A lighted artificial tree includes a first tree portion including a first trunk portion, first branches joined to the first trunk portion, and a first light string. The first trunk portion has a trunk connector and a first trunk wiring assembly, the first trunk wiring assembly is electrically connectable to the first light string and the trunk connector, and at least a portion of the first wiring assembly is located inside the first portion. The second tree portion includes a second trunk portion, second branches, and a second light string. The second trunk portion has a trunk connector and a second trunk wiring assembly, the second trunk wiring assembly electrically connectable to the second lighting string and the trunk connector. The second tree portion may be mechanically coupled and electrically connected to the first tree portion by coaxially coupling the first trunk portion to the second trunk portion.

An underlayment layer is configured to support an artificial turf assembly. The underlayment layer comprises plurality of panels, each panel comprising a core with a top side and a bottom side. The top side has a plurality of top projections. The top projections form top side water drainage channels. The panels have edges, with the edges of one panel abutting the edges of adjacent panels, thereby forming a drainage path between adjacent panels. The panel edges have vertical support extensions that extend into the drainage paths between adjacent panels. The vertical support extensions have an upper surface for supporting an artificial turf assembly overlying the turf underlayment layer, and the panel edges having one or more complementary indentations corresponding to vertical support extensions of adjacent panels. When the panels move toward each other, thereby closing drainage paths between adjacent panels, the vertical support extensions are received in the corresponding indentations.

A projection device for projecting images on a surface of the device includes an outer housing having a front translucent screen, a projection module frame mounted on an inner surface of the outer housing, and a projection roller frame supported by the projection module frame. The projection roller frame includes first and second spaced apart rollers rotatable respectively on two opposite cylindrical ends integrally formed on a lampshade. A cylindrical projection film is held between the first and second rollers. A light source is mounted inside the lampshade so that an image formed on the projection film can be projected on the front translucent screen by the light source. The device further includes a gear mechanism for driving the rollers, a position-limiting mechanism, and a speaker.

A locking artificial tree trunk including a first generally cylindrical, hollow trunk portion including an upper end, the upper end defining a notch, and a second generally cylindrical trunk portion including a body portion, a lower end having an insertable portion, and an upper end. The locking artificial tree trunk also includes a coupling mechanism having a body portion and an upper portion having a tab, and defining a channel for receiving the insertable portion of the lower end of the second trunk portion. The body portion is inserted substantially into the upper end of the first trunk portion with the tab of the upper portion aligned with the notch, thereby preventing rotation of the coupling mechanism within the upper end of the first trunk portion.

The disclosed invertible structures rely on combinations of translational movements to effect inversion. An exemplary invertible structure includes a track operable to be slidably coupled to a connector element of a longitudinal structure. In an embodiment, the connector element may include at least two connectors at least partially disposed in a slot defined in the track, which may have a plurality of translational axes for translational movements of the connectors of the longitudinal structure that would effect the inversion of the longitudinal structure.

The disclosed invertible structures rely on combinations of translational movements to effect inversion. An exemplary invertible structure includes a track operable to be slidably coupled to a connector element of a longitudinal structure. In an embodiment, the connector element may include at least two connectors at least partially disposed in a slot defined in the track, which may have a plurality of translational axes for translational movements of the connectors of the longitudinal structure that would effect the inversion of the longitudinal structure.

The present invention comprises a method. The method comprises extruding a mixture comprising a plurality of pellets or granules of a first thermoplastic polymer having a first color or shade and a plurality of pellets or granules of a second thermoplastic polymer having a second color or shade. The mixture also comprises an amount of a compatibilizer such that the first thermoplastic polymer and the second thermoplastic polymer do not delaminate when extruded and wherein the second thermoplastic polymer is incompatible with the first thermoplastic polymer and wherein the first color or shade is different from the second color or shade. The present invention also comprises strands, monofilaments, fibers, filaments, yarns, sheets or films made by the foregoing method. The present invention further comprises an artificial turf having a face pile of strands, monofilaments, fibers, filaments or yarns made by the foregoing method.

An artificial evergreen tree is provided having a plurality of branch rings. Each branch ring includes a plurality of nests. A tree branch base is rotatably coupled to each of the plurality of nests and has a branch assembly coupled thereto. The branch ring includes bottom segment having a bottom segment electrical contact. The branch ring includes a top segment having a top segment electrical contact that is in electrical communication with the bottom segment electrical contact. The plurality of nests is positioned between the bottom segment and the top segment. The top segment of a first branch ring is configured to couple to the bottom segment of a second branch ring so that the top segment electrical contact of the first branch ring and the bottom segment electrical contact of the second branch ring are coupled in electrical communication.

An artificial turf system comprises a resilient layer, an artificial grass layer comprising a substrate and pile fibers upstanding from the substrate and an infill layer. The infill layer comprises smooth, hard granules having a mean size of between 1.8 mm and 10 mm disposed on the substrate and interspersed between the pile fibers. The smooth, hard granules provide improved characteristics in terms of foot release.

A lighted artificial tree includes a first tree portion including a first trunk portion, first branches joined to the first trunk portion, and a first light string. The first trunk portion has a trunk connector and a first trunk wiring assembly, the first trunk wiring assembly is electrically connectable to the first light string and the trunk connector, and at least a portion of the first wiring assembly is located inside the first portion. The second tree portion includes a second trunk portion, second branches, and a second light string. The second trunk portion has a trunk connector and a second trunk wiring assembly, the second trunk wiring assembly electrically connectable to the second lighting string and the trunk connector. The second tree portion may be mechanically coupled and electrically connected to the first tree portion by coaxially coupling the first trunk portion to the second trunk portion.