Patent Publication Number: US-6341875-B1

Title: Decorative lighting assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to lights, and more particularly to a decorative lighting assembly comprises a plurality of illuminating units selectively arrayed in different arrangement for providing a three-dimensional light decoration. 
     2. Description of Related Arts 
     Conventional decorative lighting assembly, especially for Christmas tree, comprises a plurality of light units having different colored light bulbs mounted thereon integrally connected with a wire such that the conventional decorative lighting assembly can be hung over a ceiling of the house or twisted on the Christmas tree. 
     Since the wire is flexible, when a user wants to arrange the conventional lighting assembly in order to form a desired shape or a three-dimensional figure, the user must need a base supporter for hanging the lighting assembly thereon. Furthermore, the conventional lighting assembly is hard to form an arc shape or a curve shape such that the user may unsatisfy the result of decoration with the conventional light assembly. 
     Moreover, the wire usually has a predetermined length such as 25 feet long. The user always has difficulty to use since the wire is easy to intertwine together while dispensing the wire. Thus, the user cannot preset the optimum length of the conventional lighting assembly such that the exact length of the wire may be a waste of resource. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     A main object of the present invention is to provide a decorative lighting assembly that capable of selectively arranging to form any structure, especially a three-dimensional figure. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a decorative lighting assembly which is easy to assemble for use and disassemble into pieces for storage and carriage. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a decorative lighting assembly that adapted for using both AC and DC current such that the decorative lighting assembly can be set up outdoors and indoors for convenience. 
     Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a decorative lighting assembly, comprising: 
     a plurality of illuminating units each comprising a base having at least two end terminals provided on the base, a pair of conductive arms upwardly extended from the base wherein the end terminals are selectively and electrically connected to the conductive arms respectively, a casing sealedly mounted on the base, and an illuminator detachably mounted on the casing, 
     a plurality of connecting frames each comprising at least two connectors at two ends thereof respectively for electrically connecting with the end terminal of the illuminating unit, so as to electrically connect the illuminating units together in such a manner that the illuminating units are selectively aligned to form a dimensional arrangement, and 
     a power output device electrically connected the illuminating units with a power source. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of a decorative lighting assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the illuminating unit of the decorative lighting assembly according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIGS. 3A to  3 D illustrate the end terminal and its alternative modes of the decorative lighting assembly according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIGS. 4A to  4 G illustrate the connecting frame and its alternative modes of the decorative lighting assembly according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the decorative lighting assembly according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the base of the decorative lighting assembly according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the electric connection of the end terminals. 
     FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of the base of the decorative lighting assembly according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the electric connection of the end terminals. 
     FIGS. 8A to  8 F illustrate an alternative mode of the electric connection of the end terminals of the base of the decorative lighting assembly according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 illustrates a serial electric connection of the decorative lighting assembly according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 illustrates a parallel electric connection of the decorative lighting assembly according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram of the decorative lighting assembly as a serial connection according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the decorative lighting assembly according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the decorative lighting assembly being arranged in cubic shape. 
     FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the decorative lighting assembly according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the decorative lighting assembly being arranged in spherical shape. 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the decorative lighting assembly according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the decorative lighting assembly being arranged to form a character. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a decorative lighting assembly  1  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, which comprises a plurality of illuminating units  10  each having a detachably illuminator  20  mounted thereon, a plurality of connecting frame  30  for electrically connecting the illuminating units  10  together, and a power output device  40  for electrically connecting the decorative lighting assembly  1  with a power source. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, each illuminating unit  10  comprises a circular base  11  comprising a plurality of end terminals  14  evenly provided on a circumference of the base  11  and a pair of conductive arms  112  having a positive and negative sign respectively upwardly extended from the base  11 , and a casing  12  sealedly mounted on the base  11  wherein a hollow holder chamber  113  is coaxially defined in the casing  12  such that the illuminating element  20  is securely disposed in the holder chamber  113  in position. 
     In order to protect the base  11 , the casing  12  is sealedly mounted on the base  11  in such a water tight manner so as to prevent rain, dust and moisture from entering into the illuminating unit  10 . Preferably, the casing  12  is made of durable, electric-resistance material such as plastic for preventing the water from entering into the base  11  which may damage the illuminating unit  10 . 
     Accordingly, the illuminator  20  is preferably a LED  21  adapted for selectively providing different colors to the illuminating units  10  wherein the LED  21  is relatively inexpensive, so as to decrease the cost of the present invention. Thus, the illuminator  20  can also be a regular light bulb as an alternative element of the LED  21  for easy installation. 
     Each LED  21  of the illuminator  20  has a pair of charging legs  211  having a positive and negative sign respectively downwardly extended from the LED  21 . In order to hold the illuminator  20  in position, the LED  21  of the illuminator  20  is securely held in a holder  13  wherein the holder  13  is adapted to fittingly insert into the holder chamber  113  in such an air tight manner. The holder  13  has a circular top portion  131  and a rectangular bottom portion  132  wherein the LED  21  is fittingly disposed in the holder  13 . Thus, the positive and negative sign charging legs  211  of the LED  21  are penetrated through the bottom portion  132  of the holder  13  and are bently encircling at two opposing sides of the bottom portion  132  of the holder  13 , as shown in FIG.  2 . In such arrangement, when the holder  13  is inserted into the holder chamber  113 , the charging legs  211  of the LED  21  are electrically connected to the conductive arms  112  of the base  11  respectively with respect to the corresponding sign thereof, so as to electrically connecting between the base  11  and the illuminator  20 . 
     The plurality of end terminals  14  are evenly provided on the circumference of the base  11  wherein each end terminal  14  comprises a guiding slot  141  provided therein such that an end portion of the connecting frame  30  is adapted for fitly inserting into the guiding slot  141 . Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, each guiding slot  141  of the end terminals  14  at its inner end has a pair of charging slits  142  having a positive and negative signs parallelly mounted thereon. 
     As shown in FIGS. 3A to  3 C, each illuminating unit  10  comprises a predetermined number of end terminals  14  such as three, four, and six end terminals  14  wherein different arrangement of the illuminating units  10  can be formed such as cubic shape according to the number of the end terminals  14 . In other words, the illuminating units  10  are selectively arranged to form different shape by using respective number of end terminals  14 . Alternatively, the end terminal  14  can be formed inclindedly with respect to the base  11 , as shown in FIG. 3D, so as to assemble the illuminating units  11  to form a spherical shape. 
     Each connecting frame  30  having a rectangular cross section comprises at least two connectors  31  each mounted at an end thereof for engaging with the end terminal  14  of the illuminating unit  10  through the guiding slot  141 , so as to electrically connect the illuminating units  10  together. Each connector  31  comprises a pair of corresponding charging head  311  for electrically connecting with the charging slits  142  of the end terminal  111  respectively. 
     Accordingly, the connecting frame  30 A, as shown in FIG. 4A, having a straight rectangular bar shaped comprises two connectors  31  in such a manner two illuminating units  10  are adapted to be parallelly connected together. FIGS. 4B to  4 F illustrate the alternative modes of the connecting frame  30 , wherein the connecting frames  30 B,  30 C have a curved and bent bar shaped respectively, as shown in FIGS. 4B to  4 D, in such a manner two illuminating units  10  are connected in different arrangement with respect to the shape of the connecting frame  30 . 
     Thus, the connecting frame  30 E having a “T” shaped comprises three connectors  31  extended from the ends thereof, as shown in FIG. 4E, in such a manner three illuminating units  10  are adapted to be connected together. For further modification, the connecting frame  30 F having a “X” shaped, as shown in FIG. 4F, comprises four connectors  31  mounted thereon such that four illuminating units  10  can connected together at the same time. Moreover, the connecting frame  30 G can have four connectors  3 , which is formed by two straight rectangular bar shaped connecting frame  30 A connected by a L-shaped extension, as shown in FIG.  4 G. 
     Referring to FIG. 5, the illuminating units  10  are selectively arranged to form various pattern by using different shape of the supporting frame  30 . In other words, by using different shapes of the connecting frame  30  for connecting with the illuminating units  10 , the decorative lighting assembly  1  can form in different dimensions, especially to form a three-dimensional figure such as cube, as shown in FIG.  12 . 
     In order to securely hold the connecting frame  30  on the illuminating unit  10 , the decorative lighting assembly  1  further comprises a locking means  50  for locking up the connector  31  to the end terminal  14 . The locking means  50  comprises a locking arm  51  extended toward the connector  3   1  along the connecting frame  31  wherein a locking latch  52  is integrally mounted on the locking arm  51  at its free end, as shown in FIGS. 1,  2  and  5 , in flexibly movable manner. Moreover, a locker cavity  53  is perpendicularly penetrated through the guiding slot  141  in such a manner when the connecting frame  30  is inserted into the end terminal  14 , the locking latch  52  is automatically engaged with the locker cavity  53  for locking up the connecting frame  30  in such a vertical movable manner. In order to unlock the locking means  50 , depress the locking latch  51  in such a manner the locking latch  51  will depart from the locker cavity  53  such that the connecting frame  30  can be pull out from the end terminal  14  of the illuminating unit  10 . 
     The power output device  40  comprises an power outlet  41  for electrically engaging with the connector  31  of the supporting frame  30 , an electric cord  42  electrically connecting between the power outlet  41  and a power plug  43  for connecting to a power source such as a wall power socket. 
     It is worth to mention that the power source is a normal wall power socket installed at home, which provides AC current, or a battery which provides DC current. In other words, the decorative lighting assembly  1  is adapted for using AC current or DC current in such a manner the decorative lighting assembly  1  can be set up outdoors while using DC current (battery) or indoors by using AC current (power outlet) for decoration. 
     The illuminating units  10  are adapted to be connected as a serial connection or as a parallel connection wherein each illuminating unit  10  has a predetermined circuit diagram in such a manner each illuminating unit  10  may have different connection configuration. 
     As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the electric configuration of the illuminating unit  10  is arranged to form a parallel connection wherein conductive elements  15  such as copper strap are provided on a top and bottom surfaces of the base  11  for electrically connecting the end terminals to the conductive arms  112 . One the top surface of the base  11 , a conductive element  15  is electrically extended from the charging slit  142  having a positive sign of the end terminal  14  to the conductive arm  112  having a positive sign while another conductive element  15  is electrically extended from the charging slit  142  having a negative sign of the opposed end terminal  14  to the conductive arm  112  having a negative sign. On the bottom surface of the base  11 , two T-shaped conductive elements  15  each of which has three ends, wherein one of the conductive element  15  is electrically connected to three charging slit  142  each having a positive sign respectively, while another conductive element  15  is electrically connected to three charging slit  142  each having a negative sign respectively. In such arrangement, the illuminating units  10  are electrically connected as a parallel connection, as shown in FIG.  10 . 
     Alternatively, when having a larger size of the base  11 , the copper strap of the conductive element  15  may not be the best material to connect between the end terminals  14  and the conductive arms  112 . So, the copper strap can be substituted by a connecting wire as the conductive element  15  in order to provide a better connection between the ends terminals  14  and the conductive arms  112 , as shown in FIG.  8 F. 
     As shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, the illuminating units  10  are configured as a serial connection wherein each of illuminating units  10  has different connection path in such a manner each illuminating unit  10  can be selectively arranged to form different formation according to the connection path. 
     FIG. 8A illustrates the opposed end terminals  14  are electrically connected as a serial connection. FIGS. 8B and 8C illustrate two neighboring end terminals  14  are electrically connected as a serial connection wherein the end terminals  142  are electrically connected to the right and left neighboring end terminals  14  respectively. FIGS. 8D and 8E illustrate three end terminals  14  are electrically connected as a serial connection wherein the end terminals  14  are respectively connected between the opposed end terminal  14  and the right end terminal  14  and between the opposed end terminal  14  and the left terminal  14 . Thus, as shown in FIG. 8F, the illuminating unit  10  has four end terminals  14  which are adapted to electrically and selectively connect each other, so as to connect four connecting frames  30  at the same time. 
     However, the disadvantage of the serial connection of the illuminating units  10  is that when one of the illuminating units  10  is not in used, the rest of the illuminating units  10  will not be functioned as well. So, when the illuminating units  10  are selectively connected together in such a manner the lightened illuminators  20  are arranged to form a designated pattern. So, some of the illuminators  20  may be intentionally switched off, however, the circuit of the illuminating units  10  will be disconnected. In order to maintain a closed circuit of the illuminating units  10 , the decorative lighting assembly  1  further comprises a circuit connector  16  having a pair of connecting legs  161  downwardly extended therefrom wherein the circuit connector  16  is adapted to electrically connect between the two conductive arms  112  of the base  11 , as shown in FIG.  5 . Simply remove the unused illuminator  20  of the illuminating unit  10 , and plug the circuit connector  16  into the holder chamber  113 , the two conductive arms  112  will be electrically connected together, so as to provide a closed circuit of the illuminating units  10 . 
     As it is mentioned above, by using different shapes of the supporting frame  30 , the illuminating units  10  are adapted to form a 2D or 3D structure. In 3D application, the illuminating units  10  each having four end terminals  14  are adapted for electrically connecting together in order to form a cubic shape, as shown in FIG.  12 . For further complex application, the illuminating units  10  each having six end terminals  14  can be arranged to form a smaller sphere inside a bigger sphere, as shown in FIG.  13 . 
     For 2D application, the illuminating units  10  are lined-up together wherein the illuminators  20  are selectively arranged to have different colors, so as to form a character such as an alphabet or number, or a figure, as shown in FIG.  14 .