GB2282587A

GB2282587A - Tree or plant tidy

Info

Publication number: GB2282587A
Application number: GB9420130A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Philip Moore
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-10-05
Filing date: 1994-10-05
Publication date: 1995-04-12
Also published as: GB9320442D0; GB9420130D0

Abstract

A tree or plant tidy comprises a cover (2) having a portion (6) thereof locatable generally below the foliage of a tree or plant during use to catch falling pine needles etc. and having another portion (5) thereof operable between open and closed conditions of the cover (2) such that, when the other portion (5) is closed, the foliage of the tree or plant is accommodated substantially wholly within the cover (2). The cover (2) may be generally tubular and may be circular or any other suitable shape when laid out flat. There may be pullcords or drawstrings (3, 4) around openings in the portions (5, 6). The periphery of the opening in portion (6) may be elasticated. The cover (2) may be waterproof and may be decorated on at least one side. <IMAGE>

Description

TREE /PLANT TIDY DESCRIPTION This invention relates to a tidy for use with a tree or plant for preventing the undesirable dispersal of foliage therefrom when the tree or plant is used for decorative purposes in, say, an indoor environment, in which the tree or plant may tend to defoliate.

In general, the tidy comprises a cover in which the tree or plant can be accommodated for subsequent disposal from such an environment and is especially, but not exclusively, designed for use with a decorative tree, such as, a pine tree, at Christmastide.

A major problem with cut Christmas trees is that they tend to defoliate, namely, lose their pine needles, when used for decorative purposes in an indoor environment, whereby the surrounding surfaces beneath the tree become covered in pine needles which are, in most cases, awkward to clean up. A further disadvantage with the defoliation of Christmas pine trees used in an indoor environment is that when the tree needs to be removed for disposal purposes, a trail of pine needles is left on the floor surface, such as, a carpet and/or other flooring, between the original location of the tree and the point of disposal thereof, such as, a refuse bin or the like.

Similar problems arise with other types of flora, such as, cut flowers, which are used on a temporary basis for indoor decorative purposes and which tend to defoliate during such use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tree or plant tidy which overcomes the disadvantages associated with the use of defoliating trees or plants in an indoor environment, as discussed above.

Accordingly, the invention provides a tree or plant tidy comprising a cover having one portion thereof locatable generally below the foliage of a tree or plant during use and having another portion thereof operable between open and closed conditions of the cover, the arrangement being such that, when the one portion of the cover is located generally beneath the foliage of an associated tree or plant and the other portion is in an open condition, the cover is also located generally beneath the foliage and, when the other portion is in a closed condition, the foliage of the tree or plant is accommodated substantially wholly within the cover.

The cover may be generally tubular or may be of any other suitable shape, for example, generally circular, when laid out flat.

The other portion of the cover of the tidy may be operable between open and closed conditions of the cover by any suitable means, preferably, by means of a pullcord or drawstring threaded around a peripheral edge of that portion.

Similarly, the first-mentioned portion of the cover may also be openable and closable by any suitable means, preferably, once again, a pullcord or drawstring threaded around a periphery thereof, for location about the trunk of a tree or the stem(s) of a plant(s) generally beneath the foliage thereof.

For example, the one portion of the cover may be substantially closed but, with a hole therein through which the tree trunk or plant stem(s) is receivable.

The periphery of that one portion or any associated hole therein may be elasticated.

If the cover is generally tubular, then the respective portions of the cover may be constituted by the opposed ends of the cover, In order that the invention may be more fully understood, two preferred embodiments of tree tidy for use with a cut pine tree to be used as a decorative Christmas tree in accordance with the invention, will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:: Figures 1 and 2 are respective plan and side views of a first embodiment of tree tidy; Figure 3 is a side perspective view of the tidy of Figure 1 in use with a Christmas tree and with the cover of the tidy in its open or relaxed condition at the base of the tree; Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the tidy of Figures 1 to 3, again in use with a Christmas tree, but with the cover thereof in its closed condition; Figure 5 is a plan view of a second embodiment of tree tidy; and Figures 6 and 7 are respective side perspective views of the tree tidy of Figure 5, with the cover in its open or relaxed and closed conditions.

Referring firstly to the Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings, a tree tidy indicated generally at 1, comprises a tubular cover 2 of a flexible material and a pullcord 3, 4 threaded around the periphery of each end portion 5, 6 thereof.

In Figure 3, the tidy 1 is shown in use with an associated cut pine tree 10 being used as a decorative Christmas tree. Before the trunk 11 of the tree 10 is placed in a supporting container 12, it is received through the open lower end portion 6 of the cover 2 whose pullcord 4 is then tightened, such that the lower cover end portion 6 is closed tightly around it.

After the lower end of the tree trunk 11 has been suitably supported within the container 12 with the lower end portion 6 of the cover 2 located tightly around it, the cover is laid out in a relaxed state upon a table, floor or other supporting surface (not shown) upon which the container 12 stands, such that the cover 2 extends generally radically outwardly from the tree trunk 11 beyond the outermost bounds of the tree foliage. In this manner, any pine needles which drop from the tree 10 as a result of defoliation of the tree during use, fall on to the cover 2, thereby preventing unwanted dispersal of the pine needles over the surrounding area.

For disposal purposes, the periphery of the end portion 5 of the cover 2 is lifted upwardly around and over the tree 10, such that the foliage is accommodated within the cover 2 which is now in its closed condition with the pullcord 3 tightened, as shown in Figure 4.

Any pine needles which have fallen on to the cover 2 in the open condition thereof, as shown in Figure 3, are retained within the cover 2 along with the tree and its foliage.

In this manner, the tree, with or without its supporting container 12, can be removed for disposal purposes, with any loose pine needles retained securely within the closed cover 2.

The tidy 1 may be reusable and, with the cover 2 in its closed condition, as shown in Figure 4, can be used to store the tree 10 or as a temporary cover, whilst the tree is still in use.

It is to be appreciated that, although the tubular cover 2 has a generally circular crosssection, other cross-sections may be employed. For instance, the cover may be tapered between its ends or, indeed, may be of an elastic, flexible material, such that it can be stretched out beneath the foliage of the tree 10 and, subsequently, over the tree into its closed condition for storage and/or disposal purposes.

Referring now to Figures 5 to 7, another embodiment of tree tidy indicated generally at 21, comprises a generally circular cover 22 of a flexible material with a central portion comprising a circular hole 26, and two drawstrings 23,24. One drawstring 23 is threaded around an outer portion, namely the periphery 25, of the circular cover 22, whilst the other drawstring 24 is threaded around the periphery of the central circular hole 26.

In Figure 5, the tidy 21 is shown ready for use and in Figure 6 the tidy is shown in use with an associated cut pine tree 30 being used as a decorative Christmas tree. Before the trunk 31 of the tree 30 is placed in a supporting container (not shown), it is received through the central circular hole 26 of the cover 22 whose drawstring 24 is then tightened, such that it is closed tightly around the trunk.

After the lower end of the tree trunk 31 has been suitably supported within the container with the drawstring 24 tightened around the trunk such that the central hole 26 is effectively closed, the cover 22 is laid out in a relaxed state upon a table, floor or other supporting surface (also not shown) upon which the container stands, such that the cover 22 extends generally radically outwardly from the tree trunk 31 beyond the outermost bounds of the tree foliage, as shown in Figure 6. Thus, any pine needles dropping from the tree 30, fall on to the cover 22 and are not dispersed over the surrounding area.

For disposal purposes, the periphery 25 of the cover 22 is lifted upwardly around and generally over the tree 30, such that substantially the whole of the foliage is accommodated within the cover 22 which is now in its closed condition with the drawstring 23 tightened around the top region 32 of the tree 30, as shown in Figure 7.

Thus, the tree 30 can be removed for subsequent disposal, with any loose pine needles or other foliage retained within the closed cover 22.

The cover 2,22 may be decorated on at least one side thereof and may be made of a waterproof material.

Claims

1. A tree or plant tidy comprising a cover having a portion thereof locatable generally below the foliage of a tree or plant during use and having another portion thereof operable between open and closed conditions of the cover, the arrangement being such that, when the one portion of the cover is located generally beneath the foliage of an associated tree or plant and the other portion is in an open condition, the cover is also located generally beneath the foliage and, when the other portion is in a closed condition, the foliage of the tree or plant is accommodated substantially wholly within the cover.

2. A tidy according to claim 1, wherein the other portion of the cover is operable between open and closed conditions of the cover.

3. A tidy according to claim 2, wherein the other portion of the cover is operable between open and closed conditions of the cover by means of a pull cord or drawstring around a peripheral edge of that portion.

4. A tidy according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said one portion of the cover is openable and closable.

5. A tidy according to claim 4, wherein said one portion is openable and closable by means of a pullcord or drawstring threaded around a periphery thereof.

6. A tidy according to any preceding claim, wherein said one portion of the cover is substantially closed but has a hole therein through which a tree trunk or plant stem(s) is receivable.

7. A tidy according to any preceding claim, wherein the periphery of said one portion of the cover is elasticated.

8. A tidy according to any preceding claim, wherein the cover is generally tubular.

9. A tidy according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the cover is generally circular where laid flat.

10. A tidy according to any preceding claim, wherein the cover is made of a flexible material.

11. A tidy according to any preceding claim, wherein the cover is waterproof.

12. A tidy according to any preceding claim, wherein the cover is decorated on at least one of its sides.

13. A tree of plant tidy substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 or 5 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.