Modular tree with locking trunk and locking electrical connectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9572446-B2
Application number	US-201313836375-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	May 8, 2012
Publication date	Feb 21, 2017
Grant date	Feb 21, 2017

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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 fir

Assignees

• Willis Electric Co Ltd
• Willis Electric Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chen Johnny

Classifications

• A47G33/06 Primary

  Artificial Christmas trees · CPC title

• A47G2033/1266

  Stackable, foldable, collapsible, nestable or sale packaged · CPC title

• F21S4/10

  with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights · CPC title

• F21V17/007

  with provision for shipment or storage · CPC title

• F21V23/06

  the elements being coupling devices {, e.g. connectors} · CPC title