US3463918A - Illuminated ornament - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 26, 1969 c. FRANC ILLUMINATED ORNAMENT Filed April '7, 1967 FIG.

llVVE/VTOR CHARLES FRANC United States Patent 3,463,918 ILLUMINATED ORNAMENT Charles Franc, 1501 1st Ave., New York, N.Y.

Filed Apr. 7, 1967, Ser. No. 629,282 Int. Cl. E21 N02 US. Cl. 240-10 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Summary of the invention My ornament is provided with a flat electrically insulated support member. A plurality of miniature lamps, each mounted within its own reflector are detachably secured to one surface of the member in spaced apart positions. Electric conductors secured to this surface interconnect the lamps to a line cord whereby when the cord is connected to a source of power such as house current, the lamps are lit. Ornamental cover means is detachably securable to the member in such manner that the lamps are concealed. This means also has a like plurality of transparent or translucent regions, each of which overlies a hole in the member exposing a corresponding lamp. The light from the lamps passing through these regions together with the ornamentation of the cover means itself produces an extremely pleasing and unusual ornamental effect.

My ornament can take the shape of a rectangular or card shape. If desired, two or more such ornaments or cards can be electrically interconnected to produce an enhanced ornamental elfect.

Brief description of the drawings In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of one form of my invention in which a plurality of illuminated ornaments are interconnected;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the parts of one ornament shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the ornament of FIG. 2 is assembled form;

FIG. 4 shows detail front and side views of a lamp and reflector used in my invention; and

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the ornament of FIG. 2.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments Referring now to FIGS. l-5 a flat electrically insulated support member (which is shown as a rectangular plate but can have any shape) has secured thereto a plurality of flat miniature lamp sockets 12, each of which is adapted to receive detachably a miniature lamp 14. Each lamp and socket is adapted to detachably snap fit within a corresponding reflector 16 to form a separatable integral unit. The lamps can be all of the same color or can be of diflerent colors. Plate 10 has holes 11 exposing each lamp. All of the lamps are connected in series by insulated conductors 20 to a line cord 22. This cord 22 can be connected to a conventional line plug 24 and/or to 3,463,918 Patented Aug. 26, 1969 separate male and female connectors 26 and 28. A detachable ornamental cover 30, which takes the form of candles, bells, trees or the like but can have any shape, color or design, is detachably securable via separators 32 to rear plate '18 to incase the lamps, and also overlaps and is secured to member 10. Cover 30 has a plurality of transparent or translucent regions 34, each of which is in registration with the hole 11 exposing the corresponding lamp and permits the light of the lamp to pass therethrough to enhance the ornamental etfect. Plate 18 can have a collapsible stand 36 secured to the rear thereof to permit the ornament to stand almost upright on a suit able surface. For added strength, an intermediate layer or sheet 48 of insulated material can be secured to the rear surface of plate 18. In this case sheet 48 should have holes in registration with holes 42. The rear surface of plate 18 can be partially covered with an adhesive coating 40 protected by a removable backing strip 38 as shown in FIG. 5. Once strip 38 is pulled away, the plate can be placed coating side down on a suitable surface to secure the unit thereto. The line card or connectors can extend out of aligned holes 42 in sheet 38 and plate 18.

Various other securing means such as a pin or prong can be used in place of the adhesive coating.

By interconnecting detachably the male and female connectors 26 and 28 of different units which thus interconnect each complete unit, and then connecting the line cord to a suitable source such as a wall socket having supplied thereto a single phase alternating voltage (for example volts) at 60 cycles per second frequency, all units will be illuminated to produce a composite design.

-If desired, these units can be designed to be physically interlocked to produce large composite illuminated panels.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to the drawings, my protection is to be limited only by the terms of the claims which follow.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An electrically illuminated ornament comprising:

a flat insulated support member having a plurality of holes,

a plurality of miniature lamps each detachably secured to one surface of said support member and aligned with the corresponding holes,

an electrical line cord for coupling to an electrical power source,

electrical conductor means secured to said one surface and interconnecting said lamps to said line cord,

ornamental cover means detachably secured to the other surface of said support member, and including light transmitting regions each of which overlies a corresponding hole to expose each corresponding lamp,

a plurality of lamp sockets secured to said one surface and electrically connected to said conductor means and said line cord, each lamp being detachably securable in a corresponding socket, and

a plurality of lamp reflectors each reflector being secured to one of said lamp sockets and aligned with said corresponding holes.

2. The electrically illuminated ornament as recited in claim 1 additionally comprising a rear panel member, and spacers interposed between said rear panel member and said support member for enclosing said ornament.

3. The electrically illuminated ornament as recited in claim 2 wherein the rear surface of said panel comprises an adhesive coating for detachable securement of said rear panel to a supporting surface.

4. The electrically illuminated ornament as recited in claim 2 wherein said ornamental cover means comprises a Chirstmas tree having light transmitting regions disposed throughout the design of the tree.

5. The electrically illuminated ornament as recited in claim 2 wherein said ornamental cover means comprises at least one candle having said light transmitting regions disposed at the end of said candle.

6. The electrically illuminated ornament as recited in 5 claim 2 wherein said ornamental cover means comprises at least one Christmas tree ornament having at least one of said light transmitting regions disposed within said ornament.

7. The ornament as recited in claim 2 wherein said light transmitting regions in said cover means are transparent.

8. The ornament as recited in claim 2 wherein said light transmitting regions of said cover means are translucent.

4 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,115,358 4/1938 Buschman 24010 1,735,180 11/1929 Raymond 24010 OTHER REFERENCES Christmas Lighting, October 1947, p. 3, published by General Electric Engineering Division; copy in 240-10T.

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner D. S. STALLARD, Assistant Examiner

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