Chasing rope light

• US 6,527,412 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2001
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yu-Chow Ko
• Original Assignee: Yu-Chow Ko
• Inventors: Ko, Yu-Chow
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US09/917,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20020027780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 362/249, 362/252, 362/800, 362/219, 362/806, 315/185.R, 315/185.S
• US Class Current: 362/249.06
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/26 of rope form, e.g. LED lighting ropes, or of tubular form
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/806 Ornamental or decorative

Abstract

A chasing rope light includes a flexible core tube, three conductive wires longitudinally extended along the core tube, three or more illuminating units each having at least an illuminator and a diode electrically connected together in series and disposed in the core tube, wherein the illuminating units are electrically connected with the conductive wires in parallel such that when a current is applied to the conductive wires, the current is rectified by the diodes so as to alternately pass through the illuminating units for illuminating the illuminators thereof.

Claims

1. A chasing rope light, comprising:

an elongated core tube having an axial tubular cavity;

a first, a second and a third conductive wire longitudinally extended along an outer circumference of said core tube;

a connector provided at one end of said core tube for electrically connecting said conductive wires to a power source; and

a first and a second illuminating unit, each comprising a diode and at least an illuminator electrically connected together in series and disposed in said core tube for securely holding said illuminators in position, wherein both first ends of said first and second illuminating units are electrically connected to said first conductive wire in parallel and both second ends of said first and second illuminating units are electrically connected to said second conductive wire in parallel, wherein said diode of said first illuminating unit and said other diode of said second illuminating unit are arranged in opposite direction that when a current is applied to said first and second conductive wires, said first diode of said first illuminating unit enables said current flowing from said first conductive wire to said second conductive wire via said first illuminating unit, and said second diode of said second illuminating unit enables said current flowing from said second conductive wire to said first conductive wire via said second illuminating unit, thereby said diode of said first and second illuminating units allow opposite direction of said current flow into said illuminating units respectively; and

a third illuminating unit comprising at least an illuminator connected between said second conductive wire and said third conductive wire.

2. A chasing rope light, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a fourth illuminating unit connected between said second and third conductive wires, wherein said third illuminating unit further comprises a diode electrically connected with said illuminator of said third illuminating unit in series, and said fourth illuminating unit comprises a diode and at least an illuminator electrically connected together in series, wherein both first ends of said third and fourth illuminating units are electrically connected to said second conductive wire in parallel and both second ends of said third and fourth illuminating units are electrically connected to said third conductive wire in parallel, wherein said diode of said third illuminating unit and said diode of said fourth illuminating unit are arranged in opposite direction that when a current is applied to said third and fourth conductive wires, said first diode of said third illuminating unit enables said current flowing from said fourth conductive wire to said third conductive wire via said third illuminating unit, and said diode of said fourth illuminating unit enables said current flowing from said third conductive wire to said fourth conductive wire via said fourth illuminating unit.

3. A chasing rope light, as recited in claim 2, wherein said core tube is a hollow tube defining an axial tubular cavity to receive said first, second, third, and fourth illuminating units therein, and the first, second and third conductive wires are longitudinally extended along said outer circumference of said core tube.

4. A chasing rope light, as recited in claim 3, further comprising an outer casing seadedly encircling said outer circumference of said core tube so as to cover said core tube and said first, second and third conductive wires for protecting said chasing rope light.

5. A chasing rope light, as recited in claim 4, wherein said core tube is made of flexible material, and each of said illuminators is a LED.

6. A chasing rope light, as recited in claim 2, further comprising an outer casing seadedly encircling said outer circumference of said core tube so as to cover said core tube and said first, second and third conductive wires for protecting said chasing rope light.

7. A chasing rope light, as recited in claim 6, wherein said core tube is made of flexible material, and each of said illuminators is a LED.

8. A chasing rope light, as recited in claim 1, wherein said core tube is a hollow tube defining an axial tubular cavity to receive said first, second and third illuminating units therein, and the first, second and third conductive wires are longitudinally extended along said outer circumference of said core tube.

9. A chasing rope light, as recited in claim 8, further comprising an outer casing seadedly encircling said outer circumference of said core tube so as to cover said core tube and said first, second and third conductive wires for protecting said chasing rope light.

10. A chasing rope light, as recited in claim 9, wherein said core tube is made of flexible material, and each of said illuminators is a LED.

11. A chasing rope light, as recited in claim 1, further comprising an outer casing seadedly encircling said outer circumference of said core tube so as to cover said core tube and said first, second and third conductive wires for protecting said chasing rope light.

12. A chasing rope light, as recited in claim 11, wherein said core tube is made of flexible material, and each of said illuminators is a LED.