Decorative lighting control

• US 10,683,974 B1
• Filed: 12/11/2018
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Willis Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Willis Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Johnny
• Primary Examiner(s): Garlen, Alexander K
• Application Number:
  US16/216,800
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2033/0827 illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2200/08 Illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/06 Artificial Christmas trees
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/08 Christmas tree decorations
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/0863 Elongated flexible decorations, e.g. tinsels, garlands, chains
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/15 the cables forming a grid, net or web structure
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/22 flexible or deformable, e.g. into a curved shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/04 for Christmas trees
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A multi-sectional artificial tree with internal and external power wiring for distributing and controlling power to a network of lights. The tree includes multiple tree sections, each tree section with a set of power wires inside a tree trunk, and a network of lighting wires outside the trunk. The network of lighting wires includes a tree-section wire network with a large gauge wire supplying power to groups of lights strings on branches on the tree trunk. Each group of branches has a branch-level lighting network with multiple connectors in series, and that connects to one connector of the tree-section wire network. Each branch-level lighting network powers multiple light strings connected in series, one light string per branch. The wires of the light strings are small gauge, and are connected by the branch-level connectors by a small-wire-to-large-wire connector.

Claims

1. A multi-sectional artificial tree with internal and external power wiring for distributing and controlling power to a network of lights, the tree comprising:

a first tree section configured to be oriented along a first lengthwise axis, comprising;

a first tree trunk portion extending axially and defining a first internal cavity;

a first plurality of branches distributed about a circumference of the first tree trunk portion such that each branch of the first plurality of branches is located at a same first axial level on the first tree trunk portion;

a second plurality of branches distributed about the circumference of the first tree trunk portion such that each branch of the second plurality of branches is located at a same second axial level on the first tree trunk portion;

a set of first internal trunk wires extending within the first internal cavity of the first tree trunk portion;

a first tree trunk electrical connector located in the first internal cavity of the first tree trunk portion and in electrical connection with the set of first internal trunk wires;

a first tree-section wiring network located external to the first tree trunk portion and in electrical connection with the set of first internal trunk wires, the first tree-section wiring network comprising a first plurality of tree-section wires, a first branch-level connector, and a second branch-level connector, each of the plurality of first tree-section wires comprising a multi-strand conductor and defining a first wire diameter size, the first branch-level connector located adjacent the first plurality of branches at the first axial level, the second branch-level connector located adjacent the second plurality of branches at the second axial level, the first branch-level connector electrically connected to the second branch-level connector in parallel;

a first branch-level wiring network located at the first axial level and in electrical connection with the first branch-level connector, the first branch-level wiring network including a first plurality of light-string connectors connected to one another in series, the first plurality of light-string connectors comprising one light string connector per one branch of the first plurality of branches such that a quantity of branches of the first plurality of branches is the same as a quantity of the plurality of first light-sting connectors;

a second branch-level wiring network located at the second axial level and in electrical connection with the second branch-level connector, the second branch-level wiring network including a second plurality of light-string connectors electrically connected to one another in series, the second plurality of light-string connectors comprising one light string connector per one branch of the second plurality of branches such that a quantity of branches of the second plurality of branches is the same as a quantity of the plurality of second light-sting connectors;

a first plurality of light strings connected to the first plurality of branches and the first branch-level wiring network at the first axial level of the first tree trunk portion, each of the first plurality of light strings connected to only one of the first plurality of branches and to only one of the first plurality of light-string connectors, each of the first plurality of light strings including a pair of single-strand conductors and a plurality of light-emitting diodes electrically connected in parallel, each conductor of the pair of single-strand conductors defining a second wire diameter size that is smaller than the first wire diameter size;

a second plurality of light strings connected to the second plurality of branches and the second branch-level wiring network at the second axial level of the first tree trunk portion, each of the second plurality of light strings connected to only one of the second plurality of branches and to only one of the second plurality of light-string connectors, each of the second plurality of light strings including a pair of single-strand conductors and a plurality of light-emitting diodes electrically connected in parallel, each conductor of the pair of single-strand conductors defining the second wire diameter size that is smaller than the first wire diameter size; and

a second tree section, comprising;

a second tree trunk portion defining a second internal cavity;

a set of second internal trunk wires extending within the second internal cavity of the second tree trunk;

a second tree trunk electrical connector located in the second internal cavity of the second tree trunk and in electrical connection with the set of second trunk wires;

wherein the first tree section is configured to couple to the second tree section such that the first and second tree trunk portions are mechanically coupled, the first and second trunk electrical connectors are in electrical connection, and the sets of first and second internal trunk wires are in electrical connection.

2. The multi-sectional artificial tree of claim 1, further comprising a connector mounted in a sidewall of the first tree trunk portion, the connector in electrical connection with the set of first internal trunk wires and the first tree section wiring network.

3. The multi-sectional artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of tree-section wires comprises 22 AWG wires and the conductors of the first and second plurality of light strings comprise wires that are in the range of 26 AWG to 30 AWG.

4. The multi-sectional artificial tree of claim 3, wherein each of the first plurality of light string connectors connects a 22 AWG wire to the wires that are in the range of 26 AWG to 30 AWG.

5. The multi-sectional artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the quantity of the first plurality of branches is more than the quantity of the second plurality of branches, the quantity of the plurality of the first plurality of light string connectors is more than the quantity of the second plurality of light string connectors, and the second branch-level wiring network further comprises a load resistor electrically connected in series to the plurality of second light string connectors such that a voltage at each of the first plurality of light string connectors is substantially the same as a voltage at each of the second plurality of light string connectors.

6. The multi-sectional artificial tree of claim 1, further comprising a controller assembly electrically connected to the set of first internal trunk wires.

7. The multi-sectional artificial tree of claim 6, wherein the controller assembly is releasably connected to the first tree trunk portion.

8. The multi-sectional artificial tree of claim 6, wherein the controller assembly comprises a timer.

9. The multi-sectional artificial tree of claim 1, further comprising an alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) converter.

10. The multi-sectional artificial tree of claim 9, further comprising a controller assembly, and wherein the AC to DC converter is housed independently of the controller assembly, and is mechanically connected to the first tree trunk portion at a point independent of a connection of the controller assembly to the first tree trunk portion.

11. The multi-sectional artificial tree of claim 9, further comprising an end connector for providing AC power, and wherein the AC to DC converter is in electrical connection with the first and second plurality of light strings.

12. The multi-sectional artificial tree of claim 11, wherein the connector mounted to the sidewall of the first tree portion comprises a four-terminal connector, each terminal of the four-terminal connector being connected electrically with a fuse in series.