Supports – Brackets – Hook type – stationary mount
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-11
2003-03-25
King, Anita (Department: 3632)
Supports
Brackets
Hook type, stationary mount
C248S058000, C248S339000, C362S249070
Reexamination Certificate
active
06536730
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to light hangers and, in particular, concerns a light hanger that is adapted to permit the hanging of strands of lights, such as Christmas lights.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is extremely common for people to string strands of lights for festive occasions. In this country, strands of lights are typically strung during the holiday periods on houses and buildings to provide a festive atmosphere. Typically, the strands of lights have one or more wires that extend in a long strand with lights periodically spaced along the strand.
Typically, strands of lights are hung on buildings by stapling the strands of wires to the dwelling or positioning hangers onto the building wherein the hangers define a recess that will receive the strand of lights. This allows the light strand to be strung over long distances thereby distributing the strands of lights over a length of the building or surface.
One typical hanger for strands of lights is a screw hook which has hook portion that is attached to a screw member. The hook portion is then used to urge the screw member into a surface, such as a wooden eave surrounding the outside perimeter of the house. While the screw hooks do permit the mounting of strands of lights to surfaces, such as wooden eaves, they suffer from some difficulties.
In particular, the hook member is often sufficiently wide such that it does not prevent the strands of lights from twisting when positioned within the hook opening. Often, the person stringing the strands of lights wants lights to be oriented in a particular direction to obtain the best possible display of lights. If the cord is twisted in the light hangers, it is difficult, if not impossible, to make sure that the lights are hanging in a desired way. This is a difficulty that occurs with many light strand hangers, not just screw hook hangers.
A further difficulty that occurs with screw hook hangers is that the installer screws the screw into the surface while grasping the hook portion of the screw hook. If the surface is hard, it can be difficult to get the screw hook into the surface. Moreover, this type of hanger does not allow the installer to make use of tools like screwdrivers and the like. Thus, the installation process is more difficult using these types of hangers.
Other methods that are used to hang light strands have difficulties as well. One popular method is to staple the light strands directly onto the structure. Stapling can result in a sharp staple damaging the insulating material of the wires. Another method is to use light hangers that attach to shingles or gutters. The problem with such hangers is that their use requires a presence of shingles or gutters. This restriction limits the usefulness of such hangers.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that there is a need for an improved light strand hanger that allows for easier installation and is adapted to allow the user to install the light strands so that the lights hang in a desired orientation. To this end, there is a need for a light strand hanger which can be installed using tools, such as screwdrivers, and is also configured to prevent the light strand from twisting in the hanger.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aforementioned needs are satisfied by a light strand hanger of the present invention comprised of a first leg attached to a second leg so as to define a recess that is separated by a first distance. The first leg defines a first opening that is sized to receive a fastener such that the fastener can be extended therethrough so as to secure the first leg to a structure. The second leg defines a second opening that is positioned with respect to the opening in the first leg such that the fastener can be extended through the opening in the second leg into the opening of the first leg. The opening in the second leg is sized so as to receive the fastener therethrough and to receive the end of a tool such that the tip of the tool can pass through.
In one aspect of the invention, the fastener is preferably a screw and the tool is a screwdriver. The opening in the first leg is sized such that the threaded portion of the screw can pass through, while the head of the screw cannot so as to allow the first leg to be secured to the structure by the screw. The opening in the second leg is sized such that the head of the screw and the tip of the screwdriver can pass through so as to allow the screw to be urged through the opening in the first leg into the structure. It will be appreciated that use of the screw and the screwdriver allows the light strand hanger to be secured to a variety of surfaces, including hard surfaces.
In another aspect of the invention, the second leg is flanged outward so as to aid in insertion of the light strand into the recess. Furthermore, the tip of the second leg is rounded to prevent snagging of the light strand so as to further aid in the insertion of the light strand and to prevent damages to the wires in the light strand.
In another aspect of the invention, the light strand inserted into the recess is frictionally engaged with the inner surfaces of the first and second legs so as to inhibit the light strand from twisting. It will appreciated that this feature allows a user to urge the light strand into a desirable orientation whereby that orientation is maintained. A plurality of the light strand hangers can be used to orient a plurality of the light strands so as to improve the desired effect of the lights strands attached to the structure. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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King Anita
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
Marsh Steven
LandOfFree
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