Lamp and switch assembly for the rear compartment of a motor vehicle

Claim 2

A lamp and a switch assembly for illuminating an enclosure having an opening closable by a movable member pivotable between an open position and closed position comprising: a one piece electrically conductive mounting member having a pair of juxtaposed sections interconnected by an integral stress loop, one of the sections being mounted within the enclosure in electrical grounding relation therewith, the other of the sections being engageable with the movable member upon movement of the latter to said closed position to effect a relative opening pivotal movement between said sections by increasingly stressing said loop; means adapted to carry a light source on one of the sections; means for electrically connecting said light source to an electrical source; and grounding contact means connected to said light source and engaging said mounting member when said movable member is in said open position for establishing a ground connection for said light source thereby energizing the latter, said grounding contact means separating from the mounting member upon pivoting of said movable member to said closed position to interrupt said ground connection and extinguish said light source.

Claim 3

A lamp and switch assembly for illuminating a compartment of a motor vehicle, said compartment having a peripheral member defining an opening and a lid hingedly movable with respect to the opening between an open position and a closed position, said lamp and switch assembly comprising: a one piece electrically conductive mounting and switching bracket including first and second sections integrally connected by a U-shaped stressable loop, said first section including a pair of flexible clipping arms yieldingly engageable with the peripheral member to resiliently clamp said bracket thereon in ground relationship thereto, said second section being engageable with the lid upon movement of the lid to the closed position to cause opening pivotal movement between the sections about said stressable loop; a bulb holding means on said second section adapted to carry a light source; terminal means adapted to be connected to an electrical source for establishing a circuit to said light source; and a grounding contact having one end electrically contacting said light source and the other end projecting through said second section and electrically contacting said first secTion when the lid is in the open position to establish a resilient ground connection to the peripheral member to thereby illuminate said light source, said grounding contact separating from said first section upon movement of the lid to said closed position thereby breaking the ground contact and extinguishing said light source.

Claim 4

A lamp and switch assembly for illuminating a compartment of a motor vehicle, said compartment having a peripheral member defining an opening and a lid hingedly movable with respect to the opening between an open position and a closed position, said lamp and switch assembly comprising: a one piece electrically conductive mounting and switching bracket including first and second sections integrally connected by a U-shaped stressable loop, said first section including a pair of flexible clipping arms yieldingly engageable with the peripheral member to resiliently clamp said bracket thereon in ground relationship thereto, said second section being engageable with the lid upon movement of the lid to the closed position to cause opening pivotal movement between the sections about said stressable loop; a bulb holding means on said second section adapted to carry a light source; terminal means adapted to be connected to an electrical source for establishing a circuit to said light source; and a grounding contact having one end electrically contacting said light source and the other end projecting through said second section and electrically contacting said first secTion when the lid is in the open position to establish a resilient ground connection to the peripheral member to thereby illuminate said light source, said grounding contact separating from said first section upon movement of the lid to said closed position thereby breaking the ground contact and extinguishing said light source.

Claim 5

In a motor vehicle, a combination lamp and switch assembly for illuminating a vehicle trunk, said trunk including a peripheral channel defining an opening and having a trunk lid hingedly movable with respect to the opening between an open position and a closed position, said combination lamp and switch assembly comprising: a one piece metallic mounting and switching bracket including a pair of generally parallel L-shaped sections; an integral stressable U-shaped loop resiliently interconnecting the sections; a pair of flexible clipping arms on one of the sections yieldingly engageable with the channel to resiliently clamp said bracket thereon in grounding relation therewith; a projecting leg on the other of said sections engageable with the lid to cause opening pivotal movement of the sections about said loop upon movement of the trunk lid to the closed position; bulb holding means on said other of said sections adapted to carry a light bulb; stop means between the sections for limiting the maximum stress level in the loop; a grounding contact having a first end and a second end, said first end electrically contacting said light bulb, said second end projecting through said other of said sections and normally engaging said one of said sections so as to cause a predetermined pivoting and initial biasing between said sections and establish a minimum stress level in the loop thereby ensuring a resilient ground contact and completing a grounding circuit to the peripheral channel when the lid is in the open position; and a terminal on the housing engaging said bulb adapted to be connected to an electrical sources for establishing a circuit through said bulb to the channel whereby closing movement of the lid engages said projecting leg to cause said opening pivotal movement to break the ground contact and extinguish the bulb, and, opening movement of the lid permits unstressing of the loop to cause closing pivotal movement to reestablish the grounding circuit and illuminate the bulb.

Claim 6

In a motor vehicle, a combination lamp and switch assembly for illuminating a vehicle trunk, said trunk including a peripheral channel defining an opening and having a trunk lid hingedly movable with respect to the opening between an open position and a closed position, said combination lamp and switch assembly comprising: a one piece metallic mounting and switching bracket including a pair of generally parallel L-shaped sections; an integral stressable U-shaped loop resiliently interconnecting the sections; a pair of flexible clipping arms on one of the sections yieldingly engageable with the channel to resiliently clamp said bracket thereon in grounding relation therewith; a projecting leg on the other of said sections engageable with the lid to cause opening pivotal movement of the sections about said loop upon movement of the trunk lid to the closed position; bulb holding means on said other of said sections adapted to carry a light bulb; stop means between the sections for limiting the maximum stress level in the loop; a grounding contact having a first end and a second end, said first end electrically contacting said light bulb, said second end projecting through said other of said sections and normally engaging said one of said sections so as to cause a predetermined pivoting and initial biasing between said sections and establish a minimum stress level in the loop thereby ensuring a resilient ground contact and completing a grounding circuit to the peripheral channel when the lid is in the open position; and a terminal on the housing engaging said bulb adapted to be connected to an electrical sources for establishing a circuit through said bulb to the channel whereby closing movement of the lid engages said projecting leg to cause said opening pivotal movement to break the ground contact and extinguish the bulb, and, opening movement of the lid permits unstressing of the loop to cause closing pivotal movement to reestablish the grounding circuit and illuminate the bulb.