Claims
- 1. A ribbon light string, comprising:a ribbon, said ribbon having an upper and a lower panel, said panels having a plurality of holes cut out of at least one of said panels, said panels are joined together along the longitudinal edges of said panels, whereby a sleeve is formed between said edges that longitudinally extends for a portion of the longitudinal length of said ribbon; a light string carried by said sleeve having at least two insulated electrical conductors, said light string having a male and a female electrical plug, said male and female plugs extending beyond opposite longitudinal ends of said ribbon, and said light string having a plurality of lamps connected to said conductors, said lamps having lamp bulbs that extend outside of said sleeve through said holes, said lamps having lamp bases attached to said conductors; and at least one reinforcing wire within said sleeve, said reinforcing wire longitudinally extending for a portion of said longitudinal length of said sleeve.
- 2. The ribbon light string of claim 1, further comprising two channels, each of said channels being formed on opposite sides of the longitudinal centerline of said sleeve by joining said upper panel and said lower panel together for a portion of said longitudinal length of said sleeve, wherein at least one of said channels has contained within said channel at least one of said reinforcing wires longitudinally extending for a portion of said longitudinal length of said sleeve.
- 3. The ribbon light string of claim 1, wherein said holes are C-shaped, said C-shaped holes being dimensioned to frictionally hold said lamp bulb in said C-shaped hole, wherein, after inserting said lamp bulb through said C-shaped hole and into said lamp base, said lamp is held to said panel.
- 4. The ribbon light string of claim 1, wherein said holes are X-shaped, said X-shaped holes being dimensioned to frictionally hold said lamp bulb in said X-shaped hole.
- 5. The ribbon light string of claim 1, wherein said holes are H-shaped, said H-shaped holes being dimensioned to frictionally hold said lamp bulb in said H-shaped hole.
- 6. The ribbon light string of claim 1, wherein said ribbon is made of decorative material.
- 7. The ribbon light string of claim 1, wherein said ribbon is made of shiny material.
- 8. The ribbon light string of claim 1, wherein said upper panel and said lower panel are made of different materials.
- 9. The ribbon light string of claim 1, wherein said upper panel and said lower panel are made of different colors.
- 10. The ribbon light string of claim 1, wherein said opposite longitudinal ends are finished.
- 11. The ribbon light string of claim 1, wherein said ribbon is made of a moldable material.
- 12. The ribbon light string of claim 11, wherein said moldable material is a plasticized natural material.
- 13. The ribbon light string of claim 11, wherein said moldable material is a plasticized synthetic material.
- 14. The ribbon light string of claim 11, wherein said moldable material is a foil covered natural material.
- 15. The ribbon light string of claim 11, wherein said moldable material is a foil covered synthetic material.
- 16. A method for making a ribbon light string, comprising the steps of:measuring the distance between lamp bases on a light string; cutting holes the same distance apart as the distance between lamp bases in at least one of an upper panel and a lower panel; inserting said lamp string between said upper panel and said lower panel, said light string having at least two insulated electrical conductors, said light string having a male and a female electrical plug, and said male and female plugs extending beyond opposite longitudinal ends of said panels; forming a ribbon by joining said upper and lower panels together along the longitudinal edges of said panels, whereby a sleeve is formed between said longitudinal edges that longitudinally extends for a portion of the longitudinal length of said ribbon; inserting at least one lamp bulb from outside said sleeve through one of said holes into a lamp base until proper electrical contact is made between said lamp bulb and said lamp base, and the illuminating portion of said lamp bulb extends outside of said sleeve; and finishing said opposite longitudinal ends of said panels.
- 17. The method for making a ribbon light string of claim 16, wherein said holes are C-shaped having a flap formed by the uncut portion of said C-shaped hole, said C-shaped hole and said flap being dimensioned so that the flap is inserted into said lamp base during insertion of said lamp bulb into said lamp base.
- 18. The method for making a ribbon light string of claim 16, wherein said holes are cut to form at least one flap, said hole and each flap being dimensioned so that at least one of said flaps is inserted into said lamp base during insertion of said lamp bulb into said lamp base.
- 19. The method for making a ribbon light string of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:forming two longitudinally extending channels having one of said channels on each side of the longitudinal centerline of said sleeve by joining said upper panel and said lower panel together along at least one longitudinally extending hem on each side of said longitudinal centerline of said sleeve for a portion of said longitudinal length of said sleeve; and inserting at least one reinforcing wire within said sleeve, said reinforcing wire longitudinally extending for a portion of said longitudinal length of said sleeve.
- 20. The method for making a ribbon light string of claim 19, wherein at least one of said at least one reinforcing wire is contained within at least one of said two longitudinally extending channels for a portion of said longitudinal length of said sleeve.
- 21. The method for making a ribbon light string of claim 16, wherein said holes are circular and dimensioned so that the perimeter of the holes are pinched between said lamp bulb and said lamp base after insertion of said lamp bulb into said lamp base.
- 22. The method for making a ribbon light string of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:forming a flange on each said lamp base; and forming a flange on each said lamp bulb, whereby said lamp bulb flange and said lamp base flange pinches the perimeter of the holes after insertion of said lamp bulb into said lamp base.
- 23. The method for making a ribbon light string of claim 21, further comprising the step of:forming a clip on said lamp bulb and said lamp base together, wherein each said clip pinches the perimeter of said holes.
- 24. The method for making a ribbon light string of claim 23, wherein said channels are formed by two of said hems on each side of said longitudinal centerline between said longitudinal centerline and said longitudinal edge.
- 25. A ribbon light string, comprising:a ribbon, said ribbon having an upper and a lower panel, said panels having a plurality of holes cut out of at least one of said panels, said panels are joined together along the longitudinal edges of said panels, whereby a sleeve is formed between said edges that longitudinally extends for a portion of the longitudinal length of said ribbon; a light string carried by said sleeve having at least two electrical conductors, said light string having a male and a female electrical plug, said male and female plugs extending beyond opposite longitudinal ends of said ribbon, and said light string having a plurality of lamps connected to said conductors, each of said plurality of lamps having a lamp base and a lamp bulb, wherein each said lamp bulb extends outside of said sleeve through one of said holes after being inserted into one of said lamp bases; means for holding each of said plurality of lamps to said sleeve; and means for reinforcing said sleeve so that said sleeve can be formed into a variety of shapes and wherein said sleeve will remain in such formed shape until formed into a different shape.
- 26. The ribbon light string of claim 25, wherein said means for reinforcing said sleeve is ribbon wire.
- 27. The ribbon light string of claim 25, wherein said means for reinforcing said sleeve is a pliable material used for fabricating said upper panel, said material allowing said sleeve to be bent into a shape in which said sleeve will remain until said sleeve is bent into a different shape.
- 28. The ribbon light string of claim 25, wherein said means for reinforcing said sleeve is a pliable material used for fabricating said lower panel, said material allowing said sleeve to be bent into a shape in which said sleeve will remain until said sleeve is bent into a different shape.
- 29. The ribbon light string of claim 25, wherein said means for reinforcing said sleeve is a pliable material used for fabricating both said lower panel and said upper panel, said material allowing said sleeve to be bent into a shape in which said sleeve will remain until said sleeve is bent into a different shape.
- 30. The ribbon light string of claim 25, wherein said means for holding each of said plurality of lamps to said sleeve is comprised of a flange formed on said lamp base and a flange formed on said lamp bulb, wherein inserting said lamp bulb into said lamp base causes said clip to hold a portion of said sleeve to said lamp.
- 31. The ribbon light string of claim 25, wherein said means for holding said plurality of lamps to said sleeve is comprised of a clip formed on said lamp base and said lamp bulb of each of said plurality of lamps, wherein inserting said lamp bulb into said lamp base causes said clip to hold a portion of said sleeve to said lamp.
- 32. The ribbon light string of claim 25, wherein at least one of said upper panel and said lower panel is made of a colored material, said colored material allowing said sleeve to become camouflaged.
- 33. The ribbon light string of claim 32, wherein said colored material is non-reflective.
1. PRIORITY CLAIM
This application claims the benefit of the earlier filing date of provisional application, Serial No.: 60/203,700, filed on May 11, 2000.
US Referenced Citations (14)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/203700 |
May 2000 |
US |