Patent Publication Number: US-11384907-B1

Title: String lights structure

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a U. S. patent application which claims the priority and benefit of Chinese Patent Application Number 202121961777.6, filed on Aug. 20, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to the string lights, specifically relates to a novel string lights structure. 
     BACKGROUND 
     When Christmas comes, Christmas tree is used for decoration to heighten the festive atmosphere, which is already necessary for Christmas. The Christmas tree is often hung with decorations for decoration purpose, and the string lights has become a essential Christmas decoration. 
     For Christmas string lights, since they are often used outdoor, the requirement on the waterproof performance of the Christmas string lights is relatively high. 
     There are various string lights structures in the prior art. However, the existing string lights structures generally have shortcomings of poor waterproof performance and inconvenient assembly. 
     SUMMARY 
     Aiming to the shortcomings of the prior art, the present disclosure is to provide a novel string lights structure with novel design, convenient assembly, and good waterproof effect, which is conducive to realize the automated assembly. 
     To achieve the above objects, the following technical solution is employed by the present disclosure. 
     The novel string lights structure comprises a power cord, a male connector connected to a first end of the power cord, and a female connector connected to a second end of the power cord. The power cord is equipped with a plurality of light bulbs arranged at intervals along the power cord, and comprises a positive lead and a negative lead. 
     Each of the plurality of light bulbs comprises a cap assembly, a light-emitting light source, and a light-transmitting bulb. The light-emitting light source is provided with an anode terminal and a cathode terminal. The light-transmitting bulb is internally formed with a bulb inner cavity opening upwardly. The cap assembly comprises a cap inner core, and a cap encapsulating part formed at a periphery of the cap inner core by overmolding. The cap inner core comprises an inner core body, and an inner core top cover arranged at an upper end portion of the inner core body. The inner core body and the inner core top cover are made of rigid plastic parts. The power cord is tightly clamped between the inner core body and the inner core top cover. The inner core body is internally provided with a body mounting hole opening downwardly, and is provided with an anode connection terminal and a cathode connection terminal whose lower end portions extend into the body mounting hole, respectively. At upper end portions of the anode connection terminal and the cathode connection terminal are provided with a pointed penetration part protruding upwardly and in a spike shape, respectively. The pointed penetration part of the anode connection terminal penetrates a plastic sheath of the positive lead of the power cord, and is electrically connected to a core of the positive lead. The pointed penetration part of the cathode connection terminal penetrates a plastic sheath of the negative lead of the power cord, and is electrically connected to a core of the negative lead. An upper end portion of the light-emitting light source is embedded in the body mounting hole of the inner core body. The anode terminal of the light-emitting light source is electrically connected to the anode connection terminal, and the cathode terminal of the light-emitting light source is electrically connected to the cathode connection terminal. An upper end portion of the light-transmitting bulb is connected to a lower end portion of the cap encapsulating part, and a lower end portion of the light-emitting light source extends into the bulb inner cavity of the light-transmitting bulb. 
     A body wire-clamping slot opening upwardly and completely penetrating along an extension direction of the power cord is opened above the body mounting hole arranged at the upper end portion of inner core body. The body wire-clamping slot and the body mounting hole are arranged at intervals. The inner core top cover is provided with the top cover wire-clamping part protruding downwardly and inserting into the body wire-clamping slot of the inner core body. The top cover wire-clamping part and the inner core top cover are in an integrated structure. The power cord is tightly clamped between a bottom surface of the body wire-clamping slot and the top cover wire-clamping part. 
     A terminal mounting hole is opened on the bottom surface of the body wire-clamping slot, connecting to the body mounting hole and corresponding to the anode connection terminal and the cathode connection terminal, respectively. The anode connection terminal and the cathode connection terminal are embedded and clamped into the terminal mounting hole in a corresponding manner, respectively. The pointed penetration part of the anode connection terminal and the pointed penetration part of the cathode connection terminal extend into the body wire-clamping slot, respectively. The anode connection terminal and the cathode connection terminal comprise a terminal base, respectively. The terminal base of the anode connection terminal and the terminal base of the cathode connection terminal are embedded and clamped in the terminal mounting hole of the inner core body in a corresponding manner, respectively. 
     The pointed penetration part is provided at an upper end edge portion of the terminal base. At a lower end edge portion of the terminal base is provided with an elastic contact portion extending downwardly into the body mounting hole. The terminal base, the pointed penetration part, and the elastic contact portion of the anode connection terminal are in an integrated structure, and the terminal base, the pointed penetration part, and the elastic contact portion of the cathode connection terminal are in an integrated structure. The anode terminal of the light-emitting light source is in contact with the elastic contact part of the anode connection terminal, and the cathode terminal of the light-emitting light source is in contact with the elastic contact part of the cathode connection terminal. 
     The inner core top cover is provided with two top cover protrusions protruding downwardly, respectively. Each of the two top cover protrusions is integrated with the inner core top cover, respectively. The two top cover protrusions are spaced apart and arranged directly opposite to each other. 
     The inner core body is provided with two body recesses corresponding to the two top cover protrusions, respectively. The two top cover protrusions are buckled into the two body recesses in a corresponding manner, respectively. 
     On a lower surface of the top cover wire-clamping part is provided with a top cover limiting groove corresponding to the positive lead and the negative lead of the power cord, respectively. 
     At an upper end portion of the cap encapsulating part is provided with a fixing hook, and the fixing hook and the cap encapsulating part are in an integrated structure. The light-emitting light source is screwed into the body mounting hole. 
     The upper end portion of the light-transmitting bulb is screwed to the lower end portion of the cap encapsulating part. 
     The beneficial effects of the present disclosure are as follows: the novel string lights structure of the present disclosure comprises the power cord, the male connector connected to the first end of the power cord, and the female connector connected to the second end of the power cord. The power cord is equipped with the plurality of light bulbs arranged at intervals along the power cord, and comprises the positive lead and the negative lead. Each of the plurality of light bulbs comprises the cap assembly, the light-emitting light source, and the light-transmitting bulb. The light-emitting light source is provided with the anode terminal and the cathode terminal. The light-transmitting bulb is internally formed with the bulb inner cavity opening upwardly. The cap assembly comprises the cap inner core, and the cap encapsulating part formed at the periphery of the cap inner core by overmolding. The cap inner core comprises the inner core body, and the inner core top cover arranged at the upper end portion of the inner core body. The inner core body and the inner core top cover are made of rigid plastic parts. The power cord is tightly clamped between the inner core body and the inner core top cover. The inner core body is internally provided with the body mounting hole opening downwardly, and is provided with the anode connection terminal and the cathode connection terminal whose lower end portions extend into the body mounting hole, respectively. At the upper end portions of the anode connection terminal and the cathode connection terminal are provided with the pointed penetration part protruding upwardly and in a spike shape, respectively. The pointed penetration part of the anode connection terminal penetrates the plastic sheath of the positive lead of the power cord, and is electrically connected to the core of the positive lead. The pointed penetration part of the cathode connection terminal penetrates the plastic sheath of the negative lead of the power cord, and is electrically connected to the core of the negative lead. The upper end portion of the light-emitting light source is embedded in the body mounting hole of the inner core body. The anode terminal of the light-emitting light source is electrically connected to the anode connection terminal, and the cathode terminal of the light-emitting light source is electrically connected to the cathode connection terminal. The upper end portion of the light-transmitting bulb is connected to the lower end portion of the cap encapsulating part, and the lower end portion of the light-emitting light source extends into the bulb inner cavity of the light-transmitting bulb. Through the above structural design, the present disclosure has the advantages of novel design, convenient assembly, and good waterproof effect, and is conducive to realize the automated assembly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following drawings are used to further illustrate the present disclosure, but the embodiments in the drawings do not limit the present disclosure in any way. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic structural view of Embodiment 1. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cap inner core of Embodiment 1. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic cross-sectional view of another position of the cap inner core of Embodiment 1. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the cap inner core of Embodiment 1. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic structural view of an inner core body of Embodiment 1. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic structural view of Embodiment 2. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic structural view of Embodiment 3. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic structural view of Embodiment 4. 
     
    
    
     It includes in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 8 : 
     
       
         
           
               
               
             
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 1—power cord  
                 11—positive lead  
               
               
                 12—negative lead  
                 21—male connector  
               
               
                 22—female connector  
                 3—light bulb  
               
               
                 4—inner core body  
                 4111—body mounting hole  
               
               
                 4112—body wire-clamping slot  
                 4113—terminal mounting hole  
               
               
                 4114—body recess  
                 412—inner core top cover  
               
               
                 4121—top cover wire-clamping part 
                 4122—top cover protrusion  
               
               
                 4123—top cover limiting groove  
                 42—cap encapsulating part  
               
               
                 431—anode connection terminal  
                 432—cathode connection terminal  
               
               
                 433—point penetration part  
                 434—terminal base  
               
               
                 435 —elastic contact part  
                 5—light-emitting light source  
               
               
                 6—light-transmitting bulb  
                 61—bulb inner cavity 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The present disclosure will be illustrated below in conjunction with specific embodiments. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , the novel string lights structure includes the power cord  1 , the male connector  21  connected to the first end of the power cord  1 , and the female connector  22  connected to the second end of the power cord  1 . The power cord  1  is equipped with the plurality of light bulbs  3  arranged at intervals along the power cord  1 , and includes the positive lead  11  and the negative lead  12 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-8 , each of the plurality of light bulbs  3  includes the cap assembly  4 , the light-emitting light source  5 , and the light-transmitting bulb  6 . The light-emitting light source  5  is provided with the anode terminal and the cathode terminal. The light-transmitting bulb  6  is internally formed with the bulb inner cavity  61  opening upwardly. The cap assembly  4  includes the cap inner core  41 , and the cap encapsulating part  42  formed at the periphery of the cap inner core  41  by overmolding. The cap inner core  41  includes the inner core body  411 , and the inner core top cover  412  arranged at the upper end portion of the inner core body  411 . The inner core body  411  and the inner core top cover  412  are made of rigid plastic parts. The power cord  1  is tightly clamped between the inner core body  411  and the inner core top cover  412 . The inner core body  411  is internally provided with a body mounting hole  4111  opening downwardly. The inner core body  411  is provided with the anode connection terminal  431  and the cathode connection terminal  432  whose lower end portions extend into the body mounting hole  4111 , respectively. At the upper end portions of the anode connection terminal  431  and the cathode connection terminal  432  are provided with the pointed penetration part  433  protruding upwardly and in a spike shape, respectively. The pointed penetration part  433  of the anode connection terminal  431  penetrates the plastic sheath of the positive lead  11  of the power cord  1 , and is electrically connected to the core of the positive lead  11 . The pointed penetration part  433  of the cathode connection terminal  432  penetrates the plastic sheath of the negative lead  12  of the power cord  1 , and is electrically connected to the core of the negative lead  12 . The upper end portion of the light-emitting light source  5  is embedded in the body mounting hole  4111  of the inner core body  411 . The anode terminal of the light-emitting light source  5  is electrically connected to the anode connection terminal  431 , and the cathode terminal of the light-emitting light source  5  is electrically connected to the cathode connection terminal  432 . The upper end portion of the light-transmitting bulb  6  is connected to the lower end portion of the cap encapsulating part  42 , and the lower end portion of the light-emitting light source  5  extends into the bulb inner cavity  61  of the light-transmitting bulb  6 . Preferably, the light-emitting light source  5  is screwed into the body mounting hole  4111 , and the upper end portion of the light-transmitting bulb  6  is screwed to the lower end portion of the cap encapsulating part  42 . The above-mentioned screwing method is obviously not to limit the present disclosure. 
     Further, the body wire-clamping slot  4112  opening upwardly and completely penetrating along the extension direction of the power cord  1  is opened above the body mounting hole  4111  arranged at the upper end portion of inner core body  411 . The body wire-clamping slot  4112  and the body mounting hole  4111  are arranged at intervals. The inner core top cover  412  is provided with the top cover wire-clamping part  4121  protruding downwardly and inserting into the body wire-clamping slot  4112  of the inner core body  411 , and the top cover wire-clamping part  4121  and the inner core top cover  412  are in an integrated structure. The power cord  1  is tightly clamped between the bottom surface of the body wire-clamping slot  4112  and the top cover wire-clamping part  4121 . The bottom surface of the body wire-clamping slot  4112  is provided with the terminal mounting hole  4113  connecting to the body mounting hole  4111  and corresponding to the anode connection terminal  431  and the cathode connection terminal  432 , respectively. The anode connection terminal  431  and the cathode connection terminal  432  are embedded and clamped into the terminal mounting hole  4113  in a corresponding manner, respectively. The pointed penetration part  433  of the anode connection terminal  431  and the pointed penetration part  433  of the cathode connection terminal  432  extend into the body wire-clamping slot  4112 , respectively. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 , the anode connection terminal  431  and the cathode connection terminal  432  includes the terminal base  434 , respectively. The terminal base  434  of the anode connection terminal  431  and the terminal base  434  of the cathode connection terminal  432  are embedded and clamped in the terminal mounting hole  4113  of the inner core body  411  in a corresponding manner, respectively. The pointed penetration part  433  is provided at the upper end edge portion of the terminal base  434 . At the lower end edge portion of the terminal base  434  is provided with the elastic contact portion  435  extending downwardly into the body mounting hole  4111 . The terminal base  434 , the pointed penetration part  433 , and the elastic contact portion  435  of the anode connection terminal  431  are in an integrated structure, and the terminal base  434 , the pointed penetration part  433 , and the elastic contact portion  435  of the cathode connection terminal  432  are in an integrated structure. The anode terminal of the light-emitting light source  5  is in contact with the elastic contact part  435  of the anode connection terminal  431 , and the cathode terminal of the light-emitting light source  5  is in contact with the elastic contact part  435  of the cathode connection terminal  432 . 
     For the inner core top cover  412  of the present disclosure, it is arranged at the upper end portion of the inner core body  411  by fastening. Specifically, the inner core top cover  412  is provided with the two top cover protrusions  4122  protruding downwardly, respectively. Each of the two top cover protrusions  4122  is integrated with the inner core top cover  412 , respectively. The two top cover protrusions  4122  are spaced apart and arranged directly opposite to each other. The inner core body  411  is provided with the two body recesses  4114  corresponding to the two top cover protrusions  4122 , respectively. The two top cover protrusions  4122  are buckled into the two body recesses  4114  in a corresponding manner, respectively. 
     For assembling the plurality of light bulbs  3  of the present disclosure, the anode connection terminal  431  and the cathode connection terminal  432  are firstly embedded and clamped into the terminal mounting hole  4113  of the inner core body  411  in a corresponding manner, respectively. Then, the positive lead  11  and the negative lead  12  of the power cord  1  is put into the body wire-clamping slot  4112  of the inner core body  411 . After the power cord  1  is put into the body wire-clamping slot  4112  of the inner core body  411 , the inner core top cover  412  is buckled to the upper end portion of the inner core body  411 . The top cover wire-clamping part  4121  of the inner core top cover  412  presses the positive lead  11  and the negative lead  12  of the power cord  1 , so that the pointed penetration part  433  of the anode connection terminal  431  penetrates the plastic sheath of the positive lead  11 , and is electrically connected to the core of the positive lead  11 , and the pointed penetration part  433  of the cathode connection terminal  432  penetrates the plastic sheath of the negative lead  12 , and is electrically connected to the core of the negative lead  12 . After mounting the inner core top cover  412 , the cap encapsulating part  42  is formed by overmolding. Since the cap encapsulating part  42  coats the upper end portion of the cap inner core  41 , the cap encapsulating part  42  is capable of effectively improving the waterproof effect of the cap inner core  41 . 
     In addition, the assembly of the cap assembly  4  of the present disclosure is convenient, and conducive to realize the automated assembly. 
     As the preferred embodiments, shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the top cover limiting groove  4123  is provided on the lower surface of the top cover wire-clamping part  4121 , corresponding to the positive lead  11  and the negative lead  12  of the power cord  1 , respectively. When the power cord  1  is pressed tightly by the top cover wire-clamping part  4121 , the positive lead  11  and the negative lead  12  of the power cord  1  are limited by the top cover limiting groove  4123  in a corresponding manner, respectively. In the process that the power cord  1  is pressed tightly by the top cover wire-clamping part  4121  of the inner core top cover  412 , the present disclosure can realize the limitation of the power cord  1  through the top cover limiting groove  4123 , to improve the stability of pressing the positive lead  11  and the negative lead  12 . As the preferred embodiments, shown in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , to facilitate the mounting of the plurality of light bulbs  3 , the present disclosure adopts the structural design specifically as follows: the fixing hook  421  is provided at the upper end portion of the cap encapsulating part  42 , and the fixing hook  421  and the cap encapsulating part  42  are in an integrated structure. 
     The above embodiments are only the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure. For those ordinarily skilled in the art, changes in the specific implementation and the scope of application can be made according to the ideas of the present disclosure. It shall be understood that the content of the description is not to limit the present disclosure.