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.

An artificial Christmas tree includes a central trunk broken into at least two separate portions including a fixed trunk portion and at least one rotating trunk portion. The fixed trunk extends up from an underlying base. Rotating trunks rotatably attach at midpoints thereof at least indirectly to an upper end of the fixed trunk. Limbs are pivotably attached to the rotating trunks with optional lights coupled thereto. These limbs pivot between a perpendicular orientation extending from the rotating trunks and a collapsed configuration closer to a centerline of the rotating trunks. The rotating trunks can be pivoted from a first collapsed configuration with a first end above a second end to a deployed configuration with the second end above the first end. During pivoting, the limbs attached to the rotating trunk transition between a collapsed to a deployed configuration automatically. A wheeled base and cover further facilitate storage and deployment.

An artificial Christmas tree includes a central trunk broken into at least two separate portions including a fixed trunk portion and at least one rotating trunk portion. The fixed trunk extends up from an underlying base. Rotating trunks rotatably attach at midpoints thereof at least indirectly to an upper end of the fixed trunk. Limbs are pivotably attached to the rotating trunks with optional lights coupled thereto. These limbs pivot between a perpendicular orientation extending from the rotating trunks and a collapsed configuration closer to a centerline of the rotating trunks. The rotating trunks can be pivoted from a first collapsed configuration with a first end above a second end to a deployed configuration with the second end above the first end. During pivoting, the limbs attached to the rotating trunk transition between a collapsed to a deployed configuration automatically. A wheeled base and cover further facilitate storage and deployment.

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.

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.

A stand for clamping post/rod-shaped items, comprising a housing, at least two holding elements adjoining a receiving space for receiving the pole- or rod-shaped part, a securing device, and a flexible force transmission device, wherein the holding elements are arranged so as to be angularly offset around a central axis of the receiving space and pivotable about a respective pivot axis away from the central axis in the direction of a release position and toward the central axis in the direction of a fixing position, wherein the force transmission device leads from the securing device to the holding elements, which are movably coupled with the securing device by the force transmission device, and wherein the force transmission device is pulled and/or loaded with force in a pulling direction to the securing device as a result of the movement of the securing device from a disengaged position toward an engaged position, so that the securing device counteracts or prevents a pivoting of the holding elements toward the release position by the force transmission device, wherein the stand has a fill level sensor for determining a liquid fill level in the receiving space that protrudes into the receiving space of the housing, the fill level sensor being electrically connected to an electrical display device that is arranged on an outer side of the housing, so that fill level information that can be displayed by the display device correlates with a liquid fill level determined by the fill level sensor.

A stand for clamping post/rod-shaped items, comprising a housing, at least two holding elements adjoining a receiving space for receiving the pole- or rod-shaped part, a securing device, and a flexible force transmission device, wherein the holding elements are arranged so as to be angularly offset around a central axis of the receiving space and pivotable about a respective pivot axis away from the central axis in the direction of a release position and toward the central axis in the direction of a fixing position, wherein the force transmission device leads from the securing device to the holding elements, which are movably coupled with the securing device by the force transmission device, and wherein the force transmission device is pulled and/or loaded with force in a pulling direction to the securing device as a result of the movement of the securing device from a disengaged position toward an engaged position, so that the securing device counteracts or prevents a pivoting of the holding elements toward the release position by the force transmission device, wherein the stand has a fill level sensor for determining a liquid fill level in the receiving space that protrudes into the receiving space of the housing, the fill level sensor being electrically connected to an electrical display device that is arranged on an outer side of the housing, so that fill level information that can be displayed by the display device correlates with a liquid fill level determined by the fill level sensor.

A watered tree stand system, which facilitates continual watering of a tree supported by the tree stand system, includes a base reservoir having a reservoir interior suitably configured to contain a supply of water and receive the trunk of a tree. The base reservoir is suitably configured to support a tree in an upward-standing position. A preferably see-through, water intake container is disposed in spaced-apart relationship to the base reservoir. The water intake container is suitably configured to contain a supply of refill water. An elongated water delivery conduit establishes fluid communication between the water intake container and the base reservoir.

A watered tree stand system, which facilitates continual watering of a tree supported by the tree stand system, includes a base reservoir having a reservoir interior suitably configured to contain a supply of water and receive the trunk of a tree. The base reservoir is suitably configured to support a tree in an upward-standing position. A preferably see-through, water intake container is disposed in spaced-apart relationship to the base reservoir. The water intake container is suitably configured to contain a supply of refill water. An elongated water delivery conduit establishes fluid communication between the water intake container and the base reservoir.

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.