Vehicle lamp

Jan. 18, 1938.

B. S. FLORADAY

VEHICLE LAMP

2,106,145

Original Filed Aug. 8, 1935

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Patented Jan. 18, 1938 _ 2,106,141

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,106,145

.. . , VEHICLE LAMP.

Burton S. Floraday, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Dura Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio

Original application August 8, 1935, Serial No.

35,354. Divided and this application January 16, 1936, Serial No. 59,339

Claims. (Cl. 240—7.35)

- This invention relates to - lamps for vehicles, but particularly to dome lights used in the inside of vehicles;-and an object is to produce a simple and efficient; structure of this character-having the novel features of construction and arrangement for adapting the device for commercial manufacture at a-relatively low-cost and' at the same time providing an assembly, the parts of which can be quickly and conveniently -put; together without the use of special tools.......' ' :

Another· object is to produce a dome light assembly having the improved features of construction and design hereinafter described: ·';

A cardinal feature of this invention comprises a· housing' whichis‘farmed with -an open,-end; outwardly from wflich-extends a flange. -Mountedon this 'flange in 'telescopic engagement therewith; is ah iriwafcily/extending flange integral with a onepiece' Ifens and rim- member/; The rim portion of the member extends laterally from the lens portion and provides the sole rim for both the housing and the lens, arid the rim-portion terminates m a plane· coincident with the inner end-of the housing flange.

The invention is shown by-way-of - illustration on -the' accoiflpanying · drawing,· -in which : --

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a dome-light structure viewed from the lens side; — ........

Figure 2 js a transverse sectional elevation-’on the lineof -Figure-1;'^c'·

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional elevation of an alternate form in which the housing is of molded plastic material;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a dome light assembly in 'which a switch is employed; and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5—5 of Figure 4 showing the manner in which the switch lever projects through an opening in the rim.

This application constitutes a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 35,354 filed August 8, 1935 and entitled “Dome light assembly”.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, the dome light assembly consists of a base or housing 10, which is preferably a sheet metal stamping and is cup-shaped to receive a bracket consisting of a base 11, which lies flat against the rear wall of the housing to which it is secured by a rivet 12, and a socket portion 13 integral with the base 11 and extending outwardly therefrom at an inclined angle. A bulb (4 is adapted to be mounted in the socket portion 13 to be positioned at an acute angle with respect to the rear wall of the housing.' A spring contact plate 15 is adapted to engage the rear end of the lamp and is held to a side wall of the housing by a- post 16. insulating washers 17 arid !8 insulating this post from the adjacent parts. 5 It will be understood that post 16 provides a live' conriectiori'-'fbr the lamp” 14, tfle'g’rourid 'connection 19 likewise ^fehgagirig;tlie Side wall of the housing and being connected in the usual mariner to'the vehicle-frame. .-.·-·.· . - - io

Extending laterally from the side walls of the housing 10 is a flange-20 which terminates in an outwardly-extending flange 2 ί -providing the open mouth'- for the housing. Covering the face or front· portion of-the housing is a leris .22 of trail's- 15 lucent material, but-preferably is of molded plustic material, such as Plaskon. -The body -portion Of the i'eris bdwS outwardly, as indicated in Figiire 2. so that the lamp-bulb'ί 4is positioned closely to the under side' thereof in such manner that ₂o th&amp;'entife leris¹ pbftibh^ 'is-illuminated arid elimi- of dating any shadows or dark spots. Integral with -the¹ lehs/arid'· projecting' iriiyardly therefrom is- ah arinulaf-'flange ‘23, which is adapted to fit over the outside of the bfitwar dly- projecting '•flange; 21; of 25 this flouring.- The flange 23 is relatively thin and bz 'since the molded material, such as Plaskon, lias ®^; 6Sffein^! amount of resihency/the lens is. securely held' in place-due to the ffictional· engagement •betwe'eri^cth'eflahges2 i'and 2^:3', friction·bring relied 30 upon solely to retain these parts in assembled relation. To provide a finished appearance for the assembly, a rim 24 provides a continuation of the lens portion 22 and inclines outwardly and inwardly from the flange portion 23, the end por- 35 tion of the rim curving inwardly in this instance.

An important advantage of the dome light assenibly above described resides in the fact that the entire lens portion is illuminated by the lamp 14 and the lens can be attached to the base or 40 housing !0 without the use of screws, bayonet joints, clamping rings or other devices comjnbnly used for these purposes. In this manner, applicant is enabled more readily to mount the lens and this can be effected at a lower cost. By 45 mounting the lamp bulb 14 in the manner above described the housing or base (0 requires a less amount of metal, since it is considerably shallower than similar housings, so that the cost is likewise reduced in this manner. 50

In order to enhance the attractive appearance of the assembly, apertures 25 may be formed in the housing flange 21 and apertures 26 in the lens flange 23 in registry with each other to enable some of the light rays to pass therethrough 55

2,106,145 and illuminate portions of the rim 24. The number and arrangement of these apertures may be varied as desired, depending on the desired effect.

In the form shown in Figure 3, the base or 5 housing ί Ob is of molded insulating material, such as Plaskon, which eliminates the necessity of using insulating washers between the live post 16b and the ground connection 19b, the later serving to secure the base f i b of the lamp bracket to the 10 housing. It will also be noted that the rear wall of the housing ί Ob is inclined thereby to provide a more efficient reflecting surface for the light rays and also to effect a substantial saving in material. In this instance, the lens, which is also of 15 molded plastic material, is similar to that shown and described in connection with Figure 2, although the openings 25b and 26b in the housing and lens flanges, respectively, may or may not be used as desired.

It will be apparent that the structures above described do not employ a switch formed as a part of the housing, such structures being connected with a pillar or other part of the vehicle. In the form shown on Figures 4 and 5 an elongate 25 slot 29 is provided in the rim 24c through which extends a switch lever 30. In order to insure that the lens 22c is properly mounted on the housing or base, a groove 31 is formed in the flange 21c to receive a projection 32 formed in the lens 30 flange 23c.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and choice of materials may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as 35 defined in the appended claims.