Patent ID: 8454186

Claim:
A lighted artificial tree, comprising: a first tree portion including a first trunk portion, a first plurality of branches joined to the first trunk portion, and a first light string, the first trunk portion defining a first trunk interior and having a first trunk electrical connector and a first trunk wiring assembly, the first trunk wiring assembly electrically connectable to the first light string and the first trunk electrical connector, and wherein at least a portion of the first trunk wiring assembly is located within the first trunk interior; a second tree portion including a second trunk portion, a second plurality of branches joined to the second trunk portion, and a second light string, the second trunk portion defining a second trunk interior and having a second trunk electrical connector and a second trunk wiring assembly, the second trunk wiring assembly electrically connectable to the second lighting string and the second trunk electrical connector, and wherein at least a portion of the second wiring assembly is located within the second trunk interior; and wherein the second tree portion is mechanically coupleable to the first tree portion about a central vertical axis, and the second tree portion is electrically connectable to the first tree portion such that a portion of the first trunk electrical connector of the first trunk portion contacts a portion of the second trunk electrical connector of the second trunk portion, thereby creating an electrical connection between the first wiring assembly and the second wiring assembly; wherein an end of the second trunk portion is configured to couple with an end of the first trunk portion in at least four different rotational alignments of the first trunk portion relative the second trunk portion about the central vertical axis, and the electrical connection between the first and second tree portions are made independent of the rotational alignments of the first trunk portion relative the second trunk portion about the central vertical axis when the lower end of the second trunk portion is coupled to the upper end of the first trunk portion.