Expandable icicle light string for spanning structures of various dimensions

Apparatus and associated methods relate to an expandable light string that can span various length dimensions. The expandable light string has a flexible backbone cable, a plurality of lighting elements and single expandable member. The flexible backbone cable has a plurality of conductive wires extending and providing electrical conduction along a length between a first end and a second end of the flexible backbone cable. Each of the plurality of lighting elements is conductively coupled to at least two of the plurality of conductive wires of the flexible backbone cable so as to illuminate in response to receiving electrical operating power therefrom. The single expandable member is coupled at a plurality of coupling locations to the flexible backbone cable along the length thereof. The single expandable member is configured to expand or contract so as to change a length dimension of the expandable light string.

BACKGROUND

Decorative light strings are used to communicate a joy of a holiday season, to draw attention to merchandise, or to simply decorate or adorn an object. Decorative light strings can be used both indoors and outdoors. Decorative light strings have been used residentially to adorn trees, shrubs, eaves of houses, and balconies. Commercial businesses can use decorative light strings to provide festive atmospheres at their places of business.

Often light strings are placed on trees, shrubs, balconies, and eaves of houses shortly before a festival and/or holiday season, and then removed after the festival and/or holiday season has ended. Eaves of houses, trees, and shrubs offer wonderful opportunities to share one's holiday joy for those who live in houses. Eaves of houses are of various lengths depending on the size and style of the house and the roof. For those who live in condominiums and apartments, balconies offer a wonderful opportunity to display one's holiday joy to those who live nearby. Typically, balconies have railings that provide safety for those who use them. These railings are often constructed in a manner that presents opportunity to serve also as a support structure for decorations and lights. But balconies come in myriad different sizes and railings are constructed in many different manners.

This disclosure is directed to providing elastic expansion capabilities to decorative light strings, so as to permit a light string to be quickly and easily hung from structures, such as eaves of houses and railings of balconies of various dimensions.

SUMMARY

Methods and associated apparatus relate to an expandable light string. The expandable light string includes a flexible backbone cable, a plurality of lighting elements, and a single expandable member. The flexible backbone cable having a plurality of conductive wires extending and providing electrical conduction along a length between a first end and a second end of the flexible backbone cable. The plurality of conductive wires is configured to receive electrical operating power from an electrical power source. Each of plurality of lighting elements is conductively coupled to at least two of the plurality of conductive wires of the flexible backbone cable so as to illuminate in response to receiving electrical operating power therefrom. The single expandable member coupled at a plurality of coupling locations to the flexible backbone cable along the length thereof. The expandable member is configured to expand, in response to a tensile force applied to first and second ends of the single expandable member, so that a length between the first and second ends of the single expandable member increases, and to contract, in response to a reduction in the tensile force applied to the first and second ends of the single expandable member, so that the length between the first and second ends of the single expandable member decreases. A distance between the first and second ends of the flexible backbone cable changes in response to changes in the length of the single expandable member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Apparatus and associated methods relate to an expandable light string that can span various length dimensions. The expandable light string has a flexible backbone cable, a plurality of lighting elements and single expandable member. The flexible backbone cable has a plurality of conductive wires extending and providing electrical conduction along a length between a first end and a second end of the flexible backbone cable. Each of the plurality of lighting elements is conductively coupled to at least two of the plurality of conductive wires of the flexible backbone cable so as to illuminate in response to receiving electrical operating power therefrom. The single expandable member is coupled at a plurality of coupling locations to the flexible backbone cable along the length thereof. The single expandable member is configured to expand or contract so as to change a length dimension of the expandable light string.

FIGS.1A and1Bare perspective views of eaves of a house and a balcony, respectively, to each of which is attached an expandable light string. InFIG.1A, eaves8of house9has expandable light string14attached thereto. InFIG.1B, balcony10has railing12to which expandable light string14is attached. Expandable light string14includes flexible backbone cable16, lighting elements18, and elastic member20. Flexible backbone cable16is coupled to elastic member20such that a distance between ends16A and16B of flexible backbone cable16changes in response to changes in a length dimension L of elastic member20. First and second ends20A and20B of elastic member20are connected to first and second ends12A and12B, respectively, of railing12, thereby attaching expandable light string14thereto. Elastic member20is configured to expand (i.e., stretch) from a natural dimension LNAT(i.e., it's minimum dimension) up to a maximum stretched dimension LMAXin response to a tensile force applied to the first and second ends20A and20B of elastic member20. By stretching elastic member20in this way and coupling its first and second ends20A and20B to first and second ends12A and12B of railing12, elastic member20will span (i.e., have a length dimension commensurate with length LRAILINGof) railing12.

Flexible backbone cable16includes electrical conductors extending along a length between first and second ends16A and16B of flexible backbone cable16so as to provide such electrical operating power to lighting elements18connected thereto. Lighting elements18are typically Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), but can be any other electrically illuminating device, such as, for example, incandescent bulbs, etc. In the depicted embodiment, lighting elements18are distributed along icicle tap strings22, which are connected to flexible backbone cable16. In such an embodiment, expandable light string14is designed to appear as a series of icicles hanging from railing12. Each of icicle tap strings22includes a subset of lighting elements20distributed thereon. Each of the icicle tap strings22has a first end22A coupled to flexible backbone cable16and extends to a second end22B, giving the appearance of a hanging icicle.

Each of icicle tap strings22has electrical conductors that are conductively connected to those of flexible backbone cable16so as to receive electrical operating power therefrom and to provide the electrical operating power received to lighting elements20distributed along icicle tap strings22. The plurality of conductive wires of flexible backbone cable16are configured to receive electrical operating power from a power source. In theFIG.1depiction, solar power converter24is providing power to expandable light string14. Various other power sources can provide power to expandable light string14, such as, for example, batteries, standard AC line power, low voltage DC power converters, etc. In some embodiments, power sources can be used in combination. For example, solar power converter can include a battery which is charge by solar power converter during daytime hours, and then provides power to expandable light string during nighttime hours. Such power sources can be hardwired to expandable light string14or connected via electrical connectors thereto.

FIGS.2A and2Bdepict an example embodiment of an expandable light string that can adaptively span various lengths of a support structure. InFIG.2A, expandable light string14is depicted in a contracted state (i.e., elastic member20is in its natural state). InFIG.2B, expandable light string14is depicted in an expanded state (i.e., elastic member20is in a stretched state). In both of theFIGS.2A and2Bdepictions, expandable light string14includes flexible backbone cable16, lighting elements18, and elastic member20. Flexible backbone cable16has coupling members24distributed along a length of and attached to flexible backbone cable16. Each coupling member24is slidably coupled with elastic member20. Such coupling of flexible backbone cable16to elastic member20ensures effective length of flexible backbone cable16is commensurate with (e.g., substantially equal to) a length of elastic member20, thereby resulting in expandable light string14spanning the length of the support structure from which it is hung.

Although theFIGS.2A and2Bdepictions show flexible backbone cable16without icicle tap strings22, as depicted inFIG.1, some embodiments include icicle tap strings22distributed alone flexible backbone cable16. In some embodiments, each icicle tap string22extends from flexible backbone cable16at a tap location coincident with a location where a connecting member22is attached. In such a configuration, each icicle tap string22is supported by elastic member20via its associated connecting member24.

Elastic member20has first and second support coupling members26A and26B attached at first and second ends20A and20B, respectively, of elastic member20. First and second support coupling members26A and26B are configured to attach to a support structure, to which expandable light string14is to be attached. For example, first and second support coupling members26A and26B can be configured to be attached to a railing of a balcony, such as, for example, railing12of balcony10depicted inFIG.1. In some embodiments, support coupling members26A and26B can be configured to couple to other support structures, such as, for example, eaves of a roof, window and/or door frames, etc. In the depicted embodiment, first and second support coupling members26A and26B are hooks. Various other types of devices can be used as support coupling members26A and26B, such as for example, spring-loaded clamps, screw-on clamps, hook-and-loop fastening straps, tie straps, etc.

Flexible backbone cable16has first and second electrical connectors28A and28B at each of first and second ends16A and16B of flexible backbone cable16. First electrical connector26A is configured to couple to a power source so as to receive electrical operating power therefrom. Second electrical connector26B is configured to provide electrical operating power to another expandable light string (e.g., another expandable light string14) connected thereto. In some embodiments, first and second electrical connectors28A and28B are complementary (e.g., first electrical connector26A can be a male connector configured to couple with female second electrical connector26B). In some embodiments, first and second electrical connectors28A and28B are standard electrical power connectors. In other embodiments, first and second electrical connectors28A and28B are low-voltage electrical power connectors. In some embodiments, flexible backbone cable16has only first electrical connector26A for receiving electrical operating power and no second electrical connector26B for providing electrical power. In other embodiments, flexible backbone cable16has no electrical connectors. In such embodiments, an electrical power source is hardwired to flexible backbone cable16.

FIGS.3A and3Bdepict an example embodiment of an expandable light string that can adaptively span various lengths of a support structure. InFIG.3A, expandable light string14′ is depicted in a contracted state (i.e., elastic member20is in its natural state). InFIG.3B, expandable light string14′ is depicted in an expanded state (i.e., elastic member20is in a stretched state). In both of theFIGS.3A and3Bdepictions, expandable light string14′ includes flexible backbone cable16, and elastic member20, and icicle tap strings22, along which are distributed lighting elements18. In theFIGS.3A and3Bembodiment, coupling members24′ are fixedly attached to both flexible backbone cable16and elastic member20. In other embodiments, connecting members24′ can be slidably coupled to flexible backbone cable16and fixedly attached to elastic member20. In still other embodiments, connecting members24′ can be slidably coupled to both flexible backbone cable16and to elastic member20. Although theFIGS.3A and3Bdepictions show flexible backbone cable16with icicle tap strings22, as depicted inFIG.1, some embodiments do not include icicle tap strings22distributed along flexible backbone cable16. Instead, in such embodiments, lighting elements18can be distributed in various other fashions, such as, for example, as light string with lighting elements distributed along backbone cable16, or as a light curtain, with uniformly-long light strings descending from backbone cable16.

In all the above-described embodiments, elastic member20is coupled to and supported by a structure via first and second support coupling members26A and26B. Elastic member20then supports flexible backbone cable16via connecting members24(and/or24′, etc.). Moreover, elastic member20adapts to a length dimension L that is commensurate with a distance between the first and second locations at which first and second support coupling members26A and26B couple to the support structure. Because flexible backbone cable16is connected to elastic member20at a series of corresponding connection locations along both flexible backbone cable16and elastic member20, flexible backbone cable will appear to have a length dimension commensurate L that is also commensurate with the distance between the first and second locations at which first and second support coupling members26A and26B coupled to the support structure. Typically, flexible backbone cable16is not very elastic (i.e., very much less elastic than elastic member20), though. Thus, flexible backbone cable16appears shorter than its true length because between connection members24, flexible backbone cable16will not be taut when elastic member20has a length dimension that is less than the true length dimension of flexible backbone cable16. In some embodiments, especially embodiments in which flexible backbone cable16is fixedly attached to elastic member20, at least at ends16A-B and20A-B, support coupling members can be coupled to ends16A and16B of flexible backbone cable16instead of to ends20A and20B of elastic member20. In such embodiments, a tensile force is applied to the first and second ends20A and20B of elastic member20via flexible backbone cable16and end elastic members20, which fixedly attach flexible backbone cable16with elastic member20.

Also depicted in theFIGS.3A and3Bembodiment are intermediate support couplers32, which are connected to expandable light string14′ between the first and second support coupling members26A and26B. Intermediate support couplers32are configured to releasably couple to railing12of the balcony or other structural support member, such as, for example, eaves of a roof. Such intermediate support couplers32can be used to reduce sagging of expandable lighting string14′ between support coupling members26A and26B. In some embodiments, only a single intermediate support coupler32is used approximately halfway between support coupling members26A and26B. Such intermediate support couplers32can couple expandable light string14′ to railing12after expandable light string14′ is hung from railing12using support coupling members26A and26B. Intermediate support structures32can be connected to flexible backbone cable16and/or elastic member20.

FIGS.4A-4Edepict examples of a support coupling members configured to attach an expandable light string to a support structure. InFIG.4A, support coupling member26is a hook. Hook26can be configured to attach to a top member or a vertical member of a railing12, for example. InFIG.4B, support coupling member26′ is a hook with a spring-loaded gate. Such a spring-loaded gate can secure the hook26Ito a supporting structure. InFIG.4C, support coupling member26IIis a pair of hook-and-loop fastening straps. Such hook-and-loop fasteners26IIcan be affixed to support structures having a variety of different configurations. InFIG.4D, support coupling member26IIIis tie straps. InFIG.4E, support coupling member26IVis a screw-on clamp. Such screw-on clamps26IVcan be used to provide secure coupling to objects unable to be secured by hooks, etc.

In some embodiments, different types of support coupling members26can be used in combination. For example, hook26can be used in combination with hook-and-loop fastening straps26II. Such a combination can provide a choice of how to couple expandable light string14to a structural support member. Moreover, such a combination can be simultaneously. For example, hook26can be used to coupled to a vertical member of railing12, while hook-and-loop fastening straps26IIis used to secure expandable light string14to a top member of railing12. These same structures (i.e., hook26, hook with spring-loaded gate26I, hook-and-loop fasteners26II, tie strap26III, screw-on clamps26IV, etc.). can be used as intermediate support couplers as well.

FIG.5depicts an example embodiment of an expandable light string that has a coiled-spring expandable member. InFIG.5, expandable light string14″ includes flexible backbone cable16, lighting elements18and coiled spring member20′. Coiled-spring member20′ is continuously coupled to flexible backbone cable16along most, if not all, of its length. Coiled-spring member20′ can be expanded from a coiled length LMINto a maximum length LMAX. Such a coiled-spring member20′ operates in a fashion similar to old-fashioned coiled phone cords. Coiled-spring member20′ has an effective length dimension L between first and second ends20A′ and20B′ that increases as a tensile force is applied to ends20A′ and20B′ of coiled-spring member20′. The effective length dimension L between the first and second ends20A′ and20B′ of coiled-spring member20′ contracts or reduces in response to a reduction in the tensile force applied to the first and second ends20A′ and20B′ of coiled-spring member20′. Regardless of whether elastic member20or coiled spring member20′ in included in the expandable light string14, a single expandable member extends between first and second coupling members. Such a single expandable member permits quick and easy installation of expandable light string14by attaching expandable lights string at two locations of a supporting structure.