US5899556A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Light bulb socket mounting structure and method
Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd
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Filing: 1995-11-06
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Granted: 1999-05-04
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Expires: 2015-11-06
Abstract
Abstract A bulb socket mounting structure inhibits a bulb socket mounted on a panel from being turned to prevent the bulb socket from unintentionally coming off the panel. The bulb socket mounting structure includes a bulb socket with a fixing flange and a locking piece extending from the fixing flange. The locking piece includes a bending portion extended tangentially off an outer cylindrical surface of the fixing flange with a hook at the end of the bending portion away from the fixing flange. The panel forms an engaging recess at a predetermined position to fixedly engage the hook of the locking piece. A relief groove has an inclined guide surface at the end abutting the engaging recess. When the bulb socket is inserted into a mounting hole formed in the panel, the hook engages the relief guide. From this position, the bulb socket rotates toward a socket locking position. The hook of the locking piece moves along the relief groove without bending the locking piece. Immediately before being engaged with the engaging recess, the hook slides up the inclined guide surface while bending the locking piece. Finally the bending locking piece is restored when the bulb socket enters the socket locking position where the hook engages the engaging recess.
Inventors
- 👤 Shinji Ogawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 19:54
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R33/00; H01R33/05; H01R33/06; H01R33/09; F; F21; F21S; F21S41/00; F21S41/10; F21S41/19; F21S41/194; F21V; F21V19/00; F21V19/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
202 words
A bulb socket mounting structure, comprising: a lamp panel having a mounting hole; a bulb socket having a mounting section where a lamp is mounted, the mounting section inserting into the mounting hole, the bulb socket moving between a socket inserting position and a socket locking position, said socket inserting position being an initial inserted position of the mounting section in the mounting hole, said socket locking position being a position where the bulb socket is fixedly mounted to the lamp panel and inhibited from being removed from the lamp panel; a bendable locking piece connected to one of the lamp panel and the bulb socket; an engaging section on another one of the lamp panel and the bulb socket, the engaging section engaging with the locking piece, the locking piece bending to permit the bulb socket to rotate from the socket inserting position to the socket locking position, said locking piece engaging with the engaging section to prevent the bulb socket from rotating when the bulb socket enters the socket locking position; and a relief groove provided near an inlet of the engaging section so the locking piece is prevented from being bent until immediately before engaging with the engaging section.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
202 words
A bulb socket mounting structure, comprising: a lamp panel having a mounting hole; a bulb socket having a mounting section where a lamp is mounted, the mounting section inserting into the mounting hole, the bulb socket moving between a socket inserting position and a socket locking position, said socket inserting position being an initial inserted position of the mounting section in the mounting hole, said socket locking position being a position where the bulb socket is fixedly mounted to the lamp panel and inhibited from being removed from the lamp panel; a bendable locking piece connected to one of the lamp panel and the bulb socket; an engaging section on another one of the lamp panel and the bulb socket, the engaging section engaging with the locking piece, the locking piece bending to permit the bulb socket to rotate from the socket inserting position to the socket locking position, said locking piece engaging with the engaging section to prevent the bulb socket from rotating when the bulb socket enters the socket locking position; and a relief groove provided near an inlet of the engaging section so the locking piece is prevented from being bent until immediately before engaging with the engaging section.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
The bulb socket mounting structure according to claim 1, further comprising a knob connected to the locking piece, said knob being connected on an end of the locking piece furthest from the mounting section and extending away from said lamp panel, the knob being used to forcibly bend the locking piece and disengage the locking piece from the engaging section.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
The bulb socket mounting structure according to claim 2, wherein the locking piece includes a hook extending from the end of the locking piece furthest from the mounting section and extending toward the lamp panel to engage with the engaging section, the hook having an inclined surface relative to a bottom surface of the engaging section.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
The bulb socket mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the locking piece includes a base portion extending radially out from an outer cylindrical surface of the mounting section and a bending portion connected to a radial outward end of the base section and extending tangential to the outer cylindrical surface of the mounting section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
The bulb socket mounting structure according to claim 4, wherein the locking piece further includes a hook extending toward the lamp panel from an unconnected end of the bending portion, the hook engaging with the engaging section, the hook having an inclined surface relative to a bottom surface of the engaging section.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The bulb socket mounting structure according to claim 5, wherein the hook further includes a steep surface, wherein the steep surface has a greater incline than the inclined surface relative to the bottom surface of the engaging section.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
217 words
A bulb socket mounting structure, comprising: a lamp panel having a mounting hole; a bulb socket having a mounting section where a lamp is mounted, the mounting section inserting into the mounting hole, the bulb socket moving between a socket inserting position and a socket locking position, said socket inserting position being an initial inserted position of the mounting section in the mounting hole, said socket locking position being a position where the bulb socket is fixedly mounted to the lamp panel and inhibited from being removed from the lamp panel; locking means for locking the bulb socket to the lamp panel; and engaging means for engaging with said locking means, wherein one of the mounting section of the bulb socket and the lamp panel includes the locking means, another of the mounting section of the bulb socket and the lamp panel includes the engaging means, the locking means bending to permit the bulb socket to rotate from the socket inserting position to the socket locking position, the locking means engaging with the engaging means to stop the bulb socket when the bulb socket reaches the socket locking position; and a relief groove provided near an inlet of the engaging means so the locking means is prevented from being bent until immediately before engaging the engaging means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
217 words
A bulb socket mounting structure, comprising: a lamp panel having a mounting hole; a bulb socket having a mounting section where a lamp is mounted, the mounting section inserting into the mounting hole, the bulb socket moving between a socket inserting position and a socket locking position, said socket inserting position being an initial inserted position of the mounting section in the mounting hole, said socket locking position being a position where the bulb socket is fixedly mounted to the lamp panel and inhibited from being removed from the lamp panel; locking means for locking the bulb socket to the lamp panel; and engaging means for engaging with said locking means, wherein one of the mounting section of the bulb socket and the lamp panel includes the locking means, another of the mounting section of the bulb socket and the lamp panel includes the engaging means, the locking means bending to permit the bulb socket to rotate from the socket inserting position to the socket locking position, the locking means engaging with the engaging means to stop the bulb socket when the bulb socket reaches the socket locking position; and a relief groove provided near an inlet of the engaging means so the locking means is prevented from being bent until immediately before engaging the engaging means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
The bulb socket mounting structure according to claim 7, further comprising a knob connected to the locking means, said knob being connected on an end of the locking means furthest from the mounting section and extending away from the lamp panel, the knob being used to forcibly bend the locking means and disengage the locking means from the engaging means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
The bulb socket mounting structure according to claim 7, wherein the locking means includes a base portion extending radially out from an outer cylindrical surface of the mounting section and a bending portion connected to a radial outward end of the base section and extending tangential to the outer cylindrical surface of the mounting section.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
176 words
A method for mounting a bulb socket mounting structure, comprising the steps of: aligning angularly spaced cuts along a perimeter of a mounting hole in a lamp panel with angularly spaced protrusions from a mounting section of the bulb socket mounting structure; inserting the mounting section into the mounting hole of the lamp panel; placing a locking piece connected to and extending from one of the lamp panel and the bulb socket mounting structure into a corresponding initial position abutting an engaging section on another one of the lamp panel and the bulb socket mounting structure; and rotating the bulb socket mounting structure in a mounting direction with respect to the lamp panel to bend one of the locking piece and the engaging section and to engage the locking piece with the engaging section, wherein a relief groove is provided near an inlet of the engaging section so that one of the locking piece and the engaging section is prevented from being bent until immediately before engaging with another of the locking piece and engaging section.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
176 words
A method for mounting a bulb socket mounting structure, comprising the steps of: aligning angularly spaced cuts along a perimeter of a mounting hole in a lamp panel with angularly spaced protrusions from a mounting section of the bulb socket mounting structure; inserting the mounting section into the mounting hole of the lamp panel; placing a locking piece connected to and extending from one of the lamp panel and the bulb socket mounting structure into a corresponding initial position abutting an engaging section on another one of the lamp panel and the bulb socket mounting structure; and rotating the bulb socket mounting structure in a mounting direction with respect to the lamp panel to bend one of the locking piece and the engaging section and to engage the locking piece with the engaging section, wherein a relief groove is provided near an inlet of the engaging section so that one of the locking piece and the engaging section is prevented from being bent until immediately before engaging with another of the locking piece and engaging section.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of rotating the bulb socket mounting structure in a direction opposite to the mounting direction with respect to the lamp panel to disengage the locking piece from the engaging section.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method according to claim 10, wherein the locking piece includes a base portion extending radially out from an outer cylindrical surface of the mounting section and a bending portion connected to a radial outward end of the base section and extending tangential to the outer cylindrical surface of the mounting section.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-05-03 | 2002-11-02 | 2003-05-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-05-03 | 2006-11-02 | 2007-05-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-05-03 | 2010-11-02 | 2011-05-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |