Protective Light Bulb Socket With Auto-Isolated Contacts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light bulb sockets pose a risk of electric shock or electrocution due to accessible electrical contact tabs, and existing protective mechanisms require bulb mounting to enable current flow, which can be unreliable.
Innovation Solution
An electrical socket with a protective mechanism that includes a movable interface device switching between safety and power positions, activated by bulb mounting, using tracks with conductive and non-conductive parts and elastic return elements to ensure safe current flow only when a bulb is installed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If electrical contact tabs are made accessible through an opening in the receiving structure, then the socket can supply electricity to the bulb, but the risk of electric shock or electrocution increases
Solution Approach 1:
The interface device is made movable between a safety position (where connection pads are disconnected from tracks) and a power supply position (where connection pads contact the tracks). This dynamic positioning allows the socket to transition between safe and conductive states, resolving the contradiction between electrical accessibility and shock prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface device acts as an intermediary between the bulb base and the stationary plate with tracks. It mediates the electrical connection by selectively engaging or disengaging the connection pads with the conductive tracks, thereby controlling current flow while maintaining physical accessibility.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a protective mechanism is added to prevent electric shock, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective mechanism is merged with the bulb insertion/removal action itself. The interface device's movement is directly coupled to the bulb base engagement, so that inserting the bulb automatically triggers the protective mechanism's activation. This combines safety function with the existing operational sequence, minimizing additional complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective mechanism is self-activating through the bulb insertion process. As the bulb base is inserted and engaged with the interface device, the interface device automatically moves to the power supply position, causing the connection pads to contact the tracks and enable current flow. No separate control system or additional user action is required.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the interface device is made movable between safety and power positions, then safety is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The design incorporates inherent mechanical guidance and positioning features in the receiving structure that pre-align the interface device during insertion. The stationary plate with tracks is positioned such that the connection pads naturally follow a predetermined path, cushioning against misalignment and reducing the need for ultra-precise manufacturing tolerances.
Data Source
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Figure 3
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AI summary
The invention relates to an electrical socket designed to receive an electric light bulb (11), the electrical socket (10) comprising a protective mechanism (100) configured to assume a secure configuration and a connected configuration. The protective mechanism (100) switches from the secure configuration to the connected configuration by mounting the electric light bulb (11) with the interface device (114), and from the connected configuration to the secure configuration by removing the electric light bulb (11).The invention also relates to a method of assembling an electrical unit provided with an electrical socket and a light bulb, the method comprising the following steps: - providing the electrical socket (10) and the light bulb (11); and - mounting the base of the light bulb (11) in the electrical socket (10), by a first movement of the light bulb (11) to mechanically secure the light bulb (11) to the electrical socket (10), then a second movement of the light bulb (11) to electrically connect the light bulb (11) to the electrical socket (10).