Lighting arrangement for Christmas trees

Claim 1

A lighting device for illuminating a tree, said tree having a trunk and a set of branches extending substantially laterally therefrom, said lighting device comprising; a rigid branch made of light conductive material, said rigid branch having a rigid branch base and a rigid branch top end, said rigid branch being adapted to extend substantially parallel to the trunk of said tree, a set of relatively flexible branches made of light conductive material, each one of said flexible branches having a flexible branch top and a flexible branch base end, said relatively flexible branches being divided into groups of given lengths, each one of said groups being attached by an attaching means to said rigid branch at a position intermediate between said flexible branch top and base end so that each one of said flexible branches is disposed substantially axially relative to said rigid branch over a first portion of its length extending between said flexible branch base end and said attaching means and then branches off in an unrestrained manner over a second portion of its length extending from said attaching means to said flexible branch top end, a gathering means for closely gathering said flexible and rigid branches in a fixed position therewithin at the base ends to define a generally planner base termination surface, a supporting means for supporting said base end of said flexible and rigid branches, a light source positioned in said base supporting means adjacent said planner base termination surface and directed to project light onto said surface, said flexible branches having a diameter such that said flexible branches self supportingly project substantially laterally from said rigid branch over said second section of their length thus defining a spray of separate flexible branches and also such that when said light source illuminates said surface, each one of said branches generates a radial diffusion along its entire length and diffuses axially at its top end.