Light string mounting storage system

A system for storing a light string and removably coupling the light string to a building. The inventive device includes a hollow tube about which a light string can be wound for storage. Hook and loop fasteners secure the light string to an exterior of the tube and permit a removable coupling of the light string to a building during a holiday season.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Related Data 
The subject matter of the present utility patent application has been 
registered under the Disclosure Document Program at the United States 
Patent and Trademark Office. The request was received at the Patent Office 
on Nov. 9, 1993 and was assigned the Registration Number 342,616. 
2. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to light string devices and more particularly 
pertains to a light string mounting storage system for storing a light 
string and removably coupling the light string to a building. 
3. Description of the Prior Art 
The use of light string devices is known in the prior art. More 
specifically, light string devices heretofore devised and utilized are 
known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural 
configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the 
crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of 
countless objectives and requirements. 
Known prior art light string devices include U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,323; U.S. 
Pat. No. 5,142,461; U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,219; U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,406; U.S. 
Pat. No. 5,109,912; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,128. 
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and 
requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a light string 
mounting storage system for storing a light string and removably coupling 
the light string to a building which includes a hollow tube about which a 
light string can be wound for storage, with hook and loop fasteners 
securing the light string to an exterior of the tube and permitting a 
removable coupling of the light string to a building during a holiday 
season. 
In these respects, the light string mounting storage system according to 
the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts 
and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus 
primarily developed for the purpose of storing a light string and 
removably coupling the light string to a building. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of light 
string devices now present in the prior art, the present invention 
provides a new light string mounting storage system construction wherein 
the same can be utilized for storing and removably coupling a light string 
to a building. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, 
which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a 
new light string mounting storage system apparatus and method which has 
many of the advantages of the light string devices mentioned heretofore 
and many novel features that result in a light string mounting storage 
system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even 
implied by any of the prior art light string devices, either alone or in 
any combination thereof. 
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a system for 
storing a light string and removably coupling the light string to a 
building. The inventive device includes a hollow tube about which a light 
string can be wound for storage. Hook and loop fasteners secure the light 
string to an exterior of the tube and permit a removable coupling of the 
light string to a building during a holiday season. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional 
features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which 
will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention 
in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its 
application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the 
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the 
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being 
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood 
that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose 
of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon 
which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new light 
string mounting storage system apparatus and method which has many of the 
advantages of the light string devices mentioned heretofore and many novel 
features that result in a light string mounting storage system which is 
not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of 
the prior art light string devices, either alone or in any combination 
thereof. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new light string 
mounting storage system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured 
and marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new light 
string mounting storage system which is of a durable and reliable 
construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new light 
string mounting storage system which is susceptible of a low cost of 
manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly 
is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby 
making such light string mounting storage systems economically available 
to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new light 
string mounting storage system which provides in the apparatuses and 
methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while 
simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated 
therewith. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new light 
string mounting storage system for storing a light string and permitting 
removable coupling of the light string to a building. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new light 
string mounting storage system which includes a hollow tube about which a 
light string can be wound for storage, with hook and loop fasteners 
securing the light string to an exterior of the tube and permitting a 
removable coupling of the light string to a building during a holiday 
season. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1-6 thereof, 
a new light string mounting storage system embodying the principles and 
concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the 
reference numeral 10 will be described. 
More specifically, it will be noted that the light string mounting storage 
system 10 comprises a light string 12 of conventionally known construction 
having a plurality of light bulbs or other illumination devices thereon 
connected together by wires coupled to an electrical plug which can be 
engaged to a standard household outlet so as to cause illumination of the 
light bulbs thereof. A hollow tube 14 is provided with the present 
invention 10 and permits the light string 12 to be wound about an exterior 
of the hollow tube for storage. To couple the light string 12 to the 
exterior of the hollow tube 14, a plurality of wire portions 16 of hook 
and loop fabric fastening material are secured to the wires of the light 
string 12. Correspondingly shaped tube portions of hook and loop fabric 
fastening material are secured to an exterior of the hollow tube 14. By 
this structure, the wire portions 16 of fabric fastening material of the 
light string 12 can be removably coupled to the tube portions of hook and 
loop fabric fastening material secured to the hollow tube 14 so as to 
permit removable securement of the light string 12 in a spiral or helical 
fashion about an exterior of the hollow tube for storage. 
As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be shown that the tube 
portions of fabric fastening material preferably comprise a first end 
portion 18 of fabric fastening material secured to an exterior of the 
hollow tube 14 proximal to a first end thereof. Similarly, a second end 
portion 20 of fabric fastening materials secured to the exterior of the 
hollow tube 14 proximal to a second end thereof. The tube portions of hook 
and loop fabric fastening material further comprise at least one central 
portion 22 of hook and loop fabric fastening material secured to an 
exterior of the hollow tube 14 proximal to a center portion thereof 
oriented medially between the end portions 18 and 20. By this structure, a 
first one of the wire portions 16 of fabric fastening material of the 
light string 12 can be coupled to an end portion 18 or 20 of the tube 
portions of fabric fastening materials secured to the hollow tube 14, with 
the light string 12 then being helically wrapped about the exterior of the 
hollow tube 14, with a last one of the wire portions 16 of fabric 
fastening material being secured to one of the central portion 22 of the 
tube portions of fabric fastening material secured to the exterior of the 
hollow tube 14. 
With continuing reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be shown that the hollow 
tube 14 may be shaped so as to define a first end notch 24 directed into a 
sidewall of the hollow tube 14. Similarly, a second end notch 26 may also 
be directed into a second end of the hollow tube 14. The present invention 
10 may then further comprise a first end cap 28 removably coupled to the 
first end of the hollow tube 14 so as to substantially close the first end 
thereof, with a second end cap 30 being removably coupled to a second end 
of the hollow tube 14 so as to substantially close a second end. The end 
notches 24 and 26 thus operate to permit an insertion of a portion of the 
light string 12 into an interior of the hollow tube 14 for storage 
thereof. As shown in FIG. 1, a plug portion of the light string 12 can be 
positioned within the interior of the hollow tube 14, with a major portion 
of the light string 12 being wrapped about an exterior of the hollow tube 
14 as shown. The end caps 28 and 30 are preferably frictionally retained 
within the respective ends of the hollow tube 14 so as to permit ease of 
insertion and removal thereof by an end user. 
Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, it can be shown that the 
present invention 10 may further comprise a storage pouch 32 removably 
coupled to an interior of the hollow tube 14. The storage pouch 32 
preferably includes a releasable closure 34 extending across an openable 
end thereof to permit objects such as spare light bulbs or the like to be 
removably stored within the pouch. The pouch 32 may comprise a 
conventionally known storage bag sold under the trademark name "ZIP-LOC" 
bag. To facilitate removable securement of the pouch 32 to an interior 
surface of the hollow tube 14, the present invention 10 employs interior 
portions 36 of hook and loop fabric fastening materials secured to both 
the pouch 32 and an interior surface of the hollow tube 14. By this 
structure, objects such as light bulbs or the like can be removably stored 
within the pouch 32 and positioned within the hollow tube 14 for storage 
thereof as desired by an end user. 
Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, it can be shown that the wire portions 16 
of the hook and loop fabric fastening material which are secured to the 
light string 12 can be employed to couple the light string to an exterior 
of a building during a holiday season or other event. To this end, the 
present invention 10 further comprises building portions 38 of hook and 
loop fabric fastening material adapted for securement to a portion of a 
building as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings. By this structure, the light 
string 12 can be decoupled from the hollow tube 14 and temporarily coupled 
to an exterior of a building through a cooperative securement of the wire 
portions 16 to the building portions 38 of the fabric fastening material. 
As shown in FIG. 6, the wire portions 16 of the hook and loop fabric 
fastening material are preferably coupled to the wires of the light string 
12 by a wire tie 40 extending through the wire portions 16 of fabric 
fastening material and secured about the wires of the light string 12. 
In use, the light string mounting storage system 10 according to the 
present invention can be easily utilized to effect storage of the light 
string 12 during periods of non-use thereof, as well as to effect 
removable coupling of the light string 12 to an exterior portion of a 
building structure during a holiday season or other event. The present 
invention 10 thus solves a dual problem of both mounting and storage of 
conventionally known light strings. 
As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the 
present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. 
Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and 
operation will be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.