Package and article carriers – Carried by animate bearer – Article held by hook
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-20
2001-08-28
Cronin, Stephen K. (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Carried by animate bearer
Article held by hook
C224S269000, C224S270000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279797
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to holding apparatus and methods of hanging holiday lights or installing other types of cordage.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Every year in December during the holiday season, millions of strings of holiday lights are strung on such things as Christmas trees and on the ceilings and roofs of households, businesses and apartments. This can be a manually difficult, labor intensive task, often requiring multiple individuals to complete the task. For example, when hanging lights on Christmas trees, it may be necessary to have a first person actually hanging the lights on the tree and a second person untangling the lights and feeding the lights to the first person. This is particularly true for the elderly and handicapped individuals such as those with Parkinson's disease or those with only one arm or hand. Hanging lights at elevated places such as from a ladder is also a very difficult task which requires skill at manipulating the lights into location. This task can require several individuals to adequately perform. Similar difficulties also arise when individuals attempt to remove the holiday lights once the holiday season has expired, and hung lights are no longer desirable. Yet another problem existing in the art is that it is difficult to store holiday lights without tangling them into a big ball, which then presents difficulties in the following year.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is the primary objective of the present invention to provide an easier way to hang strings of holiday lights or otherwise install other forms of cordage.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide an easier way to remove such holiday lights or other such cordage.
It is a subsidiary objective to provide an easier way of storing holiday lights.
In accordance with these and other objectives, the present invention is directed towards a novel hanger which temporarily mounts on a person upon which strings of lights can be looped to assist that individual in hanging holiday lights or other such cordage on various structures. The present invention is also directed towards a novel method of hanging lights or installing flexible cordage utilizing the hanger as a tool. The hanger and novel method of using the hanger allow a single individual to more easily install cordage such as hanging holiday lights on Christmas trees, or on other structures such as the outside or inside of buildings and the like.
According to the novel method, first the flexible cordage is looped around the hanger into multiple loops and the hanger is temporarily mounted on a person, such as by clipping the hanger on the belt of the individual. Then, the cordage is removed from the hanger as necessary to install the cordage on a structure. It is another aspect of the present invention that the method may also be used in reverse in which cordage is removed from the structure and looped on the hanger. Once removed, the hanger and the cordage looped thereon maybe stored until reuse is desired.
The novel hanger of the present invention includes a belt clip or other mount that is adapted to temporarily mount on a person, and a horizontal arm upon which cordage can be looped. It is an aspect of the present invention that the hanger includes a plug retainer which secures the end of the electrical cord to prevent unraveling. It is another aspect of the present invention that the arm includes a plurality of detents formed therein and spaced apart to partition the separate loops of cordage. The hanger is preferably made from an insulated rigid material such an insulated wire frame to provide a strong structure but yet one that will not conduct electricity that could otherwise shock the individual to which the hanger is mounted.
The present invention is particularly advantageous for hanging holiday lights. As such, the invention is also directed at a kit which includes holiday lights and the hanger. The combination can be sold as a single unit in a single sellable package which may induce purchasers to purchase one brand of holiday lights over another brand.
Other object and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Cronin Stephen K.
Leydig , Voit & Mayer, Ltd.
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