Patent Application
20120162969
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus that can be used with a nativity set and more specifically to a shining star having at least one bright lighted ray located on a telescoping pole.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Christmas is a holiday that is observed by people in almost all countries of the world where the most common scene that is displayed is the nativity scene. Typically the nativity scene is a stable with a baby lying in a cradle and surrounded by individuals and animals. Also included in the scene is the shining star that led the three Kings to the newborn King.
Unfortunately, while the nativity sets may include a lighted star, they do not include a star where the rays of the star actually shine on and illuminate the manger that led the three Kings to the newborn King.
Clearly, what is desired in a nativity scene is a lighted star that has at least one ray of light that shines on and illuminates the nativity scene.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a lighted star that has at least one ray of light that shines on and illuminates the nativity scene.
A free standing lighted star ornament according to the present invention comprises a free standing tubular support pole which has a bottom section that can be driven into the ground and a plurality of intermediate sections that extend from the bottom section to a top section. A lighted star, a spot light and a hook or loop to which glittering strings or glittering strips material can be attached is located at the very top of the top section. The length of each section including top, intermediate and bottom, and the number of intermediate sections and the total height of the tubular support can vary.
As noted, existing Christmas nativity sets are missing a very important piece, the RAYS of the star that shined on the manger and led the three Kings to the newborn Jesus. This invention fills that gap.
The present invention further comprises a pole designed to be located near a nativity set is partially buried in the ground or attached to a container for support. The pole has a plurality of hooks to which glittering strings or strips of glittering fabric or plastic can be attached. The glittering strings or strips stretched from the hook or loop near the lighted star to the pole near the nativity scene in combination with the spotlight that is oriented to illuminate the nativity scene provide and emulate the rays of the star that shined on the manger and led the three Kings to the newborn Jesus.
The invention disclosed can be used with existing nativity sets, indoor or outdoor, to depict the star with its glittering rays of strings or strips of fabric or plastic lighting up the manger. The height of the star can be adjusted. The length and brightness of the rays from the star can be adjusted. The length of the rays from the star to the manger can be adjusted. The intensity of the rays is adjustable. The rays can also be steady, flickering or running.
Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention and that such other structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.
Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, the appended claim, and the accompanying drawings in which similar elements are given similar reference numerals.
Referring to
The bottom section 12 can have a length of about four feet, more or less where the bottom end has a conical shape to allow it to be more easily driven into the ground. In a typical installation the bottom section 12 will be driven into the ground for a distance of about two feet and two feet of the bottom section 12 will project above the ground. Located about one foot from the top end of the bottom section 12 is at least one opening 38 which can be round with a diameter of one and three-quarters of an inch. This opening 38 is a clearance opening for an electrical connector such as a waterproof male plug 40 attached to a three wire waterproof electrical cable 22.
The intermediate sections 14 can be similar where each section can have a length of about five feet, more or less. The top section 16 can have a length of about five feet, more or less, and is adapted to be connected at its top end to a star 18 that can be illuminated and at least one spotlight 20 that can be oriented to illuminate any specific scene on the ground. In this embodiment the light in the star 18 can be a forty watt bulb and the spot light 20 can be a sixty watt bulb. It is understood that the bulb in the star 18 and the spot light 20 can have larger or smaller wattages.
The various sections, the bottom section 12, the intermediate sections 14, and the top section 16 can be connected together with bolts and nuts or any other type of connection. In the embodiment disclosed, six telescoping sections, including the bottom section 12, the intermediate sections 14, and the top section 16 are shown. It is understood that the free standing pole 10 which is shown as having a height of about thirty feet, more or less, can include additional intermediate sections 14 to increase its height or intermediate sections 14 can be removed to decrease its height. The three wire waterproof cable 22 extends without an interruption from the star 18 and lights 20 at the top of the top section 16, down thru each intermediate section 14 and out thru the clearance opening 38 in the bottom section 12. The end of the electrical cable 22 that extends from the bottom section 12 has a waterproof male connector 40 that can connect to a waterproof female connector (not shown in FIG).
As noted, existing Christmas nativity sets are missing a very important piece, the RAYS of the star that shined on the manger and led the three Kings to the newborn Jesus. This invention fills that gap.
Located near a nativity set 26 is a pole 28 that has a length of about seven feet where two feet of the pole is buried in the ground for support. The pole 28 has a plurality of hooks 30 such as, for example twenty four hooks 30 to which glittering strings or strips of glittering fabric or plastic 32 can be attached. The glittering strings or strips 32 are stretched from the hook or loop 24 at the top of the pole 10 to the hooks 30 on the pole 28 which is located near the nativity 26 scene.
Referring to
The invention disclosed can be used with existing nativity sets, indoor or outdoor, to depict the star with its glittering rays of strings or strips of fabric or plastic lighting up the manger. The height of the star can be adjusted. The length and brightness of the rays from the star can be adjusted. The length of the rays from the star to the manger can be adjusted. The intensity of the rays is adjustable. The rays can also be steady, flickering or running.
While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention and not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are entitled.
This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/426,829 filed on Dec. 23, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61426829 | Dec 2010 | US |
