US-12623883-B1 - Light roller device

US12623883B1US 12623883 B1US12623883 B1US 12623883B1US-12623883-B1

Abstract

A light roller device is disclosed herein. The light roller device includes a support frame member; and a roller assembly coupled to the support frame member, the roller assembly including a roller member that is rotatable about a portion of the support frame member, the roller member configured to guide and/or support a wiring portion of a light strand as the light strand is being hung from an elevated object, and the roller member being inwardly tapered toward a middle portion of the roller member for guiding the wiring portion of the light strand to the middle portion of the roller member as the light strand is being hung from the elevated object.

Inventors

David Terry Jackson
Debra Yvonne Jackson
Laura Debra Jackson

Assignees

David Terry Jackson
Debra Yvonne Jackson
Laura Debra Jackson

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240213

Claims (19)

1 . A light roller device, comprising: a support frame member; a roller assembly coupled to the support frame member, the roller assembly including a roller member that is rotatable about a portion of the support frame member, the roller member configured to guide and support a wiring portion of a light strand as the light strand is being hung from an elevated object, and the roller member being inwardly tapered toward a middle portion of the roller member for guiding the wiring portion of the light strand to the middle portion of the roller member as the light strand is being hung from the elevated object; and a guide arm member coupled to the support frame member, the guide arm member extending above at least a portion of the roller member, the guide arm member configured to restrict a vertical movement of the wiring portion of the light strand so as to urge the wiring portion of the light strand towards the middle portion of the roller member.
2 . The light roller device according to claim 1 , wherein the roller member of the roller assembly further comprises a first tapered wall component, a second tapered wall component, and a center core component coupling the first tapered wall component to the second tapered wall component, the center core component being formed from a first material, and the first tapered wall component and the second tapered wall component being formed from a second material, the first material being softer than the second material.
3 . The light roller device according to claim 2 , wherein the roller member of the roller assembly further comprises at least one end cap, the at least one end cap being coupled to an outer end of one of the first tapered wall component and the second tapered wall component, and the at least one end cap increasing a structural rigidity of the roller member.
4 . The light roller device according to claim 1 , wherein the support frame member comprises a bent rod-shaped member, the bent rod-shaped member comprises at least one a vertical rod portion and a horizontal rod portion, the horizontal rod portion of the bent rod-shaped member forming the portion of the support frame member about which the roller member is rotatable so as to define a rotational axis of the roller member.
5 . The light roller device according to claim 4 , wherein the bent rod-shaped member further comprises a diagonal rod portion, and the at least one vertical rod portion comprises a first lower vertical rod portion and a second upper vertical rod portion, the diagonal rod portion being connected between the first lower vertical rod portion and the second upper vertical rod portion, and the second upper vertical rod portion being connected between the diagonal rod portion and the horizontal rod portion.
6 . The light roller device according to claim 5 , further comprising a handle adapter connected to a lower end of the first lower vertical rod portion, the handle adapter comprising a plurality of internal threads configured to threadingly engage with a plurality of external threads on an end of a pole member.
7 . The light roller device according to claim 1 , wherein the guide arm member further comprises a plurality of spaced-apart protrusions disposed along an upper portion of the guide arm member, individual ones of the plurality of spaced-apart protrusions being spaced apart from one another by respective notches, the plurality of spaced-apart protrusions disposed along the upper portion of the guide arm member being configured to be used to manipulate the light strand after the light strand has been hung from the elevated object.
8 . The light roller device according to claim 1 , wherein the guide arm member further comprises a hook member disposed on an outer end of the guide arm member, the hook member defining a hook member gap, the hook member configured to prevent the light strand from sliding off the outer end of the guide arm member, and the hook member configured to prevent light bulbs on the light strand from being pulled through the hook member gap.
9 . The light roller device according to claim 1 , further comprising a cylindrical base component being coupled to an outer end of a first tapered wall component of the roller member, the cylindrical base component forming an end cap for the first tapered wall component.
10 . The light roller device according to claim 9 , wherein the support frame member comprises a bent rod-shaped member, the bent rod-shaped member comprises at least one vertical rod portion and a horizontal rod portion, the horizontal rod portion of the bent rod-shaped member forming the portion of the support frame member about which the roller member is rotatable so as to define a rotational axis of the roller member.
11 . The light roller device according to claim 10 , wherein the horizontal rod portion of the bent rod-shaped member comprises at least one annular clip recess formed in the horizontal rod portion, the at least one annular clip recess configured to receive a retainer clip for maintaining the roller member in a fixed location along a length of the horizontal rod portion.
12 . The light roller device according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one vertical rod portion of the bent rod-shaped member comprises a first lower vertical rod portion and a second upper vertical rod portion, and the light roller device further comprises a longitudinal slot configured to receive at least a part of the second upper vertical rod portion of the bent rod-shaped member in the longitudinal slot.
13 . The light roller device according to claim 9 , further comprising an angled gusset member connected between the cylindrical base component and the guide arm member, the angled gusset member configured to prevent the wiring portion of the light strand from becoming wedged in a gap between the cylindrical base component and the first tapered wall component of the roller member.
14 . The light roller device according to claim 1 , further comprising a handle adapter connected to a lower end of the support frame member, the handle adapter comprising a plurality of internal threads configured to threadingly engage with a plurality of external threads on an end of a pole member.
15 . A light roller device, comprising: a support frame member; a roller assembly coupled to the support frame member, the roller assembly including a roller member that is rotatable about a portion of the support frame member, the roller member configured to guide and support a wiring portion of a light strand as the light strand is being hung from an elevated object, and the roller member being inwardly tapered toward a middle portion of the roller member for guiding the wiring portion of the light strand to the middle portion of the roller member as the light strand is being hung from the elevated object; and wherein the support frame member comprises a bent rod-shaped member, the bent rod-shaped member comprises at least one vertical rod portion and a horizontal rod portion, the horizontal rod portion of the bent rod-shaped member forming the portion of the support frame member about which the roller member is rotatable so as to define a rotational axis of the roller member.
16 . The light roller device according to claim 15 , further comprising a guide arm member coupled to the support frame member, the guide arm member extending above at least a portion of the roller member, the guide arm member configured to restrict a vertical movement of the wiring portion of the light strand so as to urge the wiring portion of the light strand towards the middle portion of the roller member.
17 . The light roller device according to claim 16 , wherein the guide arm member further comprises a plurality of spaced-apart protrusions disposed along an upper portion of the guide arm member, individual ones of the plurality of spaced-apart protrusions being spaced apart from one another by respective notches, the plurality of spaced-apart protrusions disposed along the upper portion of the guide arm member being configured to be used to manipulate the light strand after the light strand has been hung from the elevated object.
18 . The light roller device according to claim 16 , wherein the guide arm member further comprises a hook member disposed on an outer end of the guide arm member, the hook member defining a hook member gap, the hook member configured to prevent the light strand from sliding off the outer end of the guide arm member, and the hook member configured to prevent light bulbs on the light strand from being pulled through the hook member gap.
19 . A light roller device, comprising: a support frame member; a roller assembly coupled to the support frame member, the roller assembly including a roller member that is rotatable about a portion of the support frame member, the roller member configured to guide and support a wiring portion of a light strand as the light strand is being hung from an elevated object, and the roller member being inwardly tapered toward a middle portion of the roller member for guiding the wiring portion of the light strand to the middle portion of the roller member as the light strand is being hung from the elevated object; and wherein the roller member of the roller assembly further comprises a first tapered wall component, a second tapered wall component, and a center core component coupling the first tapered wall component to the second tapered wall component, the center core component being formed from a first material, and the first tapered wall component and the second tapered wall component being formed from a second material, the first material being softer than the second material.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This patent application claims priority to, and incorporates by reference in its entirety, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/445,102, entitled “Light Roller”, filed on Feb. 13, 2023. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not Applicable. NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT Not Applicable. INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISK Not Applicable. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention generally relates to a light roller device. More particularly, the invention relates to a light roller device for facilitating the hanging of string lights on trees or any elevated structure. 2. Background Many homeowners celebrate holidays, such as Christmas, by hanging decorative lighting on trees and/or the home. In some cases, the higher the lights are hanging, the better they look. Often, people use ladders and extension poles to get that extra elevated result, and sometimes attach various homemade tools to the end of extension poles. Some individuals hold a section of the lights as they lift them into place. Then, they release the lighting and move around a tree to grab another section and repeat this process. For such a procedure, the light installer needs great hand eye coordination to re-grab the light string because it always sways and moves. Add wind, rain or snow to the elements and the job becomes even more difficult. This procedure can be repeated until the whole string of lights is hanging. A tool, such as a Y-shaped golf ball retriever, can make the above-described process somewhat easier by grabbing the string lights, but such a device does not help with the issue of needing to release the light string and then having to re-grab it again. As the re-grabbing of the light string is a difficult part of the light hanging task, a better solution is needed. Even decorating one tree is a very time-consuming task, and taking down the lights is just as big a task. Using ladders or climbing the structure increases risks of falls, and is a potential safety issue. As such, a better solution is needed for solving the above-described problems. Therefore, what is needed is a light roller device that can overcome one or more of these aforementioned problems encountered when hanging a strand of lights. BRIEF SUMMARY OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a light roller device that substantially obviates one or more problems resulting from the limitations and deficiencies of the related art. In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a light roller device that comprises a support frame member; and a roller assembly coupled to the support frame member, the roller assembly including a roller member that is rotatable about a portion of the support frame member, the roller member configured to guide and/or support a wiring portion of a light strand as the light strand is being hung from an elevated object, and the roller member being inwardly tapered toward a middle portion of the roller member for guiding the wiring portion of the light strand to the middle portion of the roller member as the light strand is being hung from the elevated object. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the roller member of the roller assembly further comprises a first tapered wall component, a second tapered wall component, and a center core component coupling the first tapered wall component to the second tapered wall component, the center core component being formed from a first material, and the first tapered wall component and the second tapered wall component being formed from a second material, the first material being more compliant than the second material. In yet a further embodiment, the roller member of the roller assembly further comprises at least one end cap, the at least one end cap being coupled to an outer end of one of the first tapered wall component and the second tapered wall component, and the at least one end cap increasing a structural rigidity of the roller member. In still a further embodiment, the support frame member comprises a bent rod-shaped member, the bent rod-shaped member comprises at least one vertical rod portion and a horizontal rod portion, the horizontal rod portion of the bent rod-shaped member forming the portion of the support frame member about which the roller member is rotatable so as to define a rotational axis of the roller member. In yet a further embodiment, the bent rod-shaped member further comprises a diagonal rod portion, and the at least one vertical rod portion comprises a first lower vertical rod portion and a second upper vertical rod portion, the diagonal rod portion being connected between the first lower vertical rod portion and the second upper vertical rod portion, and the second upper vertical rod portion being connected between the diagonal rod portio