Patent ID: 11901684
Assignee: BELGRAVIA WOOD LIMITED
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  A  F | IPC A  F  H

Claim 12:
13. A method of electrically and mechanically coupling a first trunk section of a lighted artificial tree to a second trunk section of the lighted artificial tree, the method comprising:
positioning a first trunk section upright along a vertical axis, the first trunk section having:
a receiving portion having a first diameter;
a first electrical connector disposed on an outer surface of the first trunk section, the first electrical connector including a first plurality of electrical contacts; and

a first mechanical coupler system comprising:
a guiding protrusion disposed within the receiving portion and extending radially inward from an inner surface of the first trunk section; and
an insert disposed within the first trunk section, the insert having a protrusion;

aligning a second trunk section with the first trunk section and along the vertical axis, the second trunk section having:
a second electrical connector disposed on an outer surface of the second trunk section, the second electrical connector including a second plurality of electrical contacts; and
a second mechanical coupler system;

causing the second trunk section to move axially such that a first end of the first trunk section receives a second end of the second trunk section and a first trunk wall of the first trunk section is engaged with a second trunk wall of the second trunk section;
causing the second mechanical coupler system to initially contact the first mechanical coupler system at a first rotational alignment of the second trunk section with respect to the first trunk section; and
allowing the second mechanical coupler system to rotate relative the first mechanical coupler system, thereby rotating the second trunk section into a second rotational alignment and a final rotational alignment position such that each electrical contact of the second plurality of electrical contacts is aligned with a respective electrical contact of the first plurality of electrical contacts.