Illumination – Plural light sources – With support
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-09
2001-02-13
Cariaso, Alan (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Plural light sources
With support
C362S125000, C362S151000, C362S259000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186644
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to decorative lighting and more particularly to a system for mounting strings of decorative electric lights.
BACKGROUND
Decorative lights are often mounted around windows during festive occasions, notably over Christmas. These lights are often small, “mini-light” strings in sequence on flexible wires. In most cases, mounting the lights involves stretching the wires around a window and fastening the strings in place with tape, tacks or hooks. This is a laborious process and does not always yield reliable or aesthetically pleasing results.
One attempt to solve this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,028 issued Aug. 6, 1996, to T. Christoper Carlin. The patent discloses a channel with convergent sides that clamp onto the bulb sockets. This channel has limited utility since only the base is flat and can be used for mounting the string. It is not useful, for example, where there is no flat surface perpendicular to and surrounding a window pane. Installation of the lighting string in the closed channel with the lights at uniform spacings may also prove problematic.
The present invention is concerned with a system that ameliorates the problems of the prior art.
SUMMARY
According to the present invention there is provided a decorative lighting system for use with a string of lights including a plurality of bulb sockets linked by elongate, flexible wires, said system comprising:
an elongate channel having a base web and spaced apart flanges projecting perpendicularly from one side of the base web;
a plurality of apertures spaced along one of the flanges, the apertures being configured to engage respective ones of the bulb sockets; and
a plurality of slots extending from respective ones of the apertures to a free edge of said one of the flanges.
The light sockets thus fit into preformed apertures to provide the desired spacing of the sockets. Because the lights are mounted on one flange of a right-angled channel, there are two orthogonal surfaces that can be used for mounting the channel, so that the system is more universal in its application.
In preferred embodiments, a cap extends over the open side of the channel and is a snap fit in place to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4357653 (1982-11-01), Kovacs
patent: 4821158 (1989-04-01), Mitten
patent: 4995181 (1991-02-01), Wolf
patent: 5067061 (1991-11-01), Prickett
patent: 5161882 (1992-11-01), Garrett
patent: 5416678 (1995-05-01), Schabowski
patent: 5544028 (1996-08-01), Carlin
patent: 5559681 (1996-09-01), Duarte
patent: 5791762 (1998-08-01), Wroblewski
patent: 5865516 (1999-02-01), Woy
patent: 1075216 (1980-04-01), None
patent: 1093522 (1981-01-01), None
patent: 2092976 (1994-10-01), None
Battison Adrian D.
Cariaso Alan
DelGizzi Ronald E.
Thrift Murray E.
Williams Michael R.
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