US20040146664A1

US20040146664A1 - Twist tie having artificial foliage and combination comprising tree or wreath, decorative attachment, and twist tie

Info

Publication number: US20040146664A1
Application number: US10/350,160
Authority: US
Inventors: Carolyn Neuman
Original assignee: Neuman Tree Inc
Current assignee: Neuman Tree Inc
Priority date: 2003-01-23
Filing date: 2003-01-23
Publication date: 2004-07-29

Abstract

As used to attach a decorative attachment, such as a lighting string or an ornament, to a branch of a natural or artificial tree or wreath, a twist tie has a wire spine and has artificial foliage, which conceals the wire spine and which simulates foliage of the branch.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention pertains to a twist tie, which is useful to attach a decorative attachment, such as a lighting string or an ornament, to a natural or artificial tree, such as a Christmas tree, or to a natural or artificial wreath, such as a Christmas wreath. This invention contemplates that the twist tie has artificial foliage simulating foliage of such a tree or of such a wreath.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When a natural or artificial tree or a natural or artificial wreath is decorated with a decorative attachment, such as a lighting string or an ornament, it is known to use any of a variety of fasteners to attach the decorative attachment. As an example, it is known to use a twist tie to attach a lighting string or an ornament. Typically, as known heretofore, a twist tie has a wire spine, which may be paper-covered. Disadvantageously, when a twist tie is used to attach a lighting string or an ornament, it is difficult to conceal the twist tie.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a twist tie having a wire spine and having artificial foliage, which conceals the wire spine and which simulates foliage of a tree or of a wreath, such as a Christmas tree. The tree may be a natural, in-ground tree, a natural, cut tree, or an artificial tree.

This invention also provides a decorative combination comprising a tree, as described above, a decorative attachment, such as a lighting string or an ornament, and a twist tie having a wire spine and having artificial foliage, which conceals the wire spine and which simulates foliage of the tree.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 are fragmentary, perspective views of a branch having foliage, from tree or from a wreath, a lighting string, as an example of a decorative attachment, and a twist tie, in a decorative combination embodying this invention, respectively before and after the twist tie is used to attach the lighting string to the branch. FIG. 3, on an enlarged scale, is a perspective view of the twist tie, by itself. [0005]
FIGS. 4 and 5, on a further enlarged scale, are fragmentary perspective views of two wires and a of small strips of a polymeric material, respectively after those strips are placed between and across the wires and while the wires are twisted so as to secure those strips between the wires, whereby to form the twist tie, in which those strips simulate foliage of the branch.[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a [0007] branch 10 of a tree or of a wreath has foliage 12, such as needles, of a suitable color, such as green or white, and is decorated by a lighting string 20 having lamps 22, one of which is illustrated. If the branch 10 is from a natural, in-ground tree or from a natural, cut tree, the foliage 12 is natural. If the branch 10 is from an artificial tree, the foliage 12 is artificial and may be formed in a manner disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,574,102, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The lighting string 20 exemplifies a decorative attachment, which is attachable to the branch 10. As used to attach the lighting string 20 to the branch 10, a twist tie 30 embodies this invention. After the twist tie 30 is bent around the branch 10 and around the lighting string 20, the opposite ends of the twist tie 30 are twisted about themselves, as illustrated, or the twist tie 30 is twisted in a spiral pattern around the branch 10 and around the lighting string 20, so as to secure the lighting string 20 removably to the branch 10.
As illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, and [0008] 5, the twist tie 30 has a wire spine 32, which is comprised of two wires 34, 36, of a suitable metal, which is preferred, or of a suitable polymer. Moreover, the twist tie 30 has a multitude of thin, short strips 38 of a polymeric film, such as poly(vinyl chloride) film, of a suitable color, such as green or white. After the strips 38 are placed between and across the wires 34, 36, the wires 34, 36, are twisted tightly, about themselves, over the entire lengths of the wires 34, 36, so as to secure the strips 38 between the wires 34, 36, whereby to form the twist tie 30, in which the strips 38 simulate the foliage 12 of the branch 10.

Claims

1. A twist tie having a wire spine and having artificial foliage, which conceals the wire spine and which simulates foliage.

2. A combination comprising a natural or artificial branch of a tree or of a wreath, a decorative attachment, and a twist tie attaching the decorative attachment to the branch, the twist tie having a wire spine and having artificial foliage, which conceals the wire spine and which simulates foliage of the branch.

3. A combination comprising a natural or artificial branch of a tree or of a wreath, a lighting string, and a twist tie attaching the lighting string to the branch, the twist tie having a wire spine and having artificial foliage, which conceals the wire spine and which simulates foliage of the branch.