Conformal power adapter for lighted artificial tree

• US 9,677,749 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2015
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Willis Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Willis Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Johnny
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, ANH Q
• Application Number:
  US14/970,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20160169493A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 23/009 the casing being inside the housing of the lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/02 the elements being transformers, impedances or power supply units, e.g. a transformer with a rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0028 Decorative household equipment, e.g. plant holders or food dummies
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/06 on insulating boards , e.g. wiring harnesses for printed circuits H05K1/18, H05K3/30
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A conformal power adapter for insertion into a lighted artificial tree and for converting power received from an external power source to a power usable by the lighted artificial tree. The power adapter includes an elongated housing including a first end, and a second end; a printed circuit board assembly including power-converting circuitry for converting an input electrical power to an output electrical power for use by a lighted artificial tree having a hollow trunk section, the printed circuit board assembly located substantially within the elongated housing; a power cord secured to the first end of the housing and in electrical connection with the power converting electronics, the power cord adapted to transmit power from an external power source to the power-converting circuitry. The elongated housing enclosing the printed circuit board assembly is sized to fit substantially within the hollow trunk portion of the lighted artificial tree.

Claims

1. An artificial lighted tree, comprising:

power-conditioning circuitry configured to receive an input power and output an output power;

a first tree portion including a first trunk portion, a first set of wires, a first electrical connector supported by a first housing, and a first plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), the first electrical connector, the first housing and the first set of wires positioned at least partially within a cavity of the first trunk portion, the first set of wires in electrical connection with the power-conditioning circuitry, with the first electrical connector and with the first plurality of LEDs, the first electrical connector having a first electrical terminal and a second electrical terminal, the first and the second electrical terminals being coaxial and at least a portion of the first electrical connector projecting outwardly and away from the first housing into a space formed within a hollow end of the first trunk portion, such that neither of the first or the second electrical terminals are in direct contact with the hollow end of the first trunk portion; and

a second tree portion including a second trunk portion, a second set of wires, a second electrical connector, and a second plurality of LEDs, the second electrical connector and the second set of wires positioned at least partially within a cavity of the second trunk portion, the second set of wires in electrical connection with the second electrical connector and with the second plurality of LEDs, the second electrical connector supported by a housing portion, and having a first electrical terminal and a second electrical terminal;

wherein the second tree portion is configured to couple to the first tree portion such that the first electrical connector of the first tree portion is in electrical connection with the second electrical connector of the second tree portion, thereby causing the first set of wires to be in electrical connection with the second set of wires.

2. The artificial lighted tree of claim 1, further comprising electronic components configured to cause power to at least some of the first or the second plurality of LEDs to be selectively powered on and off, while others of the first or the second plurality of LEDs are powered on.

3. The artificial lighted tree of claim 1, wherein the first and the second electrical terminals of the second electrical connector are coaxial.

4. The artificial lighted tree of claim 1, wherein the input power comprises an alternating-current power, and the output power comprises a direct-current power.

5. The artificial lighted tree of claim 1, wherein each of the first and the second electrical connectors includes more than two electrical terminals, but not more than eight electrical terminals.

6. The artificial lighted tree of claim 5, wherein each of the first and the second electrical connectors includes four electrical terminals.

7. The artificial lighted tree of claim 6, wherein each of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector transmits a first power having a first voltage and a second power having a second voltage, the first voltage being greater than the second voltage.

8. An artificial lighted tree, comprising:

power-conditioning circuitry configured to receive an input power and output a first output power;

control electronics in electrical connection with the power-conditioning circuitry;

a first tree portion including a first trunk portion, a first set of wires having four wires, a first electrical connector supported by a first housing, and a first plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), the first electrical connector and the first set of wires positioned at least partially within a cavity of the first trunk portion, the first set of wires in electrical connection with the power-conditioning circuitry, the first electrical connector and the first plurality of LEDs, the first electrical connector having four electrical terminals, each of the four electrical terminals corresponding to one of the four wires of the first set of wires; and

a second tree portion including a second trunk portion, a second set of wires including four wires, a second electrical connector supported by a second housing, and a second plurality of LEDs, the second electrical connector and the second set of wires positioned at least partially within a cavity of the second trunk portion, the second set of wires in electrical connection with the second electrical connector and the second plurality of LEDs, the second trunk connector having four electrical terminals, each of the four electrical terminals corresponding to one of the four wires of the second set of wires;

wherein the control electronics are configured to selectively control power to the four terminals of the first electrical connector of the first tree portion, and the second tree portion is configured to couple to the first tree portion such that the four electrical terminals of the first electrical connector of the first tree portion are in electrical connection with the four electrical terminals of the second electrical connector of the second tree portion, thereby electrically connecting the first set of wires to the second set of wires.

9. The artificial lighted tree of claim 8, wherein a first and a second electrical terminal of the first electrical connector are coaxial.

10. The artificial lighted tree of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the first electrical connector projects outwardly and away from the first housing into a space formed within a hollow end of the first trunk portion, such that neither of a first or a second electrical terminal of the first electrical connector are in direct contact with the hollow end of the first trunk portion.

11. The artificial lighted tree of claim 8, wherein the input power comprises an alternating-current power, and the output power comprises a direct-current power.

12. The artificial lighted tree of claim 8, wherein each of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector transmits a first power having a first voltage and a second power having a second voltage, the first voltage being greater than the second voltage.

13. A tree-trunk power system for a lighted artificial tree, comprising:

a first generally-cylindrical trunk portion having a first end and a second end, a power cord including a pair of transmission wires and a power plug, the pair of transmission wires having a first end and a second end, the power plug connected to the pair of transmission wires at the first end, the second end of the pair of transmission wires inserted through an opening of the first generally-cylindrical trunk portion and positioned inside a cavity of the first generally-cylindrical trunk portion;

a plurality of wires insertable into the cavity of the first generally-cylindrical trunk portion and having a first end and a second end, the second end of the plurality of wires in electrical connection with the second end of the pair of transmission wires within the cavity of the first generally-cylindrical trunk portion;

a trunk plug assembly including an electrical connector, a housing supporting the electrical connector, the housing being insertable into the second end of the first generally-cylindrical trunk portion and connectable to the first end of the plurality of wires;

wherein a length of the plurality of wires is sufficiently long enough to allow the trunk plug assembly to be connected to the plurality of wires outside of the cavity of the first generally-cylindrical trunk portion prior to the housing of the trunk plug assembly being inserted into the second end of the first generally-cylindrical trunk portion.

14. The tree-trunk power system of claim 13, wherein the housing is configured such that a gap is formed between a portion of the housing and an inside surface of the first generally-cylindrical trunk portion when the housing is inserted into the first generally-cylindrical trunk portion.

15. The tree-trunk power system of claim 13, further comprising power conditioning circuitry in electrical connection with the pair of transmission wires and the plurality of wires.

16. The tree-trunk power system of claim 13, wherein the trunk plug assembly further includes a male or a female connector for connecting to the first end of the plurality of wires.

17. The tree-trunk power system of claim 13, wherein the electrical connector comprises two electrical terminals.

18. The tree-trunk power system of claim 17, wherein the two electrical terminals are coaxial.

19. The tree-trunk power system of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the first electrical connector projects outwardly and away from the housing into a space formed within a hollow end of the first trunk portion, such that neither of the two electrical terminals are in direct contact with a hollow end of the first trunk portion.