LAMP AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A LAMP

Abstract

According to the present disclosure, a lamp is provided including a sleeve-shaped lamp housing, and a plurality of mounting plates including a light source wherein the mounting plates are configured to be arranged on a respective housing end of said lamp housing, wherein the mounting plates are connected in an electrical manner by way of at least one connecting element. The connecting element is pressed in with at least one end section into an orifice of one of the mounting plates so as to provide the electrical connection and a mechanical retaining arrangement.

Claims

1. A lamp comprising a sleeve-shaped lamp housing, and a plurality of mounting plates comprising a light source wherein the mounting plates are configured to be arranged on a respective housing end of said lamp housing, wherein the mounting plates are connected in an electrical manner by way of at least one connecting element, and wherein the connecting element is pressed in with at least one end section into an orifice of one of the mounting plates so as to provide the electrical connection and a mechanical retaining arrangement.

2. The lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting element is configured to be pressed in with its two end sections respectively into an orifice of the respective mounting plate.

3. The lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting element is configured as a connecting pin.

4. The lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical connection and the mechanical retaining arrangement between the connecting element and at least one mounting plate is configured as a press-fit connection.

5. The lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the end section or a respective end section of the connecting element is configured so as to be able to deform in a resilient manner.

6. The lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light sources that are mounted on a respective mounting plate are semi-conductor light sources and in addition electronic components are provided on one or both mounting plates.

7. The lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lamp housing is embodied at least in part or entirely from a synthetic material and is produced by means of an injection molding process, wherein the lamp housing is injection molded around one connecting element or multiple connecting elements by means of the injection molding process.

8. The lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lamp housing encompasses the connecting element or a respective connecting element by means of a radial inner retaining protrusion.

9. The lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least three connecting elements are provided that are connected to a respective mounting plate in a press-fit arrangement by way of their respective end sections.

10. The lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein a respective mounting plate is covered at least in sections by an end sleeve, and wherein a respective end sleeve is fixedly connected in a mechanical manner and/or connected in an electrical manner to a respective mounting plate by way of a press-fit arrangement.

11. A method for producing a lamp in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lamp housing is produced by means of an injection molding process, wherein the lamp housing is injection molded around one connecting element or multiple connecting elements.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the disclosed embodiments. In the following description, various embodiments described with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0031] FIG. 1 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view of a lamp in accordance with the present disclosure according to a first embodiment,

[0032] FIG. 2 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view of the lamp in accordance with the present disclosure according to a second embodiment,

[0033] FIG. 3 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view of a further illustration of the lamp according to the second embodiment,

[0034] FIG. 4 illustrates a lateral view of the lamp in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] A lamp in the form of a festoon lamp 1 is illustrated in accordance with FIG. 1. Said lamp has an approximately cylindrical, in particular approximately circular cylindrical, lamp housing 2 that is embodied from a synthetic material and forms a lens. A mounting plate in the form of a printed circuit board 8 or 10 is arranged in each case on the first and second housing end 4 and 6. A respective printed circuit board 8 and 10 and also the housing ends 4 and 6 are encased in each case by a metal end sleeve 12, 14. In order to connect the printed circuit boards 8, 10 to one another in an electrical and mechanical manner, three connecting elements in the form of connecting pins 16, 18 are provided and two of said connecting pins are illustrated in FIG. 1. A respective connecting pin 16, 18 has two end sections 20, 22 that are pressed in each case into an orifice 24 or 26 in the respective printed circuit board 8 or 10. Consequently, a respective printed circuit board 8 and 10 includes in each case three orifices 24, 26 for the three connecting pins 16, 18.

[0036] The three metal connecting pins 16, 18 are arranged on a part circle and extend spaced slightly apart in a parallel manner with respect to the longitudinal axis of the festoon lamp 1. A respective connecting pin 16, 18 is configured approximately with a square-shaped cross section between the end sections 20 and 22. In order to facilitate the pressing-in procedure, the end sections 20 and 22 of a respective connecting pin 16, 18 are configured in such a manner that they widen and include a through-going cutout, whereby the end section 20 and 22 have a resilient characteristic. The end sections 20 or 22 can consequently be inserted into the orifice 24 or 26 respectively in a resilient manner using a pressing force. A respective connecting pin 16, 18 hereby passes through the printed circuit boards 8 or 10 respectively and as a result said connecting pin protrudes in a direction away from the lamp housing 2 into an inner space of the respective end sleeve 12 or 14.

[0037] An LED 28 or 30 respectively is arranged in the middle of a respective printed circuit board 8 and 10 and said LEDs face one another and protrude into the lamp housing 2. Furthermore, electronic components 32 are arranged on one or both faces of a respective printed circuit board 8 and 10.

[0038] The lamp housing 2 includes on its housing ends 4, 6 in each case a radial, outer backwards stepping arrangement 34 or 36, whereby in each case a step is formed. The lamp housing 2 subsequently has at its housing ends 4 and 6 in each case an outer and an inner annular end face 38, 40. The respective printed circuit board 8, 10 lies with its face that is facing the lamp housing 2 against a respective inner annular end face 40.

[0039] The bush-shaped end sleeves 12, 14 have in each case a lamp housing-side section 42 and a section 44 that is adjacent to said housing-side section. The lamp housing-side section 42 has a greater diameter than the section 44, as a result of which a step is formed that has an inner annular face 46 that faces the lamp housing 2. A respective printed circuit board 8 or 10 can lie at least in sections against said annular face.

[0040] In order to connect the end sleeves 12 and 14 in an electrical manner to the respective printed circuit board 8 or 10 and to retain the end sleeves 12 and 14 in a mechanical manner against the respective printed circuit board 8 or 10, after the end sleeves 12 and 14 have been assembled, four point press-fit arrangements or press-ins, which is described as a hit-point process are produced radially around the section 42. As a consequence, the printed circuit boards 8, 10 are held against the lamp housing 2 by way of the connecting pins 16, 18 and the end sleeves 12, 14 are in turn held against the printed circuit boards 8, 10 by way of the pressing-in arrangement.

[0041] FIG. 2 illustrates the festoon lamp 1, wherein in contrast to FIG. 1, the lamp housing 2 has been injection molded in sections around the connecting pins 16, 18. The lamp housing 2 includes for this purpose for a respective connecting pin 16, an axially extending connecting piece 52 that protrudes into the inside of the lamp housing 2. A respective connecting piece 52 is subsequently completely penetrated in the axial direction by the respective connecting pin 16, 18, as a result of which a respective connecting pin 16, 18 protrudes with its end sections 20 out of the respective connecting piece 52. The connecting pieces 52 are configured in such a manner that they are spaced apart in the radial direction from the LEDs 28 and 30.

[0042] FIG. 3 illustrates three connecting pins 16, 18 and 54.

[0043] It is evident in FIG. 4 that the end sleeves 12, 14 are connected to the lamp housing 2 in a flush manner or with a desired gap, a so-called shadow gap.

[0044] A festoon lamp is disclosed that includes a sleeve-shaped lamp housing, wherein a printed circuit board having a light source is provided at each end. In order to connect the printed circuit boards to one another in an electrical and/or mechanical manner, connecting elements are provided between the printed circuit boards and said connecting elements are pressed into the printed circuit board. The connecting elements can be individual pins that are connected to the printed circuit boards by way of a press-fit connection.

[0045] While the disclosed embodiments have been particularly shown and described with reference to specific embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed embodiments as defined by the appended claims. The scope of the disclosed embodiments is thus indicated by the appended claims and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced.