They Invented What? (No. 78)

U.S. Pat. No. 5,523,741:  Santa Claus Detector.

JW Note:  Wishing a Happy Holidays to all!  See you in 2008!

 

What is claimed is:

1. A children’s novelty device for detecting when an entity enters a dwelling comprising:
          a decorative Christmas stocking having a top portion, a heel portion and a toe portion, said toe portion including an enclosure therein;
an electrical control circuit;
          a light source operatively coupled to said control circuit;
          a power source operatively coupled to said control circuit for providing power to said light source, said power source being disposed in said toe portion enclosure;
          switch means operatively coupled to said control circuit for controlling the power provided by said power source to said light source; and
          a flexible pull cord, said pull cord being connected to said switch means for actuating said switch means when a force is exerted on said pull cord,
          whereby, when said pull cord is tugged, said light source is turned on.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said light source is disposed on the exterior of said stocking.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said power source comprises a battery.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein two or more stockings are mounted around an entranceway of said dwelling and said pull cords of said stockings are connected, whereby when said pull cords are tugged, said light source of each stocking is turned on.