Device for permanent installation of christmas lighting

• US 5,813,751 A
• Filed: 01/15/1997
• Issued: 09/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert G. Shaffer
• Original Assignee: Robert G. Shaffer
• Inventors: Shaffer, Robert G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ciric, Ljiljama V.
• Application Number:
  US08/784,031
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 362/145, 362/249, 362/376, 362/806, 362/217, 362/219, 362/147, 362/151, 362/152, 362/221, 362/222, 362/223, 362/224, 362/225, 362/368, 264/148, 264/151
• US Class Current: 362/249.08
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/14 with many small apertures
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/16 by deformation of parts; Snap action mounting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 27/00 Cable-stowing arrangements structurally associated with lighting devices, e.g. reels storing lengths of cable in general B65H; the lighting devices being vehicle headlamps F21S41/192; the lighting devices being vehicle lights F21S43/195
• 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 2121/004 mounted on the exterior of houses or other buildings to illuminate parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/806 Ornamental or decorative

Abstract

A device for permanent installation of exterior Christmas lighting. The device includes an elongated channel having top and bottom walls joined by a rear wall, and a front wall that depends from the top wall, and a flexible, rectangular screen cover for insertion and retention between the front wall and the bottom wall. The device, in conjunction with one or more additional devices, can be custom fit and mounted by fasteners to a building exterior, such as along principal architectural features--e.g., attached to the eaves or outlining a pitched roof. With the cover screen removed, a string of decorative Christmas lights can be positioned within and stretched from one end of the channel to an opposite end thereof, electrically connected to similar strings within additional such devices, and connected to a source of electrical power. With the devices so mounted and cover screens in place, they visually blend in with a building exterior and are hardly noticeable until the lighting is turned on, and then the illuminated decorative Christmas lighting is easily viewable through holes in the screens.

Claims

1. A device for permanent installation of Christmas lighting on an exterior surface of a building or structure, comprising:

a horizontal top and bottom wall joined by a vertical rear wall, and a front wall depending from the top wall, the top wall having a depth larger than the depth of the bottom wall, the rear wall having a height greater than the height of the front wall, and the top, bottom, rear and front walls being horizontally elongated, thereby defining a channel and a channel recess for receiving and housing said Christmas lighting;

a removable, flexible, rectangular screen covering the channel recess and having a length equal to the length of the recess and having top and bottom edges, which screen, by deformation from a planar configuration, is insertable into the channel recess such that the upper edge engages an inside surface of the front wall and the lower edge engages an inside surface of the bottom wall; and

a plurality of fasteners attached to at least one wall of the device for attaching the device to an exterior surface of a building or structure;

wherein a wall of the device which is opposite said at least one wall is provided with a plurality of access holes in register with said plurality of fasteners.

2. A device for permanent installation of Christmas lighting on an exterior surface of a building or structure, comprising:

a horizontal top and bottom wall joined by a vertical rear wall, and a front wall depending from the top wall, the top wall having a depth larger than the depth of the bottom wall, the rear wall having a height greater than the height of the front wall, and the top, bottom, rear and front walls being horizontally elongated, thereby defining a channel and a channel recess;

a removable, flexible, rectangular screen covering the channel recess and having a length equal to the length of the recess and having top and bottom edges, which screen, by deformation from a planar conformation to a curvilinear conformation as seen in transverse cross section, is insertable into the channel recess such that the upper edge engages an inside surface of the front wall and the lower edge engages an inside surface of the bottom wall;

fastening means attached to at least one wall of the device for attaching the device to an exterior surface of a building or structure;

a plurality of horizontally spaced-apart Christmas light bulb sockets mounted to an interior surface of the channel;

a Christmas light bulb attached to each socket;

electrical power cords connecting the sockets; and

an electrical power plug receptacle mounted to an interior surface of the channel and connected to said electric power cords.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the fastening means includes a plurality of screws, the front wall is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart screw access holes, and the rear wall is provided with a plurality of screwdriver access holes in register with the screw access holes.