first and second strips contacting each other in said recess.
  • 4. The connector of claim 1 further comprising:a radial crease on said first strip being in engagement with a radial crease on said second strip, radially adjacent surfaces of assembled body in body are spaced from each other such that the adjacent surfaces do not interfere axially with each other or with axial passage of strip or such that they prevent axial separation of the bodies when body is withdrawn from body so that prevention of axial separation of the bodies is performed solely by the engagement of crease in crease.
  • 5. The connector of claim 1 further comprising:said second metal electrical contact strip extending axially in a second longitudinal radially inward open recess in said second body on a radial line with said first radially inward open recess.
  • 6. The connector of claim 1 further comprising:three faces about the first axis on the outer surface of said first wall, including at least one face of said three faces on each side of said first metal electrical contact strip, comprising an asymmetrical pattern when viewed axially, each face of said three faces in radially opposed adjacency to a face on an inner surface of said cavity.
  • 7. The connector of claim 1 further comprising:said rod comprising an opening axially through said rod through said eighth end.
  • 8. A connector comprising:a first body comprising a first end, a second end, and a first axis extending through said first end and said second end, means on said first end adapted for receiving a lamp, a first wall on said first body extending axially from said second end along a length of said first body toward said first end, a first axial opening extending into said first wall from said second end, a first metal electrical contact strip extending axially along an outer surface of said first wall comprising means for attaching electrical wire from said lamp to said strip, a second body comprising a third end and a fourth end, a cavity extending axially into said second body from an opening in said third end, receiving said first wall in said second body, an electrically non-conductive rod, extending axially from said fourth end along a length of said second body in said cavity toward said third end, in said first axial tubular opening, a second metal electrical contact strip extending from said fourth end, axially along a length of said second body in said cavity toward said third end, in radially inward contact of said second strip with said first metal contact strip.
  • 9. The connector of claim 8 further comprising:three faces about the first axis on the outer surface of said first wall, including at least one face of said three faces on each side of said first metal electrical contact strip, comprising an asymmetrical pattern when viewed axially, each face of said three faces in radially opposed adjacency to a face on an inner surface of said cavity.
  • 10. A connector comprising:a first body comprising a first end, a second end, and a first axis extending through said first end and said second end, means on said first end adapted for receiving a lamp, a first wall on said first body extending axially from said second end along a length of said first body toward said first end, a first axial tubular opening having a third end and a fourth end, extending through said first wall, a first metal electrical contact strip extending axially along an outer surface of said first wall so that a fifth end of said strip is adjacent to said third end of said first axial tubular opening and a sixth end of said strip comprising means for attaching electrical wire from said lamp to said strip is adjacent to said fourth end of said first axial tubular opening, a second body comprising a seventh end and an eighth end, a cavity extending axially into said second body from an opening in said seventh end, receiving said first wall in said second body, an electrically non-conductive rod, extending axially from said eighth end along a length of said second body in said cavity toward said seventh end, in said first axial tubular opening, a second metal electrical contact strip extending from said eighth end, axially along a length of said second body in said cavity toward said seventh end, in radially inward contact of said second strip with said first metal contact strip.
  • 11. The connector of claim 10 further comprising:three faces about the first axis on the outer surface of said first wall, including at least one face of said three faces on each side of said first metal electrical contact strip, comprising an asymmetrical pattern when viewed axially, each face of said three faces in radially opposed adjacency to a face on an inner surface of said cavity.
  • 12. The connector of claim 10 further comprising:said rod comprising an opening axially through said rod through said eighth end.
  • 13. A connector comprising:a first body comprising a first end, a second end, and a first axis extending through said first end and said second end, means on said first end adapted for receiving a lamp, a first wall on said first body extending axially from said second end along a length of said first body toward said first end, a first axial tubular opening having a third end and a fourth end, extending through said first wall, a first metal electrical contact strip extending axially along an outer surface of said first wall so that a fifth end of said strip is adjacent to said third end of said first axial tubular opening and a sixth end of said strip comprising means for attaching electrical wire from said lamp to said strip is adjacent to said fourth end of said first axial tubular opening, a second body comprising a seventh end and an eighth end, a cavity extending axially into said second body from an opening in said seventh end, receiving said first wall in said second body, an electrically non-conductive tube having a ninth end open through said eighth end, extending axially along a length of said second body in said cavity toward said seventh end, in said first axial tubular opening, a second metal electrical contact strip extending from said eighth end, axially along a length of said second body in said cavity toward said seventh end, in radially inward contact of said second strip with said first metal contact strip, a lamp mounted in said first end, fluid conduit means connected to the ninth end of said electrically non-conductive tube, and a fluid in contact with said lamp, in said conduit means.
  • 14. The connector of claim 13, further comprising:means for sensing at least one of radiation from the lamp and temperature of the lamp, microprocessor controlled fluid heating means connected to the means for sensing and to the fluid conduit means, responsive to the means for sensing for controlling temperature of the lamp by the fluid.
  • 15. The connector of claim 13, further comprising:said first metal electrical contact strip extending axially along said first wall in a longitudinal radially open recess.
  • 16. The connector of claim 13, further comprising:at least one of said first strip and said second strip is resilient, the first and second strips contacting in said recess.
  • 17. The connector of claim 13, further comprising:three faces about the first axis on the outer surface of said first wall, including at least one face of said three faces on each side of said first metal electrical contact strip, comprising an asymmetrical pattern when viewed axially, each face of said three faces in radially opposed adjacency to a face on an inner surface of said cavity.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Number Name Date Kind
1722915 Hendry Jul 1929 A
2883639 Kulka Apr 1959 A
3058084 Cutler Oct 1962 A
4100448 Chipner et al. Jul 1978 A
4804343 Reedy Feb 1989 A
6224428 Chen et al. May 2001 B1
6250970 Key et al. Jun 2001 B1