Visible perception of brightness in miniature bulbs for an ornamental lighting circuit

• US 7,851,981 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seasonal Specialties LLC (Seasonal Specialties)
• Original Assignee: Seasonal Specialties LLC (Seasonal Specialties)
• Inventors: Altamura, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, THUY V
• Application Number:
  US11/962,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20080211415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 313/9, 313/315, 313/317, 313/318.01, 313/318.06, 313/318.12, 445/20, 445/27, 445/48, 445/69
• US Class Current: 313/9
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 9/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture , installation, removal, maintenance of electric discharge tubes, discharge lamps, or parts thereof; Recovery of material from discharge tubes or lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H01K 3/00 Apparatus or processes adapted to the manufacture, installing, removal, or maintenance of incandescent lamps or parts thereof manufacture of vessels from glass C03B
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/041 the light-intensity of the source H05B39/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/23 of two or more light sources connected in series

Abstract

Ornamental light strings are commonly made of a plurality of miniature light bulbs connected together, often in series, to make a light string. This invention is directed to optimizing the perceived brightness while reducing heat in each bulb. This is a particular problem where resistor bypass circuits are used where a bypass resistor being connected in parallel with at least one of the respective light sources, each respective light source being low wattage and being capable operating on a one hundred percent duty cycle as desired. Improvements are accomplished by changes in placement of the filament, its windings and materials.

Claims

1. An improved perceived brightness and lower temperature miniature incandescent light bulb for using in an ornamental light set having a plurality of relatively low wattage bulbs wired together into a string, said bulbs configured for maximum visible illumination, comprising:

a. a base,

b. a least a pair of electrical contacts in said base

c. a pair of lead connected to said contacts,

d. an elongated airtight envelope having a generally transparent domed canopy top, secured to said base, said envelope having a top distal end and a bottom end proximal to said base,

e. a non conductive junction having said leads passing therethrough;

f. wound illumination filament connected to said leads inside said envelope;

the improvement comprising;

using longer leads from the non-conductive junction to the filament thereby locating said filament inside said envelope proximate said canopy top thereof, winding the filament more tightly than industry standards, so that heat generated is more distance from the base and more light is disbursed away from the base.

2. The bulb of claim 1 wherein said filament is made of a purer tungsten material than industry standard filaments.

3. The bulb of claim 1 wherein said filament is closer to the distal end than the proximal end of the envelope.

4. The bulb of claim 1 wherein said filament is closer to the distal end of the envelope than the non conductive junction.

5. A method of improving perceived brightness of the construction of a miniature incandescent bulb having a

a. a base;

b. a least a pair of electrical contacts in said base

c. a pair of lead connected to said contacts,

d. an airtight envelope secured to said base, said envelope having a generally transparent domed canopy top at its distal end and a bottom end proximal to said base.

e. a non conductive junction having said leads passing therethrough;

f. an illumination filament connected to said leads inside said envelope;

the improvement comprising the steps of

1. extending the leads from the base to a point adjacent the distal end of the envelope

2. locating the filament adjacent the distal end of the envelope to increase its perceived transmitted illumination and reduce heat in the base, and

3. winding the filament more tightly than industry standards.

6. The method of claim 5 further including the step of thinning said filament materials and then tightly winding said filament.

7. The method of claim 5 further including the step of increasing the number of windings over a standard bulb of same wattage.