US Patent:
20020071276, Jun 13, 2002
Inventors:
Ariana Blum - Jersey City NJ, US
International Classification:
F21V021/32
F21V017/02
US Classification:
362/250000, 362/235000, 362/278000, 362/320000
Abstract:
A lighting device having a selectably changeable shape. Such lighting device includes a flexible lighting element and an adjustable shape-retaining element coupled to the flexible lighting element which can be mounted in a transparent or translucent flexible covering. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the flexible lighting element is mounted in a flexible covering including the adjustable shape-retaining element. Preferably, the flexible covering is transparent or translucent. According to one embodiment of the invention, the flexible lighting element includes a rope light. According to another embodiment, the adjustable shape-retaining element is a metal wire. According to another embodiment of the invention, the adjustable shape-retaining element includes shapeable wires incorporated in at least part of the flexible covering. There is also provided a method for providing a shapeable lighting device, the method including coupling an adjustable shape-retaining element to a flexible lighting element. According to one embodiment of the invention, the method further includes mounting the flexible lighting element in a transparent or translucent flexible covering. According to another embodiment of the invention, the step of coupling includes providing an adjustable shape-retaining element in the flexible covering.