Modular tree with locking trunk and locking electrical connectors

• US 9,572,446 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Willis Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Willis Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Johnny
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Allen, Danielle
• Application Number:
  US13/836,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20130308301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 362/123, 362/249.06, 362/249.16, 362/249.18, 362/249.19, 114/264, 428/20, 428/18, 428/7, 428/9, 294/28, 206/423
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2033/0827 illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2033/1266 Stackable, foldable, collapsible, nestable or sale packaged
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/06 Artificial Christmas trees
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/08 Christmas tree decorations
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/12 Christmas tree stands sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/2238
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/007 with provision for shipment or storage
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/04 for Christmas trees

Abstract

A lighted artificial tree including a first trunk body, a second trunk body, a first electrical connector inside the first trunk body, and a second electrical connector inside the second trunk body. The first trunk body is keyed to the second trunk body such that the first trunk body is rotationally locked to the second trunk body. The first electrical connector is keyed to the second electrical connector such that the first electrical connector is rotationally locked to the second electrical connector.

Claims

1. A lighted artificial tree, comprising:

a first cylindrical trunk body including a first trunk wall comprised of metal and defining a first central lengthwise axis and including a first end defining a first trunk cavity, and including a first projection extending from an outside portion of the first cylindrical trunk body radially inward toward a center of the first cylindrical trunk body and extending axially along the first cylindrical trunk body, the projection formed in the trunk wall and defining an axially-—

extending first channel;

a second cylindrical trunk body defining a second central lengthwise axis and including a second end defining a second trunk cavity, and a second projection extending radially inward and axially along the second cylindrical trunk body, the second projection configured to be received by the first channel of the first cylindrical trunk body, the second end of the second cylindrical trunk body configured to couple to the first end of the first cylindrical trunk body;

a first electrical connector positioned at least in part within the first trunk cavity of the first end of the first cylindrical trunk body and defining an axially-extending first connector channel, the first connector channel receiving the first projection of the first trunk body, such that the first electrical connector is rotationally locked relative to the first trunk body about the first central axis;

a second electrical connector positioned at least in part within the second trunk cavity of the second end of the second trunk body and defining an axially-extending second connector channel, the second connector channel receiving the second projection of the second trunk body, such that the second electrical connector is rotationally locked relative to the second trunk body about the second central axis;

wherein the first trunk body couples to the second body at a rotational alignment about the first and second central axis, such that the second projection of the second trunk body is received by the first channel of the first trunk body, and the first electrical connector makes an electrical connection with the second electrical connector.

2. The artificial lighted tree of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrical connectors each comprise two electrical terminals.

3. The lighted artificial tree of claim 2, wherein a first electrical terminal of the first electrical connector is aligned along the first central axis of the first trunk body and a first electrical terminal of the second electrical connector is aligned along the second central axis of the second trunk body.

4. The lighted artificial tree of claim 2, wherein each of the two electrical terminals of the first electrical connector are radially offset from the first central axis of the first trunk body, and each of the two electrical terminals of the second electrical connector are radially offset from the second central axis of the second trunk body.

5. The lighted artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the first electrical connector is keyed to the second electrical connecter such that the first and second electrical connector make electrical connection in only one rotational alignment.

6. The lighted artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the first cylindrical trunk body further includes a third projection extending radially inward and axially along the first trunk body, the third projection defining an axially extending second channel, and the second cylindrical trunk body further includes a fourth projection extending radially inward and axially along the second trunk body, the fourth projection configured to be received by the second channel of the first cylindrical trunk body.

7. The lighted artificial tree of claim 6, wherein the third projection is located opposite the first projection and the fourth projection is located opposite the second projection.

8. The lighted artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the first projection defines a V shape when viewed in cross section normal to the first axis.

9. The lighted artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the first projection defines a rectangular shape when viewed in cross section normal to the first axis.

10. A lighted artificial tree, comprising:

a first cylindrical trunk body defining a first lengthwise axis and including a first end defining a first trunk cavity;

a second cylindrical trunk body defining a second lengthwise axis and including a second end defining a second trunk cavity, the second end of the second cylindrical trunk body configured to couple to the first end of the first cylindrical trunk body;

a first electrical connector positioned at least in part within the first trunk cavity of the first end of the first trunk body, and including a first connector body, a first electrical terminal, and a second electrical terminal, the first connector body defining a key projecting from a surface of the first connector body;

a second electrical connector positioned at least in part within the second trunk cavity of the second end of the second trunk body and including a second connector body, a first electrical terminal, and a second electrical terminal, the second connector body defining a keyway configured to receive the key of the first connector body of the first electrical connector, the second electrical connector connectable to the first electrical connector in only a single rotational alignment position;

wherein the first trunk body couples to the second body such that the first terminal of the first electrical connector makes an electrical connection with the first terminal of the second electrical connector and the second terminal of the first electrical connector makes an electrical connection with the second terminal of the second electrical connector.

11. The lighted artificial tree of claim 10, wherein the first cylindrical trunk body includes a key portion and the second cylindrical trunk body includes a first cylindrical trunk body keyway configured to receive the key portion.

12. The lighted artificial tree of claim 10, wherein the key comprises a projecting portion located at an outside edge of the first electrical connector, and the keyway comprises a slot for receiving the key, the slot located at an outside edge of the second electrical connector.

13. The lighted artificial tree of claim 10, wherein the key projects axially further from a top planar surface of the first connector body of the first electrical connector than either of the first or the second electrical terminal.

14. The lighted artificial tree of claim 10, wherein the key projects axially and away from a top planar surface of the first connector body of the first electrical connector.

15. The lighted artificial tree of claim 10, wherein the key projects radially from the surface of the first connector body of the first electrical connector.

16. The lighted artificial tree of claim 15, wherein the second connector body of the second electrical connector comprises an annular surface that is transverse to the second axis, and a cylindrical portion extending axially away from the annular surface, the cylindrical portion housing the first and second electrical terminals, the keyway being formed along an outside surface of the cylindrical portion.

17. The lighted artificial tree of claim 10, wherein the first and the second electrical terminals of the first electrical connector comprises a pair of pin terminals.

18. A lighted artificial tree, comprising:

a first cylindrical trunk body defining a first lengthwise axis and including a first end defining a first trunk cavity;

a second cylindrical trunk body defining a second lengthwise axis and including a second end defining a second trunk cavity, the second end of the second cylindrical trunk body configured to couple to the first end of the first cylindrical trunk body;

a first electrical connector positioned wholly within the first trunk cavity of the first end of the first trunk body, and including a first connector body comprising a polymer material, a first electrical terminal, and a second electrical terminal, the first connector body defining a first key portion;

a second electrical connector positioned at least in part within the second trunk cavity of the second end of the second trunk body and including a second connector body comprising the polymer material, a first electrical terminal, and a second electrical terminal, the second connector body defining a first keyway configured to receive the key portion of the first electrical connector;

wherein the first connector body of the first electrical connector is configured to mechanically couple to the second connector body in one of a first rotational alignment or a second rotational alignment, such that the key portion of the first trunk electrical connector is received by the keyway of the second trunk connector and the first terminal of the first electrical connector makes an electrical connection with the first terminal of the second electrical connector and the second terminal of the first electrical connector makes an electrical connection with the second terminal of the second electrical connector.

19. The lighted artificial tree of claim 18, wherein the first connector body includes a second key and the second connector body includes a second keyway, the second keyway configured to receive the second key.

20. The lighted artificial tree of claim 18, wherein the first trunk body is configured to couple with the second trunk body in any rotational orientation prior to the first connector body coupling with the second connector body.

21. A multi-terminal lighted artificial tree, comprising:

a first cylindrical trunk body including a first end defining a first trunk cavity;

a second cylindrical trunk body including a second end defining a second trunk cavity, the second end of the second cylindrical trunk body configured to couple to the first end of the first cylindrical trunk body;

a first electrical connector positioned at least in part within the first trunk cavity of the first end of the first trunk body, and including a first connector body, a first electrical terminal, a second electrical terminal, and a third electrical terminal;

a second electrical connector positioned at least in part within the second trunk cavity of the second end of the second trunk body, and including a second connector body, a second electrical terminal, a second electrical terminal, and a third electrical terminal;

wherein the first electrical connector is configured to couple to the second electrical connector such that the first electrical terminal of the first electrical connector makes an electrical connection with the first electrical terminal of the second electrical connector, the second electrical terminal of the first electrical connector makes an electrical connection with the second electrical terminal of the second electrical connector, and the third electrical terminal of the first electrical connector makes an electrical connection with the third electrical terminal of the second electrical connector.

22. The multi-terminal lighted artificial tree of claim 21, wherein the first electrical connector is configured to couple to the second electrical connector in only one rotational alignment of the first electrical connector relative to the second electrical connector.

23. The multi-terminal lighted artificial tree of claim 22, wherein the first, second, and third electrical terminals of the first electrical connector are received by the first, second, and third electrical terminals of the second electrical connector.

24. The multi-terminal lighted artificial tree of claim 21, wherein the first electrical connector is configured to couple to the second electrical connector in a first rotational alignment of the first electrical connector relative to the second electrical connector, or a second rotational alignment of the first electrical connector relative to the second electrical connector.

25. The multi-terminal lighted artificial tree of claim 21, wherein each of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connectors further includes a fourth electrical terminal and a fifth electrical terminal.

26. The multi-terminal lighted artificial tree of claim 21, wherein only one of the electrical terminals of the first, second, and third electrical terminals of the first electrical connector is a ground or neutral electrical terminal, and the other two electrical terminals of the first, second, and third electrical terminals are live or hot electrical terminals.