Granted Patent B2

US 10,896,795 · App. 16/838,723 · Granted Jan 19, 2021

Inventor: Michael M. McRae (Ormond Beach, FL)

Assignee: National Christmas Products LLC

H01H71/002H01H71/08A47G2033/122

Abstract

Claims (41)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a decorative assembly stand including an assembly supporting a movable assembly, the movable assembly having a cavity;

a decorative assembly member that is configured to be removably received in the cavity;

a coating that coats a surface of the decorative assembly member;

a first fastener; and

a second fastener configured to be removably electrically connected to the first fastener;

wherein the second fastener is electrically connected to the movable assembly;

wherein the first fastener is configured to be received in an aperture of the movable assembly and cut through the coating of the decorative assembly member and contact the surface of the decorative assembly member when the decorative assembly member is received in the cavity of the movable assembly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the movable assembly is electrically connected to the assembly via at least one ball bearing supported in an elongated cavity formed between a first recess of the movable assembly and a second recess of the assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second fastener is a grounding clip formed from a spring copper material.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the grounding clip is welded to an electrical wire that is electrically connected to the movable assembly.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the electrical wire is electrically connected to a third wire of a three-wire socket of the movable assembly.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the movable assembly is a rotatable collar that is rotatably supported by the assembly, the decorative assembly stand is an artificial tree stand, and the decorative assembly member is an artificial tree pole.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first fastener includes a serrated end portion.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first fastener is a threaded fastener and the aperture is a threaded aperture.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first fastener cuts through the coating based on the serrated end portion rotating as the first fastener is threaded through the aperture.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the decorative assembly member is electrically connected to a plug that is removably attachable to a socket that is electrically connected to the movable assembly.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the plug is a two-blade polarized plug or a two-blade non-polarized plug.

12. A method, comprising:

providing a decorative assembly stand including an assembly supporting a movable assembly, the movable assembly having a cavity;

removably inserting a decorative assembly member in the cavity of the movable assembly, the surface of the decorative assembly member being coated with a coating;

inserting a first fastener through an aperture of the movable assembly when the decorative assembly member is inserted in the cavity of the movable assembly;

cutting through the coating of the decorative assembly member with the first fastener and contacting the surface of the decorative assembly member when the first fastener is inserted in the aperture of the movable assembly and the decorative assembly member is inserted in the cavity of the movable assembly; and

removably electrically connecting a second fastener to the first fastener;

wherein the second fastener is electrically connected to the movable assembly.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first fastener is a threaded fastener having an abrasive end portion and the aperture is a threaded aperture.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein cutting through the coating of the decorative assembly member with the first fastener includes rotatably scraping the coating with the abrasive end portion while threading the first fastener through the aperture.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising electrically connecting the movable assembly to the assembly via at least one ball bearing supported in an elongated cavity formed between a first recess of the movable assembly and a second recess of the assembly.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising rotating the movable assembly while supported by the assembly and while maintaining electrical connection between the movable assembly and the assembly via the at least one ball bearing.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein an electrical wire is electrically connected between the second fastener and a third wire of a three-wire socket of the movable assembly.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a decorative assembly stand including an assembly supporting a rotatable assembly, the rotatable assembly having a cavity;

a pole that is removably received in the cavity;

a coating that coats a surface of the pole;

a first fastener; and

a second fastener that is removably electrically connected to the first fastener;

wherein the second fastener is electrically connected to the rotatable assembly;

wherein the first fastener is received in an aperture of the rotatable assembly and extends through a hole in the coating of the pole when the pole is removably received in the cavity; and

wherein a jagged end portion of the first fastener contacts the surface of the pole.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the rotatable assembly is electrically connected to the assembly via at least one ball bearing supported in an elongated cavity formed between a first recess of the rotatable assembly and a second recess of the assembly.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the pole is electrically connected to a two-blade plug that is removably attachable to a socket that is electrically connected to the rotatable assembly.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (8)