Artificial tree

• US 4,072,857 A
• Filed: 05/10/1976
• Issued: 02/07/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Guy A. Devicaris
• Original Assignee: Guy A. Devicaris
• Inventors: DeVicaris, Guy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Edna M.
• Application Number:
  US05/684,753
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 240/52.1, 240/81 A, 240/73 QD, 240/81 H, 240/2 SL, 240/10 T, 240/53, 240/81 C, 240/81 BC, 240/81 BE, 240/153, 240/10 Q, 339/14 T
• US Class Current: 362/123
• CPC Class Codes: A41G 1/005 luminous or luminescent
• CPC Class Codes: A41G 1/007 Artificial trees
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/06 Artificial Christmas trees
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/035 by means of plugging into a wall outlet, e.g. night light
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for decorative purposes, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/10 Outdoor lighting

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an artificial tree capable of conducting an electric current which comprises a base, an artificial trunk connected to the base and having a first electrical conductor extending therewithin and having at least one first connector electrically connected to the first electrical conductor, the first connector extending through an outside wall of the trunk and at least one artificial limb having a second electrical conductor extending therewithin and a second connector electrically connected to the second electrical conductor, wherein the first connector is a first female-type electrical connector which comprises first narrow slits, and wherein the second connector is a first male-type electrical connector comprising first narrow prongs corresponding in shape to the slits such that said limb can be detachably and electrically connected to said trunk. The male-type electrical connector including an auxiliary structural support and the female-type electrical connector includes a corresponding auxiliary opening into which the structural support can be insert.

Claims

1. An artificial tree capable of conducting an electric current comprising:

base means;

artificial trunk means connected to said base means and having first electrical conductor means extending therewithin and further having at least one first connector means electrically connected to said first electrical conductor means, said first connector means extending through an outside wall of said trunk means; and

at least one artificial limb means having second electrical conductor means extending therewithin and second connector means electrically connected to said second electrical conductor means;

wherein said first connector means is a first female-type electrical connector comprising first narrow slit means, wherein said second connector means is a first male-type electrical connector comprising first narrow prong means corresponding in shape to said slit means such that said limb means can be detachably and electrically connected to said trunk means,

wherein one of said first female-type electric connector and said first male-type electric connector is provided with first auxiliary structural support means, and

wherein the other of said connectors is provided with first auxiliary opening means corresponding in shape with said first structural support means such that said structural support means can be inserted into said first opening means in use.

2. An artificial tree according to claim 1, wherein each of said artificial limb means is provided with at least one light bulb socket means for receiving a light bulb.

3. An artificial tree according to claim 2, wherein said socket means is electrically connected to said second electrical conductor means.

4. An artificial tree according to claim 1, wherein said trunk means comprises a plurality of detachable sections.

5. An artificial tree according to claim 4, wherein each of said detachable sections has section electrical connector means for electrical interconnection of said sections.

6. An artificial tree according to claim 5, wherein at least one of said section electrical connector means is provided with section auxiliary structural support means, and wherein at least another of said sections is provided with a section auxiliary opening for receiving said section auxiliary structural support means in use.

7. An artificial tree according to claim 6, wherein said section electrical connector means each comprises a section female-type electrical connector provided at one end of said sections with narrow slit-like openings and a section male-type electrical connector at another end thereof with narrow prong means such that said sections are detachably connected by inserting the male-type connector of a first section into the female-type connector of a second section.

8. An artificial tree according to claim 7, wherein said first structural support means and said first opening means have an eccentric cross-sectional shape such that said first structural support means can be inserted into said first opening means only when said first narrow slit means and said first narrow prong means are properly aligned.

9. An artificial tree according to claim 8, wherein said first support means is provided on said first male-type electric connector.

10. An artificial tree according to claim 7, wherein said section auxiliary structural support means and said section auxiliary opening are eccentric in shape such that they can be interconnected only when said section female-type connector and said section male-type connector are properly aligned.

11. An artificial tree according to claim 10, wherein said first structural support means and said first opening means have an eccentric cross-sectional shape such that said first structural support means can be inserted into said first opening means only when said first narrow slit means and said first narrow prong means are properly aligned.

12. An artificial tree according to claim 11, wherein said first support means is provided on said first male-type electric connector.

13. An artificial tree according to claim 6, wherein said first structural support means and said first opening means have an eccentric cross-sectional shape such that said first structural support means can be inserted into said first opening means only when said first narrow slit means and said first narrow prong means are properly aligned.

14. An artificial tree according to claim 13, wherein said first support means is provided on said first male-type electric connector.

15. An artificial tree according to claim 1, wherein said first structural support means and said first opening means have an eccentric cross-sectional shape such that said first structural support means can be inserted into said first opening means only when said first narrow slit means and said first narrow prong means are properly aligned.

16. An artificial tree according to claim 15, wherein said first narrow prong means and said first auxiliary structural support means extend in the same general direction and wherein said first auxiliary structural support means is longer than said first narrow prong means.

17. An artificial tree according to claim 16, wherein said first support means is located between said first narrow prong means and wherein said first opening means is located between said first narrow slit means.

18. An artificial tree according to claim 15, wherein said first support means is located between said first narrow prong means and wherein said first opening means is located between said first narrow slit means.

19. An artificial tree according to claim 1, wherein said first support means is provided on said first male-type electric connector.

20. An artificial tree according to claim 19, wherein said first support means is located between said first narrow prong means and wherein said first opening means is located between said first narrow slit means.

21. An artificial tree according to claim 1, wherein said first narrow prong means and said first auxiliary structural support means extend in the same general direction and wherein said first auxiliary structural support means is longer than said first narrow prong means.