Illumination – Supports – Clamp or hook
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-18
2001-12-11
Cariaso, Alan (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supports
Clamp or hook
C362S457000, C024S13500K, C174S07400A, C174S261000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328459
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to mounting clips for attaching decorative lights to various structures and for holding other objects that contain a generally cylindrical body or body portion.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
The use of lights for decorating the exterior of a house is well known. Decorative lights typically consist of a large number of light sockets being wired together with light bulbs positioned in the light sockets. The “string” of lights is then attached to the face of a building. The “string” of lights can be mounted by retaining either the light socket or the wire. My mounting clip is concerned with a holder that retains the light socket, although it can also retain the wire as well as hold rope lights and icicle lights.
The object of these holders is to display the lights so that they can easily be seen. The holders must not be adversely affected by cold temperatures and should be able to hold the lights during high winds which commonly accompany winter storms.
Further, most prior art light mountings which grasp light sockets only accept one size light. However, there are three sizes of outdoor lights which are commonly displayed. Because the prior art mountings accept only one size light an entire new mounting would be necessary if a different size light is to be displayed.
Some prior art light mountings attach lights permanently to a structure. By permanently attaching the mountings to a house frame, gutter or other surface, the surface is marred permanently. Because decorative lighting is seasonal the lights are usually removed after the holidays at which time the marred surface is exposed.
One type of conventional, permanent light mounting is a two-piece rigid configuration comprising a base portion and a light socket retainer. The base portion is in the form of an L-shaped configuration. One leg of the L-shape base portion is permanently mounted to a relatively flat surface of a house such as a window frame. The other leg of the L-shape is a channel member having flanges on opposite sides which accommodate the light socket retainer. The light socket retainer slides into the channel member. The light socket retainer has two resilient clamp members which grasp a light. This type of light mounting is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,540,687.
Another prior art device provides an L-shaped light support bracket with one of the legs being fitted under a shingle. The other leg includes a hole sized to receive a light bulb. This type of light support bracket can also be positioned within a retaining strip which is permanently attached to a flat building surface. Examples of these light mountings are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,905,131; 4,901,212; and 4,851,977. And has been sold under the trademark “LITES UP” by Gary Products Group, Inc. This type of mounting is easy to dislodge and frequently will come loose during winter storms.
Other related art devices concern mounting electric lights on Christmas trees. One such device comprises a spring-biased H-shaped clip having a cylindrical light socket attached to the top of the clip. Multiple clips are connected together by insulated electrical wire. A light bulb is placed in each of the light sockets and the string of electrical wire is positioned on a Christmas tree wherein each clip attaches a light to a branch of the Christmas tree.
Another device for mounting light bulbs to Christmas trees provides a resilient clamp which grips the light bulb and spring fingers extending perpendicularly from the resilient clamp which grasps a tree limb. Examples of light mountings for attaching lights to Christmas tree branches are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,782,296 and 1,895,656. This type of mounting is relatively expensive and more difficult to make than my mounting clip.
In my U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,116 a mounting clip is disclosed which has a mounting for attachment to a shingle or siding and a light holder portion which holds the socket of a decorative light. Various configurations of light holders are disclosed, ranging from U-shapes, to C-shapes which define a circular opening smaller than the socket of a decorative light. The curvilinear portion is flexed to expand the opening and receive the decorative light socket and then close and grip the socket. One problem with this structure is that the curvilinear portion tends to lose its memory over time or after repeated insertion and removal of the decorative light socket. When that occurs the curvilinear portion does not fully close and the light socket is easily dislodged from the holder. This problem can be alleviated to some extent by selecting a different plastic or metal, enlarging the curvilinear portion to include more plastic or by providing reinforcing ribs. However, all of these solutions increase the cost of the holder. Thus, there is a need for a flexible plastic or metal holder for decorative lights that can be used repeatedly without losing its ability to tightly grip the light socket.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
I provide a holder for holding decorative lights and other objects having a generally cylindrical portion that has a holding segment containing two curvilinear arms and a mounting segment to attach the holder to a mounting surface. The holding segment has a first curvilinear portion or arm and a second curvilinear portion or arm extending from the mounting. The first curvilinear portion is sized and shaped to define a generally cylindrical opening having a first selected diameter. The second curvilinear portion is sized and shaped to define a second generally cylindrical opening having a second selected diameter that is larger than the first selected diameter. Additionally, the end of the second curvilinear portion is adjacent the end of the first curvilinear portion. The curvilinear portions are sized and sufficiently flexible to hold within the cylindrical opening defined by the first curvilinear portion an object having a diameter larger than the first diameter but not larger than the second diameter while the second end abuts the first curvilinear portion. This results in both arms being flexed when the object is inserted and both arms exerting a force against the object being held.
The mounting portion can be variously configured to be attached directly to a mounting surface or attached to another product such as a suction cup, magnet or stake.
The holding portion can be any desired size. I prefer to size the arms to hold all sizes of decorative lights.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 356246 (1995-03-01), Adams
patent: D. 356492 (1995-03-01), Adams
patent: D. 406383 (1999-03-01), Adams
patent: 1858656 (1932-05-01), Batherman
patent: 1895656 (1933-01-01), Gadke
patent: 2782296 (1957-02-01), Walter
patent: 3540687 (1970-11-01), Cava
patent: 4407472 (1983-10-01), Beck
patent: 4851977 (1989-07-01), Gary
patent: 4901212 (1990-02-01), Prickett
patent: 4905131 (1990-02-01), Gary
patent: 5056198 (1991-10-01), Viglione
patent: 5141192 (1992-08-01), Adams
patent: 5209441 (1993-05-01), Satoh
patent: 5555607 (1996-09-01), Parveris
patent: 5667174 (1997-09-01), Adams
patent: 5669709 (1997-09-01), Adams
patent: 5772166 (1998-06-01), Adams
patent: 6109569 (2000-08-01), Sakaida
patent: 2080676 (1982-02-01), None
Adams Mfg. Corp.
Buchanan Ingersoll P.C.
Cariaso Alan
Sawhney Hargobind S.
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