Retractable holiday lights

• US 10,641,471 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas A. Ruggiero
• Original Assignee: Thomas A. Ruggiero
• Inventors: Ruggiero, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Guharay, Karabi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Glenn D
• Application Number:
  US15/983,467
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/00 Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups F21S4/00 - F21S10/00 or F21S19/00, e.g. of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/04 intended only for mounting on a ceiling or the like overhead structures F21S8/02 takes precedence; details of ceiling bases F21V21/03
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/15 specially adapted for power operation, e.g. by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/00 Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/508
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/045 the sensor receiving a signal from a remote controller
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0052 Audio or video equipment, e.g. televisions, telephones, cameras or computers; Remote control devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/004 mounted on the exterior of houses or other buildings to illuminate parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/006 for illumination or simulation of snowy or iced items, e.g. icicle
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2101/00 Point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/226 External wall display means; Facade advertising means
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/222 with LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

Self-contained devices, systems and methods for housing holiday lights in the form of icicles, and the like, in self-contained boxes that can easily be mounted and removed around house windows and eaves. The lights can be retractable and extendable from the boxes, and the lights can be remotely controlled by smart phones and the like. The boxes can have displays for holiday messages as well as speakers for playing music and messages.

Claims

1. A retractable lighting system, comprising:

a box having a top, front, left side, right side, back and bottom;

a guide on at least one inside wall of the box;

a moveable frame being raiseable and lowerable along the guide;

a plurality of spaced apart lights attached to and extending below the moveable frame, wherein the moveable frame with the plurality of the lights is moveable from a stored position with both the frame and the plurality of the lights inside the box to an extended position with the plurality of lights extending below the box by sliding the moveable frame along the guide;

a cable spool mounted inside of the box;

a cable having an inner end wound about the spool and at least one outer end attached to the moveable frame; and

a motor mounted inside the box for rotating the spool to wind the cable about the spool or unwind the at least one outer end of the cable from the spool in order to lower and raise the moveable frame;

at least one rail pulley mounted inside the box above the moveable frame for allowing the cable to ride thereon.

2. The retractable lighting system of claim 1, wherein the box includes:

at least one speaker.

3. The retractable lighting system of claim 2, further comprising:

a remote controller for remotely turning on and off the plurality of the lights, and for operating the at least one speaker.

4. The retractable lighting system of claim 3, wherein the remote controller includes:

a smart phone.

5. A retractable lighting system, comprising:

a box having a top, front, left side, right side, back and bottom panel;

a guide on at least one inside wall of the box;

a moveable frame being raiseable and lowerable along the guide;

a plurality of spaced apart lights attached to and extending below the moveable frame, wherein the moveable frame with the plurality of the lights is moveable from a stored position with both the frame and the plurality of the lights inside the box to an extended position with the plurality of lights extending below the box by sliding the moveable frame along the guide;

the bottom panel includes;

a hinge for dropping the bottom panel downward away from the front when the plurality of the lights is being lowered to the extended position;

a motor inside of the box;

a cable spool mounted inside of the box;

a cable having an inner end wound about the spool and at least one outer end attached to both the moveable frame and the hinged bottom panel, wherein the motor rotates the spool to wind the cable about the spool or unwind the at least one outer end of the cable from the spool in order to lower and raise the moveable frame.

6. A retractable lighting system, comprising:

a box having a top, front, left side, right side, back and bottom;

a guide on at least one inside wall of the box;

a moveable frame being raiseable and lowerable along the guide;

a plurality of spaced apart lights attached to and extending below the moveable frame, wherein the moveable frame with the plurality of the lights is moveable from a stored position with both the frame and the plurality of the lights inside the box to an extended position with the plurality of lights extending below the box by sliding the moveable frame along the guide; and

, wherein the front includes;

a display for displaying 3h wing text messages.

7. The retractable lighting system of claim 6, wherein the moveable frame includes:

a panel with a notched end for the guide members.

8. The retractable lighting system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of the lights includes:

a row of downwardly extending rigid lights.

9. The retractable lighting system of claim 6, wherein the downwardly extending lights include:

icicle shaped lights.

10. The retractable lighting system of claim 6, wherein the box includes:

at least one speaker.

11. The retractable lighting system of claim 6, further comprising:

a remote controller for remotely turning on and off the plurality of the lights.

12. The retractable lighting system of claim 6, further comprising:

a remote controller for remotely turning on and off the plurality of the lights, and for displaying the text messages.

13. The retractable lighting system of claim 9, wherein each of the icicle shaped lights include light emitting diodes (LEDs).

14. The retractable lighting system of claim 10, further comprising:

a remote controller for remotely turning on and off the plurality of the lights, and for displaying the text messages and for operating the at least one speaker.

15. The retractable lighting system of claim 11, wherein the remote controller includes:

a smart phone.

16. The retractable lighting system of claim 12, wherein the remote controller includes:

a smart phone.

17. The retractable lighting system of claim 14, wherein the remote controller includes:

a smart phone.

18. A retractable lighting system, comprising:

a housing having a top, front, left side, right side, back and bottom;

a plurality of retractable lights being moveable from a stored position inside the housing to an extended position substantially extending below the housing; and

a display on the front of the housing for displaying text messages.