Abstract:
Through the use of a variety of reinforcing structures, a ribbon light string is described that can be shaped in decorative ways, and it is made of a material that, due to its coloring and/or texture, can become camouflaged into its environment, or of a material that is preferably reflective and compliments the light from the lamp bulbs of the light string. Essentially, the ribbon light string is a reinforced ribbon having a passage therethrough for carrying substantially all, of the non-illuminating portion, of a light string while allowing the illuminating portion to be exposed. To facilitate the shaping of the ribbon, several embodiments are described including the use of pliable ribbon material; the use of at least one reinforcing wire running through the longitudinal extent of the passage; or the use of a “ribbon wire” type conductor for the light string. Also described are the use of novel hole and flap arrangements and lamp bulb/lamp base configurations.

Description:
1. PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This application claims the benefit of the earlier filing date of provisional application, Serial No.: 60/203,700, filed on May 11, 2000. 
    
    
     2. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to decorative light strings, such as those used to decorate Christmas trees. 
     3. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Light strings are used at holiday times to decorate homes and trees. In some commercial establishments light strings are used year round for decoration. As light strings have been developed that use smaller light bulbs, are cheaper to manufacture, and use less energy, the number of light strings being sold and used has increased dramatically. 
     Typically, a light string includes a plurality of small lights connected electrically together in series or in parallel (or in a combination of series and parallel connections) with a plug on one end that is insertable into an electrical outlet. A light string may have as many as 200 individual lights on it. 
     A drawback to the use of light strings, particularly in decorating Christmas trees or other parts of a home where the viewer will be relatively close to the decorations, is the appearance of the pair of wires that runs from light to light. These wires are usually a dark color, and will tend to blend in if used with a Christmas tree. However, they nonetheless detract from the appearance of the tree. Moreover, when a light string is used to decorate a mantle the wires can be hidden to a limited extent behind other decorations. In most cases, however, the wires are generally detractive and not attractive. 
     Therefore, a need remains for a light string wherein the conducting wires are not visible or at least not obtrusive. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to its major aspects and briefly recited, the present invention is the combination of a decorative ribbon and a light string. Except for the lamp bulbs themselves, the light string runs through the interior of a two-panel ribbon. The bulbs extend through holes in the ribbon so that they alone are visible from the exterior of the ribbon. Preferably the ribbon has reinforcing wire to stiffen it so that the ribbon light string may be shaped for good aesthetic effect. 
     The use of reinforced ribbon is an important feature of the present invention, the reinforcing allows a greater range of materials to be used for the ribbon itself, including those with limited structural stiffness, and facilitates the shaping of the ribbon into aesthetic forms that display both the ribbon and the lights carried by it. 
     The use of two-panel ribbon is another important feature of the present invention because, regardless of the ribbon&#39;s orientation, the panels allow the conducting wires of the light string to be completely hidden by the ribbon, while allowing the illuminating portion of the lamps to be visible. 
     Still another important feature of the invention is the use of shiny or reflective ribbon materials, which can enhance the light from the lamps by reflecting it from the ribbon&#39;s surface. 
     These and other features and their advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art of decorative lighting from a careful reading of the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments accompanied by the following drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the figures, 
     FIG. 1 is a Christmas tree with a ribbon light string, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a detail of the ribbon light string, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a ribbon light string of FIG. 2, taken along lines  3 — 3 ; 
     FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a preferred method for securing a lamp to the ribbon material by cutting C-shaped holes out of the upper and lower panels of the ribbon light string, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a detailed view of a preferred method for using ribbon wire, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6A is a detailed view of a preferred method of cutting circular holes out of the upper and lower panels of the ribbon light string, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6B is a detailed view of a preferred method of cutting X-shaped holes out of the upper and lower panels of the ribbon light string, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6C is a detailed view of a preferred method of cutting H-shaped holes out of the upper and lower panels of the ribbon light string, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a detailed view of a preferred method of forming a flange on the lamp base and the lamp bulb for securing a lamp to the ribbon material, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a detailed view of a preferred method of forming a clip mechanism on the lamp base and lamp bulb together for securing a lamp to the ribbon material, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of a ribbon light string showing the use of two hems on each side of the longitudinal centerline of the ribbon light string, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention is, in combination, a light string and a ribbon. The term “light string” refers to a plurality of lamps connected electrically by wires either in series, in parallel, or in a series/parallel combination, powered either by alternating or direct current, and having a male electrical plug at one end and a female electrical plug at the other end to facilitate the cascading of multiple strings. When the male electrical plug is plugged into an energized wall outlet, or into the female plug of either an energized extension cord or another energized light string, the lamps in the string light up. 
     The term “ribbon” is used in a geometric sense and generally refers to a thin, flat material having a major dimension that is considerably longer than its minor dimension and a minor dimension much greater than its thickness. The term “ribbon” is also generally characterized by a relatively high degree of flexibility, i.e., it can be formed into various shapes including bows, for example. 
     Referring now to the figures, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 an example of the utility of the present invention of a ribbon light string  10 , namely, to decorate a Christmas tree  12  having ornaments  14 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Ribbon light string  10  includes a plurality of individual lamps  40  carried by a length of ribbon  18 . 
     FIGS. 2,  3 , and  4  illustrate detailed views of a ribbon light string  10  from the side and in cross sectional view, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, ribbon  18  includes two panels an upper panel  20  and a lower panel  22  that are joined together to form a pocket or sleeve  24 . Panels  20 ,  22 , need not be the same width, i.e., one of them can be narrower than the other, as long as the panels when joined together form sleeve  24  that is wide enough to accommodate the light string  34  inside sleeve  24 . Sleeve  24  has two channels  26 ,  28 , formed in its lateral extremities. It is preferred that these channels are dimensioned to receive reinforcing wires  30 ,  32 , and are preferably formed by sewing, gluing, heat sealing, or by some other convenient method, a hem  25  near both longitudinal edges  62 ,  63  of ribbon  18 . Reinforcing wires  30 ,  32 , are preferably made of steel, plastic or other material that is malleable so that it can be formed into a shape that will remain until it is bent again. Thus, reinforcing wires  30 ,  32 , should provide sufficient structure to hold ribbon  18  in a given shape. 
     Reinforcing wires  30 ,  32 , allow the user to crinkle or shape ribbon  18  into a decorative form, such as a spiral, a curl, a loop or a bow where it will remain in such shape until re-formed into a different shape. The channels  26 ,  28  can be located anywhere and do not necessarily need to be located in the lateral extremities, as long as a channel  26  or  28  (or  26 ′ or  28 ′) is on each side of the longitudinal centerline between the longitudinal centerline and a longitudinal edge  62 ,  63  (or  62 ′,  63 ′), and as an example, see the orientation of the channels  26 ′,  28 ′ shown in FIG.  9 . Furthermore, the two reinforcing wires  30 ,  32 , are not needed in order to be able to shape ribbon  18  (or  18 ′). However, this arrangement and number of reinforcing wires is preferred. Alternatively, a single reinforcing wire may provide the structure for shaping ribbon  18  (or  18 ′), which reinforcing wire may be located anywhere between the longitudinal edges  62 ,  63  (or  62 ′,  63 ′) as long as it runs longitudinally between the opposite longitudinal ends  60 ,  61  of ribbon  18  (or the longitudinal ends of ribbon  18 ′ (not shown)), or, alternatively, a material may be selected for ribbon  18  (or  18 ′) that has sufficient structural strength and flexibility so it can be bent, without the need of reinforcing wires  30 ,  32 , into a shape that will remain until it is bent again. In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the present ribbon light string  10  can be made using ribbon  18  in combination with light string  34 ′, which is made by using “ribbon wire”  39  instead of conductors  36 ,  38 , and potentially with more aggressive lighting effects, and perhaps based on the use of “rice” lights, not shown in FIG. 5, which are smaller than the miniature lights commonly used on Christmas light strings. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-5, a light string  34  (or  34 ′) runs on the inside of sleeve  24  between panels  20  and  22 , and extends beyond the sleeve&#39;s longitudinal ends  60 ,  61 . Light string  34  includes two electrical conductors  36 ,  38 , which are insulated electrical wires, and a plurality of lamps  40 , which are connected to electrical conductors  36 ,  38 , while light string  34 ′ includes the connection of a plurality of lamps  40 ″′ to the ribbon wire  39  as shown in FIG.  5 . 
     Each lamp  40  (or  40 ″′) includes a lamp base  42  (or  42 ″′), a lamp flange  55  (or  55 ″′), and a lamp bulb  44  (or  44 ″′) that is inserted into a lamp base  42  (or  42 ″′). Each lamp bulb  44  (or  44 ″′) is energized by an electrical current carried by conductors  36  and  38  (or by ribbon wire  39 ) through a lamp base  42  (or  42 ″′) in a manner that is well known. Each lamp bulb  44  (or  44 ″′) extends through a C-shaped hole  46 , as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, formed in panel  20  or panel  22 , or both panels  20 ,  22 , of sleeve  24 , so that each lamp bulb  44  (or  44 ″′) is visible from the exterior of sleeve  24  but electrical conductors  36 ,  38 , or “ribbon wire”  39  as shown in FIG. 5, are hidden inside sleeve  24 . Each lamp bulb  44  (or  44 ″′) can protrude from either panel  20  or from panel  22 , or can alternate between the two panels  20 ,  22 . Referring to all of the figures. Ribbon  18  (or  18 ′) is preferably made of a decorative material and most preferably made of a material that is shiny so that it reflects, either spectrally or diffusely, the light from lamp bulbs  44  (or  44 ′,  44 ″,  44 ″′). Panels  20  (or  20 ′,  20 ″,  20 ″′), and/or  22  (or  22 ′,  22 ″,  22 ″′) need not be made of the same material or, if made of the same material, can be of different colors, such as red and green for Christmas. The material for any of these panels can be nearly any natural or synthetic fabric, preferably a woven fabric that is plasticized or covered with a foil. 
     To facilitate the holding of a lamp to either panel of a ribbon, there are various shaped aperture arrangements (that will be discussed below) that may be formed on either or both ribbon panels and through which the lamp bulbs extend. And, because of various novel design features, allow the lamps to be effectively held in place to either panel of the ribbon (also, to be discussed below). 
     More specifically, instead of using circular holes  58  (as shown in FIG.  6 A), it is preferable to form C-shaped holes  46  in order to better hold each lamp  40  in place, as shown in FIG. 4 (or lamp  40 ″′, as shown in FIG.  5 ). (Of course, any of the lamps  40 ,  40 ′,  40 ″, or  40 ″′ can be used with either the circular holes  58  or the C-shaped holes  46 .) The uncut portion of the C-shaped hole  46  defines a flap  48  that can be inserted into lamp base  42 ,  42 ′,  42 ″, or  42 ″′, or between the lamp base  42 ,  42 ′,  42 ″, or  42 ″′ and the lamp bulb flange  55 ,  55 ′,  55 ″, or  55 ″′. For example, when lamp bulb  44  is inserted into lamp base  42 , it holds flap  48  and thus panel  22 , or panel  20 , as shown in FIG. 4, to lamp  40 . Alternatively, a hole and flap arrangement in the shape of an “X”  50  as shown in FIG. 6B, or a hole and flap arrangement in the shape of an “H”  52  as shown in FIG. 6C, or other similar hole and flap arrangement in some other shape may be formed (and used with any of the lamps  40 ,  40 ′,  40 ″, or  40 ″′). Similarly, in another preferred embodiment a flange  54 ′ can be formed on lamp base  42 ′ and a flange  55 ′ can be formed on lamp bulb  44 ′ as shown in FIG. 7, or a clip  56  and flange  54 ″,  55 ″ arrangement can be formed as shown in FIG. 8, and either can be used to pinch the perimeter of a circular hole  58 , or pinch the flap  48  of the C-shaped hole  46 , or pinch the hole and flap arrangement in the shape of an “X”  50 , or the hole and flap arrangement in the shape of an “H”  52 , to the lamp  40 ′ (or  40 ″). 
     In other words, the hole and flap arrangements of the C-shaped hole  46 , the circular hole  58 , the hole and flap arrangement in the shape of an “X”  50  as shown in FIG. 6B, or the hole and flap arrangement in the shape of an “H”  52 , can be used with any of the lamps  40 ,  40 ′,  40 ″, or  40 ″′ or light strings  34  or  34 ′, as appropriate. 
     Preferably the longitudinal ends  60 ,  61  of ribbon  18  (or of ribbon  18 ′, the ends of which are not shown) are finished so that conductors  36 ,  38 , (or the ribbon wire  39 ) in the immediate vicinity of a male plug  64  and a female plug  66  are held within sleeve  24  (or  24 ′) between panels  20  and  22  (or  20 ′,  20 −,  20 ″′ and  22 ′,  22 ″,  22 ″′ respectively) allowing the plugs  64 ,  66  to extend a short distance from the longitudinal ends  60 ,  61  of ribbon  18  (or of ribbon  18 ′ (not shown)). Other modifications and substitutions can be made to these preferred embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, defined by the appended claims.