The present invention relates to lighting displays. More particularly, the present invention relates to displays for lighting and displaying decorative lights in a retail or commercial setting.
Decorative light strings, especially those used for seasonal or holiday use, come in a variety of designs. Manufacturers and wholesalers offer a great variety of bulb shapes, bulb colors, string lengths, voltages, and so on. Retail sellers of decorative light strings typically rely on the packaging of the light string to convey the product features and qualities of the light string to potential purchasers. For example, many retailers package their light strings in boxes adorned with color photos of close-up views of the light strings, or scenes illustrating the use of the decorative light strings. However, even the use of high-quality graphical illustrations often fails to fully demonstrate the qualities and features of the light strings. This is especially true when introducing a new style bulb to the consuming public.
Retail sellers have long used electrified displays to showcase lighted Christmas trees, wreaths, and other large lighted ornamental products not typically sold in a package or box. On the other hand, retail sellers and their suppliers face a number of obstacles when it comes to displaying decorative lighting strings. For example, decorative light strings are often very long, and contain a large number of light sources, making it difficult to display an entire string, let alone display multiple strings. Light source voltages vary from light string to light string, making it difficult or even impossible to connect different bulb styles in a single string. The use of incandescent light sources and light emitting diode light sources further complicates the electrical requirements of any electrified display. Product displays also use up valuable shelf space normally dedicated to holding the decorative light strings themselves.
In addition to the physical and electrical obstacles preventing the easy display of a variety of decorative light strings in a single electrified display unit, safety must also be considered. Most decorative light strings are designed for 120V alternating current (AC) operation with the light sources electrically connected in series, or in series-parallel. To be most effective, a retailer would prefer to locate an electrified light display at shelf level near the packaged light strings. However, this leaves the electrified display accessible to potential buyers who might tamper with the display, resulting in a risk of electric shock or even fire.
Accordingly, a need exists in the industry for a simple electrified light display that allows decorative lights and bulbs in a variety of designs and voltages to be displayed in a single display unit, in an attractive, efficient and safe manner.
The present invention substantially meets the aforementioned needs of the industry by safely and efficiently providing an electrified decorative light display that can accommodate a variety of light sources representing a variety of decorative light strings. The display includes an enclosure, multiple light source groups, and one or more power supplies. Multiple light source assemblies form a light source group, with each light source assembly viewable in the decorative light display.
In one embodiment, light source assemblies operate on the same voltage and are constructed electrically in parallel to ensure that the failure of one light source assembly will not affect the operation of the other light source assemblies. In another embodiment, light source assemblies operate on the same voltage, and but are constructed in series-parallel, with a limited number of light source assemblies in a series block, so as to limit the disruption of power to other light source assemblies in the event of a failure of one light source assembly. The common operating voltage facilitates interchangeability of light assemblies based on availability of replacement assemblies. Although the shape, color, and general appearance of the light assemblies may change, the electrical characteristics of the light source assemblies do not change. Light source assemblies may include incandescent light sources, light emitting diode (LED) light sources, or other types of light sources.
The present invention includes a plurality of light source assemblies, each respective light source assembly of the plurality of light source assemblies having a known power requirement and at least one power supply operably coupled to each respective light source assembly of the plurality of light source assemblies for supplying power from an external power source to each respective light source assembly of the plurality of light source assemblies, the at least one power supply providing power to each respective light source assembly, which power satisfies the known power requirement thereof.
The wires connecting light assemblies within a single light source group may be relatively short compared to the wires connecting light source groups in order to minimize cost, weight and complexity of the display. A power supply isolates the source voltage having a relatively high voltage from the displayed light source assemblies and, in one embodiment, is a low voltage, low energy (LVLE) power supply, such as a Class 2 or Information Technology Equipment (ITE) power supply that reduces the source voltage to a lower alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) voltage. The use of this type of power supply reduces the risk of electric shock and fire. In one embodiment, displays that use only incandescent light source assemblies or only LED assemblies may only require a single power supply. If the light display uses light source assemblies of differing voltages, voltage and/or current regulators may be used to deliver the appropriate power to light source assembly groups with different power requirements. In other embodiments, multiple power supplies with different output characteristics may be used to meet the power requirements of the light source assemblies.
The present invention is further a method of displaying decorative lighting.
One embodiment of the decorative light display of the present invention is shown generally in
While the embodiment shown in
Light source assemblies 16 may be incandescent light source assemblies 15 as shown in
In one embodiment, power supply 18 is an LVLE power supply, such as a Class 2 power supply or an ITE power supply, that reduces a 120 VAC source voltage to a lower voltage such as 12 VAC. Using a LVLE power supply isolates the higher source voltage from light source groups 14 and limits available energy, thereby reducing the risk of shock and fire. In other embodiments, power supply 18 may consist of other types of power supplies that reduce the source voltage, including those that output DC power, where DC power includes constant voltage DC, battery-sourced DC power, and full-wave or half-wave rectified AC power.
As shown in
Another advantage of the parallel construction is that all light source assemblies 15 operate on the same voltage, allowing interchangeability of assemblies 15 in the event of a failure of any one of the light source assemblies 15. This means that light source assemblies 15 with different appearances, e.g., different colors and shapes, are actually interchangeable. For example, a pearl-shaped light assembly may be connected in parallel with a cylindrical traditional mini-bulb. This interchangeability of light assemblies 15 differs from the actual decorative light strings being sold. Typically, the operating voltage characteristics of prior art light source assemblies in a decorative light string of one shape bulb and bulb count differs from the operating voltage characteristic of light assemblies using a different shape bulb and bulb count. Using the previous example, a traditional pearl-shaped light assembly used in a decorative light string operates on 3.5V, whereas a traditional mini-bulb light assembly in a string with 50 or 100 light assemblies connected in series will operate on 2.5V, preventing interchangeability of light source assemblies.
In another embodiment, incandescent light assemblies 15 are connected in series-parallel, rather than a purely parallel connection. In the series-parallel embodiment, the failure of any one incandescent light assemblies 15 will interrupt current to the other light assemblies 15 in the series block, causing all the light assemblies 15 in the block to fail. For this reason, the number of light assemblies 15 employed in a single series block is minimized. For example, a series-parallel embodiment of the present invention may include five incandescent light assemblies 15 per series block.
In the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment of
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The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit of the essential attributes thereof. Therefore, the illustrated embodiments should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 11583997 | Oct 2006 | US |
Child | 12208775 | US |