Patent Publication Number: US-11649937-B1

Title: Decorative light applicable to landscaping

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a decorative light for adorning the environment and more particularly to a decorative light that is applicable to landscaping and can be used for defining a spatial layout. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     On holidays such as the New Year holidays, lights and/or ornaments are typically used to decorate the environment and add to the festive atmosphere. As people&#39;s quality of life, taste, or preferences have changed over time, those traditional decorative objects that are dull and monotonous have gradually failed to meet users&#39; needs. This explains why novel decorative light products that are easy to deploy have in recent years been more and more popular and are now in extensive use. However, most of the existing decorative light products have a single function only and serve no other purposes than to provide decorative lighting. In other words, the conventional decorative lights still leave much to be desired and need further improvement. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the aforesaid deficiency of the prior art, the present invention provides a decorative light that is applicable to landscaping. In addition to producing a decorative lighting effect, the decorative light of the invention can be used to define a spatial layout and therefore has multiple applications and different uses. 
     The present invention incorporates an expandable design into a simple structure so that the decorative light of the invention can be expanded as needed to an appropriate width during use and collapsed to the smallest volume when not in use, thereby providing great convenience of use and reducing storage-related problems. Moreover, when in the collapsed state, some decorative portions of the decorative light can form a gripping portion that can be easily gripped to facilitate carrying and use. 
     To achieve the aforesaid and other objectives and effects, the major structural features of, and the technical means adopted by, the present invention include an expandable and collapsible main body and a lighting portion. The main body includes a plurality of first elongated members that are arranged parallel to one another and a plurality of second elongated members that are also arranged parallel to one another. Each second elongated member as well as each first elongated member has a hollow interior. The first elongated members are arranged obliquely with respect to, and overlap, the second elongated members. Moreover, the first elongated members and the second elongated members are pivotally connected by a plurality of pivot shaft members and can therefore be moved pivotally and slantingly with respect to each other, thereby allowing the main body to be expandable and collapsible between its two opposite lateral sides. The lighting portion includes a power supply unit and a plurality of light strings. The light strings are electrically connected to the power supply unit and extend into the first elongated members and the second elongated members respectively. Each light string is provided with a plurality of light-emitting diode (LED) lamp beads that are arranged at intervals. 
     The foregoing structures may be so configured that a top portion of at least one of the first elongated members is connected or extended with a rotatable first handle, that a top portion of at least one of the second elongated members is connected or extended with a rotatable second handle, and that when the main body is in a collapsed state, the first handle and the second handle can be rotated to jointly form a gripping portion. 
     The foregoing structures may be so configured that each first elongated member is pivotally connected to at least two adjacent ones of the second elongated members, and that each second elongated member is pivotally connected to at least two adjacent ones of the first elongated members. 
     The foregoing structures may be so configured that each second elongated member as well as each first elongated member is provided with a top cover for sealing the top end of the elongated member, and that each top cover has an inner side provided with a positioning portion for securing the corresponding light string. 
     The foregoing structures may be so configured that the second handle as well as the first handle has a hollow interior, that the first handle is connected between the corresponding first elongated member and the top cover of the corresponding first elongated member, and that the second handle is connected between the corresponding second elongated member and the top cover of the corresponding second elongated member. 
     The foregoing structures may be so configured that each second elongated member as well as each first elongated member is provided with a bottom sleeve coupled to the bottom end of the elongated member, and that each bottom sleeve is formed with a lateral guide groove through which the corresponding light string can pass. 
     The foregoing structures may be so configured that each bottom sleeve is further provided with a joining portion for connecting with a stake. 
     The foregoing structures may be so configured that each stake includes a joining section and an extension section, that each joining section is configured to be coupled to the joining portion of one of the bottom sleeves, and that each extension section extends from the corresponding joining section at an inclination angle so that the extension sections of a plurality of stakes connected to the main body can be generally parallel to one another when the main body is in an expanded state. 
     The foregoing structures may be so configured that the inclination angle between each extension section and the corresponding joining section is about 30 degrees, and that each stake has two opposite laterals sides each extended with a lateral wing. 
     The foregoing structures may be so configured that the lighting portion further includes an external electrical cable connected to the power supply unit, and that each light string is electrically connected to the power supply unit through the external electrical cable. 
     The foregoing structures may be so configured that the first handle and the second handle are symmetrically located and are close to the two opposite lateral sides of the main body respectively, and that each of the first handle and the second handle includes an arcuate section that curves backward. 
     The foregoing structures may be so configured that the LED lamp beads of each light string are configured to emit light in a continuous or flashing manner when activated. 
     The foregoing structures may be so configured that the outer surface of each second elongated member as well as of each first elongated member is provided with a design of at least two colors. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The aforesaid and other objectives, effects, and features of the present invention can be better understood by referring to the following detailed description of some preferred embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a partial exploded view of the main body in an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG.  3 A  and  FIG.  3 B  show two different structures of the top end of each first or second elongated member in an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG.  3 C  shows the structure of the bottom end of each first or second elongated member in an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG.  4    shows the main body in an embodiment of the invention in a collapsed state; 
         FIG.  5    shows the main body in an embodiment of the invention in an expanded state for use; 
         FIG.  6    is an exploded view showing how a stake is connected to the bottom end of each first or second elongated member in an embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG.  7    shows an application of an embodiment of the invention, with stakes connected to the main body. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG.  1   , the decorative light applicable to landscaping according to an embodiment of the present invention essentially includes two parts, namely a main body  10  and a lighting portion  20 . 
     The main body  10  is an expandable and collapsible structure assembled from a plurality of first elongated members  11  and a plurality of second elongated members  12 . Referring also to  FIG.  2   , the first elongated members  11  are arranged parallel to one another, and so are the second elongated members  12 . The first elongated members  11  are arranged obliquely with respect to, and overlap, the second elongated members  12 . Moreover, the first elongated members  11  and the second elongated members  12  are pivotally connected by a plurality of pivot shaft members  15  so as to be movable with respect to each other in a pivotal and slanting manner (while maintaining mirror symmetry in tilt between the first elongated members  11  and the second elongated members  12 ). Thus, the main body  10  forms a grating structure that can be expanded and collapsed between its two opposite lateral sides. 
     In this embodiment, each first elongated member  11  is pivotally connected to at least two adjacent ones of the second elongated members  12 , and each second elongated member  12  is pivotally connected to at least two adjacent ones of the first elongated members  11 . Each pivot shaft member  15  used to provide pivotal connection may be a pivot shaft composed of a male rivet and a female rivet that are inserted through the corresponding first and second elongated members  11  and  12  from the outer sides thereof respectively and then coupled together to form a secure structure with respect to which the corresponding first and second elongated members  11  and  12  can pivot. 
     In this embodiment, referring to  FIG.  3 A  to  FIG.  3 C , each first elongated member  11  and each second elongated member  12  are circular tubes with a hollow interior and may be made of a light-permeable or light-diffusing material. The lighting portion  20  includes a power supply unit  21 , an external electrical cable  22 , and a plurality of light strings  23 . The power supply unit  21  may have such components as a switch, a controller, and an electricity storage unit. The external electrical cable  22  is connected to the power supply unit  21  and passes sequentially through the bottom ends of the first elongated members  11  and of the second elongated members  12 . The light strings  23  are connected to the external electrical cable  22  separately and are electrically connected to the power supply unit  21  through the external electrical cable  22 . Furthermore, the light strings  23 , which are connected to the external electrical cable  22  separately, extend into the first elongated members  11  and the second elongated members  12  respectively. 
     As shown in  FIG.  3 C , each second elongated member  12  as well as each first elongated member  11  is connected with a bottom sleeve  14  at the bottom end. Each bottom sleeve  14  is formed with a lateral guide groove  141  through which the corresponding light string  23  can pass in order to enter the corresponding first or second elongated member  11  or  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  3 A , each second elongated member  12  as well as each first elongated member  11  is connected with a top cover  13  at the top end. Each top cover  13  is configured to seal the top end of the corresponding tube. In addition, the inner side of each top cover  13  is provided with a positioning portion  131  for securing an end portion of the corresponding light string  23  so that the corresponding light string  23  can extend from the bottom end of the corresponding first or second elongated member  11  or  12  all the way to the top end, thereby allowing the LED lamp beads  231  of the corresponding light string  23  to be distributed at intervals in a generally even manner in the corresponding first or second elongated member  11  or  12 . 
     Furthermore, as shown in  FIG.  1   , this embodiment is so designed that one of the first elongated members  11  is close to one of the two opposite lateral sides of the main body  10  and has a top portion connected or extended with a rotatable first handle  110 , and that one of the second elongated members  12  is close to the other of the two opposite lateral sides of the main body  10  and has a top portion connected or extended with a rotatable second handle  120 . The first handle  110  and the second handle  120  are symmetrically located at two opposite lateral positions of the main body  10  respectively and include backwardly curved arcuate sections  111  and  121  respectively. When the main body  10  is in a collapsed state as shown in  FIG.  4   , the first handle  110  and the second handle  120  can be rotated in order to overlap, be close to, or abut against each other or form other configurations in which the two handles jointly define a gripping portion  16  that can be easily gripped. The gripping portion  16  allows the decorative light of the present invention to be lifted and/or moved around with ease. 
     As shown in  FIG.  3 B , the first handle  110  is a tube with a hollow interior and is connected between the corresponding first elongated member  11  and the top cover  13  of the corresponding first elongated member  11 . Likewise, the second handle  120  is a tube with a hollow interior and is connected between the corresponding second elongated member  12  and the top cover  13  of the corresponding second elongated member  12 . Each of the first handle  110  and the second handle  120 , therefore, allows passage of the corresponding light string  23  so that the corresponding LED lamp beads  231  of the corresponding light string  23  can be distributed in the handle. 
     In terms of use of this embodiment, referring to  FIG.  4    and  FIG.  5   , the main body  10  can be pivoted into the collapsed state (see  FIG.  4   ) when not in use, thereby allowing the user to move the decorative light easily by the gripping portion  16  and store the decorative light in the collapsed state, i.e., in a small-volume configuration. To use, the main body  10  can be pivoted into an expanded state (see  FIG.  5   ) and then used to define a spatial layout. The main body  10  itself also provides a lighting and decorative effect. Thus, embodiment enables new and diversified applications and arrangement. 
     In one feasible embodiment, the lighting portion  20  is equipped with an appropriate control mechanism so that when the lighting portion  20  is activated, the LED lamp beads  231  of the light strings  23  can emit light in, for example, a continuous manner and/or a flashing manner. Moreover, the outer surface of each second elongated member  12  as well as of each first elongated member  11  may be provided with a different pattern or different stripes as needed. In this embodiment, the outer surface of each second elongated member  12  as well as of each first elongated member  11  is provided with stripes similar to those on a candy crane, i.e., with stripes of a first color alternating with stripes of a second color. 
     In this embodiment, referring to  FIG.  6    and  FIG.  7   , each bottom sleeve  14  is provided with a concave or hollow joining portion  142  for connecting with, e.g., for insertion by, the joining section  31  of a stake  30 . Each stake  30  includes a joining section  31  and an extension section  32  that are connected together. Each stake  30  also includes a lateral wing  33  extending from each of two opposite lateral sides. The joining section  31  of each stake  30  is configured to be coupled to the joining portion  142  of one bottom sleeve  14 . Each extension section  32  extends from the corresponding joining section  31  at an inclination angle so that when the main body  10  is in the expanded state, the extension sections  32  of all the stakes  30  connected to the main body  10  can be generally parallel to one another, thereby allowing the user to position the stakes  30  by driving them into an earth-based ground in the same vertical direction. In this embodiment, the inclination angle between each extension section  32  and the corresponding joining section  31  is about 30 degrees. In one feasible embodiment, it is suitable for the inclination angle to range from 15 to 45 degrees. Thus, in addition to being used for indoor landscaping, the decorative light of the present invention can be connected with the desired/required number of stakes  30  at the bottom end in order to be used outdoors, e.g., in a garden. (In  FIG.  7    for example, only an appropriate number of stakes  30  are connected at a number of appropriate positions respectively. In practice, however, it is feasible for each first elongated member  11  and each second elongated member  12  to be connected with a stake  30 .) While positioning the stakes  30 , the user may step on, and thereby add pressure to, either of the two lateral wings  33  of each stake  30  in order to drive the stake  30  into the ground with ease, the objective being for the stakes  30  in use to position and support the main body  10  securely. 
     According to the above, the decorative light applicable to landscaping as disclosed herein has a novel and exquisite design, serves both decorative and spatial-layout-defining purposes, and is a creation satisfying the patentability requirements. It should be understood, however, that the embodiments described above are only some preferred ones of the present invention. Any extension, modification, simple change, or equivalent substitution based on the technical means of the invention shall fall within the scope of the appended claims.