POWERED TREE CONSTRUCTION

• US 20200136324A1
• Filed: 12/31/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polygroup Macau Limited (MDF Commerce, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polygroup Macau Limited (MDF Commerce, Inc.)
• Inventors: Leung, Chi Yin Alan, Tong, Ricky, Kwok, Chi Kin Samuel, He, Chang-Jun
• Granted Patent: US 11,095,078 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/06 Artificial Christmas trees
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/10 Sockets for co-operation with pins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/38 having concentrically or coaxially arranged contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/00 Coupling parts supported only by co-operation with counterpart
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/06 with two current-carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts, having their axes parallel to each other

Abstract

A power transfer system to facilitate the transfer of electrical power between tree trunk sections of an artificial tree is disclosed. The power transfer system can advantageously enable neighboring tree trunk sections to be electrically connected without the need to rotationally align the tree trunk sections. Power distribution subsystems can be disposed within the trunk sections. The power distribution subsystems can comprise a male end, a female end, or both. The male ends can have prongs and the female ends can have voids. The prongs can be inserted into the voids to electrically connect the power distribution subsystems of neighboring tree trunk sections. In some embodiments, the prongs and voids are designed so that the prongs of one power distribution subsystem can engage the voids of another power distribution subsystem without the need to rotationally align the tree trunk sections.

Claims

1. An artificial tree, comprising:

a first trunk section comprising a first electrical connector, the first electrical connector comprising;

a central electrical contact located along a central axis of the first trunk section; and

a first twist-limiting mechanism comprising;

a first plurality of distinct, longitudinally extending projections, each longitudinally extending projection of the first plurality of distinct, longitudinally extending projections comprising first and second angled surfaces, wherein each longitudinally extending projection is set apart from proximate projections by a first predetermined distance and the first and second angled surfaces converge; and

a first plurality of recesses, wherein each recess of the first plurality of recesses is defined by the first predetermined distance separating proximate longitudinally extending projections;

a second trunk section comprising a second electrical connector, the second electrical connector comprising;

a central void located along a central axis of the second electrical connector and having an electrical contact disposed therein, the central void configured to engage the first electrical connector such that the central electrical contact of the first electrical connector engages the electrical contact disposed within the central void of the second electrical connector; and

a second twist-limiting mechanism comprising;

a second plurality of distinct, longitudinally extending projections, each longitudinally extending projection of the second plurality of distinct, longitudinally extending projections comprising first and second angled surfaces, wherein each longitudinally extending projection of the second plurality of longitudinally extending projections is set apart from proximate projections by a second predetermined distance and the first and second angled surfaces converge;

a second plurality of recesses, wherein each recess of the second plurality of recesses is set apart by the second predetermined distance, and configured to receive at least one longitudinally extending projection of the first plurality of longitudinally extending projections,

wherein the engagement of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector results in an electrical connection capable of conducting electricity between the first trunk section and the second trunk section, and

wherein engagement of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector constrains rotation of the first trunk section with respect to the second trunk section.

2. The artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the central electrical contact comprises a first contact and a second contact, the first contact and the second contact being coaxial.

3. The artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the central void is substantially cylindrical and is configured to receive the central electrical contact.

4. The lighted artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the first trunk section further comprises a first plurality of branches and a first light string disposed about at least one of the first plurality of branches, the first light string comprising a plurality of lamp systems, and wherein the second trunk section further comprises a second plurality of branches and a second light string disposed about at least one of the second plurality of branches, the second light string comprising a plurality of lamp systems.

5. The lighted artificial tree of claim 4, wherein the first trunk section further comprises a first power distribution subsection, the first power distribution subsection comprising one or more electrical wires and connecting the central electrical contact of the first electrical connector to the first light string.

6. The artificial tree of claim 4, wherein each of the first plurality of lamp systems comprises a bypass mechanism configured such that, if one lamp of the first plurality of lamp systems malfunctions, each remaining lamp of the first plurality of lamp systems will continue to function.

7. The artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the second electrical connector further comprises an axially extending cylindrical wall disposed around the central void.

8. The artificial tree of claim 1 further comprises:

a sleeve disposed around a circumference of a portion of the first trunk section.

9. An artificial tree, comprising:

a first tree portion, including;

a first trunk segment;

a first plurality of wires, each of the plurality of wires comprising an insulated conductor;

a sleeve disposed around the circumference of a portion of the first trunk segment;

a first electrical connector, including;

a first connector body, including a first cylindrical lower portion, a first cylindrical upper portion, and a first plurality of first ridges extending axially outward from, an outer surface of the first cylindrical lower portion, the first plurality of ridges defining a plurality of gaps located between pairs of the first plurality of ridges, and

two electrical contacts, the two electrical contacts of the first electrical connector mechanically and electrically connected to the first plurality of wires;

a first plurality of branches connected to the first trunk segment;

a first light string distributed on the first plurality of branches and in electrical connection with the first plurality of wires; and

a second tree portion, including;

a second trunk segment;

a second plurality of wires, each of the plurality of wires comprising an insulated conductor;

a second electrical connector positioned at least partially within the second trunk segment, including;

a second connector body, including a second cylindrical portion, and a second plurality of ridges extending axially on, and projecting radially outward from an outside surface of the second cylindrical portion, and

two electrical contacts disposed within the second cylindrical portion, the two electrical contacts of the second electrical connector mechanically and electrically connected to the second plurality of wires;

a second plurality of branches connected to the second trunk segment; and

a second light string distributed on the second plurality of branches and in electrical connection with the second plurality of wires,

wherein the first electrical connector is configured to engage mechanically and electrically couple with the second electrical connector, such that each ridge of the second plurality of ridges is located in a gap of the plurality of gaps, thereby limiting rotation of the first electrical connector relative to the second electrical connector and also limiting rotation of the first tree portion relative to the second tree portion.

10. The artificial tree of claim 9, wherein the first plurality of first ridges are distributed equidistantly about the outer surface of the first cylindrical lower portion.

11. The artificial tree of claim 9, wherein each ridge of the second plurality of ridges are distributed equidistantly about the outer surface of the second cylindrical portion.

12. The artificial tree of claim 9, wherein the twist-limiting mechanism limits rotational movement of the first electrical connector relative to the second electrical connector by contact of the first plurality of ridges with the second plurality of ridges.

13. The artificial tree of claim 9, wherein one of the two electrical contacts of the first electrical connector is aligned along the first connector'"'"'s longitudinal axis and one of the two electrical contacts of the second electrical connector is also aligned along the second connector'"'"'s longitudinal axis.

14. The artificial tree of claim 13, wherein at least one of the two electrical contacts of the first electrical connector comprises a cylindrical contact.

15. The artificial tree of claim 9, wherein a portion of the first plurality of wires are outside of the first trunk segment.

16. An artificial tree, comprising:

a first tree portion, including;

a first trunk segment;

a first plurality of wires, each of the plurality of wires comprising an insulated conductor;

a first electrical connector, including;

a first connector body, including a first cylindrical lower portion, a first cylindrical upper portion, and a first plurality of projections extending axially outward from, an outer surface of the first cylindrical lower portion, the first plurality of projections defining a plurality of gaps located between pairs of the first plurality of projections, and

two electrical contacts, the two electrical contacts of the first electrical connector mechanically and electrically connected to the first plurality of wires;

a first plurality of branches connected to the first trunk segment;

a first light string distributed on the first plurality of branches and in electrical connection with the first plurality of wires; and

a second tree portion, including;

a second trunk segment;

a second plurality of wires, each of the plurality of wires comprising an insulated conductor;

a second electrical connector positioned at least partially within the second trunk segment, including;

a second connector body, including a second cylindrical portion, and a second plurality of projections extending axially on, and projecting radially outward from an outside surface of the second cylindrical portion, and

two electrical contacts disposed within the second cylindrical portion, the two electrical contacts of the second electrical connector mechanically and electrically connected to the second plurality of wires;

a second plurality of branches connected to the second trunk segment; and

a second light string distributed on the second plurality of branches and in electrical connection with the second plurality of wires,

wherein the first electrical connector is configured to engage mechanically and electrically couple with the second electrical connector, such that each projection of the second plurality of projections is located in a gap of the plurality of gaps, thereby limiting rotation of the first electrical connector relative to the second electrical connector and also limiting rotation of the first tree portion relative to the second tree portion.

17. The artificial tree of claim 16, wherein the first plurality of first projections are distributed equidistantly about the outer surface of the first cylindrical lower portion, and each projection of the second plurality of projections are distributed equidistantly about the outer surface of the second cylindrical portion.

18. The artificial tree of claim 16, wherein the first trunk segment further comprises an accessory plug configured to provide power to an artificial tree accessory.

19. The artificial tree of claim 16, wherein:

the second connector body includes a cylindrical wall defining a second connector body cavity with an open end,

a portion of each of the two electrical contacts of the second connector is located within the second connector body cavity, but no portion of either of the two electrical contacts of the second connector projects outside the second connector body cavity in a direction toward the open end, and

a portion of the first plurality of wires are outside of the first trunk segment.

20. The artificial tree of claim 16, wherein the two electrical contacts of the first electrical connector are concentric about a first central axis, and the two electrical contacts of the second electrical connector are concentric about a second central axis.