US3061715A

US3061715A - Electric lighting units

Info

Publication number: US3061715A
Application number: US859439A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas J Thomas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-12-14
Filing date: 1959-12-14
Publication date: 1962-10-30
Anticipated expiration: 1979-10-30

Description

1962 T. J. THOMAS 3,061,715

ELECTRIC LIGHTING UNITS Filed Dec. 14, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 :r g 9 8r RIO) (D ID I [11 INVENTOR H THOMAS J'. THOMAS F ATTORNE BY A Oct. 30, 1962 'r. J. THOMAS 3,061,715

ELECTRIC LIGHTING UNITS Filed Dec. 14, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR THOMAS J. THOMAS ATTORNEYS United tates @atent 3,061,715 ELECTRHI LIGHTING UNITS Thomas J. Thomas, Verona, NJ. (172 Rensselaer Road, Essex Fells, NJ.) Filed Dec. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 859,439 6 Claims. (61. 240lil) This invention relates to flexible chains of electric lights and other electric devices; more particularly it relates to electric devices which can be readily connected directly together by means of male and female connecting members forming laterally pivotable connections between such units to build up flexible chains of any desired length. Conductor in the individual units permit current to be passed through the string-like assembly to activate electric light-emitting means in each or to activate other electric components therein.

Strings of interconnected lights of the type provided by this invention have many uses especially in the fields or" advertising and decorating. The new assembled strings of lights may be made into whatever length desired simply by adding or subtracting units and they may be flexed into various configurations. The interconnected units may be used, for example, to decorate Christmas trees, illuminate advertising displays, spell out words or form outlines on signs and the like, and provide many other specific lighting effects. Moreover, the units may be formed of ditferent sizes and colors, either with or without light-emitting means, so that many variations may be achieved in the arrangement of the assembly. Also, the units are designed to be inexpensively manufactured and easily interconnected during assembly so as to appeal to a wide consuming public.

Broadly stated, the new electric lighting unit adapted to form one of an interconnected plurality of such units comprises a hollow body member of dielectric material which may be light-pervious. Separate male and female connecting members are located on the body member and a pair of separate electrical conductors extends within the hollow body member. One end of at least one of the conductors is bared on the male connecting member and one end of at least the other of the conductors is bared in the female connecting member. Electric light-emitting means wi hin the hollow body member may be operatively connected between the pair of conductors. The male and female connecting members are attachable to respective female and male connecting members on similar units with the bared end of the conductors in operative electrical contact with the respective bared ends of the conductors in the similar units.

In one embodiment, the electric light-emitting means comprises an electric light bulb operatively connected between the pair of conductors. In another embodiment, the electric light-emitting means comprises a coating of electroluminescent composition disposed over a substantial portion of the inside surface of the hollow body member in operative electrical contact with both of the conductors. The units may be connected in parallel by providing that adjacent ends of both conductors are bared on the male connecting member and the other adjacent ends of both the conductors are bared in the female connecting member. A series arrangement is made possible by having one end of only one of the conductors bared on the male connecting member and one end of the other of the conductors bared in the female connecting member.

The string-like assembly for the parallel circuit comprises, in combination, an interconnected plurality of the electric lighting units of theparallel type described. A pair of extended insulated wires are also included and means are located at one end of the wires for connecting them to a source of electric current. Socket means at the other end of the wires connect them to the respective ends of the conductors bared on the male connecting member at one end of the interconnected plurality of units. A terminal unit in the female connecting member at the opposite end of the interconnected plurality of units connects the ends of the conductors bared therein.

The assembly for the series circuit comprises, in combination, an interconnected plurality of electric lighting units of the series type described. A pair of extended insulated wires are provided which includes means at one end thereof to connect them to a source of electric current. Socket means at the other end of one of the wires connects it to the end of the conductor bared on the male connecting member at one end of the interconnected plurality of electric lighting units. A terminal unit at the opposite end of the other wire connects it to the end of the conductor bared in the female connecting member at the other end of the interconnected plurality of units.

Both the series and parallel assembly may include some units which do not contain electric light-emitting means. Also, the various units in the assembly may be of different sizes and shapes. The light-emitting means used in the units of either assembly may be an electric light bulb connected between the pair of conductors or a similarly connected coating of electroluminescent composition disposed over a substantial portion of the inside surface of the hollow body member.

The many advantages of this invention are made ap parent in the following description of preferred embodiments thereof. The description refers to the accompanying drawings, wherein FIGS. 1a and 1b are an elevation partly in section of an assembly of the new lighting units connected in parallel;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1a;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 33 of FIG. la;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the line 44 of FIG. la;

FIG. 5 is a section of an embodiment of the new lighting unit wherein the light-emitting means is a coating of electroluminescent composition disposed over the inside surface of the body member;

FIG. 6 is an elevation partly broken away of an assembly of the new lighting units connected in series; and

FIG. 7 is an elevation partly in section of an assembly which includes various sizes of the new units, only some of which contain light-emitting means.

In the assembly shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, an electric lighting unit 10 forms one of an interconnected plurality of such units along with units 11 and 12. Many more units may be included in the assembly, of course, as desired. The unit 10 includes a body member 13 which is of a dielectric light-pervious material such as glass or plastic. This material may be either transparent or translucent and may be tinted Whatever color desired.

The body member 13 is formed from two sections 15 and 16 which may be releasably attached by means of an annular mating snap-joint 17 concentrically disposed about their junction surfaces. The body 13 is shown in spherical form, though it may be of virtually any shape. Its snap-joint 17 is defined by a circumferential flange 18 which is decorative but not essential to the design. A cavity 19 is formed in the body member 13. Extending outwardly from the section 15 i a male connecting member 21 which defines one narrower end portion 22 of the cavity 19. Diametrically opposite the male connecting member 21 is a female connecting member 24 which extends outwardly from the section 16 and defines an end portion 25 of the cavity 19. The end portion 25 of the cavity 19 is longer than the narrower portion 22.

The male connecting member 21 includes a neck portion 27 which is of substantially rectangular lateral cross section (see FIG. 2.). Adjacent the outer end of the neck portion 27', on opposite narrower sides thereof, are a pair of electrical contact member 29 and 30. These contact members include, respectively,

head portions

31 and 32 bared on the outside of the neck portion 27 and shank portions 33 and 34 extending snugly through lateral holes in the neck portion into the narrower portion 22 of the cavity 19. The contact members form what may be described as an. elongated knob rounded at its opposite'ends and transversely arranged on the end of the neck portion 27.

Extending through the entire length of the cavity 19 are two separated

electrical conductors

36 and 37 formed from configured electrically conductive strips. The conductors may be cemented to the cavity surface.

the

conductors

36 and 37 are formed with holes 39, one of which is shown in FIG. 4. Short longitudinal slots 44 extend from diametrically opposed edges of each hole 39. The holes 39 are slightly smaller than the shank At .the outer end of the narrower portion 22 of the cavity,

portions 33 and 34 of the contact members 29 and 39 and the ends of the

conductors

36 and 37 are forced over and secured to the shank portions 33 and 34.

The slots 4e permit the holes 39 to expand slightly to provide a firm grip on the shank portions.

The opposite end portions of the

conductors

36 and 37 are formed with opposed

arcuate socket elements

42 and 43 which, when in operative position, have substantially the same center point. As shown .in FIG. 2, these

socket elements

42 and 43 lie in

longitudinal slots

45 and 46 respectively formed in the inside surface of the female connecting member 24-. The strip from which the

conductors

36 and 37 are formed is resilient so that the

socket elements

42 and 43 tend to spring inwardly. The outer- :most end portions 47 and 58 of the conductors 36 and '37 are flared outwardly, as shown in FIG. la.

As shown in FIG. 3, elongated slits 5d and 51 are formed in the

conductors

36 and 37 respectively adjacent the male connecting member 21. These slits are adapted to receive and hold contact pins 53 and 5:!- which extend from an electric bulb 55. The size of the bulb 55 is such and 6t similar to those on the ends of the

conductors

36 and 37.

Longitudinal slots

51 and 62 are also formed in the inside surface of the socket 58 to receive the socket elements 59 and 69. The wires 49 and 49 extend through a bore M in the end of the socket device 58 and the exposed ends 66 and 67 of the wires are electrically connected to the inner ends of the socket elements 59 and 60. By this construction, the socket device 58 is adapted to be snapped over the contact members 29 and 30 on the male connecting member 21 (at the end of the interconnected plurality of units) in non-rotatable pivotal electrical contact with the socket elements 59 and 69.

As shown in H6. 1b, a terminal unit 69 is provided at the opposite end of the interconnected plurality of units. The terminal unit includes a body member formed from two releasably interconnected

hollow sections

71 and 72 of the same material as the body members of FIG. la. The section 71 is identical to the section 15 of FIG. 1a and thus includes a male connecting member 73 which is adapted to fit into a female connecting member 74 on the last unit of the plurality of connected units. The other section 72 can be joined by a snap-joint '74 to the section 7?. to close the open end of the section 7 1. Within are

conductors

75 and 76 which are similar to the portions of the

conductors

36 and 37 in the section 15 of FIG. la. However, the

conductors

75 and 76 do not extend through into the adjoining section '72. A bulb 73 having pins 79 and St is mounted in slots in the conduc- 1 tors '75 and '76.

that it can fit between the

conductors

36 and 37. The

pins 53 and 54 of the bulb may be forced into place in the slits 5t) and 51 of the conductors when the sections 15 and 16 of the body member are separated.

The dimensions of the male connecting'member 21 and female connecting member 24 are 'such that a simi lar male connecting member 21' on the adjacent unit 11 may be forced between the flared ends 47 and 48 of the

conductors

36 and 37 and into the

socket elements

42 and 43. In that position (which is shown in FIGS- la and 2), head portions 3il'and 32 of the contact members on the male connecting member 21 are gripped between the

socket elements

42 and 43 in electrical contact therewith; Rotation of the male connecting member 21' relative to the female connecting member 24 about the longitudinal axis of the cavity 19 is prevented by'the side wall-s of the

slots

45 and 46 since the side walls serve as stop means limiting rotative movement of the

head portions

31 and 32. Considerable pivotal movement of the unit 11 laterally relative to the cavity axis of the unit 10 between the male connecting member 21 and the inside string of units can be flexed into various configurations .is permitted by this connec 'fion since thereris clearance though they are in non-rotatable attachment with one another about their respective cavity axes.

To conduct electric current through the interconnected units 1012, a pair of extended insulated wires 49 and 49' are provided which terminate at one end in a conventional plug 55. This plug 55 is'adapted to be fitted into into a wall's'ocket 57. At the opposite endof the wires .an ordinary transformer56 which, in turn, maybe plugged Referring now to FIG. 5, a modified unit 8ft is shown in which an electroluminescent material is used instead of an incandescent bulb. The unit 84 is made up of two attachable sections 31 and 82 of dielectric light-pervicus material. The former includes a male connecting member 83 and associated

contact members

84 and 85 exactly as in the previous embodiment. However, the section 82 includes a female connecting member 86 which is formed on its inside surface with two opposed sockets 87 and 83 adapted to receive the respective contact members on the adjoining unit in non-rotatable pivotal attachment therewith. The female connecting member 86 also has two diametrically opposed longitudinal slots 39 (one of which is visible in FIG. 5) extending inwardly from its outer end. Hence, the female connecting member 86 is of split construction so that it is adapted to snap over the contact members on the adjoining unit.

Within the male connecting member 83, two conductors 9i and 91 are mounted as, for example, by being cemented in place. Each of the conductors 9d and 91 is adapted to fit over the respective inner ends of the

contact members

84 and 85 as in the previous embodiment; At their opposite ends, however, the conductors 9t) and 91 terminate immediately inside the hollow unit and are formed with configured

spring pprtions

92 and 3 respectively which forcethemselves against the adjacent inside surface of the section 81.

There are three coatings applied about the greater part of the inside surface of both of the sections 81 and 82. The first coating immediately adjoining the sections 81 and 82 is a transparent conductive coating 94, such as a tin oxide solution. The coating-9e'underlies the spring portion 92 of the conductor 9%, extends to and covers the socket 37 formed in, the female connecting member 86, but does not underlie the spring portion 93 of the with either of the

spring portions

92 and 93 nor does it extend into the female connecting member 86. This electroluminescent material may be a transparent phosphor-plastic layer of the many types commercially available which are adapted to emit considerable light when activated by a sufficient potential difference.

The third coating is another conductive layer 96, such as a coating of aluminum-bearing material, which makes contact with the spring member 93 of the conductor 91 and extends into and covers the socket 38 in the female connecting member 36. This inner conductive layer 96 is also disposed over substantially the entire inside surface of the sections 31 and 82 but does not make contact with the other conductor 90 nor does it extend to or cover the other socket 87. Consequently, when current is passed through a string of units of the type shown in FIG. 5, a potential difierence is established between the inner and outer conductive layers 94' and 96 respectively thereby providing the necessary excitation for the electroluminescent material 95 disposed therebetween. Virtually the entire inside surface of the unit 30 is caused to emit light by these means.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6 in which the assembled lighting units are arranged in series with one another. Only two of

units

93 and 93 are shown in the drawing though as many as desired may be included. The unit 98 includes a body member formed from two releasably attached sections 99 and which define a cavity 101. A male connecting member 102 extends from the section 09. The male connecting member 102 is similar to that described in reference to FIG. 1a except that it includes only one contact member 103. Diametrically opposite the head of the contact member 103 is an integral rounded protuberance 104 which, with the contact member 103, defines an elongated knob on the end of the male connecting member 102.

Within the cavity 101, a pair of

conductors

105 and 106 are slotted to receive an electric bulb exactly as in the previous embodiment. However, only the conductor 105 extends completely through the unit 98 to connect at one end to the contact member 103. The other conductor 106 terminates as shown short of the outer end of the male connecting member 102.

Socket elements

107 and 108 are formed on the other end of the

conductors

105 and 106 within a female connecting member 109 extending from the section 100. Thus, the female connecting member 109 is adapted to receive a male connecting member 102' on the adjacent unit 98'.

To provide the series circuit, the

units

98 and 98 should be attached with the contact member 103' on the male connecting member 102' engaging the socket element 108. In this manner, current may be carried from the conductor 105 through the bulb shown, and thence to the conductor 106'.

A pair of extended insulated wires 110 and 111 are provided in this assembly of units. Plug means 112 are included at one end of these wires for insertion into a wall socket 113. The insulated wire 110 terminates in a socket device 114 in which are located

socket elements

115 and 116 as described in reference to FIG. la. A bared end portion 117 of the wire 110 is electrically connected to the socket element 115 so that, when the male connecting member 102 on the unit 98 is fitted into the socket 114, current may pass to the contact member 103. At the outermost end of the assembled string of units, a male terminal unit 118 is attached to the end of the insulated wire 111. A bared end portion 119 of the wire 111 extends into the terminal unit 118 and electrically contacts the shank of a contact member 120. Diametrically opposite the head of the contact member 120 is a protuberance 121 which, together with the contact member 120, forms an elongated knob which is dimensioned to fit within the female connecting member in the last unit 98' of the string. The head of the contact member 120 should engage the conductor 101' in the unit 98' so that current 6 can flow from the conductor 106 to the insulated wire 111. The series circuit is thus completed in this manner.

A11 electroluminescent composition may also be employed as the light-emitting means in the units of the embodiment of FIG. 6, if desired. If such is the case, the bulbs are removed and the coatings are applied as described in reference to FIG. 5.

Referring now to FIG. 7, another assembled string of the new units is shown in which two

larger units

122 and 123 are interspaced by smaller units 124. A unique lighting effect may be achieved by locating bulbs 125 only in the

larger units

122 and 123. The smaller units 12 1 would then differ in construction from the larger units only in that they would include

conductors

126 and 127 which are not adapted to receive light-emitting means. Otherwise, the circuitry of the assembly may be either in parallel (as shown) or in series in accordance with the embodiments previously discussed. Further variations in the lighting effects of the assembly of FIG. 7 may be provided by forming the various units, both large and small, of different colors of tinted translucent material or of different shapes.

I claim:

1. An electric lighting unit adapted to form one of an interconnected plurality of such units comprising a body member of light-pervious dielectric material having a cavity formed therein which extends completely therethrough, a selectively releasable male connecting member extending outwardly from said body member and defining one end portion of said cavity, said male connecting member comprising a neck portion and an elongated knob rounded at its opposite ends and transversely arranged on the end of the neck portion, a selectively releasable female connecting member extending outwardly fro-m said body member and defining the other end portion of said cavity, said female connecting member comprising a sleeve and opposed resilient socket elements in the sleeve adapted to snap around the ends of a knob similar to that on said male connecting member, a pair of separate electrical conductors extending within said cavity, one end of at least one of said conductors being bared on one rounded end of the knob on said male connecting member and one end of at least the other of said conductors being bared on one socket element in said female connecting member, electric light-emitting means within said cavity operatively connected between said pair of conductors, said male and female connecting members being releasably attachable to respective female and male connecting members on similar units in pivotal attachment therewith with the bared ends of said conductors in operative electrical contact with respective bared ends of the conductors in the similar units.

2. An electric lighting unit adapted to form one of an interconnected plurality of such units comprising a body member formed from two cojoined sections, releasable attachment means for joining said sections together, said body member being of translucent dielectric material and having a cavity formed therein which extends completely therethrough, a selectively releasable male connecting member extending outwardly from one section of said body member and defining one end portion of said cavity, said male connecting member comprising a neck portion integral with said body member and an elongated knob rounded at its opposite ends and transversely arranged on the end of the neck portion, an electrical contact extending through said neck portion into said cavity and forming at least one of the rounded ends of said knob, a selectively releasable female connecting member extending outwardly from the other section of said body member diametrically opposite said male connecting member and defining the other end portion of said cavity, said female connecting member comprising a sleeve portion integral with said body member and opposed resilient socket elements in the sleeve portion adapted to snap around the ends of a knob similar to that on said male connecting member,

necting member and one end of at least the other of said conductors forming one socket element in said female connecting member, electric light-emitting means within said cayity operatively connected between said pair of conductors, said male and female connecting members being releasably attachable to respective female and male connecting members on similar units in pivotal attachment therewith with said conductors in operative electrical contact with respective conductors in the similar units.

3. An electric lighting unit adapted to form one of an interconnected plurality of such units comprising a body member formed from two cojoined sections, releasable attachment means for joining said sections together, said body member being of translucent dielectric material and having a cavity formed therein which extends completely therethrough, a selectively releasable male connecting member extending outwardly from one section of said body member and defining one end portion of said cavity, said male connecting member comprising aneck portion integral with said body member and an elongated knob rounded at its opposite ends and transversely arranged on the end of the neck portion, a pair of electrical contacts extending through said neck portion into said cavity and forming the rounded ends of said knob, a selectively releasable female connecting member extending outwardly from the other section of said body member diametrically opposite said male connecting member and defining the other end portion of said cavity,

said female connecting member comprising a sleeve portion integral with said body member and a pair of opposed resilient socket elements in the sleeve portion adapted to snap around the ends of a knob similar to that on said male connecting member, stop means in said female connecting member for preventing axial rotation of the knob held therein, a pair of separate electrical conductors extending through said cavity, one end of said conductors'being electrically connected to the respective contact members on said male connecting memher and the other end of said conductors forming the respective socket elements' in said female connecting member, electric light-emitting means within said cavity operatively connected between said pair of conductors, said male and female connecting members being releasably attachable to respective female and male connecting members on similar units in non-rotatable pivotal attachment therewith with said conductors in operative electrical contact with respective conductors in the similar units.

4. In combination, an interconnected plurality of electric lighting units according to claim 3,"a pair of extended insulated wires, means at one end of said wires for connecting themto a source of electric currenLsocket means at the other end of said Wires connecting them to the'respective contacts on the male connecting member at one end of said interconnected plurality of electric lighting units, and a terminal unit electrically connecting the socket elements in the female connecting member at the opposite end of said interconnected plurality of elec tric lighting units, said terminal member including a hollow body member of translucent dielectric material and light-emitting means within said hollow body member operatively connected to the socket elements in the adjacent. female connecting member.

5. An electric lighting unit'adapted to form one of an interconnected plurality of such units comprising a substantially spherical body member formed from two cojoined sections, releasable attachment means for joining said sections together, said body member being of translucent dielectric material and having a cavity formed therein which extends completely therethrough, a selectively releasable male connecting member'extending outwardly from one section of said body member and defining one end portion of said cavity, said male connecting member comprising a neck portion integral with said body member and an elongated knob rounded at its opposite ends and transversely arranged on the end of the neck portion, an electrical contact extending through said neck portion into said cavity and forming one of the rounded ends of said knob, a selectively releasable female connecting member extending outwardly from the other section of said body member diametrically opposite said male connecting member and defining the other end portion of said cavity, said female connecting member comprising a sleeve portion integral with said body member and opposed resilient socket elements in the sleeve portion adapted to snap around the ends of a knob similar to that on said male connecting member, stop means in said female connecting member for preventing axial rotation of the knob held therein, a pair of separate electrical conductors extending within said cavity, one of said conductors being electrically connected to the contact member on said male connecting member and one end of the other of said conductors forming one socket ele- V ment in said female connecting member, electric lightemitting means within said cavity operatively connected between said pair of conductors, said male and female 7 connecting members being releasably attachable to respective female and male connecting members on similar units in non-rotatable pivotal attachment therewith with said conductors in operative electrical contact with respective conductors in the similar units.

6. In combination, an interconnected plurality of electric lighting units according to claim 5, a pair of extended insulated wires, means at one end of said wires for connecting them to a source of electric current, socket means at the other end of one of said wires connecting it to the end of said conductor bared on the male connecting member at one end of said interconnected plurality of electric lighting units, and a terminal unit at the other end of the other of said wires connecting it to the end of said conductor bared in the female connecting member at the opposite end of said interconnected plurality of electric lighting units.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS