Patents by Inventor Michael M. McRae
Michael M. McRae has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20210027747Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes providing an interactive device having at least one of a display screen and an audio component, pairing the interactive device with a user device, transferring data to the interactive device, and displaying images via the display screen or emitting sound via the audio component based on the transferred data. The interactive device is a non-transmitting device.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2019Publication date: January 28, 2021Applicant: National Tree CompanyInventor: Michael M. McRae
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Publication number: 20210021088Abstract: An artificial lighted tree is presented with power routed through the trunk and three-wire safety grounding. The tree comprising a fused electrical plug having improved safety features comprising: a body portion surrounding respective first ends of a first, a second and a third electrical wire, the body portion further comprising a fuse holder embedded within an upper region of the body portion, and a fuse adapted to be releasably secured within the fuse holder via releasable securing means, a live blade in communication with the first end of the first electrical wire, a neutral blade in communication with the first end of the second electrical wire, a ground pin receptacle in communication with the first end of the third electrical wire, wherein the body portion surrounds and maintains the live blade, neutral blade, and ground pin receptacle in spaced apart orientation corresponding to polarized sockets on an electrical wall outlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2020Publication date: January 21, 2021Inventor: Michael M. McRae
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Patent number: 10896795Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has 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. The second fastener is electrically connected to the movable assembly. 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.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2020Date of Patent: January 19, 2021Assignee: National Christmas Products LLCInventor: Michael M. McRae
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Publication number: 20200403363Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has a base assembly, a movable assembly that is movably supported by the base assembly and that is movable relative to the base assembly, a structural assembly that is supported by the movable assembly, a plurality of electrical assemblies supported by the structural assembly, and a first electrical connector that is electrically connectable to some of the plurality of electrical assemblies, the first electrical connector being attached to the movable assembly and including a first plurality of electrical members. The apparatus also has a second electrical connector that is electrically connectable to a power source, the second electrical connector being attached to the base assembly and including a second plurality of electrical members, and one or more contact members that are movably disposed relative to the base assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2019Publication date: December 24, 2020Applicant: National Tree CompanyInventor: Michael M. McRae
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Publication number: 20200397174Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has a base assembly, a movable assembly that is movably supported by the base assembly, a structural assembly that is supported by the movable assembly, a plurality of electrical assemblies that are supported by the structural assembly, an actuating assembly configured to move the movable assembly relative to the base assembly, and a first electrical connector that is electrically connectable to the actuating assembly and the plurality of electrical assemblies. The apparatus also has a second electrical connector that is electrically connectable to a power source, and a switch assembly disposed on the second electrical connector. The first and second electrical connectors are electrically connected via one or more contact members that are movably disposed relative to the base assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2019Publication date: December 24, 2020Inventor: Michael M. McRae
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Patent number: 10862257Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has a base assembly, a movable assembly that is movably supported by the base assembly and that is movable relative to the base assembly, a structural assembly that is supported by the movable assembly, a plurality of electrical assemblies supported by the structural assembly, and a first electrical connector that is electrically connectable to some of the plurality of electrical assemblies, the first electrical connector being attached to the movable assembly and including a first plurality of electrical members. The apparatus also has a second electrical connector that is electrically connectable to a power source, the second electrical connector being attached to the base assembly and including a second plurality of electrical members, and one or more contact members that are movably disposed relative to the base assembly.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2019Date of Patent: December 8, 2020Assignee: National Christmas Products LLCInventor: Michael M. McRae
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Patent number: 10851956Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has a housing, a lighting component supported by the housing, an energy storage assembly disposed in a first cavity of the housing and electrically connected to the lighting component, a control assembly disposed in the first cavity of the housing and electrically connected to the energy storage assembly, and an energy receiving component electrically connected to the control assembly via at least one lead disposed in at least one second cavity of the housing. The energy receiving component wirelessly receives energy. The energy storage assembly includes a Graphene strip.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2019Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: National Christmas Products LLCInventor: Michael M. McRae
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Patent number: 10840654Abstract: An artificial lighted tree is presented with power routed through the trunk and three-wire safety grounding. The tree comprising a fused plug having improved safety features comprising: a body portion surrounding respective first ends of a first, a second and a third electrical wire, the body portion further comprising a fuse holder embedded within an upper region of the body portion, and a fuse adapted to be releasably secured within the fuse holder via releasable securing means, a live blade in communication with the first end of the first electrical wire, a neutral blade in communication with the first end of the second electrical wire, a ground pin receptacle in communication with the first end of the third electrical wire, wherein the body portion surrounds and maintains the live blade, neutral blade, and ground pin receptacle in spaced apart orientation corresponding to polarized sockets on an electrical wall outlet.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2018Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: National Christmas Products LLCInventor: Michael M. McRae
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Patent number: 10840651Abstract: An artificial lighted tree is presented with power routed through the trunk and three-wire safety grounding. The tree comprising a fused plug having improved safety features comprising: a body portion surrounding respective first ends of a first, a second and a third electrical wire, the body portion further comprising a fuse holder embedded within an upper region of the body portion, and a fuse adapted to be releasably secured within the fuse holder via releasable securing means, a live blade in communication with the first end of the first electrical wire, a neutral blade in communication with the first end of the second electrical wire, a ground pin receptacle in communication with the first end of the third electrical wire, wherein the body portion surrounds and maintains the live blade, neutral blade, and ground pin receptacle in spaced apart orientation corresponding to polarized sockets on an electrical wall outlet.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2019Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: National Christmas Products LLCInventor: Michael M. McRae
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Patent number: 10834804Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to configuring a decorative lighting zone with a zone controller adapted to independently control the lighting in the lighting zone, programming the zone controller to implement a lighting command received from a remote control, and automatically providing a remotely configurable lighting display in the lighting zone based on independently activating the lighting command in the zone controller. In an illustrative example, the lighting command may be a lighting sequence. The lighting zone may be, for example, a multi-color light displaying time-varying artificial tree lighting patterns. In some examples, the zone controller may be a multi-zone controller adapted to permit the remote control to independently program and activate multiple zones.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2019Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: National Christmas Products LLCInventor: Michael M. McRae
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Publication number: 20200245800Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to an artificial tree including a trunk with first tree branches extending from the trunk to above the floor, a base configured with apertures adapted to retain second tree branches extending from the base and covering the space between the floor and the first branches, and a light source configured to illuminate the first and second branches. In an illustrative example, the apertures may be tubes configured for fiber optics. The light source may be, for example, fiber optics illuminating branches inserted in the tubes, permitting full-flow appearance branches to spread out, covering the base. Some examples may employ additional illumination sources configured in the base below the apertures to shine through a color wheel offset from the trunk center.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2020Publication date: August 6, 2020Inventor: Michael M. McRae
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Patent number: 10729267Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to an artificial tree including a trunk with first tree branches extending from the trunk to above the floor, a base configured with apertures adapted to retain second tree branches extending from the base and covering the space between the floor and the first branches, and a light source configured to illuminate the first and second branches. In an illustrative example, the apertures may be tubes configured for fiber optics. The light source may be, for example, fiber optics illuminating branches inserted in the tubes, permitting full-flow appearance branches to spread out, covering the base. Some examples may employ additional illumination sources configured in the base below the apertures to shine through a color wheel offset from the trunk center.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2018Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: National Christmas Products LLCInventor: Michael M. McRae
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Publication number: 20200234904Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has 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. The second fastener is electrically connected to the movable assembly. 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2020Publication date: July 23, 2020Inventor: Michael M. McRae
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Patent number: 10718478Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has a lighting component, an energy storage assembly electrically connected to the lighting component, a control assembly electrically connected to the energy storage assembly, and an energy receiving component electrically connected to the control assembly. The energy receiving component wirelessly receives energy. The energy storage assembly includes a Graphene strip.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2019Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: National Chirstmas Products LLCInventor: Michael M. McRae
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Publication number: 20200220304Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has a decorative assembly stand 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 power socket including an electrical ground line, and a fastener. The electrical ground line is configured to be electrically connected to a surface of the decorative assembly stand. The fastener is configured to be received in an aperture of the decorative assembly stand 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 decorative assembly stand.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2020Publication date: July 9, 2020Inventor: Michael M. McRae
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Publication number: 20200154924Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to an artificial tree including a trunk with first tree branches extending from the trunk to above the floor, a base configured with apertures adapted to retain second tree branches extending from the base and covering the space between the floor and the first branches, and a light source configured to illuminate the first and second branches. In an illustrative example, the apertures may be tubes configured for fiber optics. The light source may be, for example, fiber optics illuminating branches inserted in the tubes, permitting full-flow appearance branches to spread out, covering the base. Some examples may employ additional illumination sources configured in the base below the apertures to shine through a color wheel offset from the trunk center.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2018Publication date: May 21, 2020Applicant: National Tree CompanyInventor: Michael M. McRae
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Patent number: 10631386Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods are provided for a flat rope light string system arranged to provide a plurality of holiday displays. The apparatus comprising a controller coupled to a power source at a first connection and at least one light string at a second connection, the second connection including at least one connection lead, the at least one light string including a plurality of lighting elements, each of the lighting elements comprising a plurality of bulb housings, each bulb housing including at least one pair of LEDs arranged in a back-to-back configuration. The controller having a switch with a plurality of switch positions to provide the plurality of holiday displays.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2019Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignee: National Christmas Products LLCInventor: Michael M. McRae
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Publication number: 20200063929Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has a housing, a lighting component supported by the housing, an energy storage assembly disposed in a first cavity of the housing and electrically connected to the lighting component, a control assembly disposed in the first cavity of the housing and electrically connected to the energy storage assembly, and an energy receiving component electrically connected to the control assembly via at least one lead disposed in at least one second cavity of the housing. The energy receiving component wirelessly receives energy. The energy storage assembly includes a Graphene strip.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2019Publication date: February 27, 2020Inventor: Michael M. McRae
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Patent number: 10561264Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to a battery-powered lighted tree formed from an artificial tree trunk adapted to be mechanically supported and electrically connected to a support structure external to the tree, artificial tree branches extending from the trunk, a light source disposed to emit light from a branch and electrically connected to the trunk, and, a base, formed from a battery, and, a structure adapted to mechanically support the trunk and electrically connect the trunk to the battery. In an illustrative example, the light source may be an LED-illuminated optic fiber. In some embodiments, the battery may be charged from a solar cell. Some designs may provide customizable illumination patterns using a programmable controller adapted to control the light source. Various embodiments may advantageously operate from battery for a seasonal display, for example, using lights and battery selected to provide a sufficient period of illumination each display season day.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2017Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: National Christmas Products LLCInventor: Michael M. McRae
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Publication number: 20190390829Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has a lighting component, an energy storage assembly electrically connected to the lighting component, a control assembly electrically connected to the energy storage assembly, and an energy receiving component electrically connected to the control assembly. The energy receiving component wirelessly receives energy. The energy storage assembly includes a Graphene strip.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2019Publication date: December 26, 2019Applicant: National Tree CompanyInventor: Michael M. McRae