Patent Publication Number: US-9423107-B2

Title: Molded light strand

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/983,245, filed on Apr. 23, 2015, incorporated in its entirety herein by reference. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present general inventive concept relates to lighting, and more specifically, to a light strand having a plurality of spaced apart light sockets which extend along a length of the strand to orient light bulbs received within the sockets along the strand. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Electric light strands of the type commonly used in indoor and outdoor decorative lighting, such as for example in Christmas and other holiday decorations, are generally known in the art. Such light strands typically include a plurality of light sockets which are disposed along, and are in electrical communication with, an electrical cable comprising one or more electrical wires. Each socket is adapted to receive and engage a sleeve portion of a light bulb, and includes suitable conductor plates for establishing electrical communication between the electrical contacts of the light bulb and the electrical wires forming the cable. 
     In several common designs for electric light strands, each of the sockets of the strand is secured to the cable in such a way that, when the cable is extended along a linear orientation, central axes of the sockets, and the light bulbs received therein, extend generally orthogonally to the linear direction of the cable. For example, in several designs of electric light strands, each socket defines a generally cylindrical shape and includes an open axial end for receiving a light bulb sleeve within the socket, and a closed axial end opposite thereto. In certain designs, one or more wires of the cable are received within suitable openings in the closed axial end of the socket, which extend generally parallel to an axial dimension of the socket, to establish electrical communication between the electric plates of the socket and the cable. In other designs, such as for example the C-type bulb socket described and shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,853, issued to Hwang on Mar. 3, 1998, one or more of the wires of the cable extends inwardly and outwardly of the socket through the curved sidewall of the cylindrical socket, such that the cable is oriented generally perpendicular to the axial dimension of the socket. In both designs, the end result is an electric light strand in which the axial dimension of the socket extends generally orthogonally to the cable when the cable is extended along a linear dimension. 
     In use of light strands of the type described above, difficulty arises in mounting the light strand in such a way that the light sources produced by the various light sockets and corresponding light bulbs are held in a relatively straight line in relation to one another. Specifically, it is recognized that, although each of the light sockets of the light strands described above extends generally perpendicular to the cable when the cable is stretched along a linear dimension, the light sockets do not necessarily extend in the same direction relative to one another. Thus, when the light strand is mounted in a linear configuration, for example against a flat surface, it is possible that some sockets may extend to one side of the cable along the surface, other sockets may extend to the other side of the cable along the surface, and still other sockets may extend outwardly from the surface. 
     In several applications of electric light strands, it is desirable to mount the light strand in such a way that the light sources produced by the various light sockets and corresponding light bulbs are held in a relatively straight line in relation to one another. Accordingly, an improved electric light strand that addresses the above-discussed limitations is desired. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned features of the invention will become more clearly understood from the following detailed description of the invention read together with the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a molded light strand constructed in accordance with several features of the present general inventive concept; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view showing another embodiment of a molded light strand constructed in accordance with several features of the present general inventive concept; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view showing another embodiment of a molded light strand constructed in accordance with several features of the present general inventive concept; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view showing another embodiment of a molded light strand constructed in accordance with several features of the present general inventive concept; and 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the embodiment of the molded light strand of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made to various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and illustrations. The example embodiments are described herein in order to explain the present general inventive concept by referring to the figures. The following detailed description is provided to assist the reader in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein. Accordingly, various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein will be suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     In accordance with various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept, a molded light strand is described herein and in the accompanying figures. The molded light strand, or “strand,” is illustrated generally at  10  in the figures and includes a plurality of sockets  12  in electrical communication with one or more wires  14  forming a cable  16 . Each of the sockets  12  is configured to receive a sleeve portion  18  of a light bulb  20  therein and to place the sleeve  18  in electrical communication with the at least one wire  14  of the cable  16 . As will be further described hereinbelow, each socket  12  is disposed in an orientation along the cable  16  such that a corresponding light bulb  20  extends from the socket at least relatively close to, and in some embodiments adjacent to, the cable. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a strand  10  according to several features of the present general inventive concept. As shown in  FIG. 1 , in one embodiment, the strand  10  includes at least one socket  12  which defines a generally cylindrical, or slightly flared truncated conical, external shape, having a circumferential side wall  24 , a slightly flared, open first end  26 , and a closed second end  28 . The open first end  26  provides access to an internal cavity  22  of the socket  12  which is sized and shaped to receive a sleeve portion  18  of a light bulb  20 . In the illustrated embodiment, the internal cavity  22  of the socket  12  is sized to receive a sleeve portion of a C-type light bulb of the type known in the art. However, it will be recognized that the socket  12  can be sized to accommodate any of numerous types of light bulbs without departing from the spirit and scope of the present general inventive concept. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the side wall  24  of the socket  12  defines an elongated channel  30  extending generally along an axial dimension  40  of the socket  12 . The channel  30  is generally sized and shaped to receive therein a portion of the cable  16 . A cap  34  is provided which is shaped to mate with and engage at least a portion of the channel  30  in overlying relationship with the portion of the cable  16  received within the channel  30  to secure the portion of the cable  16  within the channel  30 . Thus, by placing a portion of the cable  16  within the channel  30  and then securing the cap  34  in mating engagement with the channel  30 , the socket  12  may be secured at a location along the length of the cable  16 . 
     In several embodiments, a plurality of contacts  36 ,  38  are disposed within the socket  12  and in communication with the channel  30 , such that the contacts  36 ,  38  may establish electrical communication between the sleeve  18  of a light bulb  20  received within the socket  12  and at least one wire  14  of the cable  16 . For example, in the illustrated embodiment, a first contact  36  extends along an interior of the side wall  24  of the socket  12  and projects outwardly through the side wall  24  and into the channel  30 . A second contact  38  extends along an interior surface of the closed end  28  of the socket  12  and projects outwardly into the channel  30  through an interface of the side wall  24  and the closed end  28 . Thus, when a light bulb sleeve  18  is received within the socket  12 , the first contact  36  is brought into engagement with a side wall of the sleeve  18 , while the second contact  38  is brought into engagement with an end portion of the sleeve  18 . In the illustrated embodiment in which a C-type light bulb is employed, it will be recognized that such configuration of the contacts  36 ,  38  serves to provide electrical communication between the contacts  36 ,  38  and the operative portions of the sleeve  18  necessary to allow electrical current to flow through the filament of the light bulb  20  when such current is introduced to the contacts  36 ,  38 . However, it will be recognized that numerous other configurations are possible for arrangement of the portions of the contacts  36 ,  38  within the interior of the socket  12  to allow the contacts  36 ,  38  to operatively engage light bulbs of different designs, and such other configurations may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present general inventive concept. 
     Numerous suitable devices and configurations exist which may be used for establishing electrical communication between the electrical contacts  36 ,  38  and the at least one wire  14  of the cable. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, each of the portions of the electrical contacts  36 ,  38  extending into the channel  30  defines a pointed shape, the point extending generally outwardly from the side wall  24  of the socket  12  and toward the cap  34 . Thus, when a portion of the cable  16  is placed into the channel  30  and the cap  34  is placed in engagement with the channel  30 , the points of the electrical contacts  36 ,  38  are compressed into the exterior of the cable  16 , thereby establishing electrical engagement between the contacts  36 ,  38 , and the at least one wire  14 . In embodiments in which an insulative sheathing surrounds the at least one wire  14  of the cable  16 , the points of the contacts  36 ,  38  may puncture the sheathing and access the at least one wire  14  beneath the sheathing. 
     It will be appreciated that, with the channel  30  extending along the side wall  24  of the socket  12  and the cable  16  received therein, a central axis  40  of the internal cavity  22  of the socket  12 , and of the corresponding light bulb  20  received therein, extends in a non-perpendicular orientation to the long dimension of the portion of the cable  16  received within the channel  30 . In several embodiments, the channel  30  and corresponding portion of cable  16  received therein extend parallel to, or almost parallel to, the central axis  40  of the socket  12  and bulb  20 . Thus, it will be appreciated that the light bulb  20  is generally held by the socket  12  in close proximity to the cable  16 , such that when the cable  16  is mounted along a generally linear orientation, each of the light bulbs  20  received within various sockets  12  of the strand  10  are generally held in a linear orientation to one another, absent any further arrangement or additional fastening of the individual sockets  12  in relation to the cable  16  or the structure on which the cable  16  is mounted. 
     In different embodiments constructed in accordance with the present general inventive concept, the specific angular orientation of the channel  30  in relation to the central axis  40  of the socket cavity  22  and bulb  20  may vary, for example in order to allow for slight separation between the light bulb  20  and the cable  16 , and/or to limit heat transfer between the light bulb  20  and the cable  16 . For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the channel  30  extends along the entire length of the side wall  24  of the socket  12 . Thus, the angular orientation of the channel  30  in relation to the central axis  40  of the socket cavity  22  and bulb  20  substantially matches the angular orientation between the exterior of the side wall  24  of the socket  12  and the central axis  40  of the socket cavity  22  and bulb  20 . In other embodiments, the channel  30  may extend along only a portion of the side wall  24 , or may vary in depth along the side wall  24 , such that the angular orientation of the channel  30  in relation to the central axis  40  varies from that of the external surface of the socket  12 . In still other embodiments, the external surface of the side wall  24  may define truncated conical shapes having varying degrees of slant, such that the angle of the channel  30  in relation to the central axis  40  may vary. 
     Optionally, the socket  12  may further include one or more drain holes  42  which may allow water or other fluid accumulated within the socket internal cavity  22  to drain from the socket  12 . Thus, in applications in which the strand  10  is employed in an outdoor setting, the drain holes  42  may reduce the likelihood of electrical shortage within the socket  12  due to moisture or other conductive fluid accumulating therein. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, the socket  12  may define one or more clips  44  extending along an exterior surface of the socket  12  to assist a user in mounting the strand  10  to a desired location, such as for example on an edge of a surface, length of cordage, etc. However, it will be recognized that inclusion of the drain holes  42  and/or clip  44  is not necessary to accomplish the strand  10  in accordance with the present general inventive concept. 
     While the present invention has been illustrated by description of several embodiments and while the illustrative embodiments have been described in detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicant&#39;s general inventive concept.