Importance

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Abstract

A stand alone electric lamp for illumination which includes a tungsten-halogen bulb as the illuminating member. The lamp includes a support member, an upwardly directed open pan affixed to the support member in which the tungsten-halogen light bulb is disposed, a protector member disposed over the open pan to prevent foreign objects from coming into contact with the tungsten-halogen light bulb and a thermally activated switch. The protector member is substantially transparent to light from the tungsten-halogen bulb to allow light therefrom to pass through the protector member in a substantially unobstructed fashion. The thermally activated switch is disposed within the open pan for interruption of the application of electrical energy to the tungsten-halogen light bulb when temperatures at the protector member reaches a predetermined level. The thermally activated switch may be a one time operational device which functions in the manner of a fuse, a manually resettable switch, or a switch which pivots from off to on as the temperature drops from the predetermined level at which it becomes open to a lesser level. The switch preferably incorporates a thermal sensor such as a thermistor or alternatively may be a bimetal disc or a linear bimetal unit depending upon the particular application desired.

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First Claim