Abstract:
A lighting display system is provided comprising in its basic form a channel for mounting on a suitable display surface, a light secured within the channel, and an electrical means for powering the light. Preferably, the channel conforms to the shape of the light, which is a rope light, in order to releaseably retain the light. The channel can be interconnected with other channels, with caps including pivot caps, to form a lighting display suitable for mounting to an underlying surface of some types, such as a commercial or residential structure.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a lighting display system. In particular, the invention relates to a channel for mounting on a suitable display surface, a light secured within the channel, and an electrical means for powering the light.  
         [0002]     Lighting displays of the type used for seasonal holiday displays are well know in the art. These typically consist of a series of strings of lights strung together and connected to an electrical outlet. The lights normally are loosely affixed to the surface an article, such as a commercial or residential structure, boat, patio, and the like, with hooks, fasteners, or staples. The light are normally removed after the holiday and stored until the next holiday season.  
         [0003]     This creates a number of problems. The installation, removal, and storage of the lights is bothersome, time consuming, and in some cases dangerous. Installation often requires the use of a ladder, and due to seasonal considerations may take place in inclement weather. Furthermore, the means of attachment often creates a display that is not pleasing. For example, the strings of lights may not be straight, and the repeated attachment and re-attachment creates wear and tear on the underlying surface.  
         [0004]     The lights are removed due to the fact that the appearance is obtrusive and not pleasing, especially during the daytime when the lights are not illuminated. The long strings of lights make the structure look unpleasant. Additionally, conventional string lights do not weather well and are typically not suited to year round use.  
         [0005]     Rope lighting offers an alternative that reduces some of these disadvantages. Rope lights are somewhat more durable, and can incorporate higher quality lights such as light emitting diodes. However, rope lights still need to be attached, and particularly in a manner that does not damage the lights, and then removed. Like string lights, rope lights still create an unpleasant appearance when they are not illuminated.  
         [0006]     Accordingly, a need exists for an improved lighting system.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     And object of the present invention is to provide an improved lighting display system.  
         [0008]     These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following specification, drawings, and claims.  
         [0009]     The present invention intends to overcome the difficulties encountered heretofore. To that end, a lighting display system is provided comprising in its basic form a channel for mounting on a suitable display surface, a light secured within the channel, and an electrical means for powering the light. Preferably, the channel conforms to the shape of the light, which is a rope light, in order to releaseably retain the light. The channel can be interconnected with other channels, with caps including pivot caps, to form a lighting display suitable for mounting to an underlying surface of some types, such as a commercial or residential structure. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a lighting system with an end cap.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the lighting system with a pivot cap.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the lighting system with the pivot cap.  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is an end view of a channel and rope light of the lighting system.  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of the channel.  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a top view of a bottom and top cap of the end cap of the lighting system.  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a bottom view of a bottom and top cap of the end cap of the lighting system.  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the end cap of the lighting system.  
         [0018]      FIG. 9  is a bottom view of the pivot cap of the lighting system.  
         [0019]      FIG. 10  is a top view of a male and female cap of the pivot cap of the lighting system.  
         [0020]      FIG. 11  is a bottom view of the male and female cap of the pivot cap of the lighting system.  
         [0021]      FIG. 12  is a bottom view of the male and female cap of the pivot cap of the lighting system.  
         [0022]      FIG. 13  is a top view of a base and ring cap of the pivot cap of the lighting system.  
         [0023]      FIG. 14  is a bottom view of the base and ring cap of the pivot cap of the lighting system.  
         [0024]      FIG. 15  is a top view of the rope light of the lighting system.  
         [0025]      FIG. 16  is an end view of the rope light of the lighting system.  
         [0026]      FIG. 17  is a schematic view of the lighting system. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]     In the Figures, a channel light system  10  is shown. The channel light system  10  is a modular lighting system for use as a decorative lighting system. Preferably, the system  10  utilizes LED lighting, and is permanently or semi-permanently affixed to a commercial or residential structure such as a house; or to a boat, patio, cabinets, or other similar surfaces/articles. The system  10  is particular suited for holiday display lighting, such as Christmas, New Years, Fourth of July, birthdays, and the like.  
         [0028]     The system  10  is comprised of a channel  12 , a rope light  14 , a channel cap  16 , and a pivot cap  18 .  FIG. 1  shows the channel  12  with the rope light  14  inserted therein, with the end cap  16  in place. This arrangement of the system  10  would be used at the terminal end of the system  10 , to create a finished look. The channel  12  and rope light  14  feature matingly aligned profiles to form an interlocking connection when the rope light  14  is inserted into the channel  12 .  
         [0029]      FIGS. 2-3  show the system  10  with the pivot cap  18  connected to the channel  12 . This arrangement of the system  10  would be used to round a corner, or fit to a curve, such as the peak or gable of a roof of a house (see  FIGS. 2-3 ). The pivot cap  18  allows for pivoting movement of two lengths of channel  12 , wherein each length would be connected to the opposite ends of the pivot cap  18 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 4  shows the mating profiles of the channel  12  and the rope light  14 . As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the channel  12  has opposing inner walls  20 ,  22 , which create an inner channel  24  therebetween. Rounded sides  26 ,  28  form the exterior of the channel  12 . The sides  26 ,  28  have terminal ledges  30 ,  32  that capture the correspondingly shaped inwardly depending ridges  34 ,  36  of the rope light  14  (see  FIG. 16 ). In this manner, the rope light  14  is removeably retained within the inner channel  24  when the ledges  30 ,  32  of the sides  26 ,  28  of the channel  12  capture the ridges  34 ,  36 . As disclosed hereinbelow, the rope light  14  is constructed of a semi-flexible material that allows for capture, but is not so rigid that it cannot be removed from within the inner channel  12  of the channel  12 .  
         [0031]     The channel  12  also includes raised ribs  38 ,  40  that extend longitudinally along the length of the channel  12 . The ribs  38 ,  40  support the bottom of the rope light, and provide space to insert a mounting screw (not shown) that inserts into mounting holes  42  that are located periodically along the longitudinal axis of the channel  12 . The gap prevents the head of the mounting screw from disturbing the rope light  14 . The channel  12  can be easily mounted by securing the mounting screw through holes  42  and into an underlying surface.  
         [0032]     The channel  12  comes in a variety of colors to match the color of the surface to which it will be mounted. For example, in the embodiment of a residential lighting display the channel  12  color can match the color of the roof, fascia, or siding of the home to create a seamless appearance particularly suited to year round display. The channel  12  can be constructed of any suitably rigid material, such as aluminum, plastic, and the like.  
         [0033]      FIGS. 6-8  show in detail the channel cap  16 . The channel cap  16  comprises a top cap  44  that matingly aligns with a bottom cap  46 . The top cap  44  provides a clean finished surface, and hides the means of securement between the channel  12  and the channel cap  16 , located on the bottom cap  46 . To that end, the bottom cap includes feet  48 ,  50  that are sized to fit snuggly into the gap between the sides  26 ,  28  and inner walls  20 ,  22  of the channel  12 . Stops  52 ,  54  abut the edge of the channel  12  in a position so that the top cap  44  covers from view the point of joinder between the channel cap  16  and the channel  12 .  
         [0034]     The top cap  44  includes cutouts  56 ,  58 , which align with cutouts  60 ,  62  located in the bottom cap  46 . Together, the cutouts  56 ,  58 ,  60 ,  62  provide access for wires as needed to make electrical connections to the rope light  14 . The bottom cap  46  includes holes  68  to insert mounting screws (not shown) to secure the bottom cap  46  to any convenient underlying surface. The bottom cap  46  utilizes upwardly extending stakes  70 ,  72  that fit within slots  74 ,  76  located in the top cap  44 . Outwardly extending ledges on the stakes  70 ,  72  secure with the slots  74 ,  76  to form a removeably secure snap fit between the top and bottom caps  44 ,  46 . The top cap  44  also includes an indentation  64 , which aligns with a further cutout  66  in the bottom cap  46 , and allows for the insertion of a tool such as a screwdriver to remove the top cap  44  from the bottom cap  46 .  
         [0035]      FIGS. 9-13  show in detail the pivot cap  18 . The pivot cap  18  is comprised of a male cap  78 , a female cap  80 , a base cap  82 , and a ring cap  84 . The male and female caps  78 ,  80  present a finished surface and a pivoting connection, and hides the means of securement between the channel(s)  12  and the pivot cap  18 . To that end, the male and female caps  78 ,  80  interlock by the insertion of a male connector  86  through hole  88  in the female cap  80 . A stop ridge  90  on the male connector  78  and a correspondingly stop ridge  92  on the female connector  80  define the pivoting range of motion between the male and female caps  78 ,  80 . The stop ridges  90 ,  92  extend transversely across the caps  78 ,  80  and make contact with each other at the limits of the pivoting movement therebetween. The female cap  80  includes a shelf  94  that provides a clean exposed surface throughout the range of movement between the caps  78 ,  80 .  
         [0036]     Base cap  82  includes a base portion  96  from which a collar  98  extends upward. The base cap  82  includes feet  100 ,  102  and stops  104 ,  106 , which function in an identical manner as the feet and stops of the end cap  16  described herein above. The base cap  82  also includes a hole  108  through which a mounting screw (not shown) can be inserted to mount the base cap  82  to a suitable underlying surface.  
         [0037]     The ring cap  84  includes a ring  110 , which fits around the collar  98  of the base cap  82 . The overlay of the ring  110  and collar  98  defines the pivot point between the base cap  82  and the ring cap  84 , as well as the pivot point of the pivot cap  18 . The ring cap  84  also includes feet  112 ,  114  and stops  116 ,  118 , which function in an identical manner as the feet and stops of the end and base caps  16 ,  82  described herein above.  
         [0038]     The male and female caps  78 ,  80  matingly align as described hereinabove and as shown in  FIG. 12 , the base and ring caps  82 ,  84  matingly align as described hereinabove and as shown in  FIG. 13 . The combination of the two sets of caps ( 78 ,  80  and  82 ,  84  respectively) align and matingly join by inserting the end of the male connector  86  through the collar  98  of the base cap  82 . The ends of the male connector  86  include outwardly extending ledges  120  that snap fit into a recessed ridge  122  located in the bottom of the collar  98  of the base cap (see  FIGS. 9, 14 ). This connection releaseably secures the components of the pivot cap  18  in such a way that the pivot cap  18  can freely pivot but still remain substantially joined. An electrical connection can be made between the rope lights  14  through the pivot cap  18  using conventional means.  
         [0039]     The end cap  14  and pivot cap  16  can be made of any suitable material, such as plastic, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), rigid polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and the like. Preferably, a flame retardant material would be used.  
         [0040]     The rope light  14  is comprised of a flexible material generally in a tubular form. The material is generally some form of flexible plastic or resin such as PVC. Small lights are embedded in the material along with narrow electrical connectors. Preferably, the rope light  14  is comprised of light emitting diodes (LED) lights. The material itself can be clear or colored, and in the case of LED lights the lights can easily be different colors. The wires embedded in the rope light  14  can be easily connected to electrical wires via conventional connection means. The number of lights can vary not only by the number of lights on a string, but also the number of strings within the rope  14 . Thus, rope lights  14  can be easily interconnected electrically. The rope light  14  include three strings of lights (see  FIG. 16 ).  
         [0041]     The system  10  can be configured to adapt to any number of installation sites by cutting the channels  12  and the rope lights  14  to length. Then the channels  12  can be attached to the underlying surface, with the rope lights inserted. The electrical connections can be made, then the caps  16 ,  18  attached thereby creating a permanent or semi permanent display.  
         [0042]     In one embodiment, the system  10  is adapted for use as display lighting for a commercial or residential structure.  FIG. 17  shows in general form the configuration of the system  10  as a display for a residential home. The system  10  includes a power supply of conventional voltage to power the system. Wiring leads to the channels/rope lights  12 ,  14 , which would be mounted on or along the fascia of the home. The wiring would then lead to a controller mounted in some convenient area such as a garage. The controller would be used to set details of the display, such as the timing, the patterns, speed, flash frequency, colors, and the like.  
         [0043]     The system  10  substantially eliminates the problems of the prior art. The system  10  allows for the use of high efficiency lighting, provides for a high quality lighting display, and is permanent or semi-permanent in nature. The appearance is unobtrusive and substantial enough to allow for year round use. This eliminates the need to remove seasonal lights, and creates a professional appearance, as well as allows for the use of high quality lighting products.  
         [0044]     The foregoing description and drawings comprise illustrative embodiments of the present inventions. The foregoing embodiments and the methods described herein may vary based on the ability, experience, and preference of those skilled in the art. Merely listing the steps of the method in a certain order does not constitute any limitation on the order of the steps of the method. The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention, and the invention is not limited thereto, except insofar as the claims are so limited. Those skilled in the art that have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.