Decorative lighting system

• US 6,050,701 A
• Filed: 01/29/1997
• Issued: 04/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Juanita Stone
• Original Assignee: Juanita Stone
• Inventors: Stone, Juanita
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US08/790,604
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 362/249, 362/252, 362/396, 362/806, 362/123, 362/145, 362/391, 206/419, 206/226, 248/6.5, 248/73
• US Class Current: 362/249.11
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/08 Devices for easy attachment to any desired place, e.g. clip, clamp, magnet
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/006 for illumination or simulation of snowy or iced items, e.g. icicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/806 Ornamental or decorative

Abstract

A modular support system for a lighting system which includes a mounting bracket for supporting a strand of lights in a pattern. The mounting bracket includes a plurality of integrally formed clips for retaining corresponding longitudinal sections of light strand in the desired pattern irrespective of the position in which the mounting bracket is secured.

Claims

1. A lighting system, comprising:

a mounting bracket having opposite ends and a central portion extending between the opposite ends, and a plurality of integrally formed clips positioned in a set spaced-apart relationship to one another in the central portion, said integrally formed clips extending outwardly from the central portion; and

a strand of lights carried by the integrally formed clips, said strand of lights having a plurality of upper bight portions engaging the plurality of integrally formed clips and forming a plurality of lower bight portions depending from the upper bight portions;

wherein the integrally formed clips are mold injected from the central portion of the mounting bracket.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the strands of light create a water-fall or icicle effect.

3. A decorative lighting kit having component parts capable of being assembled in the field at a surface to be decorated, the kit comprising the combination of:

a plastic mounting bracket having opposite ends and a central portion extending between opposite ends, and a plurality of integrally formed hanger portions positioned in a set spaced apart relationship to one another on the central portion, said integrally formed hanger portions extending outwardly from the central portion of the mounting bracket, the central portion being adapted to be affixed to the surface to be decorated, and

a strand of lights to be carried by the integrally formed hanger portions, said strand comprising a flexible electrical wiring carrying a plurality of spaced light sockets, said flexible electrical wiring permitting the creation of a plurality of upper bight portions engaging the integrally formed hanger portions and a plurality of lower bight portions depending from the upper bight portions,

said integrally formed hanger portions being mold-injected from the central portion of the plastic mounting bracket.

4. A lighting system, comprising:

a mounting bracket providing a plurality of integrally formed hanger portions extending outwardly from the mounting bracket, said integrally formed hanger portions being mold-injected from the central portion of the mounting bracket; and

a strand of lights comprising flexible electrical wiring having a plurality of spaced sockets, said strand being adapted to be secured by said integrally formed hanger portions to permit the flexible electrical wiring and plurality of spaced sockets to hang in a plurality of upper and lower bight portions from the integrally formed hanger portions.

5. The lighting system of claim 4, wherein said integrally formed hanger portions are formed in a spaced array along said mounting bracket, extending outwardly from a common face of said mounting bracket.

6. The lighting system of claim 5, wherein said integrally formed hanger portions are spaced at substantially equal intervals along said bracket.

7. The lighting system of claim 4, including means for securing said mounting bracket to a substrate.

8. The lighting system of claim 4, wherein each said integrally formed hanger portion defines a shaped recess for supporting a longitudinal extent of said flexible electric wiring when said mounting bracket is secured to a substrate in substantially any orientation thereto.

9. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein each said integrally formed hanger portion further includes a portion extending toward a face of said mounting bracket to define a restricted opening to said shaped recess.

10. The lighting system of claim 9, wherein each said integrally formed hanger portion resiliently accommodates insertion or withdrawal of said flexible electric wiring.

11. The lighting system of claim 10, further including a tab extending from said integrally formed hanger portion.