US3731081A

US3731081A - Electrically illuminated ornamental display

Info

Publication number: US3731081A
Application number: US00223481A
Authority: US
Inventors: B Yellin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-02-04
Filing date: 1972-02-04
Publication date: 1973-05-01
Anticipated expiration: 1990-05-01

Abstract

An electrically illuminated ornamental display comprising a body member of any shape provided with a plurality of spaced body socket openings which are adapted to receive and support a decorative lighting string of lights, which string of lights comprises a plurality of electrical sockets each with a bulb therein, with the electrical sockets connected by electrical conductors to form a string of lights, said body member adapted to receive said string of lights by inserting the electrical sockets from the rear of the body member into said body sockets, with the body member hiding the electrical conductors. The body member and the body sockets are integrally molded of a plastic material.

Description

nited States Patent 1191 1' l lli Yellin May I, 1973 [5 1 ELECTRICALLY ILLUMINATED 3,233,207 2/1966 Ahroni et al. ..240/10 T x ORNAMENTAL DISPLAY 3,011,743 12/1961 Heath ..248/27 [76] lnvemor' gi gi g i g 5 5 233 Kolmar Primary Examiner-Joseph F. Peters, Jr.

Attorney-Max R. Kraus [22] Filed: Feb. 4, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 223,481 [57] ABSTRACT An electrically illuminated ornamental display com- 52 us. c1. ..240/10 R, 161/12 Prism? member Of any shape Pmhded with a 51 Int. Cl. ..A47g 33/00 Plural Spaced hOdY 50cm which [58] Field of Search ..240/10 R, 10 F, 10 P, adapted receive and SUPPO" decmmh'e lighting 240/10 T, 10 S, 161/8, 12, 15, 18, 19, string of lights, which string of lights comprises a plu- 20 21 22 23 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 rality of electrical sockets each with a bulb therein, with the electrical sockets connected by electrical 5 References Cited conductors to form a string of lights, said body member adapted to receive said string of lights by in- UNlTED STATES PATENTS serting the electrical sockets from the rear of the body 1,980,708 11/1934 Szel ..161/8 ux member said Sockets with the body member 2,864,192 12/1958 Shoalts ..240/10T hiding the electrical conductors- The y member 3,619,598 11/1971 Hermanson.. .....240/10 T and the body sockets are integrally molded of a plastic 2,141,878 12/1938 Roby ..248/27 material. 3,229,083 1/1966 George.. .....240/8.l6 3,604,918 9/1971 Cook ..240/8. 16 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures ELECTRICALLY ILLUMINATED ORNAMENTAL DISPLAY BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has been a common practice in the art to provide as a unit a decorative lighting string which comprises a plurality of electrical sockets each with an ornamental light bulb and where the plurality of electrical sockets are connected by flexible electrical wires to form a string of decorative lights. This decorative string of lights is normally loosely draped, hung or strung on an object, such as a Christmas tree or the like, for the purpose of decoratively lighting same. The loosely draped string of lights assumes a random shape depending upon how it is draped or hangs on the object. There are certain disadvantages in the use of such a string of lights in this manner for the conducting wire is exposed to view and it does not provide the maximum ornamental advantages which might be obtained.

The purpose of this invention is to utilize such a decorative lighting string in a body or holder of a distinctive shape so that the string of lights forms with said body an ornamental illuminating display. In addition, it is an object of this invention to permit the use of such a decorative lighting string as a unit whereby the electrical sockets of said decorative lighting string are inserted through the rear of the display figure and are retained in said display figure and the electrical wire is hidden from view. This is accomplished without disassembling or disconnecting the decorative string of lights so'that such a string of lights may be utilized in'its manufactured form very readily and associated with the display figure or body in a minimum of time so as to be a part of the display figure.

Another object of this invention is to provide a body member with the body sockets integrally molded of a plastic material which provides an inexpensive structure for supporting a string of light bulbs;

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front plan view of one form of ornamental figure showing the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view partly in section taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1 but without the string of lights.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front plan viewof a portion of the ornamental figure.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded view showing the ornamental figure and the socket with. the electrical socket and light bulb.

The conventional string of decorative lights is generally designated by the numeral and same comprises a plurality or series of miniature electrical sockets generally indicated at 12 connected by means of pairs of flesible electrical conducting wires 14 covered by suitable insulation. The conducting wires 14 are connected to a conventional plug (not shown) which is inserted into a conventional electrical outlet for supplying the electrical current to the string of decorative lights. Each of said miniature electrical sockets 12 is internally provided with a pair of spaced recesses 16 with the conducting wires 14 electrically connected to and in communication with said recesses 16. The miniature decorative light bulb 18 has-a pair of electrical conducting prongs 20 which are inserted in the wires recessed 16 of the socket 12 to complete the electrical circuit to the decorative lights 18. A ring-like member 22 surrounds the conducting wires 14 and is positioned adjacent the bottom or rear of the electrical socket 12.

The miniature decorative light bulb 18 is of a generally candle-shaped configuration, the bottom of which is provided with the pair of spaced prongs 20 which are inserted in the socket recesses 16 to establish the electrical contact. The miniature light bulb 18 has an annular flange 24 which when the bulb is inserted in the socket abuts against the outer edge of the mouth of the socket, as best seen in FIG. 4.

The electrical socket 12 includes a tubular extension 26 which is of a reduced diameter from that of the mouth portion 28 of the socket to provide a shoulder 30 therebetween. The decorative bulbs and their sockets, electrically connected as aforesaid to form a string of such lights is conventional.

The invention herein is directed to the use of such a conventional string of lights in combination with a display figure. The display figure herein identified by the numeral 34 is merely for the purpose of illustration and same is shown in FIG. 1, it being understood that the invention herein is not limited to that particular shape orof spaced sockets generally indicated at 37, each of said sockets including an opening 38 surrounded by a plurality of arcuate shaped wall segments 40 which extend outwardly of the front of the body surface 36; As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, there are four spaced segments 40 around each opening 38 and the segments 40 are spaced from each other by spacings 42. The segments 40 taper or incline inwardly from the surface 36 toward their outer extremity and this can best be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5. The body member, including the sockets, are integrally molded of a plastic material and this provides an economically produced structure for supporting the string of lights.

The spaced sockets 37 of the body or ornamental figure 34 are adapted to each receive and retain one of the electrical sockets 12 of the string of lights 10. The electrical socket 12 without the decorative light bulb 18 therein is inserted into the opening 38 of the display figure socket 37 from the rear or underside of the display figure. Thus, all of the electrical sockets 12 while connected together in their string are each inserted from the rear of the display body 34 into their respective display figure sockets 37. The electrical sockets 12 when inserted through the openings 38 are positioned in the openings as shown in FIG. 4, with the enlarged portion 28 of the socket 12 confined within the arcuate shaped wall segment 40, with the reduced tubular portion 26 of the socket extending inwardly or rearwardly of the wall 36.

The spacedarcuate tapering segments 40 serve to provide a frictional contact between the inside surface of said segments and the portion 28 of the electrical sockets 12. The segments 40 will also provide sufficient give or expansion between the segments to permit the electrical sockets 12 to be inserted into the figure sockets 37 from the rear of the figure. After the electrical sockets 12 are inserted, the segments 40 will move together towards each other to constrict the spaces 42 between the segments and provide the necessary friction against the portion 28 of the sockets to hold them. With all of the electrical sockets 12 in position in their respective figure display sockets 37, the miniature decorative bulbs 18 are each then inserted in their respective electrical sockets 12 from the front of the body of the figure. The flange 24 of the decorative light bulb 18 will abut against the outer edges 41 of the segments 40, as seen in FIG. 4. With the decorative light bulb 18 positioned in its socket 12, the flange 24 of the light bulb will prevent the withdrawal of the electrical sockets l2 and the light bulbs 18 from the rear of the figure. The connecting wires 14 forming the electrical connectors between the sockets will obviously be hidden from the front of the figure body 34 as the wires are positioned rearwardly of the openings.

While the particular light bulb 18 is described as being inserted from the front after the electrical socket 12 has been first inserted into the body socket 37 from the rear, it will be understood that the electrical socket 12 with the light bulb 18 therein may be inserted as a unit through the rear of the body socket 37 by making the size of the body socket 37 large enough to accommodate the insertion from the rear, and that the insertion from the rear of both the electrical socket 12 and its light bulb 18 comes within the purview of this invention.

The insertion of the electrical sockets 12 into the figure or body member 34 can be accomplished in a relatively short time with the electrical sockets 12 connected or strung in their original string. The bulbs 18 are then quickly inserted from the front. This therefore provides an ornamental display unit which when illuminated provides a display of a distinctive shape.

What is claimed is:

1. An illuminated ornamental display comprising, a body member of a shape to form a distinct configuration, a plurality of openings in said body member, a plurality of spaced arcuate-shaped segments extending outwardly of the front of the body member and adjacent said openings and formed integrally with said body member, a string of connected electric sockets electrically connected by a flexible electrical conductor and adapted while connected to each other to be secured to said body member, each said socket inserted in the body opening from the rear of the body opening while said sockets are electrically connected to said conductor, said spaced segments engaging said sockets to frictionally retain said sockets in said body member, a light bulb in each of said sockets, said body member hiding said flexible conductor.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the body member is integrally molded of a plastic material and in which the light bulb has a flange which engages the outer edges of the arcuate-shaped segments.

3. A structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the arcuate shaped segments incline inwardly toward the front thereof.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 3 1n Wl'llCh the electrical sockets have a portion extending within the arcuate shaped segments and a portion extending rearwardly thereof. 7

5. A structure as set forth in claim 4 in which the portion of the electrical socket positioned within the arcuate segment has a greater diameter than the portion extending rearwardly thereof.

Claims

1. An illuminated ornamental display comprising, a body member of a shape to form a distinct configuration, a plurality of openings in said body member, a plurality of spaced arcuateshaped segments extending outwardly of the front of the body member and adjacent said openings and formed integrally with said body member, a string of connected electric sockets electrically connected by a flexible electrical conductor and adapted while connected to each other to be secured to said body member, each said socket inserted in the body opening from the rear of the body opening while said sockets are electrically connected to said conductor, said spaced segments engaging said sockets to frictionally retain said sockets in said body member, a light bulb in each of said sockets, said body member hiding said flexible conductor.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 3 in which the electrical sockets have a portion extending within the arcuate shaped segments and a portion extending rearwardly thereof.