Abstract:
A decorative light s string is disclosed, including a power cord, a plurality of electric connectors respectively installed in the power cord, a plurality of lamp assemblies respectively connected to the electric connectors to obtain the necessary working voltage, and a plurality of electric extension wires respectively connected between the electric connectors and the lamp assemblies to transmit electricity from the power connectors and the lamp assemblies.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a decorative light string and, more particularly, to such a decorative light string, which comprises a plurality of electric extension wires respectively connected to a respective electric connector at a power cord, and a plurality of lamp assemblies respectively suspended from the electric extension wires. 
     A variety of decorative light strings and lamp sets have been disclosed, and have appeared on the market. When buying a decorative light string or lamp set, consumers usually consider the factors of waterproof arrangement, safety use, and low cost. U.S. application Ser. No. #09/453,436 discloses a modified lamp series. This structure of modified lamp series is functional, however it is less attractive because it is simply a single series of lamp set. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is one object of the present invention to provide a decorative light string, which causes a sense of beauty when installed. It is another object of the present invention to provide a decorative light string, which has multiple lamp assemblies suspended from a power cord. According to one aspect of the present invention, the decorative light string comprises a power cord, a plurality of electric connectors respectively installed in the power cord, a plurality of lamp assemblies respectively connected to the electric connectors to obtain the necessary working voltage, and a plurality of electric extension wires respectively connected between the electric connectors and the lamp assemblies to transmit electricity from the power cord to the lamp assemblies. According to another aspect of the present invention, each electric connector is comprised of a hollow base fastened to the power cord, two metal contact plates mounted in the hollow base and respectively connected to the positive and negative poles of the power cord, a flexible insert fastened to one end of the respective electric extension wire and press-fitted into the hollow base to hold the positive and negative conductors of the respective electric extension wire in contact with the metal contact plates respectively, and a screw cap fastened to the hollow base to hold down the flexible insert in the hollow base. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention. 
     PIG.  3  shows an application example of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 shows another application example of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a decorative light string in accordance with the present invention is generally comprised of a power cord  10 , and a plurality of electric connectors  12  respectively installed in the power cord  10 . An electric extension wire  14  is respectively connected to each electric connector  12  to hold a respective lamp assembly  16 . Each electric connector  12  comprises a base  20  fastened to the power cord  10 , the base  20  having a receiving chamber  22  and an outer thread  26 , and metal contact plates  24  mounted in the receiving chamber  22  an respectively connected to the positive and negative poles of the power cord  10 , a flexible insert  34  press-fitted into the receiving chamber  22  of the base  20 , and a screw cap  28  fastened to the base  20  to hold down the flexible insert  34 . The flexible insert  34  is made of electrically insulative material, for example, plastics. The screw cap  28  comprises an inner thread  30  threaded onto the outer thread  26  of the base  20 , and a through hole  32  at the center of the top thereof for the passing of the electric extension wire  14 . The electric extension wire  14  has its one end inserted through the through hole  32  of the screw cap  28  and fastened to the flexible insert  34 . The positive and negative conductors  36  of the electric extension wire  14  are separated from each other and turned in reversed directions at the bottom side of the flexible insert  34 . After connection of the screw cap  28  to the base  20 , the positive and negative conductors  36  of the electric extension wire  14  are respectively positively maintained in contact with the metal contact plates  24  in the receiving chamber  22  of the base  20 . The other end of the electric extension wire  14  is connected to the lamp assembly  16 . The lamp assembly  16  comprises a lamp holder  38 , the lamp holder  38  defining a receiving chamber  40 , a flexible plastic insert  46  press-fitted into the receiving chamber  40 , receptacle  48  fastened to the flexible plastic insert  46 , the receptacle  48  having two lead-out legs  50  respectively inserted through a respective through hole (not shown) of the flexible plastic insert  46  and kept in contact with the positive and negative conductors of the electric extension wire  14  respectively, a cap  42  fastened to the lamp holder  38  by a screw joint to hold down the flexible plastic insert  46  and the receptacle  48  in the lamp holder  38 , the cap  42  having a through hole  44  at the center of the top thereof, a bulb  18  mounted in the through hole  44  of the cap  42  and threaded into the receptacle  48 , and a spherical lampshade fastened to the cap  42  around the bulb  18 . The lampshade is comprised of a lower semispherical shell  52  integral with the cap  42 , and an upper semispherical shell  54  fastened to the lower semispherical shell  52  by a screw joint. When assembled, the spherical lampshade  52 ; 54  and the cap  42  protect the bulb  18  against outside rainwater. The lower semispherical shell  5  and the upper semispherical shell  54  admit light, and can be made having same color. Alternatively, the lower semispherical shell  52  and the upper semispherical shell  54  can have different colors. According to the present preferred embodiment, the lampshade has a spherical shape. Alternatively, the lampshade of the lower semispherical shell  52  and the upper semispherical shell  54  can be made having any of a variety of shapes, for example, a star-like shape, a rhombic shape, a polygonal shape, etc. 
     In one application example of the present invention shown in FIG. 3, the electric extension wires  14  of the decorative light string have different lengths and are respectively downwardly extended from the respective electric connectors  12  at the horizontally extended power cord  10 , and the lamp assemblies  16  of the decorative light string are respectively suspended from the vertically extended electric extension wires  14  at different elevations. 
     In another application example of the present invention shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of electric extension wires  14  of different lengths are respectively suspended from the electric connectors  12  at the horizontally extended power cord  10  to hold a respective lamp assembly  16 , and lamps  56  respectively connected in parallel to the power cord  10  at two sides of each electric connectors  12 . 
     It is to be understood that the drawings are designed for purposes of illustration only, and are not intended for use as a definition of the limits and scope of the invention, disclosed.