One-piece spacer end cap for an elongated jacketed discharge lamp

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention provides an improved spacer end cap for each end of an elongated jacketed discharge lamp being designed to satisfy the aforementioned needs.
A first improved feature incorporated by the spacer end cap of the present invention is the provision of a single or one-piece construction which reduces the number of parts required to be installed and thereby the complexity of the installation steps and the amount of time taken to carry the steps out.
Another improved feature incorporated by the spacer end cap of the present invention is the provision of an annular groove which is oversized for receiving and seating one end of the outer sleeve in a fashion which eliminates the difficulty experience in the past with assembling the spacer to the end of the lamp.
Still another improved feature incorporated by the spacer end cap of the present invention is the provision of an inner annular lip or rim for providing a seal with the base of the discharge envelope tube end.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed a spacer end cap for mounting to an end of an elongated jacketed discharge lamp.
The spacer end cap comprises: (a) a one-piece body of insulating material having a central longitudinal axis and an annular ring-shaped side portion and an annular disk-shaped end portion integrally-connected therewith, the annular side and end portions disposed symmetrically about the longitudinal axis; (b) the annular side portion having an annular interior wall surface defining a central cavity capable of receiving and frictionally engaging at least a periphery of a base on an end of an envelope tube of the jacketed discharge lamp; (c) the annular side portion also having a spaced pair of outer and inner annular wall surfaces defining an annular groove therebetween capable of receiving and seating one end of an outer sleeve which surrounds the envelope tube of the jacketed lamp, the outer annular wall surface of the annular side portion being capable of surrounding and frictionally engaging the exterior of the one end of the outer sleeve as the inner annular wall surface of the annular side portion remains spaced radially inwardly from the interior of the end of the outer sleeve away from frictional engagement therewith; (d) the annular end portion defining a central aperture through which protrudes an annular contact-shielding housing projecting from the base on the envelope tube end