FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 OF 1970)
As amended by the Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005
&
The Patents Rules, 2003
As amended by the Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2006
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
An improved electric lamp holder
APPLICANTS
Crompton Greaves Limited, CG House, Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli, Mumbai 400 030, Maharashtra, India, an Indian Company
INVENTORS
Dixit Pankajs Kumar & Makwana Mahendra; both of Crompton Greaves Ltd , Baroda Lamp Works, Village Kural, Padra Jambusar Road, Padra Taluka, Vadodara-391430, Gujarat, India, both Indian Nationals.
PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
The following specification particularly describes the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION:
This invention relates to the field of lamps and lamp holders. Particularly, this invention relates to an improved electric lamp holder. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
The base of an electric lamp typically called as Lamp Holder acts as a mechanical support for a lamp for the purposes of making electrical contacts with the lamp. The construction of lamp includes a gas filled tube (also called bulb), a magnetic or electronic ballast and an end cap with the terminals to be connected with the power source. The lamp holders have been known and used extensively wherein the electric lamp is removably mounted to a lamp holder. The lamp holder comprises a cap made up of any insulating material, two lead pins vertically mounted over which the end cap of the lap will sit over to make electrical connection.
In industries manufacturing such lamps, the lamp holder is extensively used to receive lamps for purposes of testing. Typically, a lamp is fitted onto the lamp holder, connected electrically and mechanically, and upon passing of current, the light is check for its luminance capability and characteristics. The lamp is then dislodged, and a new lamp is put into the lamp holder for its testing.
Due to shape and structure of spring-loaded pins, the failure rates in lamp is much high. The pins are generally guided with a spring with which it is connected to electrical contacts of the lamp. The springs have limited life and due lack of proper handling it gets damaged resulting in failure of the lamp holder.

The gravity of failure increases when the lamp holder is a part of testing mechanism typically called as aging process of the lamp at the manufacturing site. The testing of lamps is done in a batch of multiple lamps at the same time. A single failure in the lamp holder will result in increase of down time, which is counter-productive. Further, the cost involved in replacing the holder is also very high.
To overcome the disadvantages mentioned herein and several others, the proposed invention is disclosed herein.
PRIOR ART:
US20080074027 discloses a SMOOTH ACTION, SPRING LOADED, TWIST LOCKING, RADIAL LUGGED SAFETY CONNECTOR FOR LAMP. It mentions a safety lamp connector assembly for use with at least one of more lamps comprising: an end cap for the lamp and a smooth action, spring loaded, twist locking, socket for receiving the end cap.
CN2817130 discloses a Lamp seat adaptor wherein the utility model relates to the technical field of light fixture, and in particular relates to a lamp seat adaptor used for a common energy-saving lamp.
US 6884103 discloses a secure lamp base and socket which relates in general to a lamp base and socket used for securing a lamp, and in particular to a locking base and socket for gas discharge lamps, such as fluorescent lamps and germicidal lamps.
EP660463A1 discloses a socket meant for incandescent lamp. An incandescent lamp socket is illustrated and described, whose construction

is designed so skillfully that good shape stability and an extremely space-saving and material-saving construction are combined in a particularly effective manner.
Prior art patents disclose different designs of lamp holders/sockets meant for compact fluorescent lamps (US20080074027A1, CN2817130Y & US 6884103) and incandescent lamps (EP660463A1). However, none of them attempt to obviate the problems relating to aging holders for retrofitting lamps.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION:
An object of the invention is to provide a stable lamp holder with long life.
Another object of the invention is to provide a lamp holder which gives better results at the time of testing, resulting in reduction of down time.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a lamp holder with modified constructional feature to reduce the failure of lamp holder.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a safe and stable lamp holder which can be used for a wide range of consumer and industrial application.
An additional object of this invention to provide a lamp socket construction which is extremely simple in design whereby the construction can be economically manufactured and assembled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to this invention, there is provided an improved electric lamp holder comprises:
a. a socket body having a stepped cylindrical assembly with an upper
step adapted to receive a lamp from an operative dorsal end, and a
lower step adapted to provide electrical connections (to said lamp)
from an operative ventral side, said socket body consisting of a
hollow portion at said operative dorsal end extending diametrically
through to said operative ventral end;
b. concentric inner ring on said operative dorsal side adapted to
receive said lamp; and
c. pair of S-shaped connecting plate type pins adapted to couple with
said lamp pins for drawing power.
Typically, said improved lamp holder is a unitary body lamp holder.
Typically, said inner ring is made a brass ring.
Typically, said inner ring is a threaded inner ring to allow a lamp to be threaded into it.
Alternatively, said inner ring is a notched inner ring to allow a lamp to be notched into it.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS:
The invention will now be described in relation to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure la illustrates a top view of the lamp holder; Figure lb illustrates a side view of the lamp holder;
Figure 2 illustrates a top view of the S-shaped connecting plate type pins; and
Figure 3 illustrates a top view of the lamp holder.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS:
According to the invention there is provided an improved electric lamp holder (100).
Figure la illustrates a top view of the lamp holder.
Figure lb illustrates a side view of the lamp holder.
Figure 2 illustrates a top view of the S-shaped connecting plate type pins.
Figure 3 illustrates a top view of the lamp holder.
In accordance with an embodiment of this invention, the lamp holder comprises functional and electrical components as described herein. The lamp holder includes a socket body made up of any insulating material. The insulating material can be Bakelite, or the like.

In accordance with another embodiment of this invention, the socket body consists of a hollow portion at an operative dorsal end (12) which extends diametrically to the operative ventral end (14). The complete lamp holder assembly is unitary in construction. It is a stepped assembly, with an upper step (16) adapted to receive the lamps from the operative dorsal end, and a lower step (18) adapted to provide the electrical connections (to a lamp) from the operative ventral side.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of this invention, there is provided a concentric inner ring (20) on the operative dorsal side. This inner ring is made up of material such as brass etc. Preferably, the inner ring is a threaded inner ring to allow a lamp to be threaded into it. Alternatively, the inner ring is a notched inner ring to allow a lamp to be notched into it. The thickness and the strength of the ring is more as compared to the lamp holders known in the art. Due to the increased thickness and strength, it can withstand the load of the lamp and is less prone to damage unlike the prior art.
In accordance with still another embodiment of this invention, there is provided a pair of S-shaped connecting plate type pins (22) through which the lamp can draw power. In this invention, the shape of connecting pins is changed to plate (S-shape) type instead of vertical pins mounted in the electric holder. The proposed contact pins are free from spring movements, and hence, axial load and stress, resulting in reduction of failures of the lamp holder.
In accordance with the invention, during the mounting operation of the lamp, the lamp is fixed in the concentric inner ring with the help of thread (or notch) arrangement. The pins of the lamp are extended and touch the

plate type pin arrangement to draw power. The plate type pin arrangement is fixed with the help of connecting means with the socket housing. Due to the shape of the plate type connecting pins, it is easy to operate and less prone to damage. Further in case of damage in extreme condition, the plate type connecting pins can be easily replaced without damaging the external construction of lamp holder.
While this detailed description has disclosed certain specific embodiments of the present invention for illustrative purposes, various modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims, and it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation.

We claim,
1. An improved electric lamp holder comprising:
a. a socket body having a stepped cylindrical assembly with an upper
step adapted to receive a lamp from an operative dorsal end, and a
lower step adapted to provide electrical connections (to said lamp)
from an operative ventral side, said socket body consisting of a
hollow portion at said operative dorsal end extending diametrically
through to said operative ventral end;
b. concentric inner ring on said operative dorsal side adapted to
receive said lamp; and
c. pair of S-shaped connecting plate type pins adapted to couple with
said lamp pins for drawing power.
2. An improved lamp holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein, said improved lamp holder is a unitary body lamp holder.
3. An improved lamp holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein, said inner ring is made a brass ring.
4. An improved lamp holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein, said inner ring is a threaded inner ring to allow a lamp to be threaded into it.
5. An improved lamp holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein, said inner ring is a notched inner ring to allow a lamp to be notched into it.