The invention relates to lamp assemblies and lamp holders for use with solid state lamps, such as light emitting diodes or other types of lamps.
Light emitting diodes, as heretofore known, have on occasion consisted of active components embedded in a domed cylindrical light-transmitting portion with a base. The base included a flange and two electrically conducting leads extending from the base away from the light-transmitting portion. The flange was substantially uniform throughout the entire circumference of the base except for a flat portion to indicate polarity.
It has also often been desirable to provide a direct substitution of a light emitting diode for a different type of lamp in an existing circuit board. In such cases it may be necessary to add a resistor to the lamp circuit in series connection with the light emitting diode in order to limit the current through the diode. Thus, the addition of this component complicates manufacturing and use of the assembly. Such an LED-resistor combination is known from DIALIGHT Catalogue SG 753, page 23, February, 1978, The LED is combined with a built-in resistor (on a semiconductor chip) and pins, molded in epoxy in a plastic package.
USPTO Backgrounds
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