Light source, lamp socket and illumination device using the lamp socket

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9318860-B2
Application number	US-201113053375-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2011
Priority date	Mar 23, 2010
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

A light source has an outer size set equal to the dimension of a straight tubular fluorescent lamp. The light source includes a straight light emitting tube and end caps provided at the opposite end portions of the light emitting tube. Each of the end caps includes first pins arranged at the same positions as lamp pins of the fluorescent lamp. The first pins have the same shape as the lamp pins of the fluorescent lamp. Further, at least one of the end caps includes a current-feeding second pin.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A light source having an outer size set equal to the dimension of a straight tubular fluorescent lamp, comprising:
a straight light emitting tube; and
end caps provided at the opposite end portions of the light emitting tube, wherein each of the end caps includes a pair of first pins arranged at the same positions as a pair of lamp pins of the fluorescent lamp, the first pins having the same shape as the lamp pins of the fluorescent lamp, and a current-feeding second pin protruding outwardly from each of the end caps,
wherein a lighting current is fed to the light source through the second pin, and
wherein the lighting current does not flow through the first pins.

2. The light source of claim 1 , wherein the second pin is arranged in a coaxial relationship with a lamp axis, the pair of first pins and the second pin being arranged side by side along a straight line orthogonal to the lamp axis.

3. The light source of claim 2 , wherein the second pin is greater in length than the first pins.

4. The light source of claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the second pin has a size greater than a groove width of a pin insertion groove provided in a rotor of a lamp socket to which only the fluorescent lamp is mounted in a rotatable manner but smaller than a groove width of a pin insertion groove provided in a rotor of a lamp socket to which the light source is mounted in a rotatable manner.

5. The light source of claim 1 , wherein the second pin is arranged to protrude in a direction orthogonal to the lamp axis.

6. A lamp socket configured to support the light source or the fluorescent lamp of claim 2 , comprising:
a socket body;
end cap receiving units to which the end caps of the light source or end caps of the fluorescent lamp recited are respectively mounted in a removable manner, each of the end cap receiving units including a pair of first current-feeding terminals to which the pair of first pins are connected, a second current-feeding terminal to which the second pin is connected and an insertion groove into which the first pins and the second pin are inserted, the first current-feeding terminals and the second current-feeding terminal being arranged within the socket body; and
a rotor attached to the socket body for rotation about a lamp axis with respect to the socket body, the light source or the fluorescent lamp being mounted to the socket as the light source or the fluorescent lamp is rotated about the lamp axis together with the rotor in a state that the first pins and the second pin of the light source or the lamp pins of the fluorescent lamp are inserted into the insertion groove.

7. The lamp socket of claim 6 , wherein the second current-feeding terminal is arranged at the opposite side of the first current-feeding terminals from the lamp.

8. A lamp socket configured to support the light source or the fluorescent lamp of claim 1 , comprising:
end cap receiving units to which the end caps of the light source or end caps of the fluorescent lamp are respectively mounted in a removable manner, each of the end cap receiving units including first current-feeding terminals to which the first pins are connected, a second current-feeding terminal to which the second pin is connected and an insertion groove into which the first pins of the light source or the lamp pins of the fluorescent lamp are inserted; and
a plunger biased toward the lamp, the light source or the fluorescent lamp being mounted to the socket as the light source or the fluorescent lamp is displaced toward the plunger in a state that each of the end caps of the light source or each of the end caps of the fluorescent lamp is brought into contact with the plunger.

9. The lamp socket of claim 8 , further comprising:
a socket body for accommodation of the first current-feeding terminals and the second current-feeding terminal, the second pin being arranged to protrude in a direction orthogonal to a lamp axis, the socket body including an insertion groove into which the second pin is inserted, the second pin being inserted into the socket body through the insertion groove and connected to the second current-feeding terminal when the light source is mounted in place.

10. An illumination device, comprising:
the lamp socket recited in claim 6 ; and
a lighting circuit for supplying a lighting current to the lamp socket.

11. A light source differing from a fluorescent lamp, comprising:
a light-emitting unit;
end caps mountable to sockets of an existing illumination device for the fluorescent lamp;
a current-feeding unit for feeding a lighting current to the light-emitting unit via a current-feeding path detouring the sockets, the current-feeding unit being positioned to face the illumination device when the end caps are mounted to the sockets; and
a straight tubular body arranged to accommodate the light-emitting unit, the end caps being provided at the opposite ends of the tubular body,
wherein a pair of dummy pins is protruded from the end caps
wherein the pair of dummy pins and the end caps are electrically insulated from the light-emitting unit, and
wherein the end caps are provided in pair, the current-feeding unit being arranged in a middle position between the end caps.

12. The light source of claim 11 , wherein the light-emitting unit is positioned outward of the sockets when the end caps are mounted to the sockets.

13. An illumination device, comprising:
sockets to which end caps of a fluorescent lamp are respectively mounted;
a first lighting unit for feeding a lighting current to the fluorescent lamp through the sockets;
a device body arranged to hold the sockets and to accommodate the first lighting unit;
a second lighting unit accommodated within the device body to feed the lighting current to the light source recited in claim 11 ;
a current-feeding unit provided on one surface of the device body on which the sockets are arranged; and
a connection unit arranged to establish a current-feeding path extending from the second lighting unit to the light source through the connection unit and the current-feeding unit.

14. The illumination device of claim 13 , wherein the current-feeding unit and the connection unit include a holder unit arranged to mechanically hold the current-feeding unit and the connection unit.

15. The illumination device of claim 13 , wherein the current-feeding unit is attached to the connection unit simultaneously with the end caps being mounted to the sockets.

Assignees

• Fukano Satoshi
• Ando Yoshihisa
• Imaoka Yosihide
• Miyakawa Noboru
• Panasonic Corp

Inventors

• Fukano Satoshi
• Ando Yoshihisa
• Imaoka Yosihide
• Miyakawa Noboru

Classifications

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21Y2101/00

  Point-like light sources · CPC title

• F21K9/272

  Details of end parts, i.e. the parts that connect the light source to a fitting; Arrangement of components within end parts (F21K9/278 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F21V23/06

  the elements being coupling devices {, e.g. connectors} · CPC title

• H01R33/0854 Primary

  with lamp rotating means · CPC title