Draping type decorative light assembly

[0002] The present invention relates to decorative light sets, and more particularly to “swag” sets in which strings of lights are configured to form multiple draping sections.

[0003] Swag sets have become popular for holiday decorating but have been relatively complicated in assembly configuration. In some swag sets multiple drapes in a swag sectional have been provided by zig-zagging a light string back and forth in progressively longer sections. This invention aims to provide a simplified swag configuration by which three standard light strings, for example, can be easily arranged to provide a swag set with multiple swag sections each having multiple drapes.

[0004] In accordance with two embodiments of the invention each of three light strings is used to provide one of three drapes in each of three spans of drapes. This is accomplished by arranging each string so that it has three draping portions of different lengths which are sequenced differently in each of the three strings. The three light strings are supported at the beginning and ending of the three spans of drapes and are arranged in parallel or in series. In a third embodiment, the three light strings in the series embodiment are combined as a single string.

[0005] FIG. 1 is a layout showing an arrangement of three light strings for forming three spans of drapes in accordance with the invention;

[0006] FIG. 2 is an elevational view illustrating the three light strings of FIG. 1 arranged in draping position as a first embodiment of the invention;

[0007] FIG. 3 is a layout showing three light strings connected together end-to-end to drape as a second embodiment;

[0008] FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 illustrating use of a single string of lights in a third embodiment to form three spans of drapes;

[0009] FIG. 5 is an elevational view of one of the support attachments taken at the location indicated by the line 5—5 in FIG. 1;

[0010] FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of the support attachments and held cord sections when at the FIG. 5 location;

[0011] FIGS. 7 and 8 are rear elevational views of the support attachments and held cord sections at the beginning and end of the first and third spans of drapes; and

[0012] FIG. 9 is a front perspective view showing one of the light units in one of the light strings.

[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, as a first embodiment three conventional miniature light strings 20, 21 and 22 are shown, each having an end plug 23 at one end plugged into a wall plug 24 of the type having three socket entries. At their other ends, the light strings may have add-on plugs 26 as end connectors. The light strings are preferably of the type wherein one of two wires 27-28 series connects light units 30 while the other wire functions as a ground return, and the two wires are side-by-side in an insulating cord 29. The light units 30 may be like those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,848, but having a wireway for a two-wire cord rather than a three-wire cord. Although not preferred, the wires can be individually insulated and wound together rather than as indicated in FIG. 9.

[0014] Each light string has a length section which may have 51 light units 30, for example. As indicated in FIG. 1, this length section, for purposes of explanation, may be divided longitudinally into three continuous length portions A, B, and C, having 21 lights (A), 17 lights (B), and 13 lights (C). In the illustrated example, light string 20 has its length portions sequenced ABC, light string 21 has its length portions sequenced BCA, and light string 22 has its length portions sequenced CAB. Preferably the lights in each string are equally spaced apart, as for example, spaced three inches from light center to light center.

[0015] This makes the three length portions in each light string have different lengths with portion C the longest and portion A the shortest, while portion B is mid-length between portions A and C. As a consequence if the three length portions each span a distance shorter than the length of portion A, for example, a distance of 35 inches, each length portion will sag in an arc with portion C sagging the most and portion A sagging the least. Hence, when portion A of string 20, portion B of string 21, and portion C of string 22, for example, are positioned to bridge a first span S-1, as indicated in FIG. 2, the result is that these three length portions drape to three different levels as illustrated. Likewise, when a second span S-2 is then bridged by portion A of string 22, portion B of string 20, and portion C of string 21, these three portions 22A, 20B and 21C will drape to substantially the same levels as portions 20A, 21B and 22C in the first span. And finally, when a third span S-3 of the same length is bridged by length portions 21A, 22B and 20C, the draping configuration will be duplicated again.

[0016] In the first embodiment, each span S-1, S-2 and S-3 contains a group of three length portions from three light strings. At the ends of the spans, support attachments which may comprise clips, hangers and/or ties are provided to hold the intersections 40′ between the length portions together and suspend them. For example, the attachment may take the form of a hanger 40 having a hook 41 extending upwardly from the back of a bracket arm 42 formed at its upper side with three side-by-side recessed seats to hold the cords 29 of the light strings. A snap cover (not shown) may be provided. The stem 41aof the hook may be provided with a keyhole slot 41bto receive a nail or screw fastener. In the illustrated example, four of the hangers 40 are provided, one each at the beginning of the three spans S-1, S-2 and S-3, and fourth at the end of span S-3. These hangers may be hooked over a support wire or tied to a railing, for example, or nailed or screwed to a support by passing the fastener through the keyhole slots 41b. Although specialized support attachments are preferred, tie strings or wires may be tied around the cords of the three light strings at the beginning of spans S-1, S-2 and S-3, and at the end of span S-3, and connected to a fastener, railing, overhead cord or other convenient support.

[0017] It will be appreciated that more than three continuous spans of draping lights may be provided by utilizing longer light strings. For example, three 102-light strings may be used to provide six spans of draping lights in which the second group of three spans is a duplicate of the three illustrated spans. In this instance, each of the three strings can be divided into six continuous sections, with the first string configured in a ABCABC sequence, the second string configured in a BCABCA configuration, and the third string configured in a CABCAB configuration, for example.

[0018] In the illustrated example, all three string sections in each span sag downwardly in a respective arc. It will be appreciated that if desired, the upper section in each span can be relatively straight rather than sagged.

[0019] In a second embodiment of the invention, indicated in FIG. 3, the three light strings 20-22 are rearranged so that the strings 21 and 22 are reversed end for end and have their wall plugs respectively plugged into the add-on plugs of strings 20 and 21. The order of the respective length portions A, B and C can remain the same as before, but commences on strings 21-22 starting from the add-on plug end rather than starting from the wall plug end as before.

[0020] In a third embodiment of the invention, shown in FIG. 4, the three strings in the second embodiment which are arranged in series, are combined as a single light string 50 having three continuous end-to-end length sections of equal length each containing the three length portions A, B and C. The nine length portions in the string may be sequenced ABCACBCAB, for example. Thus it is seen that the three length sections having three length portions with different lengths, can be provided by three light strings arranged in parallel, or in series, or by a single longer light string.