Decorative lighting with reinforced wiring

• US 10,222,037 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2017
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Willis Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Willis Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Johnny
• Primary Examiner(s): Breval, Elmito
• Application Number:
  US15/588,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20170241630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/15 the cables forming a grid, net or web structure
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/001 the elements being electrical wires or cables
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for decorative purposes, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/04 for Christmas trees
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/12 characterised by the geometrical disposition of the light-generating elements, e.g. arranging light-generating elements in differing patterns or densities
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/04 Flexible cables, conductors, or cords, e.g. trailing cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/18 Protection against damage caused by wear, mechanical force or pressure; Sheaths; Armouring

Abstract

A reinforced wire for decorative lighting, the wire defining a central longitudinal wire axis and including: a longitudinally-extending reinforcing strand, the reinforcing strand comprising one or more fibers comprising a polymer material and defining a reinforcing-strand axis; a plurality of conductor strands wound about the reinforcing strand, each of the plurality of conductor strands defining a conductor strand axis; and an outer insulating layer adjacent to, and covering, one or more of the conductor strands. The reinforcing strand in cross section normal to the wire axis defines an asymmetrical shape.

Claims

1. A strength-enhanced, net-like decorative lighting structure, comprising:

a power plug configured to connect to an external source of power;

a first power wire and a second power wire, each of the first and second power wires connected to the power plug; and

a plurality of light sets in electrical connection with the power plug via the first power wire and the second power wire, each light set defining an electrical circuit, the plurality of light sets including a first light set defining a first electrical circuit and a second light set defining a second electrical circuit, each of the plurality of light sets including;

a plurality of lamp assemblies, each lamp assembly including a lamp element; and

a plurality of internally-reinforced intermediate wires electrically connecting the lamp assemblies, each of the plurality of internally-reinforced intermediate wires including a plurality of conductors, one or more reinforcing strands, and an outer insulating layer surrounding the plurality of conductors and the one or more reinforcing strands; and

one or more non-wire support cords mechanically connected to the first light set,

wherein the plurality of light sets in combination with the one or more non-wire support cords define a rectangular-shaped, net-like decorative lighting structure.

2. The lighting structure of claim 1, wherein the lamp assemblies of the first light set are electrically connected to one another in series, the lamp assemblies of the second light set are electrically connected in to one another in series, and the first light set is electrically connected to the second light set in parallel.

3. The lighting structure of claim 2, wherein the first light set further includes a current-limiting resistor electrically connected in series to the light assemblies of the first light set, and the second light set further includes a current-limiting resistor electrically connected in series to the light assemblies of the second light set.

4. The lighting structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more non-wire support cords is mechanically connected to the first light set and the second light set, including being mechanically connected to multiple light assemblies of the first light set and to multiple light assemblies of the second light set.

5. The lighting structure of claim 1, wherein the first power wire and the second power wire comprise internally-reinforced wires, each of the first power wire and the second power wire including a plurality of conductors, one or more reinforcing strands, and an outer insulating layer surrounding the plurality of conductors and the one or more reinforcing strands.

6. The lighting structure of claim 1, wherein the ampacity of the first power wire is greater than an ampacity of each of the intermediate wires.

7. The lighting structure of claim 1, further comprising an end connector located distal to the power plug and in electrical connection with the power plug.

8. The lighting structure of claim 1, wherein a material of the one or more non-wire support cords comprises a material that is the same as a material of the one or more reinforcing strands of the intermediate wires.

9. The lighting structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more non-wire support cords comprises a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of PVC, PE and PET.

10. The lighting structure of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the one or more non-wire support cords is in a range of 50% to 150% of a diameter of each of the internally-reinforced intermediate wires, and a color of the one or more non-wire support cords is approximately the same as a color of each of the internally-reinforced intermediate wires.

11. The lighting structure of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the one or more non-wire support cords is approximately the same as a diameter of each of the internally-reinforced intermediate wires, and a color of the one or more support cords is approximately the same as a color of each of the internally-reinforced intermediate wires.

12. The lighting structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more non-wire support cords forms a zig-zag pattern when coupled to the lamp assemblies of the first light set.

13. The lighting structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more support cords defines two or more sides of the rectangular-shaped, net-like decorative lighting structure.

14. The lighting structure of claim 13, wherein the one or more support cords comprises two or more support cords.

15. The lighting structure of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light sets further includes a third light set defining a third circuit.

16. The lighting structure of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of internally-reinforced intermediate wires comprises a 22 AWG wire.

17. The lighting structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more reinforcing strands comprises a polymer material.

18. The lighting structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more reinforcing strands is adjacent to, and in direct contact with, one or more of the plurality of conductors.

19. The lighting structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more reinforcing strands is in direct contact with the outer insulating layer.

20. The lighting structure of claim 1, wherein each of the internally-reinforced intermediate wires exhibits a tensile strength ranging from 2,000 to 3,500 psi.

21. A strength-enhanced, net-like decorative lighting structure having first, second, third and fourth sides that define a rectangular shape, the first side opposite the third side, and the second side opposite the fourth side, comprising:

a first plurality of lamp assemblies aligned with one another to form a first row of lamp assemblies extending between the second side of the rectangular shape and the fourth side of the rectangular shape;

a second plurality of lamp assemblies aligned with one another to form a second row of lamp assemblies extending between the second side of the rectangular shape and the fourth side of the rectangular shape, the second row being parallel to the first row;

a plurality of internally-reinforced intermediate wires, each of the plurality of internally-reinforced intermediate wires electrically and mechanically connected to a lamp assembly of the first plurality of lamp assemblies forming the first row and electrically and mechanically connected to a lamp assembly of the second plurality of lamp assemblies forming the second row, each of the plurality of internally-reinforced intermediate wires including a plurality of conductors, one or more reinforcing strands, and an outer insulating layer surrounding the plurality of conductors and the one or more reinforcing strands; and

a plurality of non-wire support cords, including;

a first support cord defining at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth sides of the rectangular shape;

a second support cord connected to a first lamp assembly of the first plurality of lamp assemblies and connected to a first lamp assembly of the second plurality of lamp assemblies so as to extend between the first row and the second row; and

a third support cord connected to a second lamp assembly of the first plurality of lamp assemblies and connected to a second lamp assembly of the second plurality of lamp assemblies so as to extend between the first row and the second row, the second and third support cords extending generally parallel to one another.

22. The lighting structure of claim 21, further comprising a third plurality of lamp assemblies defining a third row, the third row being parallel to the first and second rows, the second support cord connected to a first lamp assembly of each of the first, second and third pluralities of lamp assemblies, and wherein the first support cord forms a zig-zag pattern and the second support cord forms a zig-zag pattern.

23. The lighting structure of claim 21, wherein the lighting structure defines a first series-connected electrical circuit, and a second series-connected circuit, and a first portion of the first plurality of light assemblies comprises a portion of the first series-connected electrical circuit and a second portion of the first plurality of light assemblies comprises a portion of the second series-connected electrical circuit, such that the first row includes light assemblies in the first series-connected electrical circuit and includes light assemblies in the second series-connected electrical circuit.

24. The lighting structure of claim 23, further comprising a current-limiting resistor electrically connected to the first series-connected electrical circuit and the first portion of the first plurality of light assemblies.

25. The lighting structure of claim 21, wherein the first, second and third support cords comprise a color that is substantially the same as a color of the internally-reinforced intermediate wires.

26. The lighting structure of claim 21, wherein a material of the first support cord comprises a material that is substantially the same as a material of the one or more reinforcing strands of the intermediate wires.

27. The lighting structure of claim 21, wherein a diameter of the first, second and third support cords is in a range of 50% to 150% of a diameter of each of the internally-reinforced intermediate wires.

28. The lighting structure of claim 21, wherein the one or more reinforcing strands consists of one or more polymer materials, and the first, second and third support cords consist of one or more polymer materials.

29. The lighting structure of claim 28, wherein the one or more polymer materials of the one or more reinforcing strands is the same as the one or more polymer materials of the first, second and third support cords.

30. The lighting structure of claim 21, wherein the one or more reinforcing strands is adjacent to, and in direct contact with, one or more of the plurality of conductors.

31. The lighting structure of claim 21, wherein the one or more reinforcing strands is in direct contact with the outer insulating layer.

32. The lighting structure of claim 21, wherein each of the internally-reinforced intermediate wires exhibits a tensile strength ranging from 2,000 to 3,500 psi.

33. A strength-enhanced, net-like decorative lighting structure, comprising:

a power plug configured to connect to an external source of alternating current (AC) power;

a power transformer in electrical connection with the power plug and configured to receive and to convert the AC power to a direct current (DC) power;

an end connector configured to receive another power plug, the end connector electrically connected to the power plug and configured to receive the AC power and to supply the AC power to the other power plug;

a plurality of light sets in electrical connection with the power transformer, each light set defining an electrical circuit, the plurality of light sets including a first light set defining a first electrical circuit and a second light set defining a second electrical circuit, each of the plurality of light sets including;

a plurality of lamp assemblies, each light assembly including a lamp element comprising a light-emitting diode (LED); and

a plurality of internally-reinforced intermediate wires electrically connecting the lamp assemblies, each of the plurality of internally-reinforced intermediate wires including a plurality of conductors, one or more reinforcing strands, and an outer insulating layer surrounding the plurality of conductors and the one or more reinforcing strands; and

one or more non-wire support cords mechanically connected to the first light set,

wherein the plurality of light sets in combination with the one or more non-wire support cords define a net-like decorative lighting structure.