Patent ID: 7438434

Claim:
An illuminated support structure comprised of: a first vertical post and a second vertical post; a top rail and a bottom rail substantially horizontally disposed between said first post and said second post; a plurality of substantially vertical spindles collectively supporting said top rail and positioned at intervals between said top rail and said bottom rail, each of said plurality of substantially vertical spindles positioned between said first vertical post and said second vertical post and capable of providing intervals of unlit areas between each of said plurality of substantially vertical spindles, wherein each of said plurality of substantially vertical spindles has an inner chamber and outer surface and is made of an at least partially transparent material; and at least one light source for each of said plurality of substantially vertical spindles, at least one of said at least one light source positioned within one of said plurality of substantially vertical spindles, said at least one light source capable of illuminating said inner chamber of one of said plurality of substantially vertical spindles with the light passing through the spindle and emitting outward from the spindle so the light can be viewed through substantially all of said outer surface of at least one of said plurality of substantially vertical spindles, said structure adapted to be electrically connected to a power source to provide power to each of said at least one light source.