The Walt Disney Company has filed yet another patent application which we assume will be commercialized for the opening of Star Wars Land. The latest application is for a “Sword Device with Retractable, Internally Illuminated Blade.”

The new technology exemplified in this patent application is used to build a lightsaber hilt that works like a motorized tape measure. At the press of a button, the tapes will extend to a total length several times that of the hilt itself. The tapes will also have some kind of LED lighting inside, such that the lightsaber can light up similar to the way they appear in the films.

As with current lightsaber replicas on the market, there would be built-in sound effects to give a more authentic experience.

The same mechanics that operate to eject the blade will be used in reverse to retract the blade. The LEDs will be affixed to a tape that retracts onto a spool as the lightsaber blade retracts.

This new and improved lightsaber has the potential to be the most realistic lightsaber available to date, and will likely command a premium price. In fact, the new invention is a significant improvement on the current collector’s models of lightsabers that are more delicate than the cheap toys sold in the parks, so this new version may likely be sold as a collector’s item rather than a toy for kids.

As with any patent application, there’s always the possibility that this idea does not come to commercial fruition, but it’s super cool nonetheless.