Bulb Socket Projection Portions Eliminate Spacer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bulb sockets require additional components like spacers to guide and hold bulbs, increasing the system's size and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A bulb socket design featuring projection portions within the socket main body that elastically deform to sandwich the bulb's base portion, eliminating the need for a separate spacer and reducing the socket's size and component count.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spacer is used to guide and hold the bulb base portion, then the bulb can be steadily held in the socket, but the number of components increases and the socket size becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the guiding and holding functions directly into the socket main body through projection portions, eliminating the need for a separate spacer component. The projection portions project from the insertion hole toward the opening and sandwich the bulb base portion between them, combining multiple functions (guiding, holding, and supporting) into a single integrated structure.
2Reliability
If a spacer is inserted into the fixing hole to guide the bulb, then the bulb movement is controlled, but the socket size increases and the overall system becomes larger
Solution Approach 1:
The guiding function previously performed by the spacer is merged into the socket main body through the projection portions. These projections extend from the insertion hole and provide guiding surfaces that control bulb insertion and positioning without requiring additional external components, thereby maintaining compact socket dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses projection portions that extend radially from the insertion hole wall, utilizing the radial dimension to provide guiding and holding surfaces. This dimensional approach allows the socket to guide and hold the bulb within its existing structural envelope without increasing overall length or requiring separate guiding components.
3Reliability
If projection portions are made smaller than the base portion cross-section, then the bulb can be held with elastic deformation, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies that the distance between the projection portions is formed smaller than the cross-sectional dimension of the base portion, creating a controlled interference fit. This parameter relationship ensures that the projection portions elastically deform to provide holding force while maintaining manufacturability through defined dimensional relationships rather than requiring ultra-precise tolerances.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design effectively holds the bulb without additional components, maintains electrical connection, and reduces the risk of bulb movement and electrical failure, while minimizing the socket's size and preventing external forces from affecting the bulb.
Implementation Method 1
the pair of projection portions is elastically deformed to be away from each other, and contacts slidingly a surface of the base portion
Implementation Method 2
contacts slidingly a surface of the base portion
Data Source
AI summary
A bulb socket and a lighting system, which can reduce components and dimensions and improve a force for holding a bulb, are provided. A housing has an insertion hole including an opening for receiving a base portion of a bulb, and a plurality of projection portions projecting from a deep side wall of the insertion hole toward an opening side. The projection portions are opposed to each other so that the base portion is sandwiched therebetween. A distance between the projection portions is formed smaller than a cross-sectional dimension of the base portion. When the base portion is inserted into the insertion hole, the projection portions are elastically deformed away from each other, and contacts slidingly a surface of the base portion. The base portion is sandwiched by a biasing force of the elastically deformed projection portions in a biasing state, and thereby the bulb is held.