Trunk lamp assembly

A trunk lid lamp assembly comprising a housing having a first generally tubular part having open ends and a second generally tubular part having a closed end wall with interengaging means which provide a snap fit between said parts. The first part has an axially extending slot into which an offset portion of a bracket extends. The bracket has an L-shaped bayonet slot therein which is exposed to the interior of the first part whereby it may receive the lug of a lamp bulb and hold the bulb in position in the first part. The second part has a portion engaging the bracket to hold the bracket in position in the slot of the first part. The second part also has an axially extending opening in the end wall thereof adjacent the periphery thereof and a terminal extends into the opening and is frictionally held in position. The terminal has a first contact portion. A contact is positioned in the second part and has a first portion extending axially into the first part for engaging with the base of a lamp bulb and a second portion for providing a contact with a mercury switch. A mercury switch engages the contact portion of said terminal and the second portion of the contact. The second housing part has integral portions thereof for holding the mercury switch in position.

This invention relates to trunk lid lamps for use in illuminating the interior of the trunk of an automobile and the like.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In connection with the trunk of automotive vehicles, it has become common to utilize a trunk lid lamp assembly mounted on the trunk lid which includes a switch for automatically illuminating the trunk when the trunk lid is elevated.

Among the objectives of the present invention are to provide a trunk lamp assembly which effectively performs its function, which can be more readily assembled and provides a positive action in use.

In accordance with the invention, the trunk lamp assembly comprises a housing having two parts, one of which receives the lamp bulb and the other of which supports the contacts and supports the switch that performs the function of turning the lamp on or off depending on the position of the trunk lid. The two parts of the housing interengage to maintain the bracket for supporting the housing and the mercury switch and the associated contacts in proper position on the trunk lid.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a trunk lamp assembly embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the same taken from the right in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3--3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4--4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5--5 in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the trunk lamp assembly includes a housing 10 that supports a lamp bulb 11 and a bracket 12 adapted to be mounted on the interior of a trunk lid. As shown in FIG. 2, when the trunk lamp assembly is mounted on a trunk lid the axis of the bulb 11 extends generally parallel to the pivotal axis of the trunk lid and the trunk lamp assembly functions to maintain the contacts to the lamp bulb 11 open during the movement through arc A of the trunk lid and closed as the trunk lid is in its upper position B.

Referring to FIGS. 3,4 and 5, the housing 10 comprises a first housing part 13 and a second housing part 14 which are generally tubular. The first housing part 13 includes an axially extending slot 15 that receives the end portion 16 of mounting bracket 12 which end portion 16 is flat and has an L-shaped bayonet slot 17 for receiving the radially extending lug on the lamp bulb 11. The interior wall of the part 13 is generally cylindrical as at 18 and has a portion cut away to expose the flat end portion 16 of bracket 12.

The first part 13 also includes radially extending portions 19 that define a generally elongated opening 20 for purposes presently described.

The second part 14 of the housing includes a peripheral portion 21 telescoped over the inner end of first part 13 and having recesses 22 in the form of openings for receiving teeth 23 on the inner end of part 13 to thereby provide a snap connection between the two parts. When the parts 13,14 are thereby assembled, the inner end of the second part 14 of the housing functions to retain the bracket 12 in position by engagement with the inner end of the portion 16 of the bracket (FIG. 3).

• Modular container
• Bounce crimping apparatus
• Exposure apparatus
• Solar collector
• Capped bolt
• Canister closure
• Hydraulic continuous press
• Compact can crusher
• Fitted bed covering
• Wing screw earth anchor

• Releasable cable clamp
• Process for preparing vinyl phenol
• Ureidosulfenyl carbamate nematicides
• Energy producing apparatus and method
• Blackbody simulator with uniform emissivity
• Insecticidal tetraorganotin compounds
• Audible vacuum detector

• Drug delivery system
• Self-aligned double polysilicon MOS fabrication
• High temperature gasket
• Hydraulic cranes
• Stapler with tapered anvil
• Metal plated hair roller
• Partition structure
• Machine
• Single column exercising apparatus
• Wreath hanger

• Simplified type television camera
• Electrical line-connector
• Molten carbonate fuel cell anode
• Multi-channel recording instrument
• Signs
• Shadow mask microphonic suppressor
• RF Transfer switch
• Laser EXAFS
• Vacuum-insulated panel

• Ice stud for shoes
• Mail arrival flag system
• Conveyor device
• Fast acting vice
• Warp beam
• Automatic rate analyzing method
• Magnet for a development system
• Uplocking dispensing pump

• Molding apparatus
• 5,6-Diaryl-1,2,4-triazines as topical antithrombotic agents
• Electrode for discharge lamp
• Light-sensitive silver halide photographic material
• Continuous on machine ream cartoning
• Capotasto
• Low winding resistance protective device
• Bulletin board
• Preparation of beta-methylthiopropionaldehyde
• Housing for turbidimeter sensor

• Magnetic separator
• Safety belt retractor
• Furfuryl alcohol-dialdehyde foundry binders
• Coalescer or filter end cap
• Ditch lining apparatus
• Continuous autorefrigerative dewaxing apparatus
• Solar heating system
• Engine enclosure for tractor
• Ammonium carboxylates
• Piezoelectric fluid atomizer

As shown in FIG. 3, the second part 14 includes a closed end wall 24 having an opening 25 therein adjacent to periphery thereof. An electrically conductive terminal 26 extends axially into the opening and has a contact portion 27 that extends axially inwardly along the inner surface of the housing part 14. The contact portion 27 includes a tang 28 that snaps behind a radially extending portion 29 in housing part 14 to prevent axially outward movement of the terminal 26. The terminal 26 further includes portions 30,31 that are clamped about the base wire and sheath of the electrical lead.

An electrically conductive contact 33 is provided in the second part 14 and includes an axially extending portion in the form of barbed fingers 34 that are frictionally received in an axially extending slot 35 in the wall 24. The contact 33 further includes an axially extending portion 36 with a radially bent end 37 for engaging the contact of the lamp bulb 11. Contact 33 includes a second contact portion 38' that extends at a right angle from contact 36 and is connected thereto by a connecting portion 39.

A mercury switch of conventional construction comprising a capsule 38 is mounted between the contact portions 27 and contact portion 38' and is frictionally held in position by integral fingers 40 extending axially inward from wall 24 of housing part 14. The contact portion 27 includes an opening 41 for receiving the spherical end of the mercury switch 38 and the contact portion 38' includes a radially extending flat surface 42 for contacting the contact end 43 of the mercury capsule 38.

Axially extending projections 44,45 that extend from the radially inwardly extending projections 19,20 of housing part 14 together with an axially extending portion 46 on housing part 14 prevent the mercury switch 38 from moving out of proper position in the lamp assembly.

The parts 13,14 of the housing are preferably made of plastic. Satisfactory results have been achieved by utilizing a type 6/6 heat stabilized nylon such as Dupont Zytel 103. Contact 33 should be made of electrically conductive spring tempered material such as spring tempered phospher-bronze alloy or cadmium plated steel.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided a trunk lamp assembly that can be readily assembled and when assembled the parts thereof are held in proper position for use.

As shown in FIG. 5, the axis of the mercury switch 38 is transverse to the axis of the lamp bulb and the plane of the bracket portion 16 so that it is thereby transverse to the hinge axis of the trunk lid when the lamp assembly is in position. In addition, the axis of the mercury switch 38 forms an acute angle with the plane of the portion 16 of the bracket.