Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Coil holder or support – Spool or core
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-03
2004-01-13
Nguyen, John Q. (Department: 3654)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Coil holder or support
Spool or core
C242S405200, C242S407100, C242S578200, C242S588200, C242S609300, C242S608500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06676069
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a holiday light storage and dispensing system. More particularly, the invention relates to a system capable of storing and then dispensing strings of holiday lights which may be custom configured according to the particular needs of the user.
Festive lighting enhances the holiday mood, and crosses all religious boundaries. The most common type of festive lighting are holiday light “strings”. They include numerous bulbs, spaced apart along a cord which both provides power to the bulbs and provides a means for attaching the lights onto a Christmas tree or a building structure.
Because of their seasonal nature, light strings are displayed for a limited time, and then must be stored for re-use the following year. Unfortunately, when one attempts to retrieve them from storage the following year, they are typically tangled. Untangling the lights typically involves stretching them in long runs along the floor. However, once “stretched out”, it is inconvenient to string the lights—especially around a Christmas tree. Further, the storing, retrieving, and untangling operation often results in numerous broken bulbs.
Thus, there is a need for a system which allows a user to conveniently store holiday light strings. Such a system should be customizable according to the needs of the user, and should allow the light strings to be easily dispensed to simplify the task of holiday decoration.
In this regard, others have proposed units which seek to allow for storage of holiday lights. In particular, U.S. Pat. Nos. 375,251 to Stevens et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,953 to Jolley both disclose systems which have hubs for storage of multiple light strings. Unfortunately, these systems are designed to remain stationary on a flat surface, whereas a crank is used to dispense the lights. Because of this, these systems are wholly unsuitable for the most typical dispensing operation—decorating a Christmas tree or building from a ladder.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,401 to O'Donnell discloses a large hub which is most suitable for use resting on the ground, while a user pulls upon the string from the ladder above. O'Donnell can alternatively be mounted on the ladder as well with a hook—but clearly is not intended to be hand-held during use.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,193,563 to Vitale and 5,526,931 to White both disclose systems which provide multiple hubs for storage of electrical cords, and are at least intended for hand-held use. Unfortunately, these systems lack flexibility for accommodating the needs of the individual user. Further, Vitale is intended for use with ordinary power cords, which are capable of making 180 degree turns in a short space. As such, Vitale is unsuitable for use with holiday light strings because the “bulk” created by the bulbs on the light strings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,323 to Wing employs one or more disks which fit upon a central cylinder to allow multiple areas for light storage. Unfortunately, the expansion of the system is limited by the size of the cylinder. Further, Wing is awkward to hold and rotate while storing and dispensing lights.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to produce a light storage system which effectively allows holiday light strings to be stored. Accordingly, at least one hub is provided which allows the lights to be conveniently stored and then dispensed therefrom
It is another object of the invention to provide a light storage system which is readily adaptable to the needs of the user. Accordingly, each core may expand longitudinally to vary the distance between flange disks, to make storage neater, according to the required amount of storage. Further, multiple hubs may be axially interconnected to provide additional storage.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a light storage system which is easily hand-held, and may be easily rotated while storing or dispensing the light strings. Accordingly, a handle is provided which is axially attachable, so that it allows the hub to be both held and rotated therefrom. The handle may be easily detached and used on another hub, according to the preferences of the user.
The invention is a holiday light storage system, for storing holiday string lights, having a central hub and extension hubs. The central hub has a pair of parallel flange disks and a core extending perpendicularly between the flange disks. The core allows adjustment of the relative distance between the flange disks. End bores extend through the flange disks coaxially into the core. The extension hubs each have a flange ring and an extension core. The extension core has a threaded end opposite the flange ring for attaching into one of the end bores of the central core. A handle is selectively axially attachable in one of the end bores. The system is configurable by the user according to the storage needs of the user.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4193563 (1980-03-01), Vitale
patent: 4917323 (1990-04-01), Wing
patent: 5467938 (1995-11-01), Redman
patent: 5526931 (1996-06-01), White
patent: D375251 (1996-11-01), Stevens et al.
patent: 5661953 (1997-09-01), Jolley
patent: 5957401 (1999-09-01), Odonnell
patent: 6241176 (2001-06-01), McEntee
Goldstein & Lavas P.C.
Nguyen John Q.
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