Lampholder system with lock

Abstract

A lampholder system comprises a lampholder having a center section for holding bi-pins on an endcap of a linear tubular lamp, a securing mechanism and a locking mechanism. The center section has a securing mechanism for securing the bi-pins on the endcap of the linear tubular lamp in the center section. The locking mechanism, when applied to the lampholder, prevents the bi-pins on the endcap of the linear tubular lamp from being removed out of the lampholder, consequently preventing the linear tubular lamp from being removed out of the lampholder.

Claims

1. A lampholder system, comprising: a lampholder having a center section configured to hold bi-pins on an endcap of a linear tubular lamp; a locking mechanism; and a linear lamp with two identical endcaps, wherein: the lampholder has an opening on a top thereof and the center section has a slot, with the opening and the slot together supporting sliding in of the bi-pins on the endcap of the linear tubular lamp through the opening and the slot, the center section has a securing mechanism configured to secure the bi-pins on the endcap of the linear tubular lamp in the center section, the locking mechanism, when applied to the opening or the center section, or both, or the entire lamp holder, prevents the bi-pins on the endcap of the linear tubular lamp from being removed out of the lampholder, consequently preventing the linear tubular lamp from being removed out of the lampholder, and the two identical endcaps of the linear lamp have a form of a standard endcap with a flat end face and including only one cylindrical portion with one diameter.

2. The lampholder system of claim 1, wherein the securing mechanism, through a groove in the center section, supports a rotation of the bi-pins on the endcap of the linear tubular lamp in the groove by force clockwise or counterclockwise 90 degrees such that the bi-pins are locked by two electrical contacts making contact with the bi-pins inside the groove.

3. The lampholder system of claim 1, wherein the securing mechanism, through each of two parallel slots in the center section, receives a pin of the bi-pins such that the bi-pins are locked by two electrical contacts making contact with the bi-pins inside the two slots.

4. The lampholder system of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism is removable only with a tool.

5. The lampholder system of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a plug plugging into either the opening or the center section, or both, thus preventing the bi-pins on the endcap of the linear tubular lamp from being removed out of the lampholder, consequently preventing the linear tubular lamp from being removed out of the lampholder.

6. The lampholder system of claim 5, wherein the center section is configured to receive the plug.

7. The lampholder system of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a screw screwing into either the opening or the center section, or both, thus preventing the bi-pins on the endcap of the linear tubular lamp from being removed out of the lampholder, consequently preventing the linear tubular lamp from being removed out of the lampholder.

8. The lampholder system of claim 7, wherein the center section is configured to receive the screw.

9. A lampholder system, comprising: a lampholder having a spring-loaded center section configured to hold a pin or bi-pins on an endcap of a linear tubular lamp; and a locking mechanism, wherein: the spring-loaded center section houses the pin or bi-pins on the endcap of the linear tubular lamp, the spring-loaded center section contains a spring or a mechanism functioning like a spring supporting installation and removal of the linear tubular lamp by pushing the spring-loaded center section toward a base of the spring-loaded center section, the locking mechanism, when applied, prevents the spring-loaded center section from being pushed toward the base of the spring-loaded center section, consequently preventing the linear tubular lamp from being removed out of the lampholder.

10. The lampholder system of claim 9, wherein the locking mechanism is removable only with a tool.

11. The lampholder system of claim 9, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a screw screwing into the base of the spring-loaded lampholder with an effect of blocking the spring inside the spring-loaded center section from retraction, thus preventing the spring-loaded center section from being pushed toward the base of the spring-loaded center section.

12. The lampholder system of claim 9, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a clamp with thickness and width configured to fit over the spring-loaded center section and between a base of the spring-loaded center section and the endcap of the linear tubular lamp, thereby preventing the spring-loaded center section from being pushed toward the base of the spring-loaded center section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings are included to aid further understanding of the present disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of the present disclosure. The drawings illustrate a select number of embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the detailed description below, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure. It is appreciable that the drawings are not necessarily to scale, as some components may be shown to be out of proportion to size in actual implementation in order to clearly illustrate the concept of the present disclosure.

(2) FIG. 1A schematically depicts an embodiment of the present disclosure with lampholder and a plug as a locking mechanism when the lampholder is in an unlocked position.

(3) FIG. 1B schematically depicts the same embodiment of the present disclosure when the lampholder is in a locked position.

(4) FIG. 2A schematically depicts an embodiment of the present disclosure with a lampholder having a spring-loaded center section and a screw as a locking mechanism when the lampholder in an unlocked position.

(5) FIG. 2B schematically depicts the same embodiment of the present disclosure when the lampholder is in a locked position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(6) Overview

(7) Various implementations of the present disclosure and related inventive concepts are described below. It should be acknowledged, however, that the present disclosure is not limited to any particular manner of implementation, and that the various embodiments discussed explicitly herein are primarily for purposes of illustration. For example, the various concepts discussed herein may be suitably implemented in a variety of lampholder systems having different form factors.

(8) A lampholder system comprises a lampholder having a center section for holding bi-pins on an endcap of a linear tubular lamp, and a locking mechanism. The center section has a groove supporting the rotation of the bi-pins on the endcap of the linear tubular lamp in the groove by force clockwise and/or counterclockwise. The locking mechanism, when applied to the lampholder, prevents the bi-pins on the endcap of the linear tubular lamp from rotation in the center section.

Example Implementations

(9) FIGS. 1A and 1B show an embodiment of the lampholder system of the present disclosure 100. It comprises lampholder 101 with a center section, and a plug 103. The center section comprises a slot 105, a circular groove 106, and a rotary center 102. The lampholder 101 has an opening on the top 104 and the center section has the slot 105. The opening 104 and the slot 105 together support the sliding in of the bi-pins 108 on the endcap 109 of an emergency tubular lamp 110 through the opening 104 and the slot 105. Circular groove 106 supporting the rotation of the bi-pins 108 on the endcap 109 of the emergency tubular lamp 110 in the groove by force clockwise and/or counterclockwise by 90 degrees. There are two electrical contacts 107a and 107b in the opposite side of the circular groove 106. Each electrical contact (107a or 107b) contacts one of the bi-pins 108 on the endcap 109 of the emergency tubular lamp 110. Moreover, the two electrical contacts 107a and 107b function as a securing mechanism in securing the bi-pins 108 in the center section during normal operation of the lamp 110. The locking mechanism in this embodiment is plug 103. After the emergency tubular lamp 110 is slid into the rotary center 102 through the opening 104 and the slot 105 and rotated 90 degrees, the plug 103 is inserted through the opening 104 and into the rotary center 102. The tip of plug 103 extrudes into hole 111a on rotary center 102 as shown in FIG. 1B. As a result, the rotary center 102 is locked from rotation, and the emergency tubular lamp 110 cannot be rotated or removed from the lampholder 101. Once plug 103 is inserted into the lampholder 101 through the opening 104 and into the hole 111a on the rotary center 102, the plug is not removeable by bare hands. It can only be removed with a tool such as a hook or a plier, thus meeting the requirement of emergency lighting equipment being affixed to a fixture. Note that the lampholder is already affixed to the fixture and becomes an integral part of the fixture, and the fixture is affixed to the ceiling/building.

(10) In embodiment 100, plug 103 has a straight tip and the rotary center 102 has two holes 111a, 111b for receiving the tip of the plug 103. In another embodiment, the plug 103 may be replaced with a screw and the holes 111a, 111b may be changed to threaded holes for receiving the screw. With these modifications, the screw can only be installed and removed with a screwdriver, thus meeting the requirement of emergency lighting equipment being affixed to a fixture.

(11) FIGS. 2A and 2B show an embodiment of the lampholder system of the present disclosure 200. It comprises lampholder 201 with a spring-loaded center section 202 and a screw 204. The spring-loaded center section 202 houses an FA8 bin 203 on an endcap of a linear tubular lamp 206. The spring-loaded center section 202 contains a spring (not shown) supporting the installation and the removal of the linear tubular lamp 206 by pushing the spring-loaded center section 202 toward the base of the spring-loaded center section. The locking mechanism in this embodiment is the screw 204, and there is a threaded hole 205 on the base of the spring-loaded center section 202 for receiving the screw 204. Once the screw 204 being screwed into the hole 205, the screw blocks the spring inside the spring-loaded center section 202 from retraction, thus preventing the spring-loaded center section from being pushed toward its base, and consequently preventing the lamp 206 from being removed out of the lampholder 201. Moreover, once the screw 204 being screwed into hole 205, the screw is not removeable by bare hands. It can only be removed with a screwdriver, thus meeting the requirement of emergency lighting equipment being affixed to a fixture.

(12) Additional and Alternative Implementation Notes

(13) Although the techniques have been described in language specific to certain applications, it is to be understood that the appended claims are not necessarily limited to the specific features or applications described herein. Rather, the specific features and examples are disclosed as non-limiting exemplary forms of implementing such techniques.

(14) As used in this application, the term or is intended to mean an inclusive or rather than an exclusive or. That is, unless specified otherwise or clear from context, X employs A or B is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B, then X employs A or B is satisfied under any of the foregoing instances. In addition, the articles a and an as used in this application and the appended claims should generally be construed to mean one or more, unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form.