Light-string holder

• US 5,645,343 A
• Filed: 09/13/1996
• Issued: 07/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John C. Rinehimer
• Original Assignee: John C. Rinehimer
• Inventors: Rinehimer, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F.
• Application Number:
  US08/713,947
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• Field of Search: 362/238, 362/239, 362/249, 362/250, 362/252, 362/396, 362/806, 362/809
• US Class Current: 362/235
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/065 multi-branched, e.g. a chandelier
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/00 Fastening of component parts of lighting devices, e.g. shades, globes, refractors, reflectors, filters, screens, grids or protective cages of light sources or light holders F21V19/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/806 Ornamental or decorative

Abstract

A light-string holder (20) has two hubs (38) with a plurality of receptacles (40). One of the hubs (38) attaches to an external suspension device (24). The light-string holder (20) has a plurality of lamp-cluster holders (34) fabricated from a translucent material. The lamp-cluster holders (34) have a central beam member (58) with two connectors (46) configured to mate with corresponding receptacles (40) on each hub (38), and a tapered straight edge (70) configured to mate with the other tapered straight edges (70) of the other lamp-cluster holders (34), and a peripheral beam member (60) with a plurality of lamp clamps (32) recessed below the peripheral edge (74) of the peripheral beam member (60). Each of the lamp clamps (32) having a C-shaped member (78) comprising a circular arc greater than 180 degrees and of a diameter equal to or less than the diameter of a lamp socket (84), and where both the central beam member (58) and the peripheral beam member (60) have an I-beam cross section and a plurality of holes (68) through the land area (66) of the I-beam.

Claims

1. A light-string holder comprising:

a first hub having a plurality of receptacles;

a second hub having a plurality of receptacles; and

a plurality of lamp-cluster holders, each of said lamp-cluster holders designed to mate with one of said receptacles of said first hub and one of said receptacles of said second hub.

2. A light-string holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein one of said hubs includes means for attachment to an external suspension device.

3. A light-string holder as claimed in claim 2 wherein said attachment means comprises:

a central opening; and

a suspension bar transecting said central opening for attachment to said external suspension device, said suspension bar being centrally located on said hub.

4. A light-string holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said receptacles is configured to mate with one of said lamp-cluster holders, each of said lamp-cluster holders has a peripheral beam member having a predetermined thickness, and each of said receptacles comprises:

a radially-extending slot of a width greater than said predetermined thickness of said peripheral beam member, said radially-extending slot passing completely through said hub; and

a keyway of a greater width than said radially-extending slot, said keyway passing partially through said hub.

5. A light-string holder as claimed in claim 1 for holding a light string having a plurality of lamp assemblies, wherein each of said receptacles is configured to mate with one of said lamp-cluster holders, and each of said lamp-cluster holders comprises a peripheral beam member having:

a first connector at a first end thereof configured to engage one of said receptacles on said first hub;

a second connector at a second end thereof configured to engage one of said receptacles on said second hub;

a predetermined thickness; and

a plurality of lamp clamps configured to engage said lamp assemblies.

6. A light-string holder as claimed in claim 5 wherein:

each of said receptacles comprises a radially-extending slot passing through said hub and of a width greater than said predetermined thickness of said peripheral beam member and a keyway passing partially through said hub, of a predetermined shape, and of a width greater than said width of said radially-extending slot; and

each of said connectors on said peripheral beam member comprises a key of a shape conformal to said predetermined shape of said keyway, and a thickness greater than said width of said radially-extending slot.

7. A light-string holder as claimed in claim 5 wherein:

said peripheral beam member has an I-shaped cross section having a peripheral edge, an inner edge, and a land area;

said peripheral edge has a thickness;

said inner edge has a thickness; and

said land area is less thick than said thickness of said peripheral edge and said thickness of said inner edge.

8. A light-string holder as claimed in claim 7 wherein said peripheral beam member has a plurality of holes passing through said land area.

9. A light-string holder as claimed in claim 5 wherein said peripheral beam member has a peripheral edge, and wherein each of said lamp clamps is recessed into said peripheral beam member from said peripheral edge.

10. A light-string holder as claimed in claim 5 wherein each of said lamp assemblies of said light string comprises a lamp bulb and a lamp socket for said lamp bulb, said lamp socket having a predetermined diameter and wherein each of said lamp clamps:

has a C-shaped member comprising a circular arc greater than 0 degrees and of a diameter equal to or less than said predetermined diameter of said lamp socket; and

has a clamp land area joining said C-shaped member to said peripheral beam member.

11. A light-string holder as claimed in claim 5 wherein each of said lamp cluster holders comprises a central beam member.

12. A light-string holder as claimed in claim 11 wherein said central beam member has a tapered straight edge which, when a plurality of said lamp-cluster holders are engaged in said first and second hubs, engages said tapered straight edges of other lamp-cluster holders.

13. A light-string holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein said lamp-cluster holders are fabricated from a translucent material.

14. A light-string holder as claimed in claim 13 wherein said translucent material is polypropylene.

15. A light-string holder as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a light string having a plurality of lamp assemblies.

16. A light-string holder as claimed in claim 15 wherein:

each of said lamp assemblies comprises a lamp bulb and a lamp socket;

each of said lamp-cluster holders comprises a peripheral beam member;

each of said peripheral beam members comprises a plurality of lamp clamps;

each of said lamp clamps has a C-shaped member of a predetermined diameter and thickness and a clamp land area joining said C-shaped member to said peripheral beam member; and

each of said lamp sockets has a circumferential groove of a diameter equal to or greater than said predetermined diameter and thickness of said C-shaped member of said lamp clamps.

17. A light-string holder for holding a light string having a plurality of lamp assemblies, said light string holder comprising:

a plurality of lamp-cluster holders, each of said lamp-cluster holders comprising a peripheral beam member having a first connector at a first end thereof, a second connector at a second end thereof, a predetermined thickness, and containing a plurality of lamp clamps, each of which has a C-shaped member;

a first hub having a plurality of receptacles configured to mate with said first connector; and

a second hub having a plurality of receptacles configured to mate with said second connector.

18. A light-string holder as claimed in claim 17 wherein:

each of said receptacles comprises a radially-extending slot passing through said hub, said radially-extending slot having a width greater than said predetermined thickness of said peripheral beam member, and a keyway passing partially through said hub, said keyway having a predetermined shape and a width greater than said width of said radially-extending slot; and

each of said connectors on each of said peripheral beam members has a key of a shape conformal to said predetermined shape of said keyway and a thickness greater than said width of said radially-extending slot and less than said width of said keyway.

19. A light-string holder for holding a light string having a plurality of lamp assemblies where said light-string holder comprises a first hub, a second hub, and a plurality of lamp-cluster holders, wherein:

each of said lamp assemblies of said light string comprises a lamp bulb and a lamp socket for said lamp bulb, said lamp socket having a predetermined diameter;

one of said hubs includes means for attachment to an external suspension device;

each of said lamp-cluster holders is fabricated from a translucent material and comprises a peripheral beam member;

each of said hubs has a plurality of receptacles configured to interlock with said peripheral beam members of said lamp-cluster holders;

each of said peripheral beam members has an I-shaped cross section having a peripheral edge of a predetermined thickness, an inner edge of a predetermined thickness, and a land area less thick than said predetermined thicknesses of said peripheral edge and said inner edge, with a plurality of holes passing through said land area;

each of said peripheral edges of said peripheral beam members comprises a plurality of lamp clamps for said lamp assemblies, wherein each of said lamp clamps is recessed into said peripheral beam member from said peripheral edge; and

each of said lamp clamps has a C-shaped member comprising a circular arc greater than 180 degrees and of a diameter equal to or less than said predetermined diameter of said lamp socket, and has a clamp land area joining said C-shaped member to said peripheral beam member.

20. A light-string holder for holding a light string, said light string holder comprising:

a lamp-cluster holder having a peripheral beam member, said peripheral beam member having a peripheral edge;

a plurality of lamp clamps coupled to said peripheral beam member;

wherein;

each of said lamp clamps is recessed into said peripheral beam member from said peripheral edge;

each of said lamp clamps has a C-shaped member; and

each of said lamp clamps has a clamp land area joining said C-shaped member to said peripheral beam member.