US4229680A — Lamp life extender

Claim 1

Independent Claim 86 words

A device mountable about the base end of an incandescent light bulb for movement therewith into and out of a lampholder socket and operable to provide a voltage reducing circuit between the central base contacts of the light bulb and lampholder comprising: a thin, disc-like laminated contact assembly providing the voltage reducing circuit and consisting of a pair of thin metal contact plates, thin insulator means separating said plates, and a thin semiconductor rectifier chip electrically connected to and located between peripheral portions of said plates.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 86 words

A device mountable about the base end of an incandescent light bulb for movement therewith into and out of a lampholder socket and operable to provide a voltage reducing circuit between the central base contacts of the light bulb and lampholder comprising: a thin, disc-like laminated contact assembly providing the voltage reducing circuit and consisting of a pair of thin metal contact plates, thin insulator means separating said plates, and a thin semiconductor rectifier chip electrically connected to and located between peripheral portions of said plates.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 17 words

The combination of claim 1, and a rigid insulator ring protectively encasing the periphery of said plates.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 22 words

The combination of claim 1, wherein the laminated thickness of said plates and insulator means is in the order of 0.010 inches.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 66 words

The combination of claim 1, and a resilient mounting ring attached to and extending outwardly of one side of said assembly and including adhesive means for providing bonded connection thereof with the base of the light bulb, said ring concentrically surrounding the base contact of the light bulb and having sufficient resiliency to conform to the exterior contour of the light bulb base when attached thereto.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 33 words

The combination of claim 4, wherein said adhesive means is curable under ambient heat generated in the lampholder socket during operation, to permanently bond the device to the base of the light bulb.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 15 words

The combination of claim 4, wherein said ring is adhesively bonded to said contact assembly.

Claim 8

Independent Claim 198 words

A device mountable about the base end of an incandescent light bulb for movement with the same into and out of a lampholder socket and operable to provide a voltage reducing circuit between the central base contacts of the light bulb and its cooperating lampholder comprising: a thin, disc-like laminated contact assembly providing the voltage reducing circuit and comprising first and second coextensively superposed, thin metal contact plates; insulator means disposed between and electrically isolating said plates, and a leaderless silicon rectifier chip mounted between and facially connected to registeringly superposed, and oppositely off-set areas formed in corresponding peripheral margins of said plates; an annular mounting base of insulator material having a recessed cavity extending inwardly of one face thereof and formed to substantially registeringly mount said contact assembly therewithin; an annular, compressible mounting gasket of insulator material disposed registeringly over and connectively secured to said base and contact assembly; said gasket having an adhesive coating over an outer end face thereof for bonding the device concentrically about the base of the light bulb so that the central base contact thereof is positioned within the open center of said gasket for operating engagement with said first contact plate.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 198 words

A device mountable about the base end of an incandescent light bulb for movement with the same into and out of a lampholder socket and operable to provide a voltage reducing circuit between the central base contacts of the light bulb and its cooperating lampholder comprising: a thin, disc-like laminated contact assembly providing the voltage reducing circuit and comprising first and second coextensively superposed, thin metal contact plates; insulator means disposed between and electrically isolating said plates, and a leaderless silicon rectifier chip mounted between and facially connected to registeringly superposed, and oppositely off-set areas formed in corresponding peripheral margins of said plates; an annular mounting base of insulator material having a recessed cavity extending inwardly of one face thereof and formed to substantially registeringly mount said contact assembly therewithin; an annular, compressible mounting gasket of insulator material disposed registeringly over and connectively secured to said base and contact assembly; said gasket having an adhesive coating over an outer end face thereof for bonding the device concentrically about the base of the light bulb so that the central base contact thereof is positioned within the open center of said gasket for operating engagement with said first contact plate.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 54 words

The combination of claim 7, wherein said contact assembly is protectively entrapped between said mounting base and gasket with central areas of said first and second contact plates opposite the open centers of said mounting base and gasket exposed for operational engagement with the central base contacts of said bulb and lampholder socket, respectively.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 27 words

The combination of claim 7, wherein the aggregate laminated thickness of said contact assembly available for engagement by and between said base contacts is substantially 0.010 inches.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 19 words

The combination of claim 7, wherein said gasket is adhesively laminated to said contact assembly and said mounting base.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 19 words

The combination of claim 7, and locating means for registeringly aligning said contact assembly coaxially of said mounting base.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 45 words

The combination of claim 11, wherein said locating means comprises a plurality of spaced locating pins extending integrally upward from the bottom of said cavity, and coaxially aligned spaced openings in said plates and insulator means which are registeringly receptive of said pins in assembly.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 40 words

The combination of claim 7, in which said rectifier chip is facially soldered to said areas; each of said areas being planar and provided with a plurality of spaced projecting dimples engageable with said chip to promote soldered connection therewith.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 17 words

The combination of claim 7, and a rim portion bordering said cavity to protectively surround said assembly.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 15 words

The combination of claim 7, wherein said base is molded of high temperature, self-extinguishing plastic.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 51 words

The combination of claim 7, wherein said insulator means facially engages said plates and extends between said off-set areas thereof; the same having a marginal cut-out portion, the edges of which closely embrace corresponding edges of said rectifier chip to maintain the same in position for soldered connection with said plates.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 262 words

A device mountable about the base end of an incandescent light bulb for extending the operating life thereof by providing an auxiliary voltage reducing circuit interfaced between the central base contacts of the light bulb and its cooperating lampholder socket, comprising: a generally disc-like, open centered mounting base of insulator material formed with an annular cavity recessed inwardly of its upper face, a laminated contact assembly mounted within the confines of said cavity and extending transversely across the central opening of said base, said assembly comprising a pair of identical, parallel spaced, registeringly superposed and substantially planar, electrically conductive plate contacts formed with oppositely off-set areas in corresponding marginal portions thereof and which define an intervening mounting socket in assembly, a sheet insulator extending between and electrically separating said plate contacts, and a silicon rectifier chip mounted in said socket and having upper and lower faces soldered to substantial opposing facial portions of said off-set areas; an annular mounting gasket of high temperature thermo-plastic resilient foam material mounted coaxially over and joined to the upper side of said base and contact assembly, and thermal setting adhesive means coating the upper face of said gasket for bonding the device to the base end of the light bulb in surrounding relation with the central base contact thereof whereby the latter operationally extends through the open center of said gasket for engagement with a central area of the uppermost of said plate contacts; a central area of the lowermost of said plate contacts being exposed for corresponding operational engagement with the lampholder's central base contact.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 262 words

A device mountable about the base end of an incandescent light bulb for extending the operating life thereof by providing an auxiliary voltage reducing circuit interfaced between the central base contacts of the light bulb and its cooperating lampholder socket, comprising: a generally disc-like, open centered mounting base of insulator material formed with an annular cavity recessed inwardly of its upper face, a laminated contact assembly mounted within the confines of said cavity and extending transversely across the central opening of said base, said assembly comprising a pair of identical, parallel spaced, registeringly superposed and substantially planar, electrically conductive plate contacts formed with oppositely off-set areas in corresponding marginal portions thereof and which define an intervening mounting socket in assembly, a sheet insulator extending between and electrically separating said plate contacts, and a silicon rectifier chip mounted in said socket and having upper and lower faces soldered to substantial opposing facial portions of said off-set areas; an annular mounting gasket of high temperature thermo-plastic resilient foam material mounted coaxially over and joined to the upper side of said base and contact assembly, and thermal setting adhesive means coating the upper face of said gasket for bonding the device to the base end of the light bulb in surrounding relation with the central base contact thereof whereby the latter operationally extends through the open center of said gasket for engagement with a central area of the uppermost of said plate contacts; a central area of the lowermost of said plate contacts being exposed for corresponding operational engagement with the lampholder's central base contact.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 30 words

The device of claim 17, characterized by said adhesive coating being of a type curable to form a permanent bond when subjected to the ambient temperatures of the lampholder socket.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 33 words

The device of claim 17, in which said contact plates are of brass or copper foil having a thickness of substantially 0.004 inches, and said insulator has a thickness of substantially 0.002 inches.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 19 words

The device of claim 17, in which said chip is formed as a rectangular parallelopiped substantially 0.010 inches thick.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 15 words

The device of claim 17, further characterized as providing a 1/2 sine wave rectification circuit.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 24 words

The device of claim 17, characterized by said base and gasket being of self-extinguishing materials useful at temperatures in the order of 200° C.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 27 words

The device of claim 17, characterized by the positioning of said chip remotely of the central areas of engagement between said base contacts and said plate contacts.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1983-10-21	1984-04-21	1984-10-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1987-10-21	1988-04-21	1988-10-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1991-10-21	1992-04-21	1992-10-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Lamp life extender

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