The present disclosure generally relates to a boot light device for two wheeled vehicle or scooty.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
There have conventionally been proposed various kinds of boot light device for illuminating boot space of a vehicle such as car, bike, scooter, etc.
A first traditional boot light device includes a plunger that is adapted to exhibit movement with respect to a reed switch and a magnet mounted on the plunger. In this construction, the reed switch detects movement of the plunger by detecting a variation in the magnetic flux as produced by the magnet. The movement of the plunger thus detected is then converted into an ON or an OFF signal and used to control an operational state of the illuminating device. This traditional construction has the disadvantage of being costly and complicated.
A second traditional boot light device includes a plunger that is adapted to exhibit movement with respect to set of rivet contacts that are spaced apart from each other. The plunger is provided with a moving contact terminal having a pair of dimples and a resilient member adapted to apply a positive contact making pressure on the moving contact terminal. Based on the movement of the plunger, the moving contact terminal is adapted to selectively provide an electrical path between the set of rivet contacts that are spaced apart from each other. This traditional construction while being cost effective has the disadvantage of having high failure rate. Additionally, this construction operates on high current.
Thus, there exists a need to provide a boot light switch that addresses one or more disadvantages as mentioned above in relation to the traditional constructions. In particular, there exists a need to provide a boot light switch that can operate on low current, has increased life span, is easy to manufacture, is cost effective, has low manufacturing cost, and requires lesser assembly time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified format that is further described in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is neither intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the invention and nor is it intended for determining the scope of the invention.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a boot light device (100) comprising a housing (108) having an aperture (104) on a first wall (106). The device further comprises a set of contact terminals (118) disposed so as to extend partly along a second wall (112) of the housing (108). The device further comprises a plunger (102) disposed within the housing (108) so as to extend partially from the aperture (104), the plunger (102) is adapted to receive an actuating force. The device further comprises a resilient member (120) disposed between a third wall (114) of the housing (108) and the plunger (102) for applying a restoration force on the plunger (102). The actuating force and the restoration force enable the plunger (102) to reciprocate between a first and a second position within the housing (108). The device further comprises a U-shaped leaf contact (110) disposed on the plunger (102), the U-shaped leaf contact (110) is in abutting relation with the second wall (112) of the housing (108) such that the U-shaped leaf contact establishes electrical connection between the set of fixed contact terminals (118) either at the first position or at the second position of the plunger (102). The device further comprises illuminating device (116) being connected in an electrical path that comprises the set of fixed contact terminals (118) and the leaf contact (110).
To further clarify advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which is illustrated in the appended figures. It is appreciated that these figures depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES:
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better
understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the
accompanying figures in which like characters represent like parts throughout the figures,
wherein:
Figure 1, illustrates sectional perspective view of the boot light device in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 illustrates sectional view of the boot light device of Figure 1 in an ON state in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
Figure 3 illustrates sectional view of the boot light device of Figure 1 in an OFF state in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of U-shaped leaf contact in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention;
Figure 5 illustrates a U-shaped contact terminal in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention; and
Figure 6 illustrates exploded view of a boot light device in accordance with another
embodiment of the invention.
Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and may not have been necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the flow charts illustrate the method in terms of the most prominent steps involved to help to improve understanding of aspects of the present invention. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the figures by conventional symbols, and the figures may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the figures with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having benefit of the description herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION:
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the figures and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory of the invention and are not intended to be restrictive thereof.
Reference throughout this specification to "an aspect", "another aspect" or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrase "in an embodiment", "in another embodiment" and similar

language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.
The terms "comprises", "comprising", or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process or method that comprises a list of steps does not include only those steps but may include other steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process or method. Similarly, one or more devices or sub-systems or elements or structures or components proceeded by "comprises... a" does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other devices or other sub-systems or other elements or other structures or other components or additional devices or additional sub-systems or additional elements or additional structures or additional components.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The system, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying figures.
Referring to Figure 1 which is a sectional exploded view of the boot light device (100) as per one embodiment of the invention, it can be seen that the boot light device (100) comprises a housing (108) having an aperture (104) on a first wall (106). The boot light device (100) further comprises a set of contact terminals (118) disposed so as to extend partly along a second wall (112) of the housing (108).
In an embodiment of the invention, the boot light device (100) further comprises a plunger (102) disposed within the housing (108) so as to extend partially from the aperture (104), with the plunger (102) being adapted to receive an actuating force. The boot light device (100) further comprises a resilient member (120) disposed between a third wall (114) of the housing (108) and the plunger (102) for applying a restoration force on the plunger (102). In an embodiment of the invention, the first wall (106) and the third wall (114) oppose each other and the second wall (112) is substantially perpendicular to each of the first and the third walls (114). In an embodiment of the invention, the plunger (102) is mounted in the housing (108) body under a force of the resilient member (120) and the plunger (102) has a first end

and a second end. The first end is disposed inside the housing (108) body and the second end is located outside the housing (108) body.
During operation, the plunger (102) reciprocates between a first position, as specifically shown in Figure 2, and a second position, as specifically shown in Figure 3, within the housing (108). The plunger (102) reciprocates as a result of the actuating force and the restoration force as experienced by the plunger (102). The boot light device (100) further comprises a U-shaped leaf contact (110) disposed on the plunger (102).
The U-shaped leaf contact (110) is in abutting relation with the second wall (112) of the housing (108) such that the U-shaped leaf contact (110) establishes electrical connection between the set of fixed contact terminals (118) either at the first position or at the second position of the plunger (102). It may be noted that Figure 2 and Figure 3 pertains to embodiment wherein the U-shaped leaf contact (110) establishes electrical connection between the set of fixed contact terminals (118) at the first position or NOT at the second position. When the U-shaped leaf contact (110) establishes electrical connection between the set of fixed contact terminals (118) the boot light device can be said to be in ON state. Thus, Figure 2 shows the boot light device in ON state. On the contrary, when the U-shaped leaf contact (110) fails to establish electrical connection between the set of fixed contact terminals (118) the boot light device can be said to be in OFF state. Thus, Figure 3 shows the boot light device in OFF state.
Now referring back to Figure 1, the device further comprises an illuminating device (116) being connected in an electrical path comprising the set of fixed contact terminals (118) and the leaf contact (110).
Now referring to Figure 4, there is illustrated a perspective view of U- Shaped leaf contact (110) in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The U-shaped leaf contact (110) comprises a first arm portion, a second arm portion and a shoulder portion interconnecting the first arm portion and the second arm portions. In an embodiment of the invention, the first and the second arm portions extend along a first plane and the shoulder portion extends along a second plane and the first plane is non-planar with respect to the second plane.
In an embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figure 5, the contact terminal (118) comprises a first arm portion, a second arm portion and a shoulder portion interconnecting
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the first arm portion and the second arm portions. In an embodiment of the invention, the first arm may extend partly along the second wall (112) of the housing (108) while the second arm may project outside the housing (108). In an embodiment of the invention, a length of the first arm portion is less than a length of the second arm portion.
Although not illustrated, in an embodiment of the invention, the plunger (102) includes at least one guiding male portion that cooperates with at least one guiding female portion disposed on at least one of a fourth or a fifth wall of the housing (108), the fourth and the fifth walls being substantially perpendicular to each of the first, the second and the third walls (114).
The boot light device following the general principles as described above may be constructed so as to have different shapes. In an embodiment, a boot light device having a different shape is illustrated in Figure 6. It may also be observed that in this embodiment, each of the set of contact terminals (118) is in the form of L-shaped contact terminal (118). Although not specifically illustrated, in an embodiment of the invention, the L-shaped contact terminal (118) comprises a first arm that extends partly along the second wall (112) of the housing (108) and a second arm projecting outside the housing (108). In an embodiment of the invention, a length of the first arm portion is less than a length of the second arm portion.
Compared to the first traditional boot light device (100), the boot light device (100) constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is cost effective, easy to manufacture and requires less time for manufacturing. Compared to the second traditional boot light device (100), the boot light device (100) constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is provides improved performance and involves lesser number of components. Because of the fact that the boot light device (100) constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention contains lesser number of components, it is envisaged that the same would require less time for manufacturing and would be easy to manufacture. Also, all of the aforesaid factors would contribute to making the boot light device (100) more cost effective as compared to the second traditional boot light device (100).
While specific language has been used to describe the disclosure, any limitations arising on account of the same are not intended. As would be apparent to a person in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive
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concept as taught herein. The figures and the foregoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment. For example, orders of processes described herein may be changed and are not limited to the manner described herein. The scope of embodiments is by no means limited by these specific examples. Numerous variations, whether explicitly given in the specification or not, such as differences in structure, dimension, and use of material, are possible. The scope of embodiments is at least as broad as given by the following claims.

WE CLAIM:

A boot light device (100), comprising:
a housing (108) having an aperture (104) on a first wall (106);
a set of contact terminals (118) disposed so as to extend partly along a second wall (112) of the housing (108);
a plunger (102) disposed within the housing (108) so as to extend partially from the aperture (104), the plunger (102) being adapted to receive an actuating force;
a resilient member (120) disposed between a third wall (114) of the housing (108) and the plunger (102) for applying a restoration force on the plunger (102), the actuating force and the restoration force enabling the plunger (102) to reciprocate between a first and a second position within the housing (108);
an U-shaped leaf contact (110) disposed on the plunger (102), the U-shaped leaf contact (110) being in abutting relation with the second wall (112) of the housing such that the U-shaped leaf contact (110) establishes electrical connection between the set of fixed contact terminals (118) either at the first position or at the second position of the plunger (102); and
an illuminating device (116) being connected in an electrical path comprising the set of fixed contact terminals (118) and the leaf contact (110).
The boot light device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the U-shaped leaf contact (110) comprises a first arm portion, a second arm portion and a shoulder portion interconnecting the first arm portion and the second arm portions.
The boot light device (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first and the second arm portions extend along a first plane and the shoulder portion extends along a second plane; and the first plane is non-planar with respect to the second plane.
The boot light device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first wall (106) and the third wall (114) oppose each other; and the second wall (112) is substantially perpendicular to each of the first and the third walls (114).
The boot light device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plunger (102) includes at least one guiding male portion that cooperates with at least one guiding female portion disposed on at least one of a fourth or a fifth wall of the housing, the fourth

and the fifth walls being substantially perpendicular to each of the first, the second and the third walls (114).
The boot light device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the set of contact terminals (118) is in the form of a U-shaped contact terminal (118) or a L-shaped contact terminal (118).
The boot light device (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the U-shaped contact terminal (118) comprises a first arm portion, a second arm portion and a shoulder portion interconnecting the first arm portion and the second arm portions.
The boot light device (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second arm projects outside the housing (108) while the first arm extends partly along the second wall (112) of the housing (108).
The boot light device (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein a length of the first arm portion is greater than a length of the second arm portion.