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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
First Claim
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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.

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