Tubular light

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6497496
  • Patent Number
    6,497,496
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, November 14, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, December 24, 2002
    22 years ago
Abstract
A tubular light has a hollow core 40, multiple light bulbs 50 and two wires 60. The core 40 has a pair of opposed notches 41 defined along the length of the core 40. Each of the notches 41 has a plurality of blind holes 411 defined in a bottom defining the notch 41. The hollow core 40 further has two slits 412 each oppositely defined along one of the notch 41. Each of the light bulbs 50 is received in one of the blind holes 412 with one blind hole 411 spaced apart and has two connection wires 51 extending toward opposite directions. Furthermore, the periphery of the casing 70 that covers the core 40, the light bulbs 50, the wires 60 in a water tight manner is polygonal so as to increase the refraction of the light from the tight bulbs 50 and penetrating through the casing 70.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to a tubular light, and more particularly to a tubular light made of transparent and resilient material. The tubular light has a tubular body with two diametrically opposed notches peripherally defined to receive therein multiple light bulbs that are located in blind holes in a bottom defining each of the notches and two slits defined along opposed side face of one of the notch to receive wire. Furthermore, a resilient element is received in the tubular body so as to enable the user to form the tubular light into any form.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




Tubular light is a light that a user uses as an exterior decoration. Due to the material used to made the light being transparent and resilient, the user can use it in almost every parts of the surroundings. One example is that users often use the tubular light to decorate the roof, which increases the atmosphere especially at nighttime. A conventional tubular light is shown in

FIGS. 7 and 8

, which has a cylindrical solid core


10


with two diametrically opposed notches


11


and multiple light bulbs


20


each received in a corresponding one of blind holes


111


defined in the bottom defining each of the notches


11


and having two connecting wires


21


to electrically connect with other light bulb


20


. Each of the light bulbs


20


is received in the corresponding blind hole


111


with one blind hole


111


spaced between every two adjacent light bulbs


20


. When the light bulbs


20


are received in the blind holes


111


, two adjacent connecting wires


21


are tangled together to form a joint (not numbered) to be received in the blind hole


111


between two adjacent light bulbs


20


as shown in FIG.


8


. Afterwhich, electrical wires


22


are peripherally located on the core


10


and in parallel to the notch


11


. Then, a casino


30


made of transparent material is integrally molded outside the core


10


to surround the core


10


in an air tight manner such that the light from the light bulbs


20


are visible from outside of this tubular light.




This kind of tubular light does meet the requirements of the user. However, the electrical wires


22


are protruding out from the periphery of the core


10


, which makes the periphery of the casing


30


not smooth. Furthermore, the periphery of the casing


30


is substantially cylindrical, which makes the refraction of the light from the light bulbs


20


dull and plain.




The present invention provides an improved tubular light to overcome the above mentioned shortcomings.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The primary objective of the invention is to provide an improved tubular light having two slits defined along the notches of the hollow core to receive the electrical wires, such that when the casing is molded outside the hollow core, the outer periphery of the casing is smooth.




Another objective of the invention is to provide a polygonal casing integrally formed outside the hollow core to increase the refraction of the light from the light bulbs.




Still, another objective of the invention is to provide a tubular light with a resilient element embedded in the tubular body so as to enable the user to form the tubular light into any form required.




Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is an exploded perspective view showing the tubular light of the invention,





FIG. 2

is a perspective view of the assembled tubular tight constructed in accordance with the present invention;





FIG. 3

is a perspective view of one preferred embodiment of the invention;





FIG. 4

is a perspective view of still another preferred embodiment of the invention;





FIG. 5

is a perspective view of another embodiment of the tubular light o f the present invention;





FIG. 6

is a perspective view of the embodiment in

FIG. 5

, wherein with the resilient element, the tubular light is able to be formed into any form required;





FIG. 7

is a perspective view of a conventional tubular light; and





FIG. 8

is an exploded perspective view of the tubular light of FIG.


7


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION TO THE INVENTION




With reference to

FIGS. 1

, and


2


, a tubular light constructed in accordance with the present invention has a hollow core


40


, multiple light bulbs


50


and two wires


60


.




The hollow core


40


is colored when made. The core


40


has a pair of opposed notches


41


defined along the length of the core


40


. Each of the notches


41


has a plurality of blind holes


411


defined in a bottom defining the notch


41


. The hollow core


40


further has two slits


412


each oppositely defined in opposite sides of one of the notches


41


.




Each of the light bulbs


50


is received in one of the blind holes


412


with one blind hole


411


spaced apart and has two connection wires


51


extending toward opposite directions.




When the tubular light of the invention is assembled, the light bulbs


50


are received in the blind holes


411


and every two adjacent light bulbs (


50


) are spaced apart from each other by a blind hole


411


. After all the light bulbs


50


are received in the corresponding blind holes


411


, every two adjacent connection wires


51


of two adjacent light bulbs


50


are securely connected with one another. The joint of two adjacent connection wires


51


is then inserted into the blind hole


411


between two adjacent light bulbs


50


. Afterwhich, the two wires


60


are respectively received in one of the two slits


412


. Due to the slits


412


, the overall periphery of the hollow core


40


is smooth. When all the light bulbs


50


are properly connected and received in the hollow core


40


, a casing


70


made of transparent material is molded outside of the hollow core


40


to enclose the hollow core


40


, the light bulbs


50


and the two wires


60


in a water-tight manner.




Because the casing


70


is made of a transparent material, the light from the light bulbs


50


are able to penetrate through the casing


70


and light the surroundings. It is noted that to increase the refraction of the light of the light bulbs


50


penetrating through the casing


70


, the periphery of the casing


70


has a continuous and undulated shape, as shown in FIG.


3


. In

FIG. 4

, the periphery of the casing


70


is polygonal.




With reference to

FIG. 5

, a resilient element


42


made of metal is received in one of the notches


41


, such that the user is able to form the tubular light into any shape required, shown in FIG.


6


.




It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description. together with details of the structure and function of the invention. the disclosure is illustrative only. and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.



Claims
  • 1. A tubular light comprising:a hollow core having a pair of opposed notches defined along the length of the core and each of the notches having a plurality of blind holes defined in a bottom defining the notch and two slits each oppositely defined in opposite sides of one of the notches; multiple light bulbs each received in one of the blind holes with one blind hole spaced apart and having two connection wires extending toward opposite directions; two wires each received in one of the slits and engaged with the connection wires of the light bulbs; and a casing molded outside the hollow core to cover securely the light bulbs and the core in a water tight manner; wherein every two adjacent connection wires of two adjacent light bulbs are connected together and received in the blind hole between two adjacent light bulbs.
  • 2. The tubular light as claimed in claim 1, wherein a periphery of the casing is polygonal.
  • 3. The tubular light as claimed in claim 1, wherein a periphery of the casing has a continuous and undulated shape.
  • 4. A tubular light comprising:a hollow core having a pair of opposed notches defined along the length of the core and one of the notches having a plurality of blind holes defined in a bottom defining the notch and two slits each oppositely defined in opposite sides of one of the notches; multiple light bulbs each received in one of the blind holes with one blind hole spaced apart and having two connection wires extending toward opposite directions; two wires each received in one of the slits and engaged with the connection wires of the light bulbs; a casing molded outside the hollow core to cover securely the light bulbs and the core in a water tight manner; and a resilient element received in the other notch to enable the tubular light to be formed into any shape, wherein every two adjacent connection wires of two adjacent light bulbs are connected together and received in the blind hole between two adjacent light bulbs.
  • 5. The tubular light as claimed in claim 4, wherein a periphery of the casing is polygonal.
  • 6. The tubular light as claimed in claim 4, wherein a periphery of the casing has a continuous and undulated shape.
CROSS REFERENCE

The application is a continuation in part of 09/661,004 filed on Sep. 13, 2000 by the same applicant of this application. The content of the co-pending application is now taken for reference.

US Referenced Citations (9)
Number Name Date Kind
4607317 Lin Aug 1986 A
4943900 Gartner Jul 1990 A
5934792 Camarota Aug 1999 A
6186645 Camarota Feb 2001 B1
6217194 Huang Apr 2001 B1
6244726 Fan Wong Jun 2001 B1
6265834 Lin Jul 2001 B1
6394623 Tsui May 2002 B1
6428342 Pan Aug 2002 B1
Continuation in Parts (1)
Number Date Country
Parent 09/661004 Sep 2000 US
Child 09/990828 US