Decorative illuminated article adapted for use with a lighting string

• US 7,118,249 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2004
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fu-Hsien Hsu, John F. Cavanagh
• Original Assignee: Fu-Hsien Hsu, John F. Cavanagh
• Inventors: Cavanagh, John F., Hsu, Fu-Hsien
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ton, Anabel
• Application Number:
  US10/761,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20050157497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 362/249, 362/391, 362/806, 362/386, 362/653, 362/654, 362/207, 315/185
• US Class Current: 362/249.06
• 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 2121/04 for Christmas trees
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/20 of different form
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/806 Ornamental or decorative

Abstract

A decorative illuminated article adapted for use with a lighting string includes a wiring assembly including a length of wire having a first end and a second end, the first end connected to a male insert, the second end connected to a lighting assembly, a hollow enclosure including a decorative element contained therein and a neck adapted to receive the lighting assembly, and a clip attached to the wire for receiving a light bulb from the lighting string.

Claims

1. A decorative illuminated article for use in connecting to a pre-existing socket of a lighting string comprising a plurality of sockets that hold decorative light bulbs, comprising:

a wiring assembly including a length of wire having a first end and a second end, the first end connected to a male insert configured for insertion into one of the pre-existing sockets of the lighting string, the second end connected to a lighting assembly;

a lighting assembly including a light far illuminating a decorative element and configured for association with an enclosure for the decorative element;

a hollow enclosure including the decorative element contained therein and a neck adapted to receive the lighting assembly; and

a clip attached to the wire for receiving a light bulb removed from the one of the pre-existing sockets of the lighting string.

2. The article of claim 1, the clip comprising at least two substantially parallel segments connected at one end and having a circular void therebetween.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein the clip is removably attached to the wire.

4. The article of claim 1, wherein the lighting assembly comprises a plurality of LEDs and a base for supporting the plurality of LEDs.

5. The article of claim 1, the clip comprising a first segment and a second segment, the first segment and the second segment joined at one end, and a first void and a second void formed between the first segment and the second segment.

6. The article of claim 2, the void dimensioned to receive a light bulb.

7. The article of claim 2, wherein the segments are sufficiently flexible to be partially and temporarily separated to receive a light bulb within the void.

8. The article of claim 5, wherein the first void is dimensioned to receive a wire, and the second void is dimensioned to receive a light bulb.

9. A decorative illuminated article for use in connecting to a pre-existing socket of a lighting string comprising a plurality of sockets that hold decorative light bulbs, comprising:

a wiring assembly including a length of wire having a first end and a second end, the first end connected to a male insert configured for insertion into one of the pre-existing sockets of the lighting string, the second end connected to a lighting assembly;

a hollow enclosure including a decorative element contained therein and a neck having an opening sized to receive the lighting assembly in a position to illuminate the decorative element;

a threaded gasket positioned around the neck; and

a collar having a hole through which the wire is inserted, the collar slidably positioned between the first end and the second end, the collar having an interior surface adapted to receive the neck.

10. The article of claim 9, wherein the interior surface of the collar is adapted to threadably receive the neck.

11. The article of claim 9, the collar further having an exterior surface including decorative ribbing or knurls.

12. The article of claim 9, the collar comprising an arcuate metal hanger.

13. The article of claim 9, wherein the lighting assembly comprises a plurality of LEDs and a base for supporting the plurality of LEDs.

14. The article of claim 10, further comprising a clip removably attached to the wire, the clip including at least one circular void dimensioned to receive a light bulb from the lighting string.

15. A decorative illuminated article for use in connecting to a pre-existing socket of a lighting string comprising a plurality of sockets that hold decorative light bulbs, comprising:

a wiring assembly including a length of wire having a first end and a second end, the first end connected to a male insert configured for insertion into one of the pre-existing sockets of the lighting suing and the second end connected to a lighting assembly, the male insert comprising a base and a husk, the husk including a pair of resilient tabs having a fixed end flexibly attached to and extending angularly from opposed sides of the husk in a coaxially aligned spaced apart relation, wherein each tab is adapted to deflect in a direction toward the opposed tab upon application of a biasing force and protrude in a direction away from the opposed tab upon removal of the biasing force; and

a hollow enclosure including a decorative element contained therein and a neck having an opening sized to receive the lighting assembly in a position to illuminate the decorative element.

16. The article of claim 15, wherein the lighting assembly comprises a plurality of LEDs and a base for supporting the plurality of LEDs.

17. A decorative illuminated article adapted for use wit a lighting string comprising:

a wiring assembly including a length of wire having a first end connected to a male insert and a second end connected to a lighting assembly, the lighting assembly comprising a plurality of LEDs and a base for supporting the plurality of LEDs;

a hollow enclosure including a decorative element contained therein and a neck having an opening for receiving the lighting assembly,

a threaded gasket fittedly positioned around the neck;

a collar having a hole through which the wire is inserted, the collar slidably positioned between the first end and the second end, the collar having an interior surface adapted to threadably receive the neck; and

a clip removably attached to the wire, the clip including a circular void dimensioned to receive a light bulb from a lighting string.

18. The article of claim 17, wherein the male insert comprises a base and a removable husk.

19. The article of claim 17, wherein the male insert is sized to be inserted into a socket of a lighting string.

20. The article of claim 17, wherein the plurality of LEDs comprises a red LED, a blue LED, and a green LED.

21. The article of claim 17, wherein the plurality of LEDs are capable of being illuminated sequentially.

22. The article of claim 17, wherein the base comprises a circuit board.

23. The article of claim 17, the clip further including a void dimensioned to receive the wire from the lighting assembly.

24. The article of claim 17, wherein the male insert comprises a base and a husk, the husk including a pair of resilient tabs having a fixed end flexibly attached to and extending angularly from opposed sides of the husk in a coaxially aligned spaced apart relation, wherein each tab is adapted to deflect in a direction toward the opposed tab upon application of a biasing force and protrude in a direction away from the opposed tab upon removal of the biasing force.

25. The article of claim 17, wherein the plurality of LEDs of the lighting assembly illuminates the decorative element within the enclosure.

26. A decorative illuminated article adapted for use with a lighting string comprising:

a wiring assembly including a length of wire having a first end and a second end, the first end connected to a male insert, the second end connected to a lighting assembly;

a hollow enclosure including a decorative element contained therein and a neck adapted to receive the lighting assembly; and

a clip attached to the wire for receiving a light bulb from the lighting string, the clip comprising a first segment and a second segment, the first segment and the second segment joined at one end, and a first void and a second void formed between the first segment and the second segment, the first void being dimensioned to receive a wire, and the second void being dimensioned to receive a light bulb.

27. The article of claim 26, wherein the lighting assembly is positioned to illuminate the decorative element in the hollow enclosure.

28. A decorative illuminated article adapted for use with a lighting string comprising:

a wiring assembly including a length of wire having a first end and a second end, the first end connected to a male insert, the second end connected to a lighting assembly;

a hollow enclosure including a decorative element contained therein and a neck adapted to receive the lighting assembly; and

a clip, removably attached to the wire, for receiving a light bulb from the lighting string, having a first segment and a second segment, the first segment and the second segment joined at one end; and

a first void and a second void formed between the first segment and the second segment, the first void is dimensioned to receive a wire, and the second void is dimensioned to receive a light bulb.

29. The article of claim 28, wherein the lighting assembly is positioned to illuminate the decorative element in the hollow enclosure.

30. A decorative illuminated article adapted for use with a lighting string comprising:

a wiring assembly including a length of wire having a first end and a second end, the first end connected to a male insert, the second end connected to a lighting assembly;

a hollow enclosure including a decorative element contained therein and a neck having an opening sized to receive the lighting assembly;

a collar having a hole through which the wire is inserted, the collar slidably positioned between the first end and the second end, the collar having an interior surface adapted to receive the neck and an exterior surface including decorative ribbing or knurls; and

a clip removably attached to the wire, the clip including at least one circular void dimensioned to receive a light bulb from the lighting string.

31. The article of claim 30, wherein the lighting assembly is positioned to illuminate the decorative element in the hollow enclosure.

32. A decorative illuminated article adapted for use with a lighting string comprising:

a wiring assembly including a length of wire having a first end and a second end, the first end connected to a male insert, the second end connected to a lighting assembly;

a hollow enclosure including a decorative element contained therein and a neck having an opening sized to receive the lighting assembly; and

a collar having a hole through which the wire is inserted, the collar slidably positioned between the first end and the second end, the collar having an interior surface adapted to receive the neck, the collar including an arcuate metal hanger; and

a clip removably attached to the wire, the clip including at least one circular void dimensioned to receive a light bulb from the lighting string.

33. The article of claim 32, wherein the lighting assembly is positioned to illuminate the decorative element in the hollow enclosure.

34. A decorative illuminated article for use in connection to a pre-existing socket of a lighting string comprising a plurality of sockets that hold light bulbs, comprising:

a wiring assembly including a length of wire having a first end and a second end, the first end connected to a male insert, the second end connected to a lighting assembly;

a hollow enclosure including a decorative element contained therein and a neck having an opening sized to receive the lighting assembly;

a collar having a hole through which the wire is inserted, the collar slidably positioned between the first end and the second end, the collar having an interior surface adapted to threadably receive the neck; and

a clip removably attached to the wire, the clip including at least one circular void dimensioned to receive a light bulb removed from the lighting string.

35. The article of claim 34, wherein the lighting assembly is positioned to illuminate the decorative element within the hollow enclosure.

36. A decorative illuminated article for use in connecting to a pre-existing socket of a lighting siring comprising a plurality of sockets that hold decorative light bulbs, comprising:

a wiring assembly including a length of wire having a first end and a second end, the first end connected to a male insert configured for insertion into one of the pre-existing sockets of the lighting string, the second end connected to a lighting assembly;

a hollow enclosure including a decorative element contained therein and a neck having an opening sized to receive the lighting assembly in a position to illuminate the decorative element;

a threaded gasket positioned around the neck;

a collar having a bole through which the wire is inserted, the collar slidably positioned between the first end and the second end, the collar having an interior surface adapted to receive the neck, wherein the interior surface of the collar is adapted to threadably receive the neck; and

a clip removably attached to the wire, the clip including at least one circular void dimensioned to receive a light bulb from the lighting string.