SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HANGING DECORATIVE ELEMENTS AT AN ELEVATED HEIGHT

An apparatus for hanging decorations comprising a first member comprising at least one notch, a neck proximal the at least one notch, and a clip coupled to the neck. The clip may comprise a first prong and a second dual-layer prong, the second dual-layer prong configured such that at least a portion of the first prong fits within the channel between the first and second layers of the second dual-layer prong and forms a substantially round structure configured to house a decoration therein. The apparatus further comprises a second member extending from the neck and forming an acute angle relative to the first member, the second member comprising at least one notch, an adapter handle coupled to the second member, the adapter handle positioned substantially parallel to the first member, and a hook comprising a notch, the hook coupled to the second member and the adapter handle.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The field of the present invention generally relates to temporarily securing, placing, and installing decorations on a variety of surfaces at an elevated height.

2. Description of Related Art

Many methods for hanging lights and other decorations require placing items in high, elevated, and/or out of reach areas such as gutters, shingles, roof eaves, fascia boards, second story locations, tree branches, etc. For many households, decorating for holidays and other festive events requires extensive time and effort with a ladder, step-stool or other device to allow an individual to climb to a higher position to install lights and/or decorations at an elevated location. Frequently, this results in the decorator climbing beyond a safe position, such as above the safety run of a ladder or to reach and stretch to a position that may dangerously cause the decorator to lean too far to one side resulting in a loss of balance and/or a fall that can cause injury. Such safety risks may be further exacerbated during inclement weather or in wet, cold, icy, or snowy climate conditions.

SUMMARY

Implementations of an apparatus for hanging decorations may comprise a first member comprising at least one notch, a neck proximal the at least one notch, and a clip coupled to the neck. The clip may comprise a first prong and a second dual-layer prong comprising a channel between a first layer and a second layer of the second dual-layer prong, the second dual-layer prong configured such that at least a portion of the first prong fits within the channel between the first and second layers of the second dual-layer prong and forms a substantially round structure configured to house a decoration therein. The apparatus may further comprise a second member extending from the neck and forming an acute angle relative to the first member, the second member comprising at least one notch, an adapter handle coupled to the second member, the adapter handle positioned substantially parallel to the first member, and a hook coupled to the second member and the adapter handle, the hook comprising at least one notch therein.

Particular aspects may comprise one or more of the following features. The first prong may further comprise a nub at a point distal from the neck, the nub configured to fit within the channel between the first and second layers of the second dual-layer prong, such that when the first prong is fitted within channel of the second dual-layer prong, the nub prevents the first prong from freely sliding back to its original position. The apparatus may further comprise a support member coupled to the second member, the support member positioned substantially parallel to the adapter handle. The support member may be located proximal the at least one notch in the second member. The first prong may comprise a first curved segment and a second curved segment, the second curved segment being substantially wider than the first curved segment and the second dual-layer prong may comprise a third curved segment and a fourth curved segment, the fourth curved segment being substantially wider than the third curved segment, and configured such that when the first prong is fitted within the channel of the second dual-layer prong, the clip forms two substantially circular gaps of different radii.

Implementations of a method of hanging decorations using an apparatus for hanging decorations may comprise coupling an adapter handle of the apparatus to an adapter affixed to a pole, the adapter handle positioned substantially parallel to a first member of the apparatus, the first member comprising at least one notch, wherein the apparatus further comprises a neck proximal the at least one notch and a clip coupled to the neck. The clip may comprise a first prong and a second dual-layer prong comprising a channel between a first layer and a second layer of the second dual-layer prong, the second dual-layer prong configured such that at least a portion of the first prong fits within the channel between the first and second layers of the second dual-layer prong and forms a substantially round structure configured to house a decoration therein. The apparatus may further comprise a second member extending from the neck and forming an acute angle relative to the first member, the second member comprising at least one notch and a hook coupled to the second member and the adapter handle, the hook comprising at least one notch therein. The method may further comprise placing a first decoration within at least one of the at least one notch of the second member and the at least one notch of the hook and coupling the apparatus to a structure such that the decoration is displayed.

Particular aspects may comprise one or more of the following features. The structure to which the apparatus is coupled may be a gutter and the first member of the apparatus and the hook may be in contact with the gutter. The structure to which the apparatus is coupled may be a roofing shingle and the first member of the apparatus and the hook may be in contact with the roofing shingle. The first decoration placed within the at least one of the at least one notch of the second member and the at least one notch of the hook may be a string of lights. The method may further comprise securing a second decoration within the clip of the apparatus by positioning a nub located at a point distal from the neck within the channel between the first and second layers of the second dual-layer prong such that when the first prong is fitted within the channel of the second dual-layer prong, the nub prevents the first prong from freely sliding back to its original position. The apparatus may further comprise a support member coupled to the second member, the support member positioned substantially parallel to the adapter handle. The support member may be located proximal the at least one notch in the second member. The first prong may comprise a first curved segment and a second curved segment, the second curved segment being substantially wider than the first curved segment and the second dual-layer prong may comprise a third curved segment and a fourth curved segment, the fourth curved segment being substantially wider than the third curved segment, and configured such that when the first prong is fitted within the channel of the second dual-layer prong, the clip forms two substantially circular gaps of different radii.

Implementations of a method of making an apparatus for hanging decorations may comprise providing a first member comprising at least one notch, coupling a neck to the first member proximal the at least one notch, and coupling a clip to the neck. The clip may comprise a first prong and a second dual-layer prong comprising a channel between a first layer and a second layer of the second dual-layer prong, the second dual-layer prong configured such that at least a portion of the first prong fits within the channel between the first and second layers of the second dual-layer prong and forms a substantially round structure configured to house a decoration therein. The method may further comprise coupling a second member to the neck such that the second member extends from the neck and forms an acute angle relative to the first member, the second member comprising at least one notch. The method may further comprise coupling an adapter handle to the second member and positioning the adapter handle substantially parallel to the first member and coupling a hook to the second member and the adapter handle, the hook comprising at least one notch therein.

Particular aspects may comprise one or more of the following features. The method may further comprise forming a nub on the first prong at a point distal from the neck, the nub configured to fit within the channel between the first and second layers of the second dual-layer prong, such that when the first prong is fitted within channel of the second dual-layer prong, the nub prevents the first prong from freely sliding back to its original position. The method may further comprise coupling a support member to the second member, the support member positioned substantially parallel to the adapter handle. The support member may be located proximal the at least one notch in the second member. The first prong may comprise a first curved segment and a second curved segment, the second curved segment being substantially wider than the first curved segment and the second dual-layer prong may comprise a third curved segment and a fourth curved segment, the fourth curved segment being substantially wider than the third curved segment, and configured such that when the first prong is fitted within the channel of the second dual-layer prong, the clip forms two substantially circular gaps of different radii. At least one of the at least one notch of the second member and the at least one notch of the hook may be configured to hold a string of lights therein. The adapter handle may be configured to fit within an adapter coupled to a pole.

The foregoing and other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent to those artisans of ordinary skill in the art from the DETAILED DESCRIPTION, DRAWINGS, and CLAIMS.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for securing decorations to various surfaces and positions via an apparatus100that is configured to couple to various forms of adapters600that couple to a pole601so as to allow a user to secure decorative elements such as, but not limited to, lights, garlands, streamers, banners, flags, etc., to difficult to reach structures that may be at an elevated height relative to the user's natural range of reach. Referring now toFIGS.1-5, an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus100for hanging a decorative element at an elevated position is shown. In many embodiments the device100is comprised of a first member101which may have an elongated shape. The first member101may comprise one or more notches102on a first surface of the first member101positioned proximal to a neck103that is coupled to the first member101. A clip104may be coupled to the neck103on a side of the neck103opposite the first member101. In some embodiments, the clip104may further comprise a first prong105and a second prong106. In some exemplary embodiments, as shown, the second prong106may be a dual-layer prong comprising a first layer108and a second layer109with a channel107between the first108and second109layers. In some embodiments the clip104is constructed of manually deformable plastics, such that a user could press the first prong105and second prong106towards each other such that at least a portion of the first prong105seats within the channel107between the first108and second109layers of the second prong106, resulting in the clip104tightening to secure a decoration or other object of an appropriate size.

In some embodiments, the apparatus100further comprises a second member110coupled to the neck103and extending from the neck103such that the second member110forms an acute angle relative to the first member101. The second member110may comprise at least one notch111distal the neck103in which to house and secure a string of lights or other decorative element therein. The second member110may be coupled to a hook113comprising at least one notch114within the generally concave portion of the hook113and configured such that the generally convex surface of the hook113is proximal the first member101. Some embodiments of the apparatus100may further comprise at least one of an adapter handle112and a support member115coupled between the second member110and the hook113. At least one of the adapter handle112and the support member115may be positioned substantially parallel to a plane in which the first105or second prongs106of the clip104lies or to a plane in which the first member101lies.

Referring now toFIGS.2-3, top and bottom views of the apparatus100are shown. In many embodiments, the first prong105further comprises a first curved segment201and a second curved segment202, and the second prong106further comprises a third curved segment203and fourth curved segment204. In these and other embodiments a nub200may also be present on the first prong105. When the first prong105and second prong106are tightened, the first curved segment201and third curved segment203may form a round structure with a smaller radius configured to hold a decoration, and the second curved segment202and the fourth curved segment204form a second, round structure with a larger radius configured to hold a decoration. In some embodiments, when the first prong105and second prong106are pressed together to tighten the clip104, the nub200may slide through the second prong150and act to lock the first prong1105and second prong1106together.

Referring now toFIGS.6-7, the apparatus100for securing decorative elements at elevated heights is shown coupled to various adapters600that are coupled to a pole601to allow the user to secure the apparatus100to a surface that would ordinarily be difficult to reach. Depending upon the user's choice of which shape of adapter600to use, the apparatus can be secured within the adapter600at a variety of angles which allows for ease of use depending on the type of surface or structure the user intends to decorate. For example, by placing the adapter handle112securely within the opening of the adapter600in the manner depicted inFIG.6, the orientation of the apparatus100within the adapter allows a user to easily string and secure a string of lights800to a gutter801as shown inFIG.8by placing the string of lights800within the notch111of the second member and sliding the apparatus100downward onto the edge of the gutter801such that the first member101and the generally convex surface of the hook113are securely in contact with the gutter801. Another non-limiting example of the orientation of the apparatus100relative to the adapter600and pole601is provided inFIG.7which allows the first member101of the apparatus100to be easily inserted underneath a roofing shingle900such that the first member101and the convex surface of the hook113are in contact with the roofing shingle900to securely hold the apparatus100in place. While the depicted examples of use of the apparatus100show the device in use holding a string of lights800, it should be readily appreciated that such uses are not limited to holding lights and may be used to secure garlands, streamers, banners, flags, or any other decorative elements by securing such decorative elements within one or more of the notches, hooks, or clips of the apparatus100. In some embodiments, it may be preferable to construct the apparatus100of one or more manually deformable plastics to allow for appropriate flexion of the first member relative to the hook when securing the apparatus to an elevated structure.

In places where the description above refers to particular embodiments of systems and methods for a device for hanging decorative elements at an elevated height, it should be readily apparent that a number of modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof and that these embodiments may be applied to other systems and methods for a hanging decorations at elevation.