Abstract:
A lighting system has a light string, a mounting bracket, an a plurality of light covers. The light string has a main electrical cord and a plurality of light strands connected to and extending outwardly from the main electrical cord. The mounting bracket is adapted to receive a plurality of fasteners and to support the main electrical cord. The plurality of light covers are each adapted to receive one of the light strands and comprising a connecting member for connecting the light cover to the mounting bracket.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application for a utility patent is a continuation-in-part of a previously filed utility patent, still pending, having the application Ser. No. 10/636,334, filed Aug. 7, 2003. The previous application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 

   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
   Not Applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates generally to lighting systems, and more particularly to exterior lighting systems such as decorative holiday lighting. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   Many different types of light strings are commonly used, and the use of light strings is particularly popular during holidays. Common light strings include multiple electric lamps spaced apart along an electrical cord. Icicle light strings (also called “icicle lights”) are also available. A typical icicle light string has multiple light strands extending outwardly from a main electrical cord. Adjacent light strands typically have different lengths, and different numbers of electric lamps are spaced apart along adjacent light strands. When the main electrical cord is suspended along an eave of a roof, the light strands hang down from the main electrical cord and the eave. 
   When the electric lamps along the light strands are illuminated at night, the light strands have the appealing visual effect of icicles hanging from the eave. However, the electrical cords of the light strands are still visible, and detract from the effect. Furthermore, during the day the main electrical cord and the light strands hanging therefrom are typically clearly visible, and the icicle light string has little if any visual appeal. 
   It would be advantageous to have a decorative lighting system that has visual appeal both during the day and when illuminated at night. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below. 
   The present invention provides a lighting system having a light string, a mounting bracket, an a plurality of light covers. The light string has a main electrical cord and a plurality of light strands connected to and extending outwardly from the main electrical cord. The mounting bracket is adapted to receive a plurality of fasteners and to support the main electrical cord. The plurality of light covers are each adapted to receive one of the light strands and comprising a connecting member for connecting the light cover to the mounting bracket. 
   Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a lighting system including a light string, multiple decorative light covers, a mounting bracket, and a mounting bracket cover, wherein the light string includes multiple light strands extending outwardly therefrom, and wherein the mounting bracket is adapted for attachment to a fascia board of an eave of a roof of a structure via multiple fasteners; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a portion of the lighting system of  FIG. 1  wherein the light string is positioned in the front section of the mounting bracket; 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the lighting system of  FIG. 1  wherein one of the light strands of the light string is positioned in a hollow body of one of the decorative light covers, and illustrating how the mounting bracket cover is attached to the mounting bracket; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the lighting system of  FIG. 3  wherein the mounting bracket cover is attached to the mounting bracket, and wherein the mounting bracket is attached to the fascia board of the eave of the roof of the structure via the fasteners; 
       FIG. 5  is a side elevation view of the lighting system of  FIG. 1  in assembly wherein the light strands of the light string are positioned in hollow bodies of the decorative light covers, cylindrical hanging members of the decorative light covers are positioned in “U”-shaped cuts of the mounting bracket, and the mounting bracket cover is attached to the mounting bracket; 
       FIG. 6  is a side elevation view of the lighting system of  FIG. 5  wherein the mounting bracket is mounted at an angle φ to a horizontal plane, wherein φ&gt;0; and 
       FIG. 7  is a side elevation view of the lighting system of  FIG. 1  in assembly, wherein a front surface of the mounting bracket cover has a visually appealing pattern formed thereon. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a lighting system  10  including a light string  12 , multiple decorative light covers  14 , a mounting bracket  16 , and a mounting bracket cover  18 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the light string  12  includes a main electrical cord  20  and multiple light strands  22  connected to and extending outwardly from the main electrical cord  20 . Each of the light strands  22  includes multiple electric lights receiving electrical power from the main electrical cord  20 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , one end of each of the light strands  22  is connected to the main electrical cord  20  at regular intervals along the main electrical cord  20 . The main electrical cord  20  has an electrical plug  24  at one end and an electrical receptacle  26  at an opposite end. 
   In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the mounting bracket  16  is substantially “S” shaped in cross section and has multiple slots  28  in a rear section for receiving fasteners  30 . When the fasteners  30  are inserted in a fascia board  32  of an eave of a roof  34  of a structure, and the slots  28  are slid over exposed ends of the fasteners  30 , the fasteners  30  hold the mounting bracket  16  to the fascia board  32 . 
   The mounting bracket  16  has multiple “U”-shaped cuts  32  in an upward directed edge of a front section for receiving hanging members of the decorative light covers  14 . The “U”-shaped cuts  32  occur along the upward directed edge at the same regular intervals as the light strands  22  along the main electrical cord  20 . As described in more detail below, the mounting bracket  16  has a trough for receiving the main electrical cord  20  of the light string  12 , and slots extending from the “U”-shaped cuts  32  for receiving the individual light strands  22  of the light string  12 . 
   While preferably made of plastic, the mounting bracket  16  may also be formed from a metal, preferably a metal that is (or is made) resistant to oxidation and corrosion. 
   In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , each of the decorative light covers  14  includes a cylindrical hanging member  34  and a hollow body  36  extending radially from the hanging member  34 . The hollow body  36  of each of the decorative light covers  14  receives a different one of the light strands  22  of the light string  12 . 
   In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the hollow bodies  36  are shaped like icicles. In general, the cylindrical hanging members  34  and the hollow bodies  36  are translucent. The cylindrical hanging members  34  and the hollow bodies  36  preferably allow most incident light (e.g., produced by the light strands  22 ) to pass therethrough. The cylindrical hanging members  34  and the hollow bodies  36  are preferably made of a translucent plastic material. 
   Each of the cylindrical hanging members  34  has an annular groove in an exterior surface that fits into the “U”-shaped cuts  32  in the front section of the mounting bracket  16 . When a cylindrical hanging member  34  of a decorative light cover  14  is inserted into one of the “U”-shaped cuts  32  of the mounting bracket  16 , the force of gravity acting on the corresponding body  36  causes the cylindrical hanging member  34  to rotate within the “U”-shaped cut  32  until the body  36  is substantially directly below the cylindrical hanging member  34 . As a result, any angle of the fascia board  32  relative to a horizontal plane (e.g., a foundation of the structure) is accommodated in a visually appealing way automatically (i.e., without any further action by an installer). 
   In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the mounting bracket cover  18  attaches to the mounting bracket  16 , and substantially covers the mounting bracket  16  when attached thereto. In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the mounting bracket cover  18  is shaped and prepared to resemble a block of ice. The mounting bracket cover  18  is preferably made of plastic. Like the decorative light covers  14 , the mounting bracket cover  18  may be translucent (e.g., made of a translucent plastic material). When translucent, the mounting bracket cover  18  preferably allows most incident light (e.g., produced by the light strands  22 ) to pass therethrough. The mounting bracket cover  18  may also be substantially opaque. 
     FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a portion of the lighting system  10  of  FIG. 1  wherein the light string  12  is positioned in the front section of the mounting bracket  16 . In  FIG. 2  the main electrical cord  20  of the light string  12  is positioned in a trough  40 . A light strand  22 A of the light string  12  is positioned in a slot  42 A extending from a “U”-shaped cut  32 A in the upward directed edge of the front section of the mounting bracket  16 . Similarly, a light strand  22 B is positioned in a slot  42 B extending from a “U”-shaped cut  32 B, and a light strand  22 C is positioned in a slot  42 C extending from a “U”-shaped cut  32 C. 
     FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the lighting system  10  of  FIG. 1  wherein one of the light strands  22  of the light string  12  is positioned in the hollow body  36  of one of the decorative light covers  14 , and illustrating how the mounting bracket cover  18  is attached to the mounting bracket  16 . 
   In the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , the hollow body  36  of the decorative light cover  14  has a hole  50  in a portion adjacent to the corresponding hanging member  34  for receiving the light strand  22 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , the hollow body  36  is substantially tubular, and the hole  50  exists in one of 2 opposite ends connected to the corresponding hanging member  34 . The light strand  22  hangs loosely within a cavity  54  of the hollow body  36 , and includes 4 incandescent lamps  52  electrically connected in series. 
   In the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , the mounting bracket  16  has a rib  56  extending from an upper surface of the rear section and a rib  58  extending from an underside surface the front section. The curved mounting bracket cover  18  has a groove  60  along an upper inside edge and a groove  62  along a lower inside edge. When the groove  60  receives the rib  56  of the mounting bracket  16 , and the groove  62  receives the rib  58 , the mounting bracket cover  18  is attached to the mounting bracket  16 . 
   Evident in  FIG. 3  is the annular groove  64  in the exterior surface of the cylindrical hanging member  34 . As described above, the annular groove  64  that fits into the “U”-shaped cuts  32  of  FIGS. 1 and 2  in the front section of the mounting bracket  16 . 
     FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the lighting system  10  of  FIG. 3  wherein the mounting bracket cover  18  is attached to the mounting bracket  16 , and wherein the mounting bracket  16  is attached to the fascia board  32  of the eave of the roof  34  of the structure via the fasteners  30 . 
     FIG. 5  is a side elevation view of the lighting system  10  of  FIG. 1  in assembly wherein the light strands  22  of the light string  12  are positioned in the hollow bodies  36  of the decorative light covers  14 , the cylindrical hanging members  34  of the decorative light covers  14  are positioned in the “U”-shaped cuts  32  of the mounting bracket  16 , and the mounting bracket cover  18  is attached to the mounting bracket  16 . In  FIG. 5 , the mounting bracket  16  is horizontally oriented such that the bodies  36  of the decorative light covers  14  hang straight down from the mounting bracket  16 , and are substantially perpendicular to the mounting bracket  16 . 
     FIG. 6  is a side elevation view of the lighting system  10  of  FIG. 5  wherein the mounting bracket  16  is mounted at an angle φ to a horizontal plane, wherein φ&gt;0. This occurs, for example, along portions of structures with gable roofs where the fascia board  32  of the eave of the roof  34  is angled. As described above, the force of gravity acting on the bodies  36  causes the cylindrical hanging members  34  of the decorative light covers  14  to rotate within the corresponding “U”-shaped cuts  32  until the bodies  36  are substantially directly below the cylindrical hanging member  34 . As a result, the decorative light covers  14  hang straight down from the mounting bracket  16  in a visually appealing manner, and without any further action by the installer. 
     FIG. 7  is a side elevation view of the lighting system  10  of  FIG. 1  in assembly, wherein a front surface of the mounting bracket cover  18  has a visually appealing pattern formed thereon. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1–7 , it is noted that the decorative light covers  14  cover the light strands  22 , and the decorative mounting bracket cover  18  substantially covers the mounting bracket  16  when attached thereto. Accordingly, it is believed that the lighting system  10  of  FIGS. 1–7  has visual appeal both during the day and when illuminated at night. 
   While the invention has been described with reference to at least one preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims.