Powered tree construction

• US 9,912,109 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2016
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• 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: Leung, Chi Yin Alan, Tong, Ricky, Kwok, Chi Kin Samuel, He, Chang-Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Shin H
• Application Number:
  US15/297,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20170040755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 279157, 279 91, 40442, 439133-135, 439141, 43962021, 439675
• 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 first trunk section having a male end comprising a primary prong and a secondary prong;

a second trunk section having a female end comprising a primary recess and a secondary recess, the primary recess having a primary contact device disposed at least partially therein for electrically engaging the primary prong of the male end when the primary prong is at least partially disposed within the primary recess, the secondary recess having a secondary contact device disposed at least partially therein for electrically engaging the secondary prong of the male end when the secondary prong is at least partially disposed within the secondary recess,

wherein the secondary recess of the female end is configured to receive the secondary prong of the male end at a plurality of positions such that the male and female ends are configured to mate and electrically communicate at a plurality of rotational configurations relative to one another.

2. The artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the secondary contact device of the female end is configured to receive the secondary prong of the male end in at least three non-overlapping positions.

3. The artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the primary recess of the female end is disposed proximate a central axis of the female end.

4. The artificial tree of claim 3, wherein the secondary recess of the female end is disposed symmetrically around the primary recess of the female end.

5. The artificial tree of claim 3, wherein the secondary contact device of the female end is disposed symmetrically around the primary recess of the female end.

6. The artificial tree of claim 1, wherein the secondary recess of the female end is substantially circular, and the primary recess of the female end is disposed proximate a center of the substantially circular secondary recess.

7. The artificial tree of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the secondary contact device of the female end is at least partially cylindrical.

8. The artificial tree of claim 7, wherein the primary recess of the female end is disposed within a vertically extending section of the female end, and wherein the secondary contact device of the female end at least partially surrounds the vertically extending section.

9. The artificial tree of claim 8, wherein the secondary contact device of the female end circumferentially surrounds the vertically extending section of the female end.

10. The artificial tree of claim 9, wherein one of the first and second tree trunk sections comprises an inner sleeve and the other tree trunk section comprises an outer sleeve, the inner sleeve being configured to slide at least partially inside the outer sleeve to provide lateral support to the artificial tree.

11. An artificial tree comprising:

a first trunk section having a male end comprising a central prong and an outer prong;

a second trunk section having a female end comprising a central recess and an outer recess, the central recess having a first contact device disposed at least partially therein for electrically engaging the central prong of the male end when the central prong is at least partially disposed within the central recess, the outer recess having a second contact device disposed at least partially therein for electrically engaging the outer prong of the male end when the outer prong is at least partially disposed within the outer recess,

wherein the outer recess of the female end is configured to receive the outer prong of the male end at a plurality of positions such that the male and female ends are configured to mate and electrically communicate at a plurality of rotational configurations relative to one another.

12. The artificial tree of claim 11, wherein the second contact device of the female end is configured to receive the outer prong of the male end in at least three non-overlapping positions.

13. The artificial tree of claim 11, wherein the central recess of the female end is disposed proximate a central axis of the female end.

14. The artificial tree of claim 13, wherein the outer recess of the female end is disposed 360 degrees around the central recess of the female end.

15. The artificial tree of claim 13, wherein the second contact device of the female end is disposed 360 degrees around the central recess of the female end.

16. The artificial tree of claim 11, wherein the outer recess of the female end is substantially circular, and the central recess of the female end is disposed proximate a center of the substantially circular outer recess.

17. The artificial tree of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the second contact device of the female end is at least partially cylindrical.

18. The artificial tree of claim 17, wherein the central recess of the female end is disposed within a vertically extending section of the female end and the second contact device of the female end circumferentially surrounds the vertically extending section of the female end.

19. The artificial tree of claim 18, wherein one of the first and second tree trunk sections comprises an inner sleeve and the other tree trunk section comprises an outer sleeve, the inner sleeve being configured to slide at least partially inside the outer sleeve to provide lateral support to the artificial tree.

20. An artificial tree comprising:

an upper trunk section having a male end comprising a central prong and an outer prong surrounding the central prong;

a lower trunk section having a female end comprising a central recess and an outer recess surrounding the central recess, the central recess having a first contact device disposed at least partially therein for electrically engaging the central prong of the male end when the central prong is at least partially disposed within the central recess, the outer recess having a second contact device disposed at least partially therein for electrically engaging the outer prong of the male end when the outer prong is at least partially disposed within the outer recess; and

an electrical conduit configured to electrically communicate with the lower trunk section,

wherein the outer recess of the female end is configured to receive the outer prong of the male end at a plurality of positions such that the male and female ends are configured to mate and electrically communicate at a plurality of rotational configurations relative to one another.