Abstract:
A decorative light curtain that can be draped inside a doorway, window or other opening using a conventional tension rod and a plurality of specially adapted light support brackets that separate and position a plurality of substantially parallel strands of decorative lights. The resultant lighting display simulates a lighted drape that spans the top and each side of the door or window in which it is used.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates to a decorative lighting product, and more particularly, to a decorative lighting product simulating a lighted curtain that is draped inside a doorway to achieve an aesthetic decorative effect.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    Decorative light strings comprising a plurality of decorative bulb and socket assemblies linked by insulated electrical wires are well known. Such decorative light strings are ordinarily sold with clear, white or colored C- 9 , C- 7  or mini-light sized bulbs in 25, 50 or 100 count strings. In the past, doorways and large windows have often been decorated for seasonal, holiday or other occasional use by attaching such decorative light strings around the perimeter using hooks or other fasteners. Generally, not more than one or two strands of lights are strung along each side because of the time and trouble required to install and remove the light strings.  
           [0005]    The use of stranded curtains in doorways is also well known. Such strands, often made of strings of beads, typically hang downward from the top of the doorway, and are parted by the user when passing through the doorway.  
           [0006]    There remains a need, however, for a decorative lighting treatment for doorways and windows that comprises multiple strands of decorative lights that can be quickly and easily installed and then removed following use.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The invention disclosed herein is a decorative light curtain that can be draped inside a doorway, window or other interior or exterior wall opening using a conventional tension rod and a plurality of specially adapted light support brackets that separate and position a plurality of strands of decorative bulb and socket assemblies. The subject curtain drape lights are preferably totally or partially preassembled so that they can be quickly installed and used following removal from the packaging in which they are sold. The resultant lighting display simulates a lighted curtain or drape that spans the top and at least part of each side of the door, window or other wall opening in which it is used.  
           [0008]    According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the subject decorative light curtain comprises a transverse rod capable of being biased against structural members disposed at each side of a doorway, window or other opening, thereby spanning the opening; a light support bracket suspended from the transverse rod at or near each end of the rod and angled downwardly and inwardly into the doorway, window or opening, each angled light support bracket further comprising a plurality of laterally spaced positioning members each adapted to receive, releasably engage, support and separate a strand of lights from other such light strands in generally parallel relation to each other; a plurality of serially interconnected light strands draped between and downwardly from the angled brackets; and means for supplying electrical energy to the serially connected light strands.  
           [0009]    According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one additional light support bracket is also provided at each side of the doorway, window or other opening to provide continued separation between adjacent strands suspended from the angled brackets as disclosed above. Such additional light support brackets can be releasably attached to the sides of the doorway, window or opening, or can be clipped to and suspended from the decorative light strands.  
           [0010]    Where the width of the doorway, window or other opening is substantial, such as, for example, greater than about three feet, a device is also desirably provided near the middle of the tension rod that can be used to gather the substantially parallel light strands closer together in proximity to the rod.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    The apparatus of the invention is further described and explained in relation to the following figures of the drawings wherein:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a simplified front elevation view depicting the curtain drape lights of the invention as installed in a doorway;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1A is an enlarged detail view depicting four light strands gathered by a tie near the bottom, with one of the strands having at its end a plug for connecting the light strands to an electrical power source;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a light support bracket useful for supporting a plurality of decorative light strands in substantially parallel, spaced-apart relation to each other at the side of a doorway, window or other opening;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a light support bracket useful for supporting a plurality of decorative light strands in spaced-apart relation at one end of a tension rod installed inside a doorway, window or other opening, substantially as depicted in FIG. 1;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of another light support bracket that is similar to the bracket depicted in FIG. 3, but designed for use on the opposite end of a tension rod as the bracket depicted in FIG. 3, and having a cylindrical receptacle with a slightly larger diameter to accommodate the larger-diameter section of the tension rod; and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a simplified front elevation view, partially broken away, of a preferred tension rod suitable for use in the apparatus of the invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 1A, decorative light curtain  10  of the invention is preferably installed inside an interior or exterior door, window or other wall opening  12  having a top  14 , bottom  16  and sides  18 ,  20 . It will be appreciated upon reading this disclosure, however, that the invention can also be installed around or over such an opening if desired. In such cases, additional commercially available mounting brackets may be required to attach decorative light curtain  10  to wall  22 . Decorative light curtain  10  preferably comprises transverse rod  24 , top light support brackets  26 ,  28  disposed at or near the ends of transverse rod  24 , side support brackets  30 ,  32  and substantially parallel light strands  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40 .  
         [0019]    Light strands  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  are most preferably part of a single decorative light string having, for example,  100  decorative mini-light bulb and socket assemblies that are longitudinally spaced and interconnected with insulated electrical conductors. Near bottom  16  on each side of opening  12 , the decorative light string can be doubled or folded to reverse its direction, thereby creating the appearance of a different light strand. It will be appreciated, however, that the number of lights can vary as desired and that several shorter decorative light strings can also be joined end-to-end to produce the desired number of strands. At least one light strand  34  will desirably terminate in a pigtail  42  having a plug  44  or other connector suitable for connecting the light strand to an electrical power source such as wall outlet  46 .  
         [0020]    According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention decorative light curtain  10  is substantially preassembled to permit easy installation by the user when removed from the packaging in which it is purchased. Thus, for example, top light support brackets  26 ,  28  are preferably attached to ends  48 ,  50 , respectively, of transverse rod  24 , and light strands  34 ,  36   38 ,  40  are preferably inserted into receiving positions on the brackets during manufacture. To install decorative light curtain  10 , the user only needs to install transverse rod  24  in opening  12  near top  14 , and insert plug  44  into wall outlet  46 . Side support brackets  30 ,  32 , which are preferred but not required for use with the invention, also comprise laterally spaced receiving positions as described in greater detail below, that can be used to maintain desired separation between the portions of adjacent light strands  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  that hang from top support brackets  26 ,  28 . Side support brackets  30 ,  32  can also be attached to sides  18 ,  20  to enhance the aesthetic appearance of decorative light curtain  10  if desired.  
         [0021]    Depending upon the width of opening  12 , a support  52  can be provided near the midpoint of transverse rod  24  to gather light strands  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  where they are draped between top light support brackets  26 ,  28 . Support  52  can be a hook or clasp attached to transverse rod  24 , or can be a cord or a fabric tie with an appropriate fastener such as a hook and loop fastener system. Similarly, ties  54 ,  56  can be provided for use near the bottom of light strands  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  at each side of opening  12  to gather the downwardly depending portions of the light strands together, thereby creating a cleaner look, minimizing risk of entanglement with a passer-by and concealing the doubling of looped strands.  
         [0022]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 5, transverse rod  24  is preferably a spring-biased, telescoping tension rod having a first, smaller diameter tubular section  58  slidably inserted into a second, larger diameter tubular section  60  that contains spring  62 . The use of such a transverse rod  24  facilitates convenient installation inside wall openings of various widths and quick removal following use. Use of a sectioned or telescoping transverse rod  24  can also facilitate packaging of decorative light curtain  10  in a shorter package. Non-skid rubber end caps  64 ,  66  can optionally be provided on ends  48 ,  50  if desired to facilitate engagement with sides  18 ,  20  of wall  22 . While the use of such an outwardly biased, adjustable length rod is preferred, it will be appreciated that other similarly effective rod supports can likewise be used with decorative light curtain  10  of the invention. For example, a single length rod having threaded, adjustable end tips at rod ends  48 ,  50  can also be used, as can a rod that is simply mounted over a doorway, window or other opening using conventional mounting hardware.  
         [0023]    Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, top light support brackets  26 ,  28  are preferably made of molded plastic, although brackets made of other materials such as metal are similarly useful. Top light support brackets  26 ,  28  preferably comprise cylindrical barrel sections  68 ,  80  having inside diameters sized to receive and provide slidable, frictional engagement with transverse rod ends  48 ,  50  having outside diameters  72 ,  74 , respectively. Top light support brackets  26 ,  28  preferably further comprise elongated strand-support sections  70 ,  82 , respectively, each of which embodies a plurality of spaced-apart receiving positions, depicted as positions  76 ,  84 , respectively, that are adapted to receive and support light strands of decorative light strings in substantially parallel and spaced-apart relation to each other. According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, elongated strand-support sections  70 ,  82  of top light support brackets  26 ,  28  extend downwardly and angle inwardly into opening  12  as shown in FIG. 1 to produce a preferred orientation, separation and aesthetic effect with light strands  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  50 . Receiving positions  76 ,  84  are merely exemplary of many types of receptacles, fasteners, clips and the like that can be provided on top light support brackets  26 ,  28  to receive and maintain a plurality of light strands in a preferred, space-apart alignment to each other. As depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4, receiving positions  76 ,  84 , are recesses partially occluded by lips  78 ,  86 , respectively. Overhanging lips  78 ,  86  help maintain light strands  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  in preferred alignment and separation while permitting quick and convenient insertion of light strands into receiving positions  76 ,  84  during manufacture, assembly or installation of decorative light curtain  10  of FIG. 1. When top light support brackets  26 ,  28  are attached or attachable to transverse rod  24 , and when light strands  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  are inserted into receiving positions  76 ,  84  during manufacture, decorative light curtain  10  of FIG. 1 can be quickly installed following removal from the packaging in which is it sold. It should be understood that, while four substantially parallel and spaced-apart light strands  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  are depicted in FIG. 1, the number of light strands and associated receiving positions in the light brackets can be increased or decreased from those shown within the scope of the invention. The use of at least three light strands is preferred.  
         [0024]    Referring to FIG. 2, a preferred side support bracket  30  is shown that comprises a mounting section  88  and a light strand support section  90 . While the use of side support brackets  30 ,  32  as shown in FIG. 1 is not required, such brackets assist in maintaining separation and alignment of the light strands. For taller openings, more than one side support bracket  30  can be used on each side of the opening in which the subject decorative light curtain is installed. Mounting section  88  preferably comprises an adhesive pad  92  or other similarly effective means for attaching side support bracket  30  to side  18 . Mounting section  88  is preferably designed in such manner that side support bracket  30  is releasable and removable from wall  22  without permanent damage following use. As shown in FIG. 2, side support bracket  30  preferably comprises a plurality of laterally spaced receiving positions  94  with openings partially occluded by overhanging lips  96  as previously described in relation to top light support brackets  26 ,  28 . According to another embodiment of the invention, side support brackets can be provided that do not include a mounting section  88 . Such side support brackets will desirably comprise receiving positions  94  that attach to light strands in such manner that the brackets will remain in place and maintain separation of the light strands without sliding down the strands.  
         [0025]    Other alterations and modifications of the invention will likewise become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure, and it is intended that the scope of the invention disclosed herein be limited only by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims to which the inventors are legally entitled.