Patent ID: 6190229
Filing Date: 2001-02-20
Classification: A63H

Abstract:
A fiber optic enhanced figurine assembly comprising:a figurine having a figurine outer surface;a bunch of elongated fibers affixed to said figurine and extending outwardly from said figurine outer surface, said fiber bunch comprising a plurality of nonilluminatable fibers each extending a distance from said figurine outer surface, and a plurality of illuminatable optical fibers each disposed closely proximate a plurality of said nonilluminatable fibers in surrounding relation with said each illuminatable optical fiber and each extending outwardly from said figurine outer surface to no greater than a second distance less than said distance of extension of said closely proximate surrounding nonilluminatable fibers, each of said plural illuminatable optical fibers extending from an inner end proximate said figurine outer surface to an outer end remote from said outer surface, and said plural illuminatable optical fibers being interspersed in and distributed throughout said nonilluminatable fibers; andmeans for selectively illuminating said inner ends of said plural illuminatable optical fibers so as to illuminate said outer ends of said plural optical fibers and thereby provide a plurality of individual points of illumination integrally within the fiber bunch to visually and decoratively enhance said fiber bunch;wherein each of said plural illuminatable optical fibers has a longitudinal dimension within a range of longitudinal dimensions such that at least some of said plural optical fibers are of different lengths, said illumination means comprising a source of light disposed adjacent to said optical fiber inner ends and oriented for emitting light onto said optical fiber inner ends so as to illuminate said optical fiber outer ends which thereby define distinct points of light situated integrally and interiorly within said fiber bunch and distributed throughout said fiber bunch at plural longitudinal position therof to provide said fiber bunch with an appearance of integral illumination.