FR3047882A1 - SUPPORT FOR CUTTING TREE, ESPECIALLY FOR CHRISTMAS TREE, COMPRISING A WATER TANK. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a support (1) for a tree with a cut foot, said foot possibly being milled so that it has a substantially cylindrical shape according to a determined diameter, consisting of a half-log (2) of raw wood, that is to say having a hemi-cylindrical shape and comprising a planar base (3), a convex upper face (4) and two flat lateral walls (5), provided with a cylindrical recess (7) made since the top of the convex face (4) of the half-log (2), in its central part, and adapted to receive said foot; said support is remarkable in that it comprises means for forming at least one water reservoir extending inside the volume of the half-log (2) so that the water is in contact with the foot of the shaft when the latter is in position in the recess (7).

Description

Support for cut tree, in particular for Christmas tree, comprising a water tank

The present invention relates to a support for cut tree, in particular for a Christmas tree, comprising a water tank to limit the dehydration of the tree and avoid a fall too fast of his needles and / or a collapse of the branches and / or a change too fast in the color of the needles.

It is well known that the Christmas trees are mostly sold after cutting, and possibly a milling of their foot to a specific diameter, to allow the anchoring of the foot on a support for maintaining vertical said tree.

Traditionally, the support consists either in a cross consisting of two small wooden boards assembled by a nail to form a cross, the nail also serving to secure the fir-tree foot to the cross, or a half-log comprising a central recess for to receive the fir-tree foot, said foot of the fir being previously milled to a suitable diameter.

These traditional supports have the disadvantage of leaving exposed to the foot of fir, which accelerates its dehydration and, ultimately, the fall of the fir needles.

To overcome this drawback, we have already imagined many spruce support having a water tank to prevent too fast dehydration of the fir trees. This is particularly the case of US 4,076,205, WO 97/10741, WO 01/56435 and US 6,419,202.

All these supports consist of a cylindrical or tronconlque container having in its central part a cylindrical sleeve in which is introduced the foot of the fir and at its upper end means for locking the fir root, said locking means consisting of jaws articulated. The sleeve is in fluid communication with the remainder of the container into which water can be poured so that hydration of the fir root is performed to limit the drying of the fir tree.

However, these supports of the prior art have the disadvantage of being of complex design, particularly with regard to the jaw system, and therefore expensive, and to be decorative can be so that it is necessary to use hiding place. Moreover, these supports are obtained in plastic and metal and are not biodegradable. One of the aims of the invention is therefore to overcome these disadvantages by providing a cut tree support, especially Christmas tree, simple and inexpensive design, possibly reusable, does not spoil the aesthetics of the tree and providing hydration of the latter. For this purpose and in accordance with the invention, there is provided a support for a tree with a cut foot, said foot possibly being milled so that it has a substantially cylindrical shape according to a determined diameter, consisting of a half-log of raw wood, that is to say having a semi-cylindrical shape and comprising a flat base, a convex upper face and two flat side walls, provided with a cylindrical recess made from the top of the convex face of the half log, in its central part, and adapted to receive said foot; said support is remarkable in that it comprises means for forming at least one water reservoir extending inside the volume of the half-log so that the water is in contact with the foot of the shaft when the latter is in position in the recess.

According to a first embodiment, said means consist of a second cylindrical recess made in the half-log from the top of the convex face, coaxial with the first recess, of greater diameter than the first recess and lower depth of said first recess.

Incidentally, the half-log has a longitudinal flattened at the top of the convex face, said flat extending parallel to the base of the half-log.

Preferably, said flat has a width substantially equal to the diameter of the second recess.

Advantageously, the support comprises a cylindrical element obtained in gelled water positioned in the second recess.

Said gelled water element is obtained by mixing at least water and cellulose.

According to a second embodiment, the support comprises a cylindrical container positioned in the second recess and whose bottom comprises a circular day of diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the first recess, the inner edge of said day having a flexible seal.

According to a third embodiment, said support comprises a container consisting of two coaxial cylindrical parts, a first so-called lower portion of external diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the first recess and a second portion in communication with the first portion and of substantially equal outer diameter. to the diameter of the second recess, said first portion being positioned in the first recess and the second portion being positioned in the second recess.

Advantageously, the upper end of the first part of the container is flared at the junction with the second part to solidify the container and facilitate demolding the container during its manufacture.

According to a fourth embodiment, the walls of the first and second recesses are covered with an impermeable layer.

According to a fifth embodiment, the support comprises a bag obtained in a flexible and impervious material and whose bottom which takes position in the first and the second recess is reinforced.

Advantageously, the edge of the bag is folded to allow deployment of the bag to wrap the shaft at the end of use.

Incidentally, the support comprises a cylindrical adapter whose outer diameter is substantially equal to the diameter of the first recess and whose inner diameter is adapted to the diameter of the foot of the cut shaft.

According to a last embodiment, said means consist of a second cylindrical recess made in the half-log from the base of the half-log, said second recess being coaxial with the first recess, of greater diameter than the first recess and opening onto the first recess. recess, the second recess being adapted to receive a cylindrical container provided in its central portion of a cylindrical sleeve extending coaxially with the first recess and for receiving the foot of the shaft. Other advantages and features will become more apparent from the description which follows, of a single variant embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example, of the cut-off shaft support according to the invention, from the accompanying drawings on which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cut shaft support according to the invention, - Figure 2 is a schematic cross sectional view of the cut shaft support according to the invention, - Figure 3 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a tool for making a cut-off shaft support according to the invention, - Figure 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the cut-shaft support according to the invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a water tank container of the cut shaft support according to the invention; FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of FIG. support for cut tree according to the invention, - the FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the container forming an alternative embodiment of the cut-off shaft carrier according to the invention shown in FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the water reservoir container of FIG. cut shaft support according to the invention shown in Figures 6 and 7, - Figure 9 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the tool for making a cut shaft support according to FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of an alternative embodiment of cut tree support according to the invention; FIGS. 11A and 11B are diagrammatic representations of an alternative embodiment of FIG. cut shaft support according to the invention respectively when using a support with a water tank and when used as packaging of the shaft before recycling, • Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view sc Hematology of the alternative embodiment of the cut shaft support according to the invention shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B; FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a last alternative embodiment of the shaft support; cut according to the invention.

We will describe below a support for Christmas tree; however, it is obvious that the support can be used for any type of cut tree without departing from the scope of the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the support 1 for Christmas tree, the foot of said Christmas tree is generally milled so that it has a substantially cylindrical shape of a given diameter, the diameter of the foot is usually 40 mm or 50 mm or 60 mm depending on the size of the fir, consists of a half-log or a half-log 2 of raw wood, that is to say having a semi-cylindrical shape and comprising a flat base 3, a convex upper face 4 and two flat lateral walls 5. In this particular embodiment, the half-log 2 is obtained in a white wood such as birch, alder or poplar trembles by example; however, it goes without saying that it can be obtained in any other raw wood such as pine for example. Furthermore, said half-log 2 comprises a longitudinal flat 6 made at the top of the convex face 4, said flat 6 extending parallel to the base 3 of the half-log from a first side wall 5 to the side wall 5 opposite.

Said half-log comprises a first cylindrical recess 7 made from the top of the convex face 4 of the half-log 2, in its central part. This first cylindrical recess 7 has a diameter di and a depth hi and is intended to receive said foot of the Christmas tree. Thus, the first cylindrical recess 7 preferably has a diameter dl of 40 mm, 50 mm or 60 mm which are the diameters in which the fir stands are usually milled.

Furthermore, the half-log 2 comprises a second cylindrical recess 8 made in the half-log from the top of the convex face 4, coaxial with the first recess 7, of diameter d2 greater than the diameter di of the first recess and lower depth I12 at the depth hx of said first recess 7. Preferably, in order to ensure good stability of the support-fir assembly, the difference in depth between the first 7 and second recess 8, ie hx-h2 is at least 70 mm. In this embodiment, the diameter d2 is substantially equal to the width of the flat part 6.

In order to carry out the support according to the invention, with reference to FIG. 3, a piercing tool 9 of the half-log 2 is used. This tool 9 consists of a shaft comprising at a first end a head 10 adapted to cooperate with a mandrel, not shown in the figure, driven in rotation by a motor, and comprising a so-called reduction sleeve 11, such that a reduction sleeve type SA40 for example, and at its opposite end a helical wood drill 12, said shaft 10 comprising between the head 10 and the twist drill 12 of diameter dx a flat wood drill 13 of diameter d2. The rib between the end of the twist drill 12 and the flat bit 13 is at least 70 mm.

Advantageously, in order to take into account the erosion of the cutting portions of the twist drill 12 and the flat bit 13 while maintaining relatively constant cutting dimensions, said drilling tool 9 may comprise means for adjusting the position of the the flat wick 13 along the shaft, such as sliding means, and locking means of said flat wick 13 in a determined position and / or the cutting parts of the flat wick 13 are integral with removable plates, the body of the flat wick comprising means for securing said removable plates.

With reference to FIG. 4, according to an alternative embodiment of the support according to the invention, the latter is constituted in the same manner as previously of a half-log 2 of raw wood, having a hemicylindrical shape and comprising a base 3 plane, a convex upper face 4 and two flat side walls 5. Said half-log 2 also comprises a first cylindrical recess 7 made from the top of the convex face 4 of the half-log 2, in its central part, and a second cylindrical recess 8 made in the half-log from the top of the convex face 4, coaxial with the first recess 7, of diameter greater than the diameter of the first recess 7 and of depth less than the depth of said first recess 7.

This support is distinguished from that previously described in that the half-log 2 does not have flat 6.

It will be observed that, once the foot of the Christmas tree is positioned in the first recess 7, the second recess 8 provides a volume forming a reservoir of water extending inside the volume of the half-log 2 so that that, after filling the water tank, the water is in contact with the foot of the tree.

Insofar as the raw wood of the half-log 2 in which the support according to the invention is obtained is capable of splitting while drying, making the second recess 8 permeable, its walls of said second recess 8 may advantageously be covered with an impermeable layer, not shown in the figures, such as a water-repellent paint layer, a polymer layer or a sealing resin layer based on PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) or PUR (polyurethane) for example.

According to a first alternative, the impermeable layer may be substituted by a cylindrical element obtained in gelled water positioned in the second recess 8. Said gelled water element may be obtained by mixing at least water and cellulose, the water and cellulose solution may optionally comprise one or more additives such as zinc, urea or alum for example.

According to a second alternative, the impervious layer may be obtained by a heat treatment of the walls of the second recess 8 and / or the first recess 7. This heat treatment may consist of oxyacethylene (OA) heating or friction heating for example at a temperature of about 200 ° C.

According to an alternative embodiment, said cylindrical gelled water element may be substituted by a porous or spongy cylindrical member providing a retention of water.

According to another alternative embodiment of the support according to the invention, with reference to FIG. 5, in order to ensure a seal of the reservoir formed by the second recess 8, the support comprises a container 14 of cylindrical shape positioned in the second recess 8 and whose bottom 15 has a circular day 16 of diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the first recess 7, the inner edge of said day 16 having a flexible seal 17. Said flexible seal 17 can be obtained in the same material as the container 14 by local stretching of the material to obtain a ring of softer material around the foot of the tree or by a bi-injection process of a more elastic material to ensure the seal at the foot of the tree.

According to another alternative embodiment of the support according to the invention, with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8, the container 14 may be substituted by a container 14 'consisting of two coaxial frustoconical parts 14'a and 14'b, a first part said lower 14'a and a second said upper portion 14'b in communication with the first portion 14'a and said first portion 14'a being positioned in the first recess 7 and the second portion 14'b being positioned in the second recess 8.

The small base of the lower frustoconical portion 14 'bears on the bottom of the first recess 7 and has, at its lower end, an external diameter slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the first cylindrical recess 7. By "slightly" is meant a difference diameter of between 1 and 10 mm and preferably a diameter difference of about 5 mm. Said lower frustoconical portion 14 'has at its upper end an outer diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the first cylindrical recess 7. In addition, said lower frustoconical portion 14' has a height greater than the depth of the first recess 7 so that the bottom wall of the upper portion 14'b of the container 14 'is not in contact with the bottom of the second cylindrical recess 8, a space e, of the order of 2 mm approximately, separating the bottom wall from the upper part 14 'b from the bottom of the second recess 8. Thus, when the foot of the tree is placed in the lower frustoconical portion 14'a, the lower wall of the upper frustoconical portion 14'b does not rest on the bottom of the second recess 8 thus avoiding that the container 14 'is damaged at the junction between the lower portion 14'a and the portion 14'b.

Advantageously, the upper end of the first portion 14'a of the container 14 'is flared at the junction with the second portion 14'b, thus forming a bead, to make the container 14' more solid and to facilitate demolding during the manufacture of said container. It will be noted that this bead also makes it possible to ensure that the container 14 'is properly held in the support by clamping the upper end of the lower frustoconical portion 14'a in the first recess 7.

Furthermore, the inner wall of the lower frustoconical portion 14'a comprises longitudinal grooves 18 ', that is to say grooves extending radially towards the axis of revolution of the lower frustoconical portion 14'a substantially from the bottom to the upper end of said lower frustoconical portion 14'a. These grooves 18 'are obtained in a deformable material such that, when the foot of the tree is introduced into the lower frustoconical portion 14'a, the fir root having a cylindrical shape after milling, said grooves 18' deform to maintain the foot of the tree by catching the taper of the lower part 14'a.

In addition, advantageously, the outer wall of the lower frustoconical portion 14 'has a rough and / or granular surface to increase the adhesion of the lower portion 14'a in the first recess 7, in particular at its end. higher.

In order to achieve the support according to the invention so that it can receive the container 14 'as described in Figures 6 to 8, the drilling tool 9 of the half-log 2 as described in Figure 3 is amended. With reference to FIG. 9, said tool 9 is constituted in the same manner as previously of a shaft comprising at a first end a head 10 adapted to cooperate with a mandrel, not shown in FIG. 9, driven in rotation by an engine and having a so-called reduction sleeve 11, not shown in FIG. 9, and at its opposite end a helical wood drill 12, said shaft 10 comprising between the head 10 and the helical drill 12 of diameter di a flat wood drill bit 13 of diameter d2. The rib between the end of the twist drill 12 and the flat bit 13 is at least 70 mm.

This tool differs from that previously described in that it comprises means for making a chamfer at the upper edge of the first recess 7 and the bottom of the second recess 8 so as to marry better the shape of the container, and more particularly the flared upper end of the lower portion 14'a of the container 14 ', and reduce the efforts on the container 14' when placing the foot of the fir in the lower portion 14'a. Said means consist of oblique radial blades 19 positioned between the flat wick 13 and the helical drill 12.

Incidentally, with reference to Figure 10, the support comprises a cylindrical adapter 20 whose outer diameter is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the first recess 7 and whose inner diameter is adapted to the diameter of the foot of the cut shaft. Thus, it is possible to fix as a size of 50 mm as the standard diameter of the fir stands and to practice first recesses 7 of the same diameter of 50 mm, including making containers 14 'whose diameter of the lower part 14' has is 50 mm, then to cut the feet of large fir trees with a diameter of 50 mm, instead of the diameter of 60 mm usually used, without altering neither the solidity of the fir-tree nor the good maintenance of the support, and of position an adapter 19 whose internal diameter is 40 mm and the outer diameter is 50 mm on the feet of smaller trees that are cut to a diameter of 40 mm.

According to another alternative embodiment of the support according to the invention, with reference to FIGS. 11A, 11B and 12, said support comprises a bag 21 obtained in a flexible and impermeable material and whose bottom which takes position in the first 7 and the second recess of the half-log 2 is reinforced to prevent tearing of the bag upon introduction of the fir root into the first recess 7. Advantageously, the edge of the bag 21 is folded to reduce the bulk and improve the rigidity to prevent the collapse of the bag once the water poured into the second recess 8 (Figure 11A) and to allow deployment of the bag 21 to wrap the tree at the end of use for then the throw in the manner of a fir bag (Figure 11B).

Alternatively, the bag 21 can be obtained in a flexible and impervious material whose bottom is reinforced to receive the half-log 2. Thus, the half-log 2 is placed in said bag and water is introduced into the bag until the half-log 2 is totally immersed in the water, the bag being closed at the foot of the tree by an elastic link or not.

According to a last alternative embodiment of the support according to the invention, with reference to FIG. 13, said support is constituted in the same manner as previously of a half-log 2 of raw wood, having a semi-cylindrical shape and comprising a flat base 3, a convex upper face 4 and two flat lateral walls 5. Said half-log 2 also comprises a first cylindrical recess 7 of diameter di made from the top of the convex face 4 of the half-log 2, in its central part.

This support is distinguished from those previously described in that the second cylindrical recess 8 is made in the half-log 2 from the base 3 of the half-log 2, said second recess 8 being coaxial with the first recess, of greater diameter d at the first recess 7 and opening on the first recess 7. Said second recess 8 is adapted to receive a cylindrical container 14 "provided in its central portion with a cylindrical sleeve 22 extending coaxially with the first recess 7 and intended to receive the foot The cylindrical sleeve 22 receiving the foot of the fir tree preferably has a height of at least 70 mm and the fir root is advantageously provided with a stopper at a height corresponding to the height of the half-log. 2 to allow holding the container 14 "in the second recess. Said stop stop may consist of a pin positioned in a hole made in the foot of the tree at the appropriate height or in a clamping collar for example. Note that in this embodiment of the support, the foot of the tree must be cut to a greater height than for the other embodiments described above. Furthermore, the support also comprises a through-hole 23 made from the upper convex face and opening into the second recess 8 so as to allow filling of the container 14 "after the establishment of the fir-tree foot in the cylindrical sleeve 22.

It is understood that the present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described above and that many modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (13)

1. Support (1) for a tree with a cut foot, said foot possibly being milled so that it has a substantially cylindrical shape according to a determined diameter, consisting of a half-log (2) of raw wood, it is ie having a hemi-cylindrical shape and comprising a planar base (3), a convex upper face (4) and two flat lateral walls (5), provided with a cylindrical recess (7) made from the top of the convex face (4) of the half-log (2), in its central part, and adapted to receive said foot, characterized in that it comprises means for forming at least one water reservoir extending to the inside the volume of the half-log (2) so that the water is in contact with the foot of the shaft when the latter is in position in the recess (7). 2. Support according to claim 1 characterized in that said means consist of a second cylindrical recess (8) formed in the half-log (2) from the top of the convex face (4), coaxial with the first recess (7), of greater diameter than the first recess (7) and of lower depth to said first recess (7). 3. Support according to any one of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that the half-log (2) comprises a flat (6) longitudinal formed at the top of the convex face (4), said flat (6) extending parallel to the base (3) of the half-log (2). 4. Support according to claims 2 and 3 characterized in that the flat (6) has a width substantially equal to the diameter of the second recess (8). 5. Support according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that it comprises a cylindrical element obtained in gelled water positioned in the second recess (8). 6. Support according to claim 5 characterized in that the gelled water element is obtained by mixing at least water and cellulose. 7. Support according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that it comprises a container (14) of cylindrical shape positioned in the second recess (8) and whose bottom (15) comprises a day (16) circular of diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the first recess (7), the inner edge of said day (16) having a flexible seal (17). 8. Support according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that it comprises a container (14 ') consisting of two coaxial cylindrical portions (14'a, 14'b), a first said lower portion (14' a) of external diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the first recess (7) and a second portion (14'b) in communication with the first portion (14'a) and of external diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the second recess (8), said first portion (14'a) being positioned in the first recess (7) and the second portion (14'b) being positioned in the second recess (8). 9. Support according to claim 8 characterized in that the upper end of the first portion (14'a) of the container (14 ') is flared at the junction with the second portion (14'b). 10. Support according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that the walls of the first (7) and the second (8) recess are covered with an impermeable layer. 11. Support according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that it comprises a bag (20) obtained in a flexible and impermeable material and whose bottom which takes position in the first (7) and the second (8). ) recess is reinforced. 12. Support according to claim 11 characterized in that the edge of the bag (20) is folded to allow deployment of the bag (20) to wrap the shaft at the end of use. 13. Support according to any one of claims 1 to 12 characterized in that it comprises a cylindrical adapter (19) whose outer diameter is substantially equal to the diameter of the first recess (7) and whose inner diameter is adapted to the diameter from the foot of the cut tree.