EP1495688B1

EP1495688B1 - Leaf for artificial tree

Info

Publication number: EP1495688B1
Application number: EP04103204A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marco Calzavara
Original assignee: CALZAVARA SpA
Current assignee: CALZAVARA SpA
Priority date: 2003-07-08
Filing date: 2004-07-07
Publication date: 2008-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 2024-07-07
Also published as: EP1495688A3; ATE411745T1; PT1495688E; EP1495688A2; ES2316926T3; DE602004017254D1; SM200300011B; SM200300011A

Abstract

Leaf (10) for an artificial tree (12), advantageously a leaf similar to that of a coconut palm, comprising a central supporting element (15) able to be associated with a branch (11) of the artificial tree (12), and a plurality of lateral elements (16) connected on opposite sides to the central element (15). The central element (15) has a transverse section including a segment (17) shaped substantially as a V, a U, a C or other analogous or similar shapes. The lateral elements (16) have a thickness (S'') variable along its length from a maximum value (S'') close to the central element (15) to a minimum value (S''') close the relative tip. <IMAGE>

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a leaf for an artificial tree, for example of the type able to camouflage a long, large-size structural element, like the pillar of an antenna for mobile telecommunications, an electric pylon, or suchlike.
To be more exact, the present invention concerns the shaping of the structure of the leaf, which reinforces the leaf, making it resistant to stresses while still ensuring the flexibility and elasticity thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Artificial trees are known, used to camouflage long structural elements, such as for example telephone antennas, electric pylons or other, the visual impact of which can ruin the natural panorama of the place where they are installed.
An example of an artificial tree for concealment of antenna structures is disclosed in EP-A-0.791.976 ; another example of an artificial tree is disclosed in US-A-2,826,846 .
Such artificial trees normally include a central trunk from which a plurality of branches spread out, according to the type of tree simulated, whether it be a pine tree, a cypress, a palm tree or other.
A plurality of leaves are affixed to every branch, and are shaped as similar as possible to real leaves; they are made of light materials and formed by very flexible structures, conventionally having a substantially constant thickness, in order to simulate, as realistically as possible, under the action of the wind, the characteristic undulating movement thereof.
Especially when the artificial tree simulates a coconut palm, the leaves, since they are large and formed by a plurality of foils separated from each other and anchored to a central element, are subjected to stresses, even considerable, due to the weight of the leaf, and the action exerted by the wind thereon.
The purpose of the present invention is to achieve a leaf for an artificial tree, advantageously similar to those of the coconut palm, the structure of which is sufficiently resistant to the stresses due to the action of the wind and other atmospheric agents, and which at the same time will maintain the characteristics of flexibility and elasticity which are typical of known leaves.
The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art, and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the main claim, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.
In accordance with the aforesaid purpose, a leaf for an artificial tree, advantageously a leaf similar to those of the coconut palm, according to the present invention comprises at least a central supporting element able to be associated with an element that is functionally similar to the branch of the artificial tree, and a plurality of lateral elements connected to the central element, and representing the lateral foils of a palm leaf.
According to the invention the central element has a transverse section having at least a shaped segment forming a V, a U, a C or other similar shapes.
The lateral elements, functionally representing the foils of the leaf, are also shaped as a V, a U, a C or other similar or comparable sections.
The shaping of the lateral elements can be equal to the central element; simply to give an example, the central element can be V-shaped, like the lateral elements.
According to a variant, said equal shapings can be concordant, that is, the lateral elements can have the same direction as the central element, or discordant, that is, with different directions.
According to another variant, the shaping of the lateral elements can be different from that of the central element; simply to give an example, the central element can be V-shaped and the lateral elements can be U-shaped, and in another variant said different shapings can have a concordant or discordant direction.
According to another variant, the lateral elements can be of a different shape with respect to each other; to give an example, one lateral element can be V-shaped and another lateral element can be U-shaped; and in another variant the shapings can be concordant or discordant.
In this way, the leaf has a structure that is resistant to loads due to its weight, and also to the stresses exerted by the wind and other atmospheric agents, according to the most suitable combinations.
The central element can have a section that differs along its length, so as to define points with different levels of flexibility and elasticity, in order to allow the leaf according to the invention to sway under the action of the wind, in the most realistic manner possible.
Furthermore, the shaped segment of the central element allows a greater anchoring surface of the lateral elements to the central element, which further strengthens the structure of the leaf according to the invention.
This solution entails another advantage, which is to provide lateral elements with different size and section, so as to confer on the latter a greater resistance to torsions and stresses, for example in the area near where they are anchored to the central element, and greater flexibility, for example in their terminal zone, so as to render the swaying effect of the leaf even more realistic.
To guarantee a solid coupling of the leaf and the element functioning as a branch, binding bands are provided able to wrap the two in order to prevent the detachment thereof, even accidental, and/or known clamping means arranged between the leaf and the element functioning as a branch.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become clear from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example, with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

fig. 1 shows an artificial tree comprising a leaf according to the present invention;
fig. 2 is a three-dimensional view of a leaf according to the present invention;
fig. 3 is a transverse section from III to III of the leaf in fig. 2;
fig. 4 is a variant of the section in fig. 3;
fig. 5 is a another variant of the section in fig. 3;
fig. 6 is a transverse section from VI to VI of the leaf in fig. 2;
fig. 7 is a transverse section from VII to VII of the leaf in fig. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERENTIAL FORM OF EMBODIMENT

With reference to the attached drawings, a leaf 10 according to the present invention is connected to a branch 11 of an artificial tree 12, in this case a coconut palm, which is able to camouflage an antenna 13, for example for the transmission/reception of radio signals, such as those for mobile telecommunications.
To be more exact, the leaf 10 comprises a central rib 15 to which are attached a plurality of lateral elements 16 representing the lateral foils of the coconut palm.
According to a characteristic feature of the present invention, the central rib 15 comprises a transverse section with a shaped segment 17, so as to confer on such central rib 15 a substantial V shape.
The central rib 15 has a thickness S of a few millimeters, which can vary along the length of the rib 15, so that the leaf 10 has the desired rigidity or flexibility.
To give an example, the central element 15 can have a thickness S of some millimeters in the zone comparable to the leaf-stalk of the palm leaf, while it has a thickness S' of about one millimeter towards the tip of the leaf, so as to be more flexible.
In the variant shown in fig. 4 the segment 17 is shaped so as to define a substantial U shape, while in the other variant shown in fig. 5, the segment 17 defines substantially a C rotated anti-clock-wise and facing upwards.
In this way, the central rib 15 allows the leaf 10 according to the invention to resist the stresses exerted by atmospheric agents, even when such stresses are particularly strong, such as for example the action of winds in excess of 120 Km/hour.
As shown by the line of dashes in fig. 2, the branch 11 has a shape mating with the transverse section of the central rib 15, and is arranged in correspondence with the latter.
The lateral elements 16 have a substantially V-shaped transverse section and, in this case, each of them has a through hole 19 on an upper edge in a zone near the central rib 15; a clamping band 20 is made to pass inside said hole 19, so as to retain the branch 11 on the central rib 15, thus consolidating the coupling of the leaf 10 and branch 11.
According to a variant, not shown in the drawings, the clamping bands 20 can be arranged directly in cooperation with the central rib 15 in the intermediate zones between two lateral elements 16.
Each lateral element 16 has a different section, according to the distribution of the stresses which it has to support; for example, as shown in fig. 6, the lateral element 16 has a relatively large size and a thickness S" shaped so as to be able to resist possible moments of torsion generated by the action of the wind or by other atmospheric agents. It can be seen in fig. 7, on the contrary, that the same lateral element 16 has, in a zone near its tip, reduced size with respect to that of the section shown in fig. 6, and has a thickness S''' which is less than the thickness S". In this case, such thickness S''' can be as little as one millimeter, advantageously a millimeter and a half, that is, the minimum thickness to make it in the mold. This difference in size between the two sections ensures an optimum structural resistance of the leaf 10 and, at the same time, confers flexibility and elasticity on the leaf 10, so that its behavior due to the atmospheric agents is as realistic as possible.
It is clear, however, that modifications and/or additions of parts can be made to the leaf 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.
For example, as shown by the line of dashes in fig. 2, in the space between two foils 16 a reinforcement ring 21 is arranged, which further increases the strength of the structure of the leaf 10, allowing it to resist without yielding or breaking under the effect of winds up to 160 Km/hour.
It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of leaf for an artificial tree, all of which shall come within the field and scope of the present invention.

Claims

Leaf (10) for an artificial tree (12), advantageously a leaf similar to that of a coconut palm, comprising at least a central supporting element (15) able to be associated with a branch (11) of said artificial tree (12), and a plurality of lateral elements (16) connected on opposite sides to said central element (15), characterized in that said central element (15) and said lateral elements (16) have a transverse section including at least a segment shaped substantially as a V, a U, a C or other analogous or similar shapes, each of said lateral elements (16) having a thickness variable along its length from a maximum value (S") near to the central element (15) to a minimum value (S"') near the relative tip.
Leaf as in claim 1, characterized in that said minimum value (S"') is about one millimeter.
Leaf as in claim 1, characterized in that said central element (15) has a thickness (S) variable along its length to a minimum thickness (S') of about one millimeter.
Leaf as in claim 1, characterized in that said transverse section of said lateral elements (16) is equal to that of said central element (15).
Leaf as in claim 4, characterized in that said transverse section of said lateral elements (16) is concordant with respect to that of said central element (15).
Leaf as in claim 4, characterized in that said transverse section of said lateral elements (16) is discordant with respect to that of said central element (15).
Leaf as in claim 1, characterized in that said transverse section of said lateral elements (16) is different from that of said central element (15).
Leaf as in claim 7, characterized in that said transverse section of said lateral elements (16) is concordant with respect to that of said central element (15).
Leaf as in claim 7, characterized in that said transverse section of said lateral elements (16) is discordant with respect to that of said central element (15).
Leaf as in claim 1, characterized in that each of said lateral elements (16) has a transverse section shaped differently with respect to that of the other lateral elements (16).
Leaf as in claim 10, characterized in that each of said lateral elements (16) has a transverse section concordant with that of the other lateral elements (16).
Leaf as in claim 10, characterized in that each of said lateral elements (16) has a transverse section discordant with respect to that of the other lateral elements (16).
Leaf as in claim 1, characterized in that, in a zone near said central element (15), each of said lateral elements, (16) comprises a through hole (19) able to allow retaining elements (20) to be housed, able to ensure the association of said branch (11) and said central element (15).
Leaf as in claim 1 or 13, characterized in that it comprises clamping means provided between said branch (11) and said central element (15), able to ensure the association of the two.
Leaf as in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least a reinforcement ring (21) arranged around said branch (11) and said central element (15), in order to increase the strength of the structure of said leaf (10).