BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the safety mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the safety mechanism in a light bulb socket;
FIG. 3 is an operational view showing that two insertion heads from an energy saving light bulb is to be positioned in the light bulb socket with the safety mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is an operational view showing that the two insertion heads of the light bulb are respectively retained by the two wedged heads of the two sliding blocks;
FIG. 5 is an operational view showing that the releasing block is moved to retract the two sliding blocks into the light bulb socket;
FIG. 6 is an operational view showing that the two insertion heads of the light bulb further press the two wedged heads of the two sliding blocks to release the limitation from the releasing block to the sliding blocks; and
FIG. 7 is a top plan view showing that the light bulb socket is ready for receiving insertion heads of an energy saving light bulb.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to FIG. 1, it is noted that the safety mechanism in accordance with the present invention includes two sliding blocks (2) and a releasing block (3) operably connected to the two sliding blocks (2) to drive the two sliding blocks (2) to move.
Each sliding block (2) is provided with a body (20) with a first passage (201) defined therein, a wedged head (21) formed on a free end of the body (20) opposite to an opening of the passage (201), an abutting block (22) formed on a side of the body (20) and having an inclined first abutting face (221), a positioning recess (223) and a first plane (222) formed between a distal end of the first abutting face (221) and the positioning recess (223) and a first spring (23) received in the first passage (201).
The releasing block (3) is provided with an elongated body (31) and two acting portions (32) respectively formed on two opposite sides of the elongated body (31). Each acting portion (32) includes an inclined second abutting face (321) to correspond to and engage with the inclined first abutting face (221) of the sliding block (2), a boss (322) formed on a distal end of the inclined second abutting face (321) to correspond to and be received in the positioning recess (223) and a second plane (323) adjacent to the boss (322) to correspond to the first plane (222). A second spring (33) is received in a second passage (310) defined in the elongated body (31).
With reference to FIG. 2, it is noted that the safety mechanism of the present invention is employed in a light bulb socket which includes two holes (11) diagonally defined in a face of a socket plate (1) for respectively receiving therein insertion heads (4), as shown in FIG. 4, of an energy saving light bulb (not shown). Each hole (11) is composed of an insertion hole (112) and a positioning hole (111) in communication with the insertion hole (112). The two sliding blocks (2) are oppositely located in the socket plate (1) and are positioned on the socket plate (1) in such a way that the wedged head (21) of each sliding block (2) is extending into a joint between the insertion hole (112) and the positioning hole (111). Further, the socket plate (1) is so configured that a guiding rod (not shown) is provided to extend into the first passage (201) to abut a free end of the first spring (23) such that each one of the sliding blocks (2) is able to move on the socket plate (1). The releasing block (3) is transversely and movably mounted on the socket plate (1) to allow the two inclined second abutting faces (321) to respectively abut the inclined first abutting faces (221) of the two sliding blocks (2).
With reference to FIG. 3, due to the extension of the wedged head (21) of each of the two sliding blocks (2) and the inclined face of the wedged head (21) being faced to the insertion hole (112), after the insertion head of the energy saving light bulb is inserted into the insertion hole (112), movement of the insertion head toward the positioning hole (111) from the insertion hole (112) is allowed. That is, the wedged head (21) of the sliding block (2) will be pressed into the socket plate (1) to allow the insertion head to move toward the positioning hole (111). However, if the insertion head is to be moved from the positioning hole (111) to the insertion hole (112), the wedged head (21) stops the movement of the insertion head such that the insertion head is securely received in the positioning hole (111). In another word, the energy saving light bulb is securely connected to the light bulb socket and the operator does not worry that the light bulb might fall off from the light bulb socket.
Further, the releasing block (3) is also movably mounted on the socket plate (1) to allow one end thereof to extend out of the light bulb socket and the other end thereof to extend into the socket plate (1). Due to the provision of the inclined second abutting face (321), the boss (322) and the second plate (323) on the opposite faces of the elongated body (31), the two inclined second faces (321) respectively engage with the two inclined first abutting faces (221), the two bosses (322) respectively correspond to and are received in the two positioning recesses (223) and the two second planes (323) correspond to the two first planes (222). In addition, the socket plate (1) is so configured that a guiding rod is extended into the second passage (310) to abut a free end of a second spring (33) that is received in the second passage (310) to allow the releasing block (3) to move relative to the socket plate (1).
With reference to FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, to release the insertion head of the energy saving light bulb, the operator pushes the releasing block (3) to allow the two inclined second abutting faces (321) respectively abutting the two inclined first abutting faces (221) to force the two sliding blocks (2) to move in a direction away from the positioning hole (111) as well as the insertion hole (112). While the releasing block (3) is moved, the two bosses (322) are respectively received in the corresponding positioning recesses (223) to secure the position of the two sliding blocks (2). After the two sliding blocks (2) are moved, the insertion heads of the energy saving light bulb are able to move from the positioning hole (111) to the insertion hole (12). When the insertion heads pass over the wedged heads (21) respectively, the sliding blocks (2) are further pressed such that the bosses (322) are away from the limitation of the positioning recesses (223) to allow the wedged heads (21) to resume to their original positions respectively.
In conclusion, it is noted that the safety mechanism of the present invention obviate the worry that the light bulb might fall off from the light bulb socket. Furthermore, the provision of the releasing block (3) easily deactivate the locking effect to the sliding blocks (2) to be ready for receiving another light bulb.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
Patent Application
20080003857
