Rope light track system

A rope light track system for mounting a tubular flexible rope light string on or in a generally flat surface, comprising:

• at least one elongate rigid or semi-rigid track having first and second parallel laterally spaced side walls each adjoined at a first end by a transverse base wall defining a longitudinal generally rectangular U-shaped retention channel having an open end, said retention channel being of sufficient size to accommodate an elongate section of a tubular flexible rope light string, and a pair of arcuate side portions each having a first end adjoined to a respective one of said laterally spaced side walls and curving laterally outward and downward from said retention channel open end in laterally opposed relation and terminating in a second end disposed in a plane substantially flush with a bottom surface of said transverse base wall;
• a short longitudinally extending protrusion on each of said side walls near said channel open end disposed in laterally opposed spaced relation and spaced apart a distance sufficiently less than the diameter of the section of the tubular flexible rope light string to be installed in said retention channel such that the section of the flexible rope light string is forced past said protrusions into said retention channel and thereafter releasably retained therein by said protrusions to prevent accidental removal and at a sufficient depth to protect the section of the tubular flexible rope light string from damage and allow light emanating therefrom to be directed out of said channel open end;
• and
• a strip of resilient cushioning material disposed on an inner facing surface of said transverse base wall for resiliently supporting the section of the tubular flexible rope light string in said retention channel and resiliently biasing the tubular flexible rope light string into engagement with said laterally opposed protrusions such that an outer circumferential segment of the rope light string is disposed generally flush with an outer surface of said track;
• said track being mounted on a support surface with an outer surface of said transverse base wall affixed to the support surface with said second ends of said arcuate side portions engaged on the support surface such that said retention channel is disposed perpendicular to the support surface and light emanating from the section of the flexible rope light string is directed out of said channel open end in a direction perpendicular to the support surface.