IES79054B2 - An artificial christmas tree - Google Patents
An artificial christmas treeInfo
- Publication number
- IES79054B2 IES79054B2 IES970872A IES79054B2 IE S79054 B2 IES79054 B2 IE S79054B2 IE S970872 A IES970872 A IE S970872A IE S79054 B2 IES79054 B2 IE S79054B2
- Authority
- IE
- Ireland
- Prior art keywords
- stem
- branches
- christmas tree
- artificial christmas
- collar
- Prior art date
Links
- 241000191291 Abies alba Species 0.000 title claims abstract description 19
- 235000004507 Abies alba Nutrition 0.000 description 12
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 5
- 238000005034 decoration Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002542 deteriorative effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
- A47G33/00—Religious or ritual equipment in dwelling or for general use
- A47G33/04—Christmas trees
- A47G33/06—Artificial Christmas trees
Abstract
An artificial Christmas tree may be assembled from a kit of parts including stem sections (1) which are fitted together by means of male (2) and female (3) portions to form trees of different heights. Branches are provided comprising a root portion (7) and a leafy portion (8), wherein the stem sections each include a collar (4) formed integrally with the stem section and defining a series of longitudinal slots (6), for receiving the root portions of the branches. A parapet (10) on the collar defines a gap (9) adjacent to each slot for receiving the base of the leafy portion of each respective branch, adapted to maintain the branches in firm engagement with and radially spaced with respect to the stem. The slots (6) are coincident with the outer sidewall of the stem, such that the branches may easily be inserted and removed after the stem sections have been assembled, in use. A novel tripod leg (14) arrangement is also disclosed. <IMAGE>
Description
AN ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE The present invention relates to an artificial Christmas tree, in particular to a collapsible tree which is assembled from a kit of parts including identical stem sections which may be fitted together to form trees of different heights, the stem sections including means for inserting branches therein.
Numerous constructions for an artificial Christmas tree have been described in the prior art, wherein the stem is not collapsible and comprises a stiff rod or pole, to which the branches must be either permanently attached, or slotted into a series of collars, or holes drilled in the pole, with the option that the branches may be folded back or removed for storage. The branches tend to break off very easily, and a long box is required to ship the product.
The prior art also includes constructions for an artificial Christmas tree having a collapsible stem section. According to my Irish Patents Nos. S59161 and 68051, the collapsible stem comprises a series of identical hollow tubes which are rigidly interengageable, each having a male section at one end and a female section at the other, such that when the two are coupled together a series of ! longitudinal slots is defined. The roots of the branches are inserted in the slots, but on account of the diameter of the tubes, only about <« six slots can be accommodated. In a taller tree, this does not allow for a very dense array of branches near the base, which is a disadvantage. Also, for disassembly purposes, it has been found that the customer may prefer to strip off the branches leaving the assembled - 2 tubes comprising the stem intact, but in the arrangement disclosed in IE-S59161 and IE-68051, the branches can only be removed by completely disassembling the tubes comprising the stem, which is time-consuming.
Other arrangements including interengageable tubular stem sections are disclosed in GB-A-O,3O3,27O and GB-A-0,874,704. An arrangement with alternate tube sections and collar sections is described in EP-A-0,527,711. However, all of the artificial Christmas trees described in this prior art require to be completely disassembled, i.e. all of the stem sections must be separated, to satisfactorily remove the branches, for storing the tree. This of course weakens the parts.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to combine the advantages of a fully collapsible artificial Christmas tree construction, i.e. ease of shipment in a smaller box, flexibility in terms of assembling trees of different heights, reduced manufacturing costs, etc. with the advantages of the partially collapsible type of construction, i.e. where only the branches need to be removed for the purpose of storing them in a box, and saving the tree from deteriorating from one Christmas to the next, say in an attic or garage.
The present invention aims to provide a very strong stem assembly, where the sections may even be pre-assembled prior to shipment or assembled by the customer. Furthermore, while using a collar or sleeve for slotting the branches onto the stem may give the stem a somewhat unnatural appearance, the present invention seeks to overcome this problem by providing a type of collar with over ten slots, preferably fifteen about its circumference, such that branches may be quite densely packed, when attached, thereby giving an artificial Christmas tree where the stem (and the collars) are not easily visible when finally assembled.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an artificial Christmas tree assembled from a kit of parts including stem sections which may be fitted together by means of male and female portions to form trees of different heights, branches comprising a root portion and a leafy portion, wherein the stem sections each include a collar fixed - 3 to the stem section and defining a series of logitudinal slots, for receiving the root portions of the branches, and on its outer periphery, a parapet with a gap adjacent to each slot for receiving the base of the leafy portion of each respective branch, adapted to maintain the branches in firm engagement with the stem characterized i in that the collar is integrally formed with the stem section and the slots defined therein are coincident with the outer sidewall of the stem, such that the branches may be inserted and removed after the stem sections have been assembled, in use.
The stem sections are preferably hollow, but they may be solid.
The male and female portions preferably may be coupled together with a tight or interference fit for maximum rigidity.
Suitably, there are at least ten, and preferably fifteen, slots defined in the collar.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross section of a stem section for an artificial Christmas tree; Figure 2 is a plan view from above of the stem section shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a plan view from below of the stem section shown in Figure 1, Figure 4 is the same view as in Figure 3, showing part of three tripod legs attached, and, s Figure 5 is a side view of a preferred tripod leg the artificial Christmas tree. for the base of An artificial Christmas tree in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is assembled from identical tubular - 4 stem sections (1) as shown in Figure 1. The top male portion (2) is slightly tapered so as to fit inside the bottom female portion (3) with a tight or interference fit. However, in an obvious equivalent, two stem sections could be used, one defining a male portion at each end, the other defining a female portion at each end, fitting together alternately. A collar (4) is integrally formed in a mould on the outside of the stem section and comprises a ledge (5) which defines fifteen longidutinal slots (6) about its circumference. Each slot receives the root portion (7) of a branch for the tree, which will not be described in detail as the branches are of a known construction. A leafy portion (8) of the branch projects out from the collar (4) and is accommodated by a notch (9) formed in a parapet (10) formed on the collar.
This arrangement provides a firm seating for the branches which may be inserted in some or all of the slots, as desired, once the stem sections have been joined together. It should be noted that the end surface (11) of the female portion engages with the ledge (5) when the sections are pressed tightly together, but does not interfere with the insertion or removal of the root portions (7) of the branches, since the slots (6) for receiving the branches are coincident with the outer sidewall of the stem sections (1). Therefore, once the stem sections have been assembled, the branches can be inserted and removed quickly. In most cases, the customer is content to leave the stem sections joined together for storing the parts until the next Christmas. Only the branches and tree decorations need to be stored in a box.
On the underside of the collar (4) a skirt portion (12) is formed, with three large notches (13) formed therein, for receiving three tripod legs (14). A pin (15) is formed on each tripod leg, positioned to slot into the slots numbered 6a in Figure 3. A hook (16) is positioned to fit into the female portion (3) engaging with the edge (11) of the stem section. As seen in Figure 4 each of the three tripod legs (14) abut each other when inserted in the bottom stem section of the artificial Christmas tree assembly, so that the legs are sturdy and cannot move laterally.
Claims (5)
1. An artificial Christmas tree assembled from a kit of parts including stem sections (1) which may be fitted together by means of , male (2) and female (3) portions to form trees of different heights, branches comprising a root portion (7) and a leafy portion (8), wherein the stem sections each include a collar (4) fixed to the stem section and defining a series of longitudinal slots (6), for receiving the root portions of the branches, and on its outer periphery, a parapet (10) with a gap (9) adjacent to each slot for receiving the base of the leafy portion of each respective branch, adapted to maintain the branches in firm engagement with the stem characterized in that the collar (4) is integrally formed with the stem section and the slots defined therein are coincident with the outer sidewall of the stem, such that the branches may be inserted and removed after the stem sections have been assembled, in use.
2. An artificial Christmas tree according to claim 1, wherein the stem sections are hollow.
3. An artificial Christmas tree according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the male and female portions may be coupled together with a tight or interference fit.
4. An artificial Christmas tree according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein there are at least ten, and preferably fifteen, slots defined in the collar.
5. An artificial Christmas tree assembly according to any ofthe preceding claims, substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
IE970872A IES970872A2 (en) | 1997-12-09 | 1997-12-09 | An artificial Christmas tree |
DE69800665T DE69800665D1 (en) | 1997-12-09 | 1998-12-09 | Artificial Christmas tree |
EP98204196A EP0920826B1 (en) | 1997-12-09 | 1998-12-09 | An artificial christmas tree |
AT98204196T ATE200202T1 (en) | 1997-12-09 | 1998-12-09 | ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
IE970872A IES970872A2 (en) | 1997-12-09 | 1997-12-09 | An artificial Christmas tree |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
IES79054B2 true IES79054B2 (en) | 1998-04-08 |
IES970872A2 IES970872A2 (en) | 1998-04-08 |
Family
ID=11041654
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
IE970872A IES970872A2 (en) | 1997-12-09 | 1997-12-09 | An artificial Christmas tree |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0920826B1 (en) |
AT (1) | ATE200202T1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE69800665D1 (en) |
IE (1) | IES970872A2 (en) |
Families Citing this family (20)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US11013356B2 (en) | 2009-07-14 | 2021-05-25 | Belgravia Wood Limited | Power pole for artificial tree apparatus with axial electrical connectors |
US10993572B2 (en) | 2009-07-14 | 2021-05-04 | Belgravia Wood Limited | Power pole for artificial tree apparatus with axial electrical connectors |
US9833098B2 (en) | 2009-07-14 | 2017-12-05 | Loominocity, Inc. | Architecture for routing multi-channel commands via a tree column |
US8568015B2 (en) | 2010-09-23 | 2013-10-29 | Willis Electric Co., Ltd. | Decorative light string for artificial lighted tree |
US8298633B1 (en) | 2011-05-20 | 2012-10-30 | Willis Electric Co., Ltd. | Multi-positional, locking artificial tree trunk |
US8863416B2 (en) | 2011-10-28 | 2014-10-21 | Polygroup Macau Limited (Bvi) | Powered tree construction |
US9157587B2 (en) | 2011-11-14 | 2015-10-13 | Willis Electric Co., Ltd. | Conformal power adapter for lighted artificial tree |
US8569960B2 (en) | 2011-11-14 | 2013-10-29 | Willis Electric Co., Ltd | Conformal power adapter for lighted artificial tree |
US8876321B2 (en) | 2011-12-09 | 2014-11-04 | Willis Electric Co., Ltd. | Modular lighted artificial tree |
US9572446B2 (en) | 2012-05-08 | 2017-02-21 | Willis Electric Co., Ltd. | Modular tree with locking trunk and locking electrical connectors |
US9044056B2 (en) | 2012-05-08 | 2015-06-02 | Willis Electric Co., Ltd. | Modular tree with electrical connector |
US9179793B2 (en) | 2012-05-08 | 2015-11-10 | Willis Electric Co., Ltd. | Modular tree with rotation-lock electrical connectors |
US10206530B2 (en) | 2012-05-08 | 2019-02-19 | Willis Electric Co., Ltd. | Modular tree with locking trunk |
US9671074B2 (en) | 2013-03-13 | 2017-06-06 | Willis Electric Co., Ltd. | Modular tree with trunk connectors |
US9439528B2 (en) | 2013-03-13 | 2016-09-13 | Willis Electric Co., Ltd. | Modular tree with locking trunk and locking electrical connectors |
US9894949B1 (en) | 2013-11-27 | 2018-02-20 | Willis Electric Co., Ltd. | Lighted artificial tree with improved electrical connections |
US8870404B1 (en) | 2013-12-03 | 2014-10-28 | Willis Electric Co., Ltd. | Dual-voltage lighted artificial tree |
US9883566B1 (en) | 2014-05-01 | 2018-01-30 | Willis Electric Co., Ltd. | Control of modular lighted artificial trees |
US9839315B2 (en) | 2015-03-27 | 2017-12-12 | Polygroup Macau Limited (Bvi) | Multi-wire quick assemble tree |
US10683974B1 (en) | 2017-12-11 | 2020-06-16 | Willis Electric Co., Ltd. | Decorative lighting control |
Family Cites Families (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB303270A (en) | 1927-12-30 | 1929-01-03 | Paul Ellison | Improvement connected with imitation trees, shrubs or the like |
GB874704A (en) | 1959-05-14 | 1961-08-10 | Gertraud Hirschmann Mrs | Artificial christmas tree |
DE3240446C2 (en) * | 1981-12-22 | 1985-03-14 | Barthelmeß GmbH + Co Shop-, Schaufenster- und Industrie- Displays, 8510 Fürth | Artificial Christmas tree |
CA1272596A (en) * | 1986-04-24 | 1990-08-14 | Noma Inc. | Artificial shrub |
IT1252785B (en) | 1991-08-08 | 1995-06-28 | Livio Nocentini | METHOD FOR THE REALIZATION OF AN ARTIFICIAL TREE, AND TREE SO REALIZED |
IE68051B1 (en) | 1993-07-30 | 1996-05-15 | Connell Joseph O | Improvements in artificial Christmas trees |
-
1997
- 1997-12-09 IE IE970872A patent/IES970872A2/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
1998
- 1998-12-09 AT AT98204196T patent/ATE200202T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1998-12-09 EP EP98204196A patent/EP0920826B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1998-12-09 DE DE69800665T patent/DE69800665D1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
ATE200202T1 (en) | 2001-04-15 |
EP0920826B1 (en) | 2001-04-04 |
EP0920826A1 (en) | 1999-06-09 |
IES970872A2 (en) | 1998-04-08 |
DE69800665D1 (en) | 2001-05-10 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
EP0920826B1 (en) | An artificial christmas tree | |
US6116563A (en) | Christmas tree with improved branch joint | |
US4584792A (en) | Plant support | |
US6033089A (en) | Decorative electric luminaria with peripheral flange supports | |
US4748058A (en) | Artificial tree | |
US5527010A (en) | Stand for supporting an elongate object | |
USD384174S (en) | Set of lights for a Christmas tree | |
US6360484B1 (en) | Planter and method of manufacturing same | |
US6595658B2 (en) | Decorative assembly of a light string | |
US5580026A (en) | Tree stand | |
US5529083A (en) | Clamp assembly for umbrella tarp | |
US4340625A (en) | Artificial aquarium plant | |
CA3059920A1 (en) | Artificial tree assembly | |
FR2557761A1 (en) | Stabilising base for flower pots | |
CN2105838U (en) | Combined support for flowers and plants | |
GB2277859A (en) | Plant pot | |
KR0121480Y1 (en) | Pollen decorative joint structure | |
JPH0219091Y2 (en) | ||
KR200218205Y1 (en) | Christmas tree | |
IES59161B2 (en) | Improvements in artificial christmas trees | |
JPH0212931Y2 (en) | ||
IE940569A1 (en) | Improvements in artificial Christmas trees | |
KR890005525Y1 (en) | Paper umbrella for the use of decoration | |
KR950005161Y1 (en) | Device for decoration of flower-pots | |
KR20000017929U (en) | Flowerpot cover |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
MM4A | Patent lapsed |