US 11,913,626 C1 (13,302nd)
Enclosed gutter clip and expandable bulb-holding clip
David Russel Felt, Plymouth, MN (US)
Filed by Russel Williams Home Services LLC, Plymouth, MN (US)
Assigned to Russel Williams Home Services LLC
Reexamination Request No. 90/019,969, May 27, 2025.
Reexamination Certificate for Patent 11,913,626, issued Feb. 27, 2024, Appl. No. 17/834,394, Jun. 7, 2022.
Application 90/019,969 is a continuation of application No. 16/928,247, filed on Jul. 14, 2020, granted, now 11,353,199.
Application 16/928,247 is a continuation of application No. 16/655,074, filed on Oct. 16, 2019, granted, now 10,711,985.
Application 16/655,074 is a continuation of application No. 16/404,640, filed on May 6, 2019, granted, now 10,577,620.
Application 16/404,640 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/067,119, filed on Mar. 10, 2016, granted, now 10,281,084.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/131,305, filed on Mar. 11, 2015.
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Ex Parte Reexamination Certificate issued on Aug. 3, 2026.
Int. Cl. F21V 21/088 (2006.01); F21W 121/00 (2006.01)
CPC F21V 21/088 (2013.01) [F21W 2121/004 (2013.01)]
OG exemplary drawing
AS A RESULT OF REEXAMINATION, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT:
The patentability of claims 1-18 is confirmed.
New claims 19-27 are added and determined to be patentable.
1. A clip comprising:
an elongated body having a first end and a second end;
a strut having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the strut is connected to the second end of the elongated body, and wherein the first end of the strut and the second end of the strut collectively define a strut axis;
a cantilever having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the cantilever is connected to the second end of the strut; and
a circular bulb holder connected to the cantilever or the strut and extending in a direction substantially opposite the second end of the cantilever, wherein the circular bulb holder includes a hole configured to receive at least a portion of a bulb, wherein the hole has central axis extending therethrough that is substantially parallel to the strut axis, wherein the circular bulb holder has a front side and a back side, and further wherein the circular bulb holder comprises:
an annular outer flange extending in a direction substantially parallel to the strut axis, the annular outer flange having a flange inner radius and a flange outer radius defined from a center of the hole, wherein the annular outer flange is continuous, and wherein the hole is within the flange inner radius of the annular outer flange; and
a socket guide having a first surface on the front side of the circular bulb holder and extending from at least a portion of the annular outer flange, the socket guide further having a socket guide inner radius and a socket guide outer radius defined from the center of the hole,
wherein the flange inner radius and the socket guide outer radius of the socket guide are aligned,
wherein the socket guide inner radius is less the flange inner radius,
wherein the hole is configured to receive a threaded end of the bulb and a bulb socket such that, while the threaded end of the bulb is screwed into the bulb socket, the bulb socket abuts a second surface of the socket guide opposite the first surface and at least a portion of the bulb abuts the socket guide,
wherein the second end of the cantilever is resiliently capable of being pulled away from the elongated body to accommodate a positioning of a structure between the elongated body and the cantilever, and the clip is made from a substantially resilient material having a memory that causes the second end of the cantilever to return toward a relaxed position when not subject to an external force, and
wherein, when the structure is situated between the elongated body and the cantilever, the memory causes the second end of the cantilever to return toward the relaxed position, such that the cantilever and the elongated body exert pressure on the structure, to thereby maintain a position of the clip about the structure.
[ 19. The clip of claim 1, wherein the clip is configured to be simultaneously removed, along with the bulb and the bulb socket, from the structure.]
[ 20. The clip of claim 19, wherein while the bulb socket is part of a strand of lights, the clip is further configured to be removed from the structure without use of a ladder or lift.]
[ 21. The clip of claim 19, wherein the clip is further configured to be removed from the structure without breaking and without leaving any portion of the clip in a gutter, on the structure, or on a ground about the structure.]
[ 22. The clip of claim 5, wherein the clip is configured to be simultaneously removed, along with the bulb and the bulb socket, from a structure.]
[ 23. The clip of claim 22, wherein while the bulb socket is part of a strand of lights, the clip is further configured to be removed from the structure without use of a ladder or lift.]
[ 24. The clip of claim 22, wherein the clip is further configured to be removed from the structure without breaking and without leaving any portion of the clip in a gutter, on the structure, or on a ground about the structure.]
[ 25. The clip of claim 14, wherein the clip is configured to be simultaneously removed, along with the bulb and the bulb socket, from a structure.]
[ 26. The clip of claim 25, wherein while the bulb socket is part of a strand of lights, the clip is further configured to be removed from the structure without use of a ladder or lift.]
[ 27. The clip of claim 25, wherein the clip is further configured to be removed from the structure without breaking and without leaving any portion of the clip in a gutter, on the structure, or on a ground about the structure.]