Patent ID: 6431740
Filing Date: 2002-08-13
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A fiber optic artificial Christmas tree comprising a top section and a bottom section, said top section including a trunk constructed with a plurality of branch stems, simulated needles on said branch stems, a plurality of fiber optic strands having one end terminating adjacent tip ends of the needles adjacent outer ends of said branch stems, said strands extending along the branch stems and the trunk with the other end terminating at a lower end of the trunk, said bottom section of the tree including a plurality of independent panels each including a rigid wire member having a downwardly opening hook at its upper end and a plurality of stems and simulated needles throughout its length, a plurality of fiber optic strands on each panel, each strand including one terminal end adjacent tip ends of the simulated needles, the other end of the fiber optic strands on the bottom section terminating at the terminal end of the hook on each of the panels, a housing supported in elevated relation to the Christmas tree by a supporting trunk, said housing supporting the bottom section and upper section of the tree, said housing having an interior to which said other terminal ends of all of the fiber optic strands are exposed, a rotatable color wheel in said housing below the exposed terminal ends of the fiber optic strands, and a light source under the color wheel, said color wheel having a plurality of transparent differently colored areas, said light source illuminating the colors as the color wheel is driven thereby illuminating the exposed ends of fiber optic strands and illuminating the terminal ends of the fiber optic strands adjacent the tips of the simulated needles with different colors.