DECORATIVE LIGHTING SYSTEM

• US 3,789,211 A
• Filed: 07/14/1972
• Issued: 01/29/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Norman Kramer
• Original Assignee: Norman Kramer
• Inventors: Kramer, Norman
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
• Application Number:
  US05/271,808
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 240/1R,1T 315/194,195,250,291,294,297,307 40/13R,13C 340/331,334,335,340,341
• US Class Current: 362/231
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/04 simulating flames
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/001 being candle-shaped with varying lighting effect of simulating flames F21S10/04; string of light sources F21S4/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/04 for Christmas trees
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/09 in which the lamp is fed by pulses automatic circuit devices built into or on the incandescent lamp H01K1/625; vehicle winking devices B60Q1/38
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/811 Psychedelic lighting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 40/902 Circuit control, e.g. flashing light

Abstract

A multi-channel lighting system which includes a lamp load for each channel. Each channel is a nominally identical selfmodulating half-wave phase control circuit employing DC feedback to modify both reference and pedestal levels in a dual frequency oscillator. The result is a random off and on pattern for each channel. Each lamp load is a different color which produces a random and dynamic color light display in response to each channel for decorating Christmas trees or the like.

Claims

1. A decorative lighting system comprising:

an electrical power source;

a plurality of self-modulating half-wave phase control circuits connected to said power source, said control circuits defining multi-channel control means for independently and automatically controlling power through each of the channels between on and off in a repeating gradual and random fashion, each control circuit including a dual frequency oscillator; and

a plurality of lamp loads capable of radiating light when triggered on by a flow of power therethrough, each lamp load being connected to a different control circuit, whereby each lamp load is triggered on and off in a repeating gradual and random fashion with respect to each other in response to the power through its respective control circuit.

2. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein each of the lamp loads is a different color.

3. The lighting system of claim 2 wherein the control circuit has three channels and including translucent ornamental enclosure means adapted to receive the three lamp loads therein whereby the ornamental enclosure means exhibits a dynamically changing mono-colored light.

4. The lighting system of claim 3 wherein the color of the lamp loads are red, blue and green.

5. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein each lamp load includes a string of colored lightbulbs.

6. The lighting system of claim 5 wherein the bulbs of each string of lights is the same color and each string of lights has differently colored bulbs than any other string of lights.

7. A decorative lighting system comprising:

an electrical alternating power source;

three self-modulating half-wave phase control circuits connected to said power source for independently and automatically controlling power through each of the three channels between on and off in a repeating gradual and random fashion, each control circuit including a dual frequency oscillator;

three strings of colored light bulbs capable of radiating light when triggered on by a flow of power therethrough, each string of lights being connected to a different control circuit, each first, second, third, nth bulb respectively on each string defining a group of corresponding bulbs; and

a translucent ornamental enclosure means adapted to receive a group of three corresponding light bulbs from each string therein forming a single string of a plurality of translucent ornaments, each bulb in each ornament being a different color than the other two bulbs, whereby each string of lights is triggered on and off in a repeating gradual and random fashion with respect to the other strings in response to its respective control circuit so that each ornamental enclosure exhibits a dynamically changing mono-colored light.

8. The lighting system of claim 7 wherein each bulb on each string of lights is the same color and each string of lights has differently colored bulbs than the other two strings of lights whereby every ornamental enclosUre will display the same mono-colored light at any given instant in time.

9. The lighting system of claim 8 wherein one string of lights has all red colored bulbs, the second string of lights has all blue colored bulbs and the third string of lights has all green colored bulbs.

10. The lighting system of claim 7 wherein each string of lights has bulbs of identical groups of three different colors arranged in a repeating order so that any three consecutive bulbs are different in color and every third bulb is the same color, and every corresponding bulb being a different color whereby every third ornamental enclosure will display the same mono-colored light at any given instant in time.

11. The lighting system of claim 8 wherein the three colors are red, blue and green.

12. The lighting system of claim 8 wherein the control circuit controls power through each channel between half full power and off.

13. A decorative lighting system comprising:

an electrical alternating power source;

a self-modulating half-wave phase control circuit for independently and automatically controlling power between on and off in a repeating gradual and random fashion, each control circuit including a dual frequency oscillator;

a lamp load capable of radiating light when triggered on by a flow of power therethrough connected to said circuit whereby the lamp load is triggered on and off in a repeating gradual and random fashion in response to said control circuit; and

flicker means associated with said circuit whereby the lamp load is caused to flicker when it is triggered on.