A lamp assembly particularly suited for vehicle mounting and adapted to be subjected to vibratory shock loads including a rigid reflector and a relatively flexible bulb suspension structure supported on the reflector having a receptacle or basket formation for receiving a bulb. The suspension structure includes a pair of elastically deformable flexible arms extending laterally oppositely from the receptacle formation along horizontal serpentine paths having portions forming U-curves about vertical axes to accommodate horizontal flexing and are pivotally mounted at their outer ends on the reflector.
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1. A lamp adapted to be subjected to the vibratory shock loads comprising, a relatively rigid reflector, relatively flexible suspension means having a receptacle portion, a bulb supported by said receptacle portion in a predetermined orientation relative to said reflector, said suspension means including a pair of elastically deformable elongated flexible arms disposed horizontally in the use position of the lamp each extending laterally from the receptacle portion as a sinuous strip curving along like horizontally reverse curve paths throughout the arm's vertical height defining substantially U-curves about vertical axes of curvature for accommodating flexing in horizontal directions, and means pivotally mounting said suspension means between parallel spaced supporting axes fixed relative to the reflector for limited elastic displacement of the receptacle portion in a direction perpendicular to said supporting axes.
10. In a lamp having a reflector and a pair of mounting pillars projecting therefrom, a suspension device for mounting a bulb in spaced relation to the reflector comprising, a receptacle portion receiving said bulb in a predetermined orientation relative to the reflector, a pair of flexible arms tangentially connected to the receptacle portion each extending horizontally in the use position of the lamp as a sinuous strip curving about vertical axes of curvature along like horizontal reverse curve paths throughout the vertical height of each such arm for accommodating linear displacement thereof in all directions parallel to a horizontal plane, said arms having end portions pivotally connected to the pillars about parallel spaced axes for accommodating displacement of the receptacle portion in a direction perpendicular to said horizontal plane, whereby vibration is dampened in all directions to prevent shock loading of the filament within the bulb.
15. In a lamp having a reflector and a pair of mounting pillars projecting therefrom forming parallel spaced supporting axes lying in a common horizontal plane in the use position of the lamp, a suspension device for mounting a bulb in spaced relation to the reflector comprising, a receptacle portion receiving said bulb in a predetermined orientation relative to the reflector, a pair of elongated flexible arms tangentially connected to the receptacle portion and extending to said pillars along longitudinal medial planes which include said support axes for accommodating linear displacement thereof in all directions parallel to a horizontal plane, each of said arms extending laterally from the receptacle portion as a continuous strip curving along like uniplanar reverse curve paths at all section planes through the arm paralleling the medial plane forming substantially U-curved shock absorbing bends about vertical axes of curvature and having end portions pivotally connected to the pillars about parallel spaced axes for accommodating displacement of the receptacle portion in a direction perpendicular to said horizontal plane, whereby vibration is dampened in all directions to prevent shock loading of the filament within the bulb.
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This invention relates to a new and useful lamp assembly particularly suited for vehicle mounting.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle mounted lamp assembly which successively copes with the problem of filament failure because of a repetitive shock loading thereof.
An additional object of the present invention in accordance with the foregoing object, is to provide a shock absorbing mounting for an incandescent lamp bulb of a vehicle mounted lamp assembly which successfully copes to form sinuous strips curving along like horizontal reverse curve paths throughout the vertical height of each arm so as to define substantially U-curves about vertical axes of curvature so that they may flex in a generally horizontal plane in order to accommodate displacement of the receptacle portion parallel to this plane. As will be evident from the top plan view of FIG. 4 and from FIGS. 5 and 2, the flexible torque arms 52 and 54 thus form sinuous strips of generally rectangular transverse cross section having greater vertical than horizontal dimension which curve along like horizontal reverse curve paths throughout the vertical height of the respective arm or like reverse curve paths at all section planes through the respective arm paralleling the longitudinal medial plane of the arm, enabling the arms to accommodate receptacle displacement in all horizontal directions. As used herein and in the claims, the term "sinuous strip" signifies a ribbon-like band or strap which is thin in its horizontal transverse dimension and larger in its vertical transverse dimension and winds or bends in directions perpendicular to its larger vertical dimension in a sinuous fashion forming curves which have vertical axes of curvature and the term "reverse curve paths" which are referred to as horizontal or as lying in section planes paralleling the longitudinal medial planes of the arms signify a generally S-shaped curve path formed by joining two simple curves turning in opposite directions. It will also be apparent that the tangential connection of the flexible arms to the receptacle portion will accommodate angular displacement of the receptacle portion about a vertical axis. It will therefore be apparent that the anchoring of the end tab portions 56 and 58 of the flexible arms on the reflector will suspend the receptacle portion 28 for displacement in all directions parallel to the horizontal plane.
The end tab portions 56 and 58 of the flexible arms are provided with apertures 60 as more clearly shown in FIG. 5 so that they may be pivotally mounted on the reflector 12 about parallel spaced axes established through forwardly projecting pillars 62 and 64 secured to the reflector as shown in FIG. 4. The end tab portions will be pivotally connected to the pillars by any suitable means such as the plastic lugs 66 which extend through the aperture 60 and are heat peened in order to retain the flexible arms assembled on the ends of the pillars. The pivotal mounting of the flexible arms is sufficiently tight in order to eliminate any excess pivotal freedom yet permit a limited amount of pivotal displacement about the supporting axes established through the pillars. It will therefore be apparent that the flexible arms 52 and 54 will act as a torque suspension for the receptacle portion 28 to which they are connected in order to dampen vertical displacement thereof in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane. Accordingly, not only may the suspension device accommodate horizontal and displacement of the receptacle portion in the horizontal plane because of the flexure of the arms 52 and 54 but will also accommodate vertical displacement of the receptacle portion and tilting thereof because of the limited pivotal displacement of the arms about the supporting axes established through the pillars 62 and 64.
From the foregoing description, the construction and utility of the lamp assembly and in particular the bulb suspension facilities will be apparent. It will therefore be appreciated that the suspension device 30 may be constructed as a one piece member from a suitable material such as plastics or metals or from a composite construction arranged to be readily installed by pivotal support on the pillars 62 and 64 as aforementioned. The bulb 24 when positioned within the receptacle portion 28 and secured in proper position therein will therefore be suspended in such a fashion that impulse forces will be dampened regardless of the direction in which they are imposed on the lamp assembly by virtue of the mounting of the reflector on the vehicle. It will also be apparent that the manufacture and installation of the suspension device as well as the mounting of the bulb therein may be accomplished with substantial economy.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.
| Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
| 4422136, | Mar 25 1982 | The Grote Manufacturing Company, Inc. | Shock mounting device for a lamp |
| 4428039, | Mar 23 1982 | Koehler Manufacturing Company | Safety lamp apparatus including means for preventing accidental breakage of a bulb member |
| 4452417, | Sep 14 1981 | Honeywell Inc. | Vibration isolating motor mount |
| 5523933, | Sep 29 1994 | Betts Industries, Inc. | Shock-dampening and vibration-isolation mount for vehicular lighting assembly |
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| Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
| Aug 25 1978 | Truck-Lite Co., Inc. | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / | |||
| Nov 19 1997 | TRUCK-LITE CO , INC | GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS AGENT | PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT | 008829 | /0682 | |
| Jun 06 2000 | General Electric Capital Corporation | BANK ONE, MICHIGAN | SECURITY AGREEMENT RECORDED AT REEL FRAME 8829 0682 | 010977 | /0225 | |
| Oct 28 2004 | BANK ONE NA | TRUCK-LITE CO , INC | TERMINATION OF ASSIGNMENT FOR SECURITY | 015418 | /0286 |
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