Powered tree construction

• US 8,959,810 B1
• Filed: 11/19/2014
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• 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: Kwok, Chi Kin Samuel, He, Chang-Jun, Leung, Chi Yin Alan, Tong, Ricky
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Shin
• Application Number:
  US14/547,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20150072087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 97 Days
• Field of Search: 362/123, 403/373, 439/620.21, 439/675, 428 17- 20, 379/157, 379/9.1
• US Class Current: 40/442
• 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 plurality of tree trunk sections;

a male end of a first trunk section of the plurality of tree trunk sections, the male end having a central prong and a channel prong, the central prong and the channel prong configured to conduct electricity; and

a female end of a second trunk section of the plurality of tree trunk sections, the female end having a central void and a channel void, the central void having a central contact device disposed at least partially therein, the central contact device comprising one or more spring activated contact sections, the channel void having a channel contact device disposed at least partially therein, the central contact device and the channel contact device configured to conduct electricity;

wherein the central prong of the male end is configured to engage the central contact device of the female end and the channel prong of the male end is configured to engage the channel contact device of the female end to conduct electricity between the male end of the first trunk section and the female end of the second trunk section; and

wherein, when the central prong engages the central contact device, the central prong pushes a spring activated contact section of the one or more spring activated contact sections causing the spring activated contact section to press against the central prong to maintain electrical contact between the central prong and the central contact device.

2. The artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the channel prong of the male end is configured to engage the channel contact device of the female end at a plurality of locations.

3. The artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the channel prong of the male end is configured to engage the channel contact device of the female end in a plurality of configurations, each configuration providing a different rotational alignment of the first trunk section with respect to the second trunk section.

4. The artificial tree of claim 3, wherein the channel prong of the male end is configured to engage the channel contact device of the female end in at least three configurations.

5. The artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the channel void of the female end is substantially circular, and the central void of the female end is disposed proximate the center of the substantially circular channel void.

6. The artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the channel void of the female end is disposed 360 degrees around the central void of the female end.

7. The artificial tree of claim 1, the central prong of the male end having a rounded end to contact a spring activated contact section of the one or more spring activated contact sections of the central contact device.

8. The artificial tree of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of distinct, radially extending clutch elements, each radially extending clutch element having a height and a surface extending downward at an angle from the height, the radially extending clutch elements restricting the first trunk section from rotating with respect to the second trunk section.

9. The artificial tree of claim 1 wherein the first trunk section comprises an inner sleeve proximate an end of the first trunk section and the second trunk section comprises an outer sleeve proximate an end of the second trunk section, the inner sleeve configured to engage the outer sleeve.

10. The artificial tree of claim 1 further comprising a safety cover to obstruct access to the channel void, the safety cover supported by a spring member.

11. An artificial tree, comprising:

a plurality of tree trunk sections;

a male end of a first trunk section of the plurality of tree trunk sections, the male end having a central prong and a spring activated channel prong, the central prong and the channel prong configured to conduct electricity; and

a female end of a second trunk section of the plurality of trunk sections, the female end having a central void and a channel void, the central void having a central contact device disposed at least partially therein, the central contact device comprising one or more spring activated contact sections, the channel void having a channel contact device disposed at least partially therein, the central contact device and the channel contact device configured to conduct electricity;

wherein the central prong of the male end is configured to engage the central contact device of the female end and the spring activated channel prong of the male end is configured to engage the channel contact device of the female end to conduct electricity between the male end of the first trunk section and the female end of the second trunk section;

wherein, when the spring activated channel prong engages the channel contact device, the channel contact device pushes the spring activated channel prong causing the spring activated channel prong to press against the channel contact device to maintain electrical contact between the spring activated channel prong and the channel contact device; and

wherein, when the central prong engages the central contact device, the central prong pushes a spring activated contact section of the one or more spring activated contact sections causing the spring activated contact section to press against the central prong to maintain electrical contact between the central prong and the central contact device.

12. The artificial tree of claim 11, wherein the spring activated channel prong of the male end is configured to engage the channel contact device of the female end at a plurality of locations.

13. The artificial tree of claim 11, wherein the spring activated channel prong of the male end is configured to engage the channel contact device of the female end in a plurality of configurations, each configuration providing a different rotational alignment of the first trunk section with respect to the second trunk section.

14. The artificial tree of claim 13, wherein the spring activated channel prong of the male end is configured to engage the channel contact device of the female end in at least three configurations.

15. The artificial tree of claim 11, wherein the channel contact device of the female end is substantially circular.

16. The artificial tree of claim 11, wherein the spring activated channel prong flexes as it makes contact with the channel contact device.

17. The artificial tree of claim 11, the spring activated channel prong comprising a contact area that extends from the spring activated channel prong to engage the channel contact device.

18. The artificial tree of claim 11 further comprising clutch elements to prevent the first trunk section from rotating with respect to the second trunk section, each clutch element having a height and a surface extending downward at an angle from the height.

19. The artificial tree of claim 11 wherein the first trunk section comprises an inner sleeve proximate an end of the first trunk section and the second trunk section comprises an outer sleeve proximate an end of the second trunk section, the inner sleeve configured insert into the outer sleeve.

20. An artificial tree, comprising:

a plurality of tree trunk sections;

a male end of a first trunk section of the plurality of tree trunk sections, the male end having a central prong and a spring activated channel prong, the central prong and the channel prong configured to conduct electricity; and

a female end of a second trunk section of the plurality of trunk sections, the female end having a central void and a channel void, the central void having a central contact device disposed at least partially therein, the channel void having a channel contact device disposed at least partially therein, the central contact device and the channel contact device configured to conduct electricity;

wherein the central prong of the male end is configured to engage the central contact device of the female end and the spring activated channel prong of the male end is configured to engage the channel contact device of the female end to conduct electricity between the male end of the first trunk section and the female end of the second trunk section; and

wherein, when the spring activated channel prong engages the channel contact device, the channel contact device pushes the spring activated channel prong causing the spring activated channel prong to press against the channel contact device to maintain electrical contact between the spring activated channel prong and the channel contact device.

21. The artificial tree of claim 20, wherein the spring activated channel prong of the male end is configured to engage the channel contact device of the female end at a plurality of locations.

22. The artificial tree of claim 20, wherein the spring activated channel prong of the male end is configured to engage the channel contact device of the female end in a plurality of configurations, each configuration providing a different rotational alignment of the first trunk section with respect to the second trunk section.

23. The artificial tree of claim 22, wherein the spring activated channel prong of the male end is configured to engage the channel contact device of the female end in at least three configurations.

24. The artificial tree of claim 23 further comprising radially extending clutch elements to prevent the first trunk section from rotating with respect to the second trunk section.

25. The artificial tree of claim 20, wherein the channel void of the female end is substantially circular, and the central void of the female end is disposed proximate the center of the substantially circular channel void.

26. The artificial tree of claim 20, wherein the channel void of the female end is disposed 360 degrees around the central void of the female end.

27. The artificial tree of claim 20, wherein the channel contact device of the female end is substantially circular.

28. The artificial tree of claim 20, the spring activated channel prong comprising a contact area that extends from the spring activated channel prong to engage the channel contact device.