Remote controlled hideaway holiday and party lighting

• US 8,136,962 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2008
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ivy Antrinette Marlonia
• Original Assignee: Ivy Antrinette Marlonia
• Inventors: Marlonia, Ivy Antrinette
• Primary Examiner(s): CROWE, DAVID R
• Application Number:
  US11/618,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20100110668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 362/249.07, 362/249.16, 362/145, 362/152, 362/285, 362/286, 362/289, 362/372, 362/233, 362/576, 362/403, 52/28
• US Class Current: 362/249.07
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/15 specially adapted for power operation, e.g. by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0435 activated by remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/004 mounted on the exterior of houses or other buildings to illuminate parts thereof

Abstract

Improvements in remote control hideaway holiday/party lights/messages lights with a casing that is permanently fixed to a home or business is disclosed. The lights are on a string and roll up or down below over eve, fascia or rain gutters. After the holiday or event simply pressing a remote control will retract the lighting into a concealed enclosure till the next party or holiday season comes around. The remote has a distinctive key code, which makes the lights operate for each owner. The concealed enclosure consist of door(s), depends on the number of lighting styles, power supply, drive motor, a string light(s) on a spool inside and controls. The lights come in many colors and types and may include shapes. Each enclosure can be self-contained with a solar charger, light sensor, or timer, and a battery that allows each unit to operate autonomously.

Claims

1. A remote control string lighting apparatus comprising:

an enclosure;

a plurality of strands of stringed lights that are wound on a tube;

a motor connected to said tube for rotating said tube;

a remote control transmitter; and

a remote control receiver, said receiver comprising a motor controller and a lighting controller to operate said motor and said stringed lights respectively;

wherein said enclosure further comprises an operable door that opens to allow said stringed lights to hang through an opening formed in said enclosure, and said door closes when said stringed lights are sufficiently wound on said tube.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said remote control receiver controls moveable parts that are controlled by said remote control transmitter, a solar sensor or a timer, to control the opening and closing of the door.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said stringed lights have light colors selected from the group consisting of yellow, white, green, blue, red, and orange.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said stringed lights have light styles selected from the group consisting of string drape, mini lights, florescent, light emitting diodes, flashing, blinking, fiber-optic, incandescent and pearls.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said stringed lights have light sizes of between ⅛

inch in diameter and 3 inches in diameter.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said stringed lights have light sequencing selected from the group consisting of on, flashing, blinkers, wave effect, dim to bright, color flashing, patterns and symbols or design lighting holiday messages.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus is installable underneath over hangs, fascia, joists, borders or rain gutters.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus rolls said plurality of strands of lights up and down thereby allowing said at least one set of stringed light to hang below said enclosure from between 6 to 12 inches during the holiday season or party event.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said tube is constructed with a plurality of portions of different diameters to create varying hang lengths for the plurality of strands of stringed lights.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of strands of stringed lights are attached, affixed, connected, or corrugated to said tube using grooves or guides to allow smooth seating of each stringed light strand with a separator between each strand of stringed lights to prevent tangling of said of stringed lights, thereby allowing easy access to change or repair the lighting string or tubing.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each strand of stringed lights is pinned or bolted to said tube.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 that further includes a power supply for illumination and powering moving parts controlled by said remote control.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said power supply operates either by AC power or DC battery power to decode instructions from said remote control, operate said door, turn said tube and operate said stringed lights.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 that further includes a sensor to suspend operation when weather makes operation unsafe.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said tube is constructed in expandable pieces that are user configurable to accommodate house or building construction geometry.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said enclosure is configured to mount between roof studs behind a soffit or fascia.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1 further including more than one tube and set of stringed lights strands to provide multiple layers of lighting.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said remote control transmitter allows operation of said door, said motor and said stringed lights independently.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said stringed lights are formed in a matrix to create scenes, images or phrases of the holiday season.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said remote control allows for selection or entry of said scenes, images or phrases of the holiday season.