Modular lighted artificial tree

• US 9,441,823 B1
• Filed: 02/03/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Willis Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Willis Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Johnny
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jong-Suk (James)
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kryukova, Erin
• Application Number:
  US14/171,407
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 362122-123, 362/249.06, 36224914-24919, 362/806, 36224914-21919, 36224914- 2919
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2200/08 Illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/06 Artificial Christmas trees
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/00 Structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/04 for Christmas trees
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/501 comprising an integral hinge or a frangible part
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/70 Insulation of connections end caps H01R4/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/26 for engaging or disengaging the two parts of a coupling device structural association with two-part coupling device H01R13/629
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/806 Ornamental or decorative
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A modular, lighted artificial tree that includes a base portion for supporting the artificial tree and a first tree portion. The first tree portion includes a trunk portion having a first end and a second end, and forms a trunk wall, the trunk wall defines a trunk cavity and a plurality of apertures. The first end of the trunk portion is configured to couple with the base portion. The first tree portion also includes a plurality of branches coupled to the trunk portion; a first tree portion power-supply wiring harness within the trunk cavity and extending from the first end of the trunk portion to the second end of the trunk portion; a first light string operably coupled to the power-supply wiring harness. The first wire and the second wire pass through a common aperture to electrically connect to the wiring harness.

Claims

1. A modular, lighted artificial tree, comprising:

a power cord configured to receive power from an external power source and provide the power to the modular, lighted artificial tree;

a first tree portion aligned along a central vertical axis, including;

a trunk portion having an upper end and a lower end, and forming a trunk wall, the trunk wall defining a trunk cavity;

a power-supply wiring harness in electrical connection with the power cord, at least a portion of the power-supply wiring harness located within the trunk cavity;

a power-supply electrical connection assembly electrically connected to the power-supply wiring harness and located at least in part within the trunk cavity, the power-supply electrical connection assembly including a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, at least a portion of the first electrical contact positioned at a center of the power-supply electrical connection assembly and aligned along the central vertical axis;

a first light string having insulated conductors, including a first lead wire and a first return wire, and a plurality of lighting elements, the first light string being distributed about an exterior portion of the first tree portion, the first light string in electrical connection with the power-supply wiring harness, the first lead wire in electrical connection at a first common point of the power-supply wiring harness and the first return wire in electrical connection at a second common point of the power-supply wiring harness;

a second light string having insulated conductors, including a second lead wire and a second return wire, and a plurality of lighting elements, the second light string being distributed about the exterior portion of the first tree portion, the second light string electrically connected to the first light string by a light-string connector, and in electrical connection with the power-supply wiring harness, the second lead wire in electrical connection at the first common point of the power-supply wiring harness and the second return wire in electrical connection at the second common point of the power-supply wiring harness, such that both the first light string and the second light string receive power from the first and second common points of the power-supply wiring harness;

a second tree portion, including;

a trunk portion having a lower end and an upper end, the lower end having a diameter that is less than a diameter of the upper end of the trunk portion of the first tree portion and that is configured to couple to the upper end of the trunk portion of the first tree portion;

a power-supply electrical connection assembly configured to electrically connect to the power-supply electrical connection assembly of the first tree portion, the power-supply electrical connection assembly of the second tree portion including a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, at least a portion of the first electrical contact positioned at a center of the power-supply electrical connection assembly of the second tree portion and aligned along the central vertical axis;

a power-supply wiring harness including a plurality of wires;

wherein the second tree portion is configured to couple to the first tree portion such that the power cord is in electrical connection with the power-supply wiring harness of the first tree portion, the power-supply electrical connection assembly of the first tree portion, the first light string, the second light string, the power-supply electrical connection assembly of the second tree portion, and the power-supply wiring harness of the second tree portion, thereby providing power to the first and second light strings when the power cord is electrically connected to the external power source.

2. The lighted artificial tree of claim 1, wherein a portion of the power-supply wiring harness of the second tree portion of the lighted artificial tree extends outside of the trunk cavity.

3. The lighted artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the power-supply electrical connection assembly of the first tree portion is secured to the trunk wall.

4. The lighted artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the power-supply wiring harness of the first tree portion further comprises a power distribution hub.

5. The lighted artificial tree of claim 4, wherein the power distribution hub receives a first wire having a first electrical polarity and electrically connects the first wire to a second wire and a third wire, the second and third wires having the first electrical polarity.

6. The lighted artificial tree of claim 5, wherein the first wire is coupled to the first light string and the second wire is coupled to a second light string of the first tree portion.

7. The lighted artificial tree of claim 6, wherein the first wire is coupled to the first light string by a light-string connector.

8. The lighted artificial tree of claim 4, wherein the power distribution hub is located at least in part within the trunk cavity.

9. The lighted artificial tree of claim 4, wherein the power distribution hub is independent of the power-supply electrical connection assembly of the first tree portion.

10. The lighted artificial tree of claim 1, further comprising a first wire connected at one end to the first common point and another end in electrical connection with the first and second lead wires, and a second wire connected at one end to the second common point and another end in electrical connection with the first and second return wires.

11. The lighted artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the light string connector comprises a first connector portion connecting the first lead wire and the second lead wire, and a second connector portion connecting the first return wire and the second return wire.

12. The lighted artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lighting elements of the first light string are electrically connected in series.

17. The lighted artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the first common point of the power-supply wiring harness is located external to the trunk portion, such that the first common point is not within the trunk cavity.

13. A modular, lighted artificial tree, comprising:

a power cord configured to receive power from an external power source and provide the power to the modular, lighted artificial tree;

a first tree portion aligned along a central vertical axis, including;

a trunk portion having an upper end and a lower end, and forming a trunk wall, the trunk wall defining a trunk cavity;

a power-supply wiring harness in electrical connection with the power cord, at least a portion of the power-supply wiring harness located within the trunk cavity;

a power-supply electrical connection assembly electrically connected to the power-supply wiring harness and located at least in part within the trunk cavity, the power-supply connection assembly including a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact;

a first light string having insulated conductors, including a first lead wire and a first return wire, and a plurality of lighting elements, the first light string being distributed about an exterior portion of the first tree portion, the first light string in electrical connection with the power-supply wiring harness, the first lead wire in electrical connection at a first common point of the power-supply wiring harness and the first return wire in electrical connection at a second common point of the power-supply wiring harness;

a second light string having insulated conductors, including a second lead wire and a second return wire, and a plurality of lighting elements, the second light string being distributed about the exterior portion of the first tree portion, the second light string electrically connected to the first light string by a light-string connector, and in electrical connection with the power-supply wiring harness, the second lead wire in electrical connection at the first common point of the power-supply wiring harness and the second return wire in electrical connection at the second common point of the power-supply wiring harness, such that both the first light string and the second light string receive power from the first and second common points of the power-supply wiring harness;

a second tree portion, including;

a trunk portion having a lower end and an upper end, the lower end configured to couple to the upper end of the trunk portion of the first tree portion;

a power-supply electrical connection assembly configured to electrically connect to the power-supply electrical connection assembly of the first tree portion, the power-supply electrical connection assembly of the second tree portion including a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact;

a power-supply wiring harness including a plurality of wires;

wherein the second tree portion is configured to couple to the first tree portion such that the power cord is in electrical connection with the power-supply wiring harness of the first tree portion, the power-supply electrical connection assembly of the first tree portion, the first light string, the second light string, the power-supply electrical connection assembly of the second tree portion, and the power-supply wiring harness of the second tree portion, thereby providing power to the first tree portion, including the first and second light strings, and the second tree portion, when the power cord is electrically connected to the external power source.

14. The lighted artificial tree of claim 13, further comprising a first wire connected at one end to the first common point and another end in electrical connection with the first and second lead wires, and a second wire connected at one end to the second common point and another end in electrical connection with the first and second return wires.

15. The lighted artificial tree of claim 13, wherein the light string connector comprises a first connector portion connecting the first lead wire and the second lead wire, and a second connector portion connecting the first return wire and the second return wire.

16. The lighted artificial tree of claim 13, wherein the plurality of lighting elements of the first light string are electrically connected in series.

18. The lighted artificial tree of claim 13, wherein the first common point of the power-supply wiring harness is located external to the trunk portion, such that the first common point is not within the trunk cavity.