Patent ID: 8496498

Claim:
An I-branch lighting connector, the I-branch lighting connector comprising: (a) an upper housing having: plural connector pins, and one or more interlocking grooves; and (b) a lower housing, the lower housing having a plurality of connector pin guide holes, and one or more interlocking tongue portions, the lower housing being connectable with the upper housing to form the I-branch lighting connector by coupling at least one of the one or more interlocking grooves with at least one of the one or more interlocking tongue portions, and by coupling at least one of the plural connector pins with at least one of the connector pin guide holes, the lower housing having two openings located at opposite ends of one another, each opening for receiving an end portion of a length of lighting apparatus, wherein each of the plural connector pins comprises an embedded portion situated within the upper housing, and plural protruding portions, at least one of the protruding portions being configured to couple with a respective corresponding one of the at least one connector pin guide holes in the lower housing, and wherein the upper and lower housings being shaped so as to interface with end portions of two lengths of lighting apparatuses, so as to mechanically and electrically connect the end portions of two lengths of lighting apparatuses to one another upon coupling of the upper and lower housings, and to align the end portions of two lengths of lighting apparatuses in a substantially straight line.