Kit for forming a support for a string of lights

• US 6,450,666 B1
• Filed: 09/06/2001
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Paris Briscoe, Stephen Bormes
• Original Assignee: Paris Briscoe, Stephen Bormes
• Inventors: Bormes, Stephen, Briscoe, Paris
• Primary Examiner(s): HUSAR, STEPHEN F
• Application Number:
  US09/947,666
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: 362/249, 362/252, 362/396, 362/391, 362/405, 362/806, 362/809, 362/807, 403/170, 403/171, 403/217, 403/230, 403/234, 403/329
• US Class Current: 362/249.14
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/22 of resilient material, e.g. rubbery material F16B2/205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• 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: Y10S 362/806 Ornamental or decorative
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/606 Leaf spring

Abstract

A kit for forming a support for strings of lights includes first and second connectors each having a pair of sockets for receiving an end of a support member. The first connector is removably mountable on the second connector by slidably engaging first saddle faces of the first connector with second saddle faces of the second connector, thus positioning support members mounted on the first connector in a plane oriented substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by support members mounted on the second connector. The support member includes an elongate base portion and a plurality of mounting structures mounted thereon. The mounting structures include a pair of mounting members forming a string-receiving channel therebetween. Each mounting member has inner and outer sections. The inner sections may be in a spaced and substantially parallel relationship, and the outer sections diverge from each other for guiding a portion of a light string into the channel.

Claims

1. A kit for forming a support for strings of lights, comprising:

a first connector for connecting a pair of support members, a pair of sockets being formed on the first connector for each receiving an end of one of the support members, the first connector comprising a central portion and a pair of socket portions, each socket portion having one of the sockets formed thereon, each of the socket portions having an inboard end and an outboard end, the inboard end of each of the socket portions being mounted on the central saddle portion, each socket having an opening located on the outboard end of the respective socket portion, wherein the inboard end of each of the socket portions has a pair of first saddle faces;

a second connector for connecting a pair of support members, a pair of sockets being formed on the second connector for each receiving an end of one of the support members, the second connector comprising a central portion and a pair of socket portions, each socket portion having one of the sockets formed thereon, each of the socket portions having an inboard end and an outboard end, the inboard end of each of the socket portions being mounted on the central saddle portion, each socket having an opening located on the outboard end of the respective socket portion, wherein the inboard end of each of the socket portions has a pair of second saddle faces;

wherein the first connector is removably mountable on the second connector by slidably engaging the first saddle faces of the first connector with the second saddle faces of the second connector for positioning support members mounted on the first connector in a plane oriented substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by support members mounted on the second connector.

2. The kit of claim 1 additionally comprising a pair of support members for supporting a length of a string of lights.

3. The kit of claim 2 wherein each of the support members comprises:

an elongate base portion having opposite ends; and

a plurality of mounting structures mounted on the base portion, each of the mounting structures comprising a pair of mounting members forming a string-receiving channel therebetween.

4. The kit of claim 3 wherein each of the mounting members has an inner section and an outer section, the outer section being mounted on the inner section, the inner sections of the pair of mounting members being in a spaced and substantially parallel relationship, the outer sections of the pair of mounting members diverging away from each other.

5. The kit of claim 4 wherein a retaining heel is mounted on each of the mounting members at a juncture of the inner and outer sections, the retaining heels of the mounting members of the pair of mounting members being opposed to each other for resisting movement of a portion of a string of lights from the string-receiving channel.

6. The kit of claim 3 wherein the base portion of the support members has a cross-shaped transverse cross section and each of the sockets of the connectors has a cross-shaped channel for receiving an end of one of the support members.

7. The kit of claim 1 wherein each first saddle face of the pair of first saddle faces lies in a plane oriented at an angle with respect to each other, and each second saddle face of the pair of second saddle faces lies in a plane oriented at an angle with respect to each other.

8. The kit of claim 1 additionally comprising a third connector for connecting to a support member, a socket being formed on the third connector for receiving an end of the support member, the socket of the third connector having a longitudinal axis along which one of the support members is insertable.

9. The kit of claim 8 wherein the third connector comprises:

a socket portion having a socket formed thereon, the socket portion having an inboard end and an outboard end, the socket having an opening located on the outboard end of the socket portion;

a hook portion for hooking a portion of a light string thereon, the hook portion being mounted on the central portion, the hook portion having a pair of opposed hook segments, each of the hook segments having a lateral portion extending from the link section of the central portion and a opposed portion, the lateral portion of the hook segments being oriented substantially parallel to each other, the opposed portions of the hook segments being oriented substantially coaxially in an opposed relationship to each other, wherein the third connector includes a pair of the hook portions; and

a loop portion being mounted adjacent to the inboard end of the socket portion, the loop portion being mounted at an apex of socket portions.

10. The kit of claim 1 additionally comprising a fourth connector for connecting a pair of support members, a pair of sockets being formed on the fourth connector for receiving an end of the support member, each of the socket portions having a longitudinal axis along which one of the support members is insertable, the longitudinal axes of the sockets being oriented at an angle with respect to each other.

11. The kit of claim 10 wherein the fourth connector comprises:

a pair of socket portions, each socket portion having one of the sockets formed thereon, each of the socket portions having an inboard end and an outboard end, each socket having an opening located on the outboard end of the respective socket portion; and

a pair of links linking the inboard ends of the socket portions.

12. The kit of claim 1 wherein each of the socket portions has a plurality of socket-defining walls, each of the socket-defining walls having a contoured edge defining a portion of the socket in the socket portion, a first quantity of the plurality of socket-defining walls being positioned at a first lateral side of the socket and a second quantity of the plurality of socket-defining walls being positioned at a second lateral side of the socket, the socket-defining walls of the first quantity of socket-defining walls being longitudinally offset from the socket-defining walls of the second quantity of socket-defining walls such that the walls of the first and second quantities alternate in a longitudinal direction of the socket.

13. The kit of claim 1, each of the sockets of the first connector having a longitudinal axis along which one of the support members is insertable, wherein the longitudinal axes of the sockets of the first connector are oriented at an angle between approximately 30 degrees and 120 degrees with respect to each other.

14. The kit of claim 1 wherein the central portion of the first connector includes a link section and a saddle section, the saddle section having a reduced width with respect to the link section, the link section of the central portion of the first link connector extending between the inboard ends of the socket portions of the first link connector;

and wherein the central portion of the second connector includes a saddle section, the saddle section having a notch for receiving a portion of the saddle section of the central portion of the first connector, the central portion including a link section, the saddle section having a reduced width with respect to the link section, the link section of the central portion of the second link connector extending between the outboard ends of the socket portions of the second link connector.

15. The kit of claim 3 additionally comprising a securing assembly for securing the support members to the connectors, the securing assembly including a first component mounted on each of the connectors and a second component mounted on each end of the base portion of the support member, the first component comprising a first securing arm mounted on each of the connectors adjacent to the sockets of the connector, the first securing arm extending generally in the longitudinal direction of the socket adjacent to the first securing arm, the first securing arm having a first securing barb, the second component comprising a second securing arm mounted on each of the ends of the support member, each of the second securing arms extending in an opposite longitudinal direction of the support member, the second securing member having a second securing barb, the first securing barbs being mounted on the connectors and the second securing barbs being mounted on the support members in a manner such that the first securing barb engages the second securing barb when the support member is inserted in the socket of the connector and resists removal of the support member from the socket from the connector.

16. A connector for connecting a pair of support members, comprising:

a connector member having a pair of sockets each formed thereon for receiving an end of the support member, each of the sockets having a longitudinal axis along which one of the support members is insertable, the connector member including;

a central portion; and

a pair of socket portions, each socket portion having one of the sockets formed thereon, each of the socket portions having an inboard end and an outboard end, the inboard end of each of the socket portions being mounted on the central saddle portion, each socket having an opening located on the outboard end of the respective socket portion;

wherein each of the socket portions has a plurality of socket-defining walls, each of the socket-defining walls having a contoured edge defining a portion of the socket in the socket portion, a first quantity of the plurality of socket-defining walls being positioned at a first lateral side of the socket and a second quantity of the plurality of socket-defining walls being positioned at a second lateral side of the socket, the socket-defining walls of the first quantity of socket-defining walls being longitudinally offset from the socket-defining walls of the second quantity of socket-defining walls such that the walls of the first and second quantities alternate in a longitudinal direction of the socket.

17. The connector of claim 16 wherein the contoured edge of each of the socket-defining walls is generally T-shaped for abutting on side of a support member having a cross-shaped transverse cross section.

18. The connector of claim 16 wherein each quantity of socket-defining walls comprises at least two socket-defining walls.

19. The connector of claim 16 wherein each of the sockets has a longitudinal axis along which one of the support members is insertable, the longitudinal axes of the sockets being oriented at an angle therebetween measuring between approximately 5 degrees and 180 degrees.

20. The connector of claim 16 additionally comprising a securing assembly for securing the connector to a support member having a second component of the securing assembly including a second securing arm with a second barb formed thereon, the securing assembly including a first component mounted on the connector, the first component comprising a first securing arm mounted on the connector adjacent to the socket of the connector, the first securing arm extending generally in a longitudinal direction of the socket, the first securing arm having a first securing barb, wherein the first securing barb is mounted on the first securing arm in a manner such that the first securing barb engages the second securing barb of a support member when the support member is inserted in the socket of the connector and resists removal of the support member from the socket from the connector.

21. A support for supporting a string of lights, comprising:

an elongate base portion having opposite ends; and

a plurality of mounting structures mounted on the base portion, each of the mounting structures comprising a pair of mounting members forming a string-receiving channel therebetween, each of the mounting members having an inner section and an outer section, the outer section being mounted on the inner section, the inner sections of the pair of mounting members being in a spaced and substantially parallel relationship, the outer sections of the pair of mounting members diverging away from each other for guiding a portion of the string of lights into the string-receiving channel.

22. The support of claim 21 wherein a retaining heel is mounted on each of the mounting members at a juncture of the inner and outer sections, the retaining heels of the mounting members of the pair of mounting members being opposed to each other for resisting movement of a portion of a string of lights from the string-receiving channel.

23. The kit of claim 21 wherein the base portion of the support members has a cross-shaped transverse cross section with four lobes, the mounting members extending from one of the lobes.

24. A kit for forming a support for strings of lights, comprising:

a first connector for connecting a pair of support members, a pair of sockets being formed on the first connector for each receiving an end of one of the support members, each of the sockets having a longitudinal axis along which one of the support members is insertable, the longitudinal axes of the sockets being oriented at an angle with respect to each other, the first connector comprising;

a central portion including a link section and a saddle section, the saddle section having a reduced width with respect to the link section, the link section of the central portion of the first link connector extending between the inboard ends of the socket portions of the first link connector;

a pair of socket portions, each socket portion having one of the sockets formed thereon, each of the socket portions having an inboard end and an outboard end, the inboard end of each of the socket portions being mounted on the central saddle portion, each socket having an opening located on the outboard end of the respective socket portion, wherein the inboard end of each of the socket portions has a pair of first saddle faces, each of the first saddle faces of the pair lying in a plane oriented at an angle with respect to each other, an intermediate face being positioned between the pair of first saddle faces;

a hook portion for hooking a portion of a light string thereon, the hook portion being mounted on the central portion, the hook portion having a pair of opposed hook segments, each of the hook segments having a lateral portion extending from the link section of the central portion and a opposed portion, the lateral portion of the hook segments being oriented substantially parallel to each other, the opposed portions of the hook segments being oriented substantially coaxially in an opposed relationship to each other;

a second connector for connecting a pair of support members, a pair of sockets being formed on the second connector for each receiving an end of one of the support members, each of the sockets having a longitudinal axis along which one of the support members is insertable, the longitudinal axes of the sockets being oriented at an angle with respect to each other, the second connector comprising;

a central portion including a saddle section, the saddle section having a notch for receiving a portion of the saddle section of the central portion of the first connector, the central portion including a link section, the saddle section having a reduced width with respect to the link section, the link section of the central portion of the second link connector extending between the outboard ends of the socket portions of the second link connector; and

a pair of socket portions, each socket portion having one of the sockets formed thereon, each of the socket portions having an inboard end and an outboard end, the inboard end of each of the socket portions being mounted on the central saddle portion, each socket having an opening located on the outboard end of the respective socket portion, wherein the inboard end of each of the socket portions has a pair of second saddle faces, each of the second saddle faces of the pair lying in a plane oriented at an angle with respect to each other, an intermediate face being positioned between the pair of second saddle faces;

wherein the first connector is removably mountable on the second connector by slidably engaging the first saddle faces of the first connector with the second saddle faces of the second connector for positioning support members mounted on the first connector in a plane oriented perpendicular to a plane defined by support members mounted on the second connector;

a third connector for connecting a support member thereto, a socket being formed on the third connector for each receiving an end of one of the support members, the socket having a longitudinal axis along which one of the support members is insertable, the third connector comprising;

a socket portion having a socket formed thereon, the socket portion having an inboard end and an outboard end, the socket having an opening located on the outboard end of the socket portion;

a hook portion for hooking a portion of a light string thereon, the hook portion being mounted on the central portion, the hook portion having a pair of opposed hook segments, each of the hook segments having a lateral portion extending from the link section of the central portion and a opposed portion, the lateral portion of the hook segments being oriented substantially parallel to each other, the opposed portions of the hook segments being oriented substantially coaxially in an opposed relationship to each other, wherein the third connector includes a pair of the hook portions; and

a loop portion being mounted adjacent to the inboard end of the socket portion, the loop portion being mounted at an apex of socket portions;

a fourth connector for connecting a pair of support members, a pair of sockets being formed on the fourth connector for each receiving an end of one of the support members, each of the sockets having a longitudinal axis along which one of the support members is insertable, the longitudinal axes of the sockets being oriented at an angle with respect to each other, the fourth connector comprising;

a pair of socket portions, each socket portion having one of the sockets formed thereon, each of the sockets having an inboard end and an outboard end, each socket having an opening located on the outboard end of the respective socket portion; and

a pair of links linking the inboard ends of the socket portions;

a support member for supporting a length of a string of lights, the support member comprising;

an elongate base portion having opposite ends, the base portion having a cross-shaped transverse cross section;

a plurality of mounting structures mounted on the base portion, each of the mounting structures comprising a pair of mounting members forming a string-receiving channel therebetween, each of the mounting members having an inner section and an outer section, the outer section being mounted on the inner section, the inner sections of the pair of mounting members being in a spaced and substantially parallel relationship, the outer sections of the pair of mounting members diverging away from each other;

a retaining heel being mounted on each of the mounting members at a juncture of the inner and outer sections, the retaining heels of the mounting members of the pair of mounting members being opposed to each other for resisting movement of a portion of a string of lights from the string-receiving channel;

wherein all of the plurality of mounting structures extend in a same direction from the base portion;

wherein all of the plurality of mounting structures lie in a plane;

wherein the mounting structures are substantially uniformly spaced along a length of the support member; and

wherein the base portion having a cross-shaped transverse cross section with four lobes, the mounting members extending from one of the lobes; and

a securing assembly for securing the support member to the connectors, the securing assembly including a first component mounted on each of the connectors and a second component mounted on the support member, the first component comprising a first securing arm mounted on the connector adjacent to the socket of the connector, the first securing arm extending generally in the longitudinal direction of the socket, the first securing arm having a first securing barb, the second component comprising a second securing arm mounted on an end of the support member, the second securing arm extending in a longitudinal direction of the support member, the second securing member having a second securing barb, the first securing barb being mounted on the connector and the second securing barb being mounted on the support member in a manner such that the first securing barb engages the second securing barb when the support member is inserted in the socket of the connector and resists removal of the support member from the socket from the connector;

wherein each of the socket portions has a plurality of socket-defining walls, each of the socket-defining walls having a contoured edge defining a portion of the socket in the socket portion, a first quantity of the plurality of socket-defining walls being positioned at a first lateral side of the socket and a second quantity of the plurality of socket-defining walls being positioned at a second lateral side of the socket, the socket-defining walls of the first quantity of socket-defining walls being longitudinally offset from the socket-defining walls of the second quantity of socket-defining walls such that the walls of the first and second quantities alternate in a longitudinal direction of the socket.