Quick Insertion Lamp Assembly with Segmented Contact Base
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting systems with Edison-style bases require multiple rotations to ensure secure mechanical and electrical coupling, leading to inefficiencies in installation time and potential electrical disconnection.
Innovation Solution
A lamp assembly with a contact base featuring a center and outer contact that can be mechanically and electrically coupled with a socket using a quick-insertion mechanism, allowing for secure connection with less than one full rotation, utilizing a ring body and elongated contact tines to engage the socket's internal thread.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a screw-type interconnection is used to mechanically and electrically couple the light source to the socket, then the coupling is secure and reliable, but the installation time increases due to requiring multiple complete rotations
Solution Approach 1:
The contact base is segmented into distinct functional components: a center contact for electrical coupling and an outer contact with an elongated contact tine for mechanical threading engagement. This segmentation allows the electrical and mechanical coupling functions to be performed separately and more efficiently than traditional screw-type connections that require simultaneous alignment of both functions through multiple rotations.
Solution Approach 2:
The elongated contact tine is pre-configured with threading engagement features that allow it to engage the socket's internal thread immediately upon insertion. This preliminary configuration eliminates the need for multiple rotational adjustments, as the threading engagement is established in advance during the insertion motion itself, thereby reducing installation time while maintaining coupling reliability.
2Ease of operation
If multiple complete rotations are required to fully screw the light source into the socket, then both mechanical securing and electrical coupling are ensured, but the operation becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the contact base into separate center and outer contact components with distinct functions, the installation operation is simplified. The elongated contact tine's threading engagement feature handles mechanical securing independently, while the center contact handles electrical coupling, eliminating the need for complex multi-rotation operations to achieve both functions simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The threading engagement feature on the elongated contact tine is designed to engage the socket's internal thread during the initial insertion motion, before any rotational operation is required. This preliminary engagement simplifies the subsequent operation to a single, straightforward rotational motion that simultaneously completes both mechanical securing and electrical coupling, greatly improving ease of operation and reducing installation time.
3Device complexity
If a traditional Edison-style base is used, then the design is simple and widely compatible, but the electrical coupling may be incomplete if not fully screwed in
Solution Approach 1:
The contact base is divided into functionally distinct components: the center contact dedicated to electrical coupling and the outer contact with elongated contact tine dedicated to mechanical threading engagement. This segmentation ensures that electrical coupling is handled by a specialized component that can reliably establish contact independent of the mechanical securing process, eliminating the risk of incomplete electrical coupling that occurs with traditional Edison-style bases when not fully screwed in.
Solution Approach 2:
The elongated contact tine is designed to engage the socket's internal thread during insertion, establishing mechanical positioning before electrical contact is finalized. This preliminary mechanical engagement ensures that the center contact is properly positioned for reliable electrical coupling, preventing the incomplete coupling issue that plagues traditional designs where electrical contact depends on achieving full mechanical engagement through multiple rotations.
Data Source
AI summary
A lamp assembly includes a light source, a contact base, a center contact and an outer contact. The contact base extends from a lower end to an upper end along a center axis. The upper end is interconnected with the light source and the lower end is configured to be received in a socket to mate the contact base with the socket. The center contact is disposed proximate the lower end of the contact base and is electronically coupled with the light source. The outer contact includes a ring body and an elongated contact tine. The ring body encircles the center contact proximate the lower end of the contact base. The center contact and the outer contact are mechanically and electrically coupled with the socket and electrically join the light source with an electric ground reference.