US20240044479A1 - Light socket for flat ribbon cable with selectable wire connection - Google Patents

Abstract

A cable interface is configured to mechanically and electrically connect to, via a plurality of piercing members, power-channel wires and a common wire of a ribbon cable. A lighting-element socket coupled to the cable interface is configured to receive a lighting element within and to provide electrical connection between power and common electrical contacts of the lighting element received and power-channel and common electrical contacts of the lighting-element socket. A channel selector conductively connected to the power electrical contact of the lighting-element socket is configured to select and electrically connect to a selected one of the plurality of power-channel wires via the power-channel contacting members.

Description

BACKGROUND
• Decorative lighting displays are used to communicate a joy of a holiday season, to draw attention to merchandise, or to simply decorate or adorn an object. Decorative lighting displays can be used both indoors and outdoors. Decorative lighting displays have been used residentially to adorn trees, shrubs, and houses. Commercial businesses can use decorative lighting displays to provide festive atmospheres at their places of business.
• Some such decorations can involve many decorative lighting displays. Such lighting displays can provide a constant illumination display, while others provide a time sequence of spatial illumination patterns. Such constant or time-sequence patterns of illumination are produced by a constant or time-sequence of an electrical signal provided to the decorative lighting display. Some decorative lighting displays have lighting elements that can change color and/or intensity in a response to command data provided thereto. Other decorative lighting displays have only fixed color lighting elements that do receive such command data. Such fixed-color lighting elements can still have temporal variation of illumination in response to temporal variation of an electrical signal. Such fixed-color lighting elements can be combined with other and sometimes differently colored fixed color lighting elements in a decorative lighting display. But such lighting elements are typically not customizable beyond their response to various electrical signals.
SUMMARY
• Some embodiments relate to a lighting-element/ribbon-cable connector with selectable wire connection. the lighting-element/ribbon-cable connector includes a cable interface, a plurality of wire contacting members, a lighting-element socket, and a channel selector. The cable interface is configured to mechanically and electrically connect the lighting-element/ribbon-cable connector to a flat ribbon cable having a plurality of power-channel wires and a common wire. The plurality of wire contacting members includes a plurality of power-channel contacting members and a common contacting member. The plurality of power-channel contacting members are aligned and configured to pierce insulation of corresponding ones of the plurality of power-channel wires, and the common contacting member is aligned and configured to pierce insulation of the common wire when the cable interface mechanically connects the lighting-element/ribbon-cable connector to the flat ribbon cable. The lighting-element socket is coupled to the cable interface. The lighting-element socket is configured to receive a lighting element and to provide electrical connection between power and common electrical contacts of the lighting element received and the power and common contacts of the lighting-element socket, respectively. The channel selector is conductively connected to the power contact of the lighting-element socket and configured to select and electrically connect to a selected one of the plurality of power-channel contacting members.
• Some embodiments relate to a method for providing power-channel selection and electrical connection of a lighting element to a selected one of a plurality of insulated wires of a flat ribbon cable, the method includes connecting, via a cable interface, a lighting-element socket to the flat ribbon cable. The method includes piercing, via a plurality of piercing members, insulation of corresponding ones of the plurality of insulated wires when the cable interface connects the lighting-element socket to the flat ribbon cable. The plurality of piercing members includes a plurality of peripheral ones located at a common radial distance about a central one. The method includes providing, via each of the plurality of piercing members, a conductive connection point to the corresponding one of the plurality of insulated wires. The method includes receiving, via a lighting-element socket coupled to the cable interface, a lighting element within. The method includes conductively connecting, via the lighting-element socket, a central electrical contact at a base of the lighting element received and the central one of the plurality of piercing members. The method includes conductively connecting, via the lighting-element socket, a peripheral electrical contact about the base of the lighting element received and an inner conductive peripheral wall of the lighting-element socket. The method also includes rotatably selecting and conductively connecting, via a rotatable power-channel selector conductively connected to the inner conductive peripheral wall of the lighting-element socket, to a selected one of the peripheral ones of the plurality of piecing members.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG.1 is perspective view of a lighting display system that has lighting-element/ribbon-cable connectors with selectable wire connection capability.
• FIG.2 is a close-up view of a lighting-element/ribbon-cable connector with selectable wire connection capability.
• FIGS.3A-3B are various views of a contact plate of a lighting-element/ribbon-cable connector showing a configuration of piercing members.
• FIGS.4A-4B and4D-4E are plan views of lighting-element/ribbon-cable connectors showing various channel selections.
• FIGS.5A-5B and5D-5E are perspective views of lighting-element/ribbon-cable connectors showing indicia indicating channel selection.
• FIG.6 are cross-sectional views of a lighting-element/ribbon-cable connector depicting a power return connection to an lighting element.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• Apparatus and associated methods relate to a lighting-element/ribbon-cable connector that provides power-channel selection to a lighting element received therein. A cable interface is configured to mechanically engage and electrically connect to, via a plurality of piercing members, power-channel wires and a common wire of a ribbon cable. A lighting-element socket coupled to the cable interface is configured to receive a lighting element within and to provide electrical connection between power and common electrical contacts of the lighting element received and power-channel and common electrical contacts of the lighting-element socket. A channel selector conductively connected to the power electrical contact of the lighting-element socket is configured to select and electrically connect to a selected one of the plurality of power-channel wires via the power-channel contacting members.
• FIG.1 is perspective view of a lighting display system that has lighting-element/ribbon-cable connectors with selectable wire connection capability. InFIG.1,lighting display system10 includessystem connector12 couped toflat ribbon cable14, which haslighting elements16 connected thereto via lighting-element/ribbon-cable connectors18, respectively.System cable connector12 is configured to connectlighting display system10 to a source of power and/or to lighting control signals using a connector and signal protocols consistent with such a source(s). In the depicted embodiment, the source is one that can provide four channels of lighting signals. Such power and lighting control signals are provided tolighting elements16 viaflat ribbon cable14, which has five insulatedwires20A-20E, insulatedwires20A-20B and20D-20E are power-channel wires, and insulatedwire20C is a power return wire (or common wire). Each of power-channel wires20A-20B and20D-20E provides operating power for any and all lighting elements connected thereto.
• Each of lighting-element/ribbon-cable connectors18 hascable interface22 and cylindrical lighting-element socket24. Cylindrical lighting-element sockets24 mechanically and electrically connectcable connectors18 tolighting elements16.Cable interfaces22 mechanically and electrically connect lighting-element/ribbon-cable connectors18 toribbon cable14. The combination of cylindrical lighting-element socket24 andcable interface22, thereby mechanically and electrically couple lighting elements toribbon cable14. Althoughcable14 includes five insulatedwires20A-20E,lighting elements14 can be illuminated by connectinglighting elements14 to only two ofchannel wires20A-20E, provided that a voltage difference is being supplied therebetween. Each oflighting elements14 is connected topower return wire20C as well as a selected one of power-channel wires20A-20B and20D-20E. Each ofcable interfaces22 includes a channel selector (not depicted inFIG.1) that selects and electrically connects to the selected one of power-channel wires20A-20B and20D-20E. Such channel selectors can facilitate custom configuration of a light string as will be described below.
• Each of lighting-element/ribbon-cable connectors18 also includes a channel selector that independently selects (i.e., independently of the channel selectors of theother cable interfaces22 of lighting display system10) and electrically connects to one of power-channel wires20A-20B and20D-E. Such selection puts the lighting element coupled element thereto (i.e., via the corresponding cylindrical lighting-element socket24) in electrical connection with the selected power-channel wire20A,20B,20D, or20E. For example,lighting display system10 can be configured so that alllighting elements16 oflighting display system10 receive operating power fromchannel wire20A. In another example,lighting display system10 can be configured so that alllighting elements16 oflighting display system10 receive operating power from power-channel wires20A and20B in an alternating fashion. In still another example,lighting display system10 can be configured so that alllighting elements16 oflighting display system10 receive operating power from power-channel wires20A-20B and20D-E in a A-B-C-D fashion. Such configurability permitslighting display system10 to have lights powered by power-channel wires20A-20B and20D-E in a variety of configurations.
• Each of power-channel wires20A-20B and20D-E can provide power that causeslighting elements16 to be illuminated in a different manner (i.e., a different manner than the power provided by the other power-channel wires20A-20B and20D-20E). For example, power-channel wires20A-20B and20D-E can provide operating power that has a different temporal behavior or pattern that the temporal behavior or pattern of the others. For example, one of power-channel wires20A-20B and20D-E can provide DC operating power with no AC component, while the other of power-channel wires20A-20B and20D-E can provide operating power that has AC components (e.g., a regular pulsed signal, a wave signal, A random pulsed signal, etc.). In other embodiments, each of power-channel wires20A,20B,20D, and20E are provided the same DC power level, but different data can be superimposed thereon. Such embodiments can be referred to as data over power. Thus, by selecting a specific power-channel wire,20A,20B,20D, or20E, the channel selector of a specific lighting-element/ribbon-cable connectors18 causes itscorresponding lighting element16 to be illuminated in response to the specific manner of power that is provided thereby.
• FIG.2 is a close-up view of a lighting-element/ribbon-cable connector with selectable wire connection capability. InFIG.2, lighting-element/ribbon-cable connectors18 includescable interface22, cylindrical lighting-element socket24, andcontact plate26.Contact plate26 haswire contacting members28A-28E, of which only one can be seen inFIG.2. Each ofwire contacting members28A-28E is conductively contacting a conductor of a corresponding one ofinsulated wires20A-20E. Each ofwire contacting members28A-28E has a piercing member that pierces insulation surrounding the conductor of its corresponding one ofinsulated wires20A-20E. The piercing member is not depicted inFIG.2, as it extends from a bottom (i.e., ribbon-cable engaging) surface of thecontact plate26, and projects into the conductor to which it is aligned. Each ofwire contacting members28A-28E presents acontact face30A-30E on a top surface (e.g., within cylindrical lighting-element socket24). Contact faces30A-30E are configured to be selectively and electrically connected to a contacting interface of cylindrical lighting-element socket24. In the depicted embodiment, contact faces30A-30E are configured to be selectively and electrically connected to conductive inner conductiveperipheral wall32 of cylindrical lighting-element socket24. Conductive inner conductiveperipheral wall32 is configured to mechanically and electrically coupled to an outer surface of an electrical connector of lighting element16 (as depicted inFIG.1), when coupled element thereto.
• FIGS.3A-3B are various views of a contact plate of a lighting-element/ribbon-cable connector showing a configuration of piercing members. InFIG.3A,contact plate26 includeswire contacting members28A-28E projecting therethrough.Wire contacting members28A-28E have piercing members34A-34E, which are configured to pierce insulation surrounding conductors ofinsulated wires20A-20E.Wire contacting members28A-28E are equally spaced apart in a first direction T transverse to a second direction L, along whichribbon cable14 extends when engaged withcontact plate26. Such spacing corresponds to an equal spacing ofinsulated wires20A-20E ofribbon cable14 in such a transverse direction T. When engaged withribbon cable14, piercing members34A-34E project into conductors of correspondinginsulated wires20A-20E, thereby conductively couplingwire contacting members28A-28E with conductors of correspondinginsulated wires20A-20E. In some embodiments piercing members34A-34E are pointed tips as depicting inFIGS.3A-3B. In other embodiments, piercing members34A-34E could be sharp blades aligned so as to pierce the insulation along each of the conductors of correspondinginsulated wires20A-20E.
• Wire contacting members28A-28E includes power-channel contacting members28A-28B and28D-28E and common contactingmember28C (which can also be called power-return contacting member28C). Power-channel contacting members28A-28B and28D-28E are arranged along circle C.Common contacting member28C is located at a center of circle C, which is also a center of cylindrical lighting-element sockets24, as will be shown below. Such arrangement ofwire contacting members28A-28E with relation to circle C facilitates selection and electrical connection of power-channel contacting members28A-28B and28D-28E by a rotatable channel selector, as will be shown below. Such electrical connection can be made to contact faces30A-30B and30D-30E. Such a rotatable channel selector can select and electrically connect one of contact faces30A-30B and30D-30E to a first terminal (e.g., an outer surface of the electrical connector of lighting element16) oflighting element16, when coupled element to cylindrical lighting-element socket24. A second terminal oflighting element16, which is located at a bottom center of the electrical connector oflighting element16, can electrically connect to contactface30C of contactingmember28C, thereby providing a return power connection topower return wire20C ofribbon cable14. As shown in the embodiment depicted inFIG.3A, contact faces30A-30E have a recessed portion or detent portion in which a contacting pin of the rotatable channel selector or the second terminal oflighting element16 can be received. Such detent/pin design is configured to provide tactile indication of connection with the rotatable channel selector.
• FIGS.4A-4B and4D-4E are plan views of lighting-element/ribbon-cable connectors18 showing various channel selections. InFIGS.4A-4B and4D-4E, lighting-element/ribbon-cable connectors18 includecable interface22, cylindrical lighting-element socket24,rotatable channel selector36, andwire contacting members28A-28E, of which only contact faces30A-30E are visible, due to the plan view perspective of these figures. In the depicted configuration,wire contacting members28A-28E are located within cylindrical lighting-element socket24, androtatable channel selector36 extends in an inward direction from cylindrical lighting-element socket24, so as to conductively couple one of power-channel contacting members28A-28B and28D-28E to an inner conductiveperipheral wall32 of cylindrical lighting-element socket24. In other embodiments, power-channel contacting members28A-28B and28D-28E can be located outside cylindrical lighting-element socket24, androtatable channel selector36 extends in an outward direction from cylindrical lighting-element socket24, so as to conductively couple one of power-channel contacting members28A-28B and28D-28E to an inner conductiveperipheral wall32 of cylindrical lighting-element socket24.
• InFIG.4A,rotatable channel selector36 is rotated so as to select and electrically connect inner conductiveperipheral wall32 of cylindrical lighting-element socket24 withcontact face30A of contactingmember28A. InFIG.4B,rotatable channel selector36 is rotated so as to select and electrically connect inner conductiveperipheral wall32 of cylindrical lighting-element socket24 withcontact face30B of contactingmember28B. InFIG.4D,rotatable channel selector36 is rotated so as to select and electrically connect inner conductiveperipheral wall32 of cylindrical lighting-element socket24 withcontact face30D of contactingmember28D. InFIG.4E,rotatable channel selector36 is rotated so as to select and electrically connect inner conductiveperipheral wall32 of cylindrical lighting-element socket24 withcontact face30E of contactingmember28E. In some embodiments,rotatable channel selector36 can be rotatable coupled element to cylindrical lighting-element socket24. In other embodiments,rotatable channel selector36 can be fixedly coupled element to cylindrical lighting-element socket24, and cylindrical lighting-element socket24 can a rotatable member of lighting-element/ribbon-cable connectors18 (e.g., rotatable coupled element to cable interface22).
• FIGS.5A-5B and5D-5E are perspective views of the lighting-element/ribbon-cable connectors18 showing indicia indicating channel selection. InFIGS.5A-5B and5D-5E, lighting-element/ribbon-cable connectors18 have cylindrical lighting-element sockets24 withindicia38 indicating channel selection via rotational orientation of such indicia. In the depicted embodiment, such channel selection is indicated by a rotational position ofindicia38. InFIG.5A, indicia38 indicates thatrotatable channel selector36 is rotated so as to select and electrically connect inner conductiveperipheral wall32 of cylindrical lighting-element socket24 withcontact face30A of contactingmember28A. InFIG.5B,indicia38 indicates thatrotatable channel selector36 is rotated so as to select and electrically connect inner conductiveperipheral wall32 of cylindrical lighting-element socket24 withcontact face30B of contactingmember28B. InFIG.5D,indicia38 indicates thatrotatable channel selector36 is rotated so as to select and electrically connect inner conductiveperipheral wall32 of cylindrical lighting-element socket24 withcontact face30D of contactingmember28D. InFIG.5E, indicia38 indicates thatrotatable channel selector36 is rotated so as to select and electrically connect inner conductiveperipheral wall32 of cylindrical lighting-element socket24 withcontact face30E of contactingmember28E.
• FIG.6 are cross-sectional views of a lighting-element/ribbon-cable connector depicting a power return connection to an lighting element. InFIG.6,lighting element16 includeselectrical connector40.Electrical connector40 can have threads that are configured to be received within a threaded inner surface of cylindrical lighting-element sockets24. Such a threaded connector can facilitate mechanical connection to cylindrical lighting-element sockets24.Electrical connector40 has first andsecond terminals42 and44.First terminal42 ofelectrical connector40 is a substantially cylindrical conductive outer surface ofelectrical connector40. Second terminal44 is a bottom central conduction ofelectrical connector40. Whenelectrical connector40 is fully engaged with (e.g., screwed into) cylindrical lighting-element socket24,first terminal40 is conductively coupled element to conductiveinner surface32 of cylindrical lighting-element socket24, which in turn is conductively coupled element to a selected one (i.e., selected via rotatable channel selector36) of power-channel contacting members28A-28B and28D-28E. Power-channel contacting members28A-28B and28D-28E are in turn conductively coupled element to the conductors of power-channel wires20A-20B and20D-20E, respectively, ofribbon cable14. Electrical connectors such aselectrical connector40 are found on commercially available lighting elements. For example, standard LV C-bulb or a KoS C-bulb use such electrical contacts. In someembodiment lighting elements14 can be Light Emitting Diodes (LED) with or without decorative glass enclosures. In other embodiments, other types of light illumination devices can be used, such as incandescent lamps, neon bulbs, etc.
• Although lighting-element sockets, such as cylindrical lighting-element sockets24 have been depicted to be cylindrical, andlighting elements14 have been depicted as having a cylindrical base, other types of lighting-element sockets can be configured to receive lighting elements having various types of bases and connectors. In some embodiments, the channel selector is a rotatable channel selector, as depicted in the figures. In other embodiments, other configurations of channel section can be used, such as, for example, a linear slidable channel selector.
• In some embodiments, the cable interface has a top member and a bottom member forming a clamshell structure that provides a passageway for the flat cable to pass therethrough. In some embodiments, the top member and bottom member of the cable interface have an open position and a closed position. The open position permits alignment of the lighting element/ribbon-cable connector with the ribbon cable. The closed position provides conductive connection between the lighting-element socket and the plurality of wires of the ribbon cable. Such conductive connection results from the piercing members extending into the passageway, so that when the clamshell structure is closed about the ribbon cable, the piercing members will pierce the insulation of corresponding ones of the plurality of insulated wires. In some embodiments, the top member is hingeably connected to the bottom member. In other embodiments, the top member is removably connected to the bottom member. In some embodiments, the passageway for the flat ribbon cable to pass therethrough is sized substantially equal to a size of the flat ribbon cable.
• While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment(s), it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (20)

1. A lighting-element socket connector for connecting a lighting element to a flat ribbon cable having a plurality of wires, the lighting-element socket connector comprising:

a cable interface configured to mechanically and electrically connect the socket connector to the flat ribbon cable;

a plurality of wire contacting members that includes a common contacting member and a plurality of power-channel contacting members located along a circle about the common contacting member at a common radial distance therefrom, each of the plurality of wire contacting members configured to pierce insulation of corresponding ones of the plurality of wires of the flat ribbon cable when the cable interface mechanically connects the lighting-element socket connector to the flat ribbon cable;

a lighting-element socket configured to receive a lighting element and to provide electrical connection between electrodes of the lighting element and contacts of the lighting-element socket; and

a channel selector configured to rotatably select and electrically connect a selected one of the plurality of power-channel contacting members to one of the contacts of the lighting element socket.

2. The lighting-element socket connector ofclaim 1, wherein the lighting-element socket is a cylindrical lighting-element socket.

3. The lighting-element socket connector ofclaim 2, wherein the cylindrical lighting-element socket is located symmetrically about a common wire contacting member.

4. The lighting-element socket connector ofclaim 3, wherein the lighting element socket is further configured to receive a lighting element having a threaded base with the common electrical contact located at a bottom center of the threaded base, the common contacting member configured to conductively contact the common electrical contact of the lighting element when the lighting element is received in the lighting-element socket.

5. The lighting-element socket connector ofclaim 1, wherein a power contact of the lighting-element socket comprises an inner conductive surface of the lighting-element socket, which is threaded so as to receive a threaded base of the lighting element.

6. The lighting-element socket connector ofclaim 5, wherein the threaded lighting-element socket is configured to receive a standard LV C-bulb or a KoS C-bulb.

7. (canceled)

8. The lighting-element socket connector ofclaim 5, wherein the channel selector is a rotatable channel selector that is conductively connected to the inner conductive wall of the lighting-element socket.

9. (canceled)

10. The lighting-element socket connector ofclaim 1, wherein the cable interface has a top member and a bottom member forming a clamshell structure that provides a passageway for the flat cable to pass therethrough.

11. The lighting-element socket connector ofclaim 10, wherein the top member and bottom member of the cable interface have an open position and a closed position.

12. (canceled)

13. The lighting-element socket connector ofclaim 10, wherein the top member is removably connected to the bottom member.

14. The lighting-element socket connector ofclaim 10, wherein the passageway for the flat ribbon cable to pass therethrough is sized substantially equal to a size of the flat ribbon cable.

15. The lighting-element socket connector ofclaim 10, wherein each of the piercing members extends into the passageway, so that when the clamshell structure is closed about the ribbon cable, the piercing members will pierce the insulation of corresponding ones of the plurality of power-channel wires and the common wire.

16. The lighting-element socket connector ofclaim 8, wherein each of the plurality of wire contacting members has a detent, thereby providing tactile indication of connection with the rotatable channel selector.

17. The lighting-element socket connector ofclaim 1, further comprising:

indicia on an external surface of the lighting-element socket and/or the cable interface, thereby providing visual indication of which of the plurality of power-channel piercing members is conductively coupled to the power contact of the lighting-element socket.

18. The lighting-element socket connector ofclaim 1, wherein the lighting-element socket is configured to receive a cylindrical Light Emitting Diode (LED).

19. A method for providing power-channel selection and electrical connection of a lighting element to a selected one of a plurality of insulated wires of a flat ribbon cable, the method comprising:

connecting, via a cable interface, a lighting-element socket to the flat ribbon cable;

piercing, via a plurality of piercing members, insulation of corresponding ones of the plurality of insulated wires when the cable interface connects the lighting-element socket to the flat ribbon cable, the plurality of piercing members including a plurality of peripheral ones located at a common radial distance about a central one;

providing, via each of the plurality of piercing members, a conductive connection point to the corresponding one of the plurality of insulated wires;

receiving, via a lighting-element socket coupled to the cable interface, a lighting element within;

conductively connecting, via the lighting-element socket, a central electrical contact at a base of the lighting element received and the central one of the plurality of piercing members;

conductively connecting, via the lighting-element socket, a peripheral electrical contact about the base of the lighting element received and an inner conductive peripheral wall of the lighting-element socket; and

rotatably selecting and conductively connecting, via a rotatable power-channel selector conductively connected to the inner conductive peripheral wall of the lighting-element socket, to a selected one of the peripheral ones of the plurality of piecing members.

20. The method ofclaim 19, wherein connecting a lighting-element socket to the flat ribbon cable comprises:

opening a top member and a bottom member of the cable interface;

aligning the flat ribbon cable with at least one of the top member or bottom member of the cable interface; and

closing the top member and bottom member of the cable interface about the flat ribbon cable.

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