Programmable string of lights

• US 6,367,952 B1
• Filed: 08/16/2000
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Best Point Group, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Ventur Research & Development Incorporated
• Inventors: Gibboney, James W Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zeade, Bertrand
• Application Number:
  US09/640,487
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 362/249, 362/226, 362/252, 362/253, 362/802, 362/807, 362/808, 439/414, 439/419, 315/18.5 R, 315/185.S, 315/193
• US Class Current: 362/249.05
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0005 of sources having contact pins, wires or blades, e.g. pinch sealed lamp F21V19/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/002 making direct electrical contact, e.g. by piercing F21V21/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0407 for flashing
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/04 for Christmas trees
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/09 for baseless lamp bulb
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/2406 having needles or pins
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/105 with a spare lamp in the circuit, and a possibility of shunting a failed lamp lamp changing devices H01R33/00, H01R43/00; incandescent lamps with a reserve body H01K
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/235 with communication between the lamps and a central unit

Abstract

A light for use in a string of lights has a lamp and a light socket that may include a parallel group device that may perform a variety of functions. One of those functions is to serve as a resistive element to regulate voltage and current to keep other lights in a group of lights arranged to be electrically in parallel lighted to the same intensity in the event one of the lights burns out or is removed. Another function of the parallel group device is to control the lamp in the socket so that it lights and goes out on command. The socket is designed to be closed against moisture and to be easily manufactured by hand or by machine. It includes piercing terminals that, when pressed into the electrical wires that run from light to light in the string, allow electrical connection with the lamp leads and the parallel group device leads.

Claims

1. A light for use with a string of lights, said lights of said string being in electrical connection with each other by a pair of wires, said light comprising:

a lamp having a filament and a pair of leads in electrical connection to said filament;

a lamp fitting dimensioned to receive said lamp and said pair of leads;

a lamp base;

a sleeve carried by said lamp base and dimensioned to receive said lamp fitting, said sleeve formed to receive a pair of wires;

terminals carried within said lamp base and extending from said lamp base to said leads of said lamp, said terminals having means formed thereon for piercing said pair of wires when said pair of wires are received by said sleeve so that an electrical current carried by said wires can be applied to said filament of said lamp; and

means carried by said lamp base for passing electrical current through said light when said lamp presents an open circuit to said terminals.

2. The light as recited in claim 1, wherein said terminals are formed to have double projections to grip said pair of wires once said wires are pierced.

3. The light as recited in claim 1, wherein said terminals further comprise two terminals, each terminal piercing one wire of said pair of wires.

4. The light as recited in claim 1, further comprising means carried by said lamp base for controlling electrical current flow through said leads from said pair of wires.

5. The light as recited in claim 1, wherein said sleeve is formed to allow one wire of said pair of wires to exit said sleeve.

6. The light as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for piercing pierces said pair of wires when said terminals are moved toward each other.

7. The light as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for piercing pierces said pair of wires when said pair of wires are passed between said terminals.

8. A light for use with a string of lights, said lights of said string of lights being in electrical connection with each other by a pair of wires, said light comprising:

a lamp having a filament and a pair of leads in electrical connection to said filament;

a lamp fitting dimensioned to receive said lamp and said pair of leads;

a lamp base;

a sleeve carried by said lamp base and dimensioned to receive said lamp fitting;

terminals carried within said lamp base and extending from said lamp base to said pair of leads of said lamp, said terminals being in electrical connection with said pair of wires when said pair of wires are received by said light; and

electronic means in electrical connection with said terminals for passing electrical current through said light when said lamp presents an open circuit to said terminals.

9. The light as recited in claim 8, wherein said electronic passing means further comprises:

a lead block having a pair of holes; and

an integrated circuit having a pair of leads, each lead of said pair of leads of said integrated circuit extending through a hole of said pair of holes.

10. The light as recited in claim 8, wherein said electronic passing means is located within said lamp base.

11. The light as recited in claim 8, wherein said passing means is located with said lamp base.

12. The light as recited in claim 8, wherein said electronic passing means further comprises means for controlling said light.

13. The light as recited in claim 12, wherein said controlling means is responsive to a signal so that the energization of said lamp is controlled in response to said signal.

14. The light as recited in claim 13, wherein said controlling means includes circuit means for storing and applying said signal.

15. The light as recited in claim 10, wherein said electronic passing means further comprises an integrated circuit electrically connected across said terminals and in parallel electrical connection with said lamp filament when said lamp filament is electrically connected to said terminals.

16. The light as recited in claim 10, wherein said electronic passing means further comprises a diode circuit electrically connected across said terminals and in parallel with said lamp filament when said lamp filament is electrically connected to said terminals, said diode circuit being forward biased when said string of lights is energized and having a forward voltage drop that will allow said diode circuit to conduct in the forward biased region of its voltage-current characteristic curve when said lamp presents an open circuit to said terminals.

17. The light as recited in claim 16, wherein said diode circuit is further comprised of a plurality of diodes electrically connected in series, each of said plurality of diodes being forward biased when said string of lights is energized, and said plurality of diodes being selected so that a total forward voltage drop across said plurality of diodes is of a magnitude that will cause said plurality of diodes to conduct in the forward biased region of their voltage-current characteristic curves when said lamp presents an open circuit to said terminals.

18. The light as recited in claim 17, wherein said diode circuit is further comprised of at least one Zener diode connected electrically in series with said plurality of diodes, said Zener diode being oriented so that it is reverse biased when said string of lights is energized, said Zener diode having a Zener breakdown voltage drop, and said diode circuit having a total voltage drop comprised of said Zener breakdown voltage drop and each forward voltage drop across each of said plurality of diodes, and said total voltage drop being of a magnitude that will cause said Zener diode to conduct in the Zener breakdown region of its voltage-current characteristic curve and said series connected diodes to conduct in the forward biased region of their voltage-current characteristic curves when said lamp presents an open circuit to said terminals.

19. The light as recited in claim 16, wherein said diode circuit is further comprised of a first plurality of diodes that are electrically connected in series and have their PN junctions similarly oriented, said first plurality of diodes are electrically connected in parallel with a second plurality of diodes that are electrically connected in series and have their PN junctions similarly oriented, said second plurality of diodes'"'"' PN junctions being oppositely electrically oriented in relation to the electrical orientation of the PN junctions of said first plurality of diodes, said first plurality of diodes being forward biased during a half of an AC cycle from an AC power source and said second plurality of diodes being forward biased during a opposite half of said AC cycle from said AC power source, said AC power source is used to supply power to said string of lights, and said first plurality of diodes are selected so that the total forward voltage drop across said first plurality of diodes is of a magnitude that will cause the first plurality of diodes to conduct in the forward biased region of their voltage-current characteristic curves when they are forward biased and said lamp presents an open circuit to said terminals, and said second plurality of diodes being selected so that the total forward voltage drop across said second plurality of diodes is of a magnitude that will cause the second plurality of diodes to conduct in the forward biased region of their voltage-current characteristic curves when they are forward biased and when said lamp presents an open circuit to said terminals.

20. A new light for use in a string of lights, said string of lights powered by an AC power source, said lights of said string of lights being in electrical connection with each other and transmitting AC power to each other by a pair of wires, said light comprising:

a lamp having a filament and a pair of leads in electrical connection to said filament;

a lamp fitting dimensioned to receive said lamp and said pair of leads;

a lamp base dimensioned to receive said lamp fitting and said pair of wires;

terminals carried within said lamp base and extending from said lamp base to said pair of leads of said lamp, said terminals being in electrical connection with said pair of wires when said pair of wires are received within said lamp base;

means in electrical connection with said terminals for providing rectified DC to said lamp; and

means in electrical connection with said terminals for passing electrical current through said light when said lamp presents an open circuit to said terminals.

21. A group of lights for use in a string of lights, each light of said group of lights being in a parallel electrical connection with each other light of said group of lights, said group of lights comprising:

at least two lights having lamps; and

means electrically connected in parallel with said group of lights for passing electrical current through said group of lights to compensate for the change in current caused by any of said lamps presenting an open circuit to said terminals.