초록 ▼

A sealing bulb boot for use in a vehicular lighting assembly comprising a boot with a lip running along its outer perimeter and a hole at its approximate center. The hole in the boot is generally circular in configuration with at least one notch which allows a conventional tabbed locking mechanism o

A sealing bulb boot for use in a vehicular lighting assembly comprising a boot with a lip running along its outer perimeter and a hole at its approximate center. The hole in the boot is generally circular in configuration with at least one notch which allows a conventional tabbed locking mechanism of a light source, which requires an approximate quarter turn to lock the light source to the reflector, to pass therethrough. The outer lip of the sealing bulb boot presses around a portion of the housing of the lighting assembly. A seal is also created around the inner portion of the sealing bulb boot upon the insertion of the light source through the hole at the center of the boot and the turning of the light source to engage the light source's locking mechanism.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A sealing bulb boot for use with a moveable reflector vehicle lighting assembly having a housing with a first opening therethrough and with a ridge around said first opening, a moveable reflector positioned within said housing, said reflector having a second opening formed through said reflector,

1. A sealing bulb boot for use with a moveable reflector vehicle lighting assembly having a housing with a first opening therethrough and with a ridge around said first opening, a moveable reflector positioned within said housing, said reflector having a second opening formed through said reflector, and a light source with at least one tab projecting radially outwardly therefrom said dimensioned to engage a recess formed in said second opening through said reflector, the sealing bulb boot comprising:an outer perimeter, said outer perimeter comprising an outer lip that is sealing second around the ridge, and a third opening formed through said boot located interior to said outer perimeter, said third opening comprising at least one notch formed along a peripheral edge of said third opening, wherein said light source is positioned through said third opening in said boot, and into said second opening through said reflector and in engagement with said reflector to retain said boot against said reflector. 2. The sealing bulb boot of claim 1 wherein said third opening is located at approximately the center of said sealing bulb boot.3. The sealing bulb boot of claim 1 wherein said third opening comprises three notches.4. The sealing bulb boot of claim 1 wherein said sealing bulb boot is molded from a flexible material.5. The sealing bulb boot of claim 4 wherein said flexible material is a thermoplastic rubber compound.6. The sealing bulb boot of claim 4 wherein said sealing bulb boot is manufactured by injection molding.7. The sealing bulb boot of claim 1 wherein the at least one tab is placed through said at least one notch of said third opening.8. The sealing bulb boot of claim 7 wherein the light source is rotated to sealingly connect the light source, the moveable reflector, and said sealing bulb boot.9. A sealing bulb boot for use in a vehicle forward lighting assembly having a housing with a ridge, a moveable reflector, and a light source having a means for securing the light source to the moveable reflector, said sealing bulb boot comprising:an outer perimeter comprising an outer lip designed and dimensioned to said outer lip fit sealingly around the ridge; an opening located interior to said outer perimeter, said opening comprising at least one notch designed and dimensioned to pass the means for securing the light source to the moveable reflector; and wherein the light source is placed through said opening and the means for securing the light source to the moveable reflector attaches the light source and sealing bulb boot to the movable reflector sealingly secures the light source and the moveable reflector to said sealing bulb boot, so that the sealing bulb boot is retained by and forms a seal between the light source and reflector. 10. The sealing bulb boot of claim 9 wherein said opening is located at approximately the center of said sealing bulb boot.11. The sealing bulb boot of claim 9 wherein said opening comprises three notches.12. The sealing bulb boot of claim 11 wherein said means for securing the light source to the moveable reflector comprises three tabs.13. The sealing bulb boot of claim 12 wherein the three tabs are inserted through said three notches and the light source is rotated to sealingly connect the light source, the moveable reflector and said sealing bulb boot.14. The sealing bulb boot of claim 9 wherein said sealing bulb boot is molded from a flexible material.15. The sealing bulb boot of claim 14 wherein said flexible material is a black thermoplastic rubber compound.16. The sealing bulb boot of claim 14 wherein said sealing bulb boot is manufactured by injection molding.17. The sealing bulb boot of claim 9 wherein said means for securing the light source to the moveable reflector comprises at least one tab.18. The sealing bulb boot of claim 17 wherein the light source is rotated to sealingly connect the light source, the moveable reflector, and said sealing bulb boot.19. A vehicle lighting assembly comprising:(a) a housing having an opening and a groove formed around said opening; (b) a lamp socket with at least one locking tab; (c) a reflector within said housing said reflector having an opening formed therethrough, said opening in said reflector having at least one notch adapted to receive and engage said at least one locking tab; (d) a sealing bulb boot comprising (i) an interior edge that defines an opening through said boot; and (ii) an outer lip around an exterior edge of said boot; wherein the outer lip is pressed into the groove and interior edge is firmly seated and compressed between and by the lamp socket and housing when the at least one locking tab is locked into the at least one notch in the opening in the reflector order to form a seal between the lamp socket and reflector. 20. The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 19, wherein said opening comprises at least one notch.21. The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 19, wherein said sealing bulb boot is molded from a thermoplastic rubber compound.22. The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 19, wherein said lamp socket further comprises a face plate such that the sealing bulb boot is en pressed between the housing and the face plate.23. The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 20, wherein the at least one tab is placed through said at least one notch of said opening.24. The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 23, wherein the lamp socket is rotated to sealingly connect the lamp socket, the reflector, and aid sealing bulb boot.25. A method of forming an environmental seal between a lamp socket and a reflector comprising the steps of:(a) providing a forward lighting assembly having a housing with outer ridge, an inner ridge, and a groove located in between the outer and inner ridges and a reflector positioned within said housing with an opening through said reflector; (b) providing a sealing bulb boot having an interior edge that defines an opening through said boot and an outer lip that surrounds the interior edge; (c) pressing the outer lip of the sealing boot into the groove; (d) inserting the lamp socket through the opening of the sealing bulb boot and through the opening of the reflector; and (e) locking the lamp socket to the reflector so that the interior edge of the sealing bulb boot is firmly seated in between the lamp socket and the reflector. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein said opening comprises at least one notch.27. The method of claim 26 wherein id lamp socket comprises at least one locking tab.28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of placing the at least on tab through the at least one notch.29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of rotating the lamp bulb socket to sealingly connect the lamp socket, the reflector, and said sealing bulb boot.