Patent Publication Number: US-2007109815-A1

Title: Decorative light

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a decorative light, and more particularly to a decorative light with an error-proof mounting assembly to keep from installing a light bulb holder in an incorrect socket.  
      2. Description of Related Art  
      Conventional strings of decorative lights, such as strings of Christmas lights, may have many different types of decorative lights to create a variety of beautiful light effects. However, mounting different types of decorative lights on a single string requires some technique to ensure light bulb holders are not mounted in incorrect sockets.  
      To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a decorative light to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The main objective of the invention is to provide a decorative light to keep from installing a light bulb holder in an incorrect socket.  
      A decorative light in accordance with the present invention comprises a socket, two prongs, a light bulb holder, a light bulb and an error-proof mounting assembly.  
      The socket has a top, a bottom, a through hole and a seat. The through hole is formed coaxially through the bottom of the socket and has a diameter. The seat is formed coaxially with the through hole in the top of the socket and has a diameter and a depth. The diameter of the seat is slightly larger than the diameter of the through hole.  
      The prongs are mounted in the through hole and protrude from the bottom of the socket. The prongs are mounted specific distances in the through hole.  
      The light bulb holder is mounted removably in the seat and the through hole in the socket, abuts the top of the socket and has a body, a flange and a plug. The body is mounted in the seat and has a bottom and a length corresponding to the depth of the seat. The flange is formed around and protrudes out from the top of the light bulb holder and abuts the top of the socket. The plug is mounted in the through hole, is formed on and protrudes coaxially from the bottom of the body and has a distal end and a length.  
      The light bulb is mounted in the light bulb holder and has two wires. The wires are mounted in and extend through the plug and are in electrical contact respectively with the two prongs.  
      The error-proof mounting assembly is provided between the light bulb holder and the socket to keep a light bulb mounted in a light bulb holder from being mounted in an incorrect socket.  
      Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a decorative light in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a front view in partial section of the decorative light in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a decorative light in accordance with the present invention with a long plug;  
       FIG. 4  is a front view in partial section of the decorative light in  FIG. 3 ;  
       FIG. 5  is a front view in partial section of mounting a light bulb holder in  FIG. 2  in a socket in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 6  is a front view in partial section of mounting a light bulb holder in  FIG. 1  in the socket in  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a decorative light in accordance with the present invention with a long body;  
       FIG. 8  is a front view in partial section of the decorative light in  FIG. 7 ;  
       FIG. 9  is a front view in partial section of mounting a light bulb holder in  FIG. 7  in a socket in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 10  is a front view in partial section of mounting a light bulb holder in  FIG. 1  in a socket in  FIG. 7 ;  
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a decorative light in accordance with the present invention with a keyed seat and body and an asymmetric plug;  
       FIG. 12  is a front view in partial section of the decorative light in  FIG. 11 ;  
       FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a decorative light in accordance with the present invention with a keyed seat and body and an asymmetric plug;  
       FIG. 14  is a front view in partial section of the decorative light in  FIG. 13 ;  
       FIG. 15  is a front view in partial section of mounting a light bulb holder in  FIG. 13  in a socket in  FIG. 11 ;  
       FIG. 16  is a front view in partial section of mounting a light bulb holder in  FIG. 11  in a socket in  FIG. 13 ;  
       FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a decorative light in accordance with the present invention with a keyed seat, body and plug; and  
       FIG. 18  is a front view in partial section of the decorative light in  FIG. 17 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      With reference to  FIGS. 1-4 ,  7 ,  8 ,  11 - 14 ,  17  and  18 , a decorative light in accordance with the present invention comprises a socket ( 10 ), two prongs ( 13 ), a light bulb holder ( 20 ), a light bulb ( 30 ) and an error-proof mounting assembly.  
      The socket ( 10 ) may be a cylinder and has a top, a bottom, a through hole ( 12 ) and a seat ( 11 ,  11 ′).  
      The through hole ( 12 ) is formed coaxially through the bottom of the socket ( 10 ) and has a diameter.  
      The seat ( 11 ,  11 ′) is formed coaxially with the through hole ( 12 ) in the top of the socket ( 10 ), may be slightly tapered from the top of the socket ( 10 ) toward the bottom and has a diameter, a depth, a sidewall and an optional key surface ( 111 ). The diameter of the seat ( 11 ,  11 ′) is slightly larger than the diameter of the through hole ( 12 ). The depth of the seat ( 11 ,  11 ′) may be deep or shallow to accommodate different embodiments of the decorative light. Furthermore, the key surface ( 111 ) is formed on the sidewall.  
      The prongs ( 13 ) are mounted in the through hole ( 12 ) in the socket ( 10 ), extend into the through hole ( 12 ) and protrude from the bottom of the socket ( 10 ) to connect to an external power source, and each prong ( 13 ) has a proximal end and a length. The proximal end of each prong ( 13 ) extends into the through hole ( 12 ) in the socket ( 10 ) a specific distance. The distances of the proximal ends of the two prongs ( 13 ) extending into the through hole ( 12 ) in the socket ( 10 ) in different embodiments of the decorative light may be the same, may be different, may be shallow or may be deep.  
      The light bulb holder ( 20 ) is mounted removably in the seat ( 11 ,  11 ′) and the through hole ( 12 ) in the socket ( 10 ), abuts the top of the socket ( 10 ) and has a body ( 21 ,  21 ′), a flange ( 23 ) and a plug ( 22 ,  22 ′,  22 ″).  
      The body ( 21 ,  21 ′) is mounted removably in the seat ( 11 ,  11 ′) and has a top, a bottom, a bulb socket, a sidewall and a length. The bulb socket is formed coaxially in the top of the body ( 21 ,  21 ′). The sidewall is formed around the body ( 21 ,  21 ′) from the top to the bottom and has an optional key surface ( 211 ). The key surface ( 211 ) on the sidewall of the body ( 21 ) corresponds to and abuts the key surface ( 111 ) on the sidewall of the seat ( 11 ) to force the light bulb holder ( 20 ) to be mounted correctly in the socket ( 10 ). The length of the body ( 21 ,  21 ′) corresponds to the depth of the seat ( 11 ,  11 ′) when the light bulb holder ( 20 ) is mounted in the socket ( 10 ).  
      The flange ( 23 ) is formed around and protrudes out from the top of the body ( 21 ,  21 ′) and abuts the top of the socket ( 10 ) when the light bulb holder ( 20 ) is mounted in the socket ( 10 ).  
      The plug ( 22 ,  22 ′,  22 ″) is mounted removably in the through hole ( 12 ), is formed coaxially on and protrudes from the bottom of the body ( 21 ,  21 ′), may be symmetrical or asymmetrical and has a distal end, a length and an optional notch ( 221 ). The distal end of the plug ( 22 ,  22 ′,  22 ″) corresponds to the proximal ends of the prongs ( 13 ) and abuts the prongs ( 13 ) when the body ( 21 ,  21 ′) is seated in the seat ( 11 ,  11 ′). The length of the plug ( 22 ,  22 ′,  22 ″) corresponds to the distances of the proximal ends of the two prongs ( 13 ) extending into the through hole ( 12 ) in the socket ( 10 ). The notch ( 221 ) in the distal end of the plug ( 22 ″,  22 ′″) may be a cutout or a longitudinal slot and accommodates one prong ( 13 ) extending farther into the through hole ( 12 ) in the socket ( 10 ) than the other prong ( 13 ) to ensure that the light bulb holder ( 20 ) is mounted correctly in the socket ( 10 ).  
      The light bulb ( 30 ) is mounted removably in and protrudes from the bulb socket in the body ( 21 ,  21 ′) of the light bulb holder ( 20 ) and has two wires ( 31 ,  32 ).  
      The wires ( 31 ,  32 ) protrude from the light bulb ( 30 ), pass respectively through the bulb socket of the body ( 21 ,  21 ′), extend down the plug ( 22 ,  22 ′) to the distal end and make electrical contact respectively with the two prongs ( 13 ).  
      The error-proof mounting assembly is mounted between the socket ( 10 ) and the light bulb holder ( 20 ). In preferred embodiments, the error-proof mounting assembly is provided between the seat ( 11 ,  11 ′) and the body ( 21 ,  21 ′) or between the distances of the proximal ends of the prongs ( 13 ) extending into the through hole ( 12 ) in the socket ( 10 ) and the plug ( 22 ,  22 ′) to keep a light bulb ( 30 ) mounted in a specific light bulb holder ( 20 ) from being mounted in an incorrect socket ( 10 ).  
      The error-proof mounting assembly can be provided by the length of the plug ( 22 ,  22 ′) corresponding to the distances of the proximal ends of the prongs ( 13 ) extending into the through hole ( 12 ) in the socket ( 10 ). Referring to  FIG. 5 , the light bulb holder ( 20 ) with the plug ( 22 ′) having a long length cannot be mounted suitably in the socket ( 10 ) with deep distances of the proximal ends of the prongs ( 13 ) extending into the through hole ( 12 ) in the socket ( 10 ). With reference to  FIG. 6 , the distal end of the plug ( 22 ) having a short length cannot contact the prongs ( 13 ) having shallow distances of the proximal ends extending into the through hole ( 12 ), so that the wires ( 31 ,  32 ) can not be in electrical contact respectively with the two prongs ( 13 ).  
      The error-proof mounting assembly can be provided by the length of the body ( 21 ,  21 ′) corresponding to the depth of the seat ( 11 ,  11 ′). Referring to  FIG. 9 , the light bulb holder ( 20 ) with the body ( 21 ′) having a long length cannot be mounted suitably in the socket ( 10 ) with a shallow depth of the seat ( 11 ). With reference to  FIG. 10 , the body ( 21 ) having a short length causes that the distal end of the plug ( 22 ) cannot contact the prongs ( 13 ) in the socket ( 10 ) so the wires ( 31 ,  32 ) can not be in electrical contact respectively with the two prongs ( 13 ).  
      The error-proof mounting assembly can be provided by one of the proximal end of the prong ( 13 ) abutting the plug in the notch ( 221 ) and the other of the proximal end of the prong ( 13 ) abutting the distal end of the plug. Referring to  FIGS. 15 and 16 , the light bulb holder ( 20 ) with the notch ( 221 ) in the distal end of the plug ( 22 ″) cannot be mounted suitably in the socket ( 10 ) with the proximal ends of the prongs ( 13 ) opposing to the notch ( 221 ) in the distal end of the plug ( 22 ″) when the light bulb holder ( 20 ) is inserted into the socket ( 10 ) in a wrong direction.  
      The configuration of the body ( 21 ,  21 ′) and the seat ( 11 ,  11 ′) and the plug ( 22 ,  22 ′) and the prongs ( 13 ) provide an error-proof mounting effect for a decorative light that keeps a light bulb ( 30 ) mounted in a specific light bulb holder ( 20 ) from being mounted in an incorrect socket ( 10 ).  
      Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.