Adaptable LED Lamp Plug Head with Retractable Pins
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Solution Overview
Problem
Light emitting diode (LED) plug-in lamps require different pin configurations to match various types of ballasts in fluorescent fixtures, such as magnetic and electronic or digital ballasts, which limits their compatibility and adaptability.
Innovation Solution
The LED plug-in lamp features a plug head with retractable contact pins and a rotating collar structure that allows conversion between G24Q 4-pin and G24D 2-pin configurations, enabling compatibility with both magnetic and electronic/digital ballasts through mechanical or wedge lever mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the LED plug-in lamp uses a fixed pin configuration (either 2-pin or 4-pin), then it can be manufactured simply and produced efficiently, but it cannot adapt to different types of ballasts (magnetic or electronic/digital)
Solution Approach 1:
The plug head incorporates retractable contact pins that can be mechanically retracted or extended based on the required configuration. This dynamic mechanism allows the same plug head to adapt between 2-pin and 4-pin configurations, resolving the contradiction between fixed structure simplicity and adaptability requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug head is designed with universal functionality to support both 2-pin and 4-pin configurations through the retractable pin mechanism. This multi-functional design enables a single plug head to replace what would traditionally require two separate plug head designs, achieving versatility without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the LED plug-in lamp uses a retractable pin mechanism with rotating collar structure, then it achieves adaptability between 2-pin and 4-pin configurations, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The plug head is segmented into distinct functional components: the base structure, the retractable contact pins, the rotating collar structure, and the spring mechanisms. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured separately using standard processes, then assembled together, reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite the enhanced functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating collar structure serves as an intermediary mechanism that mediates between the user's configuration selection and the pin retraction/extension action. This intermediary component simplifies the user interface while managing the complexity of the pin retraction mechanism internally through standardized mechanical interactions.
3Reliability
If the LED plug-in lamp uses spring-loaded retractable pins, then the contact pins can be reliably retracted and extended, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded mechanism provides self-service functionality where the springs automatically return the contact pins to their retracted position when the rotating collar is released. This eliminates the need for additional actuators or complex control mechanisms, achieving reliable pin retraction through a simple elastic recovery system that reduces overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An LED plug-in lamp is disclosed that has a plug head which converts from a G24Q 4-pin plug head to a G24D type 2-pin plug head when a collar structure on the plug head is rotated relative to a fixed stage structure. The collar structure has two pin-stop features and two pin hole cover features. Rotating the collar structure relative to the fixed stage structure moves the two pin-stop features and allows the two reachable contact pins can be retracted through corresponding pin holes on the fixed stage structure and places ends of the pin hole cover structures over corresponding pin holes.