Patent Application
20160192799
In general, the present invention relates to an apparatus for displaying Christmas trees. In particular, the present disclosure is a Christmas tree stand apparatus for use with live trees, and comprising a built-in tarp that is used to roll the tree up when it is discarded.
Live Christmas trees shed needles, especially after the tree has been cut and on display for a few weeks during the holiday season. This shedding makes it especially bothersome when a user needs to dismantle the tree from the stand, and dispose of the tree. Needles are spread throughout the area that the tree stood and where it is disassembled. To prevent this, the user may use a tarp to wrap the tree in, if there is one on hand.
What is needed is a Christmas tree stand that will: easily adjust to the size of a wide variety of tree trunk diameters and uneven bases; is easy to water without spilling fluids in the area around the stand; and that has a built-in disposable tarp (e.g. made of recycled plastic) to facilitate dismantling the tree by catching the shedding needles. The apparatus of the present disclosure comprises all of these features.
The various embodiments of the present disclosure comprise a Christmas tree stand with a built-in tarp that is unrolled from the stand when the tree is to be discarded. The stand comprises: a hollow frusto-conical-like shaped housing covered with a hinged collar that pivots the tree to the floor when the tree is to be discarded. The housing further comprises: a rotating wheel with spurs in the base; and a rotating cylinder with baffles connected on the cylinder's top edge. A cable lays on the top of the baffles and against the outer sidewall of the rotating cylinder. The cable also runs between three evenly spaced sets of restraints with screws aligned perpendicularly into the tree trunk. When a tree trunk is placed in the rotating cylinder and rotated clockwise, the cable pulls the screws and restraints against the trunk to stabilize it, and the tree is locked into place with a foot pedal. The screws may also be manually rotated to further embed them into the tree trunk. Additionally, the locking pedal further comprises a hole for facilitating pouring water into the apparatus from a bottle without spilling the water.
The method of assembling comprises the following steps of: inserting the tree trunk into the housing, centered in the rotating cylinder, and pressing downward to embed the spurs of the rotating wheel into the trunk bottom. Then rotating the trunk clockwise up to about ninety degrees, which concurrently causes the cylinder and wheel to rotate clockwise. This in turn causes the cable to tighten around the rotating cylinder and pull the connected screws perpendicularly into the tree bark. Pressing downward on the foot pedal locks the cylinder, wheel, and cable in place. The user may then manually turn the screws to further stabilize the tree's vertical position within the apparatus.
The method of disassembling comprises the steps of: pulling on the ends of the tarp to unroll it from the housing, and unfolding the tarp to lay on the ground while still being connected on one end to the housing. Unlocking the foot pedal and lowering the tree to the tarp, which causes the rotating cylinder and cable assembly to pivot to a vertical position. Manually loosening the screws and rotating the cylinder counter-clockwise to automatedly retract the screws and restraints. Manually removing the rotating cylinder from the tree trunk, and wrapping the tree within the tarp and sealing the bundle closed with adhesive tape that is affixed along the edge of the tarp.
The method of watering the tree while it is in the stand comprises: screwing an adapter onto the threads of the top of a bottle of water; inserting the adapter with the bottle of water into a hole centered in the locking foot pedal, wherein the bottle is positioned at a downward angle to facilitate pouring water into the stand without spilling any of it.
An object of the present disclosure is a tree stand with a built-in tarp to facilitate disposing of the tree while not having to clean up shedding needles and other debris.
Another object is providing a mechanism to facilitate watering the tree while it is in the stand without spilling the water.
Another object is providing a tree stand that is able to fit a wide range of tree trunk diameters and shapes.
With respect to the above description, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the herein disclosed invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention herein described is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosed apparatus. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
As used in the claims to describe the various inventive aspects and embodiments, “comprising” means including, but not limited to, whatever follows the word “comprising”. Thus, use of the term “comprising” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present. By “consisting of” is meant including, and limited to, whatever follows the phrase “consisting of”. Thus, the phrase “consisting of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, and that no other elements may be present. By “consisting essentially of” is meant including any elements listed after the phrase, and limited to other elements that do not interfere with or contribute to the activity or action specified in the disclosure for the listed elements. Thus, the phrase “consisting essentially of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present depending upon whether or not they affect the activity or action of the listed elements.
Objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be brought out further in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the various embodiments without placing limitations thereon.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some, but not the only or exclusive, examples of embodiments and/or features. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting. In the drawings:
Now referring to drawings in
Tree stand apparatus 100 comprises the outer components of: a substantially hollow frusto-conical-like shaped housing 8 with a hinged collar 1 on the top surface. Housing 8 may further comprise openings in the side wall to enable a user to see within the apparatus 100.
Collar 1 further comprises a circular opening in the center that the tree trunk 22 is inserted into. And collar 1 comprises a hinge mechanism 13 on the front side of apparatus 100 to enable the collar to be rotated 90 degrees upward to a vertical position when the tree is to be discarded. For example,
Wheel with Spurs: Apparatus 100 inner components comprise a lower revolving wheel 7 that the tree trunk rests upon when the rotating cylinder 5 is locked into position via the cylinder guide (see
Rotating Cylinder and Cable Assembly: Apparatus 100 inner components further comprise a rotating cylinder connected to a cable assembly. As illustrated in the cross sectional left side view of
The cable assembly comprises a tightening mechanism to automatedly turn a plurality of horizontally positioned screws 3 into the tree trunk bark. Each tightening mechanism comprises a hollow cylinder gliding restraint 2 within which a screw 3 slides, and wherein a hole extends from each restraint 2 that is of sufficient width to allow a cable 4 to easily pass through. For example,
The cable assembly is also viewed from a top plan view in
Additionally, when cable 4 moves as the cylinder 5 rotates, each screw 3 moves independently from the other two screws. As a result, a tree trunk with an uneven outer surface is affixed between the three screws in a stable manner where each of the screws 3 may be extended a different length from their restraint 2 because of the trunk's unevenness. The independent movement of screws also enables apparatus 100 to fit a wide range of tree trunk diameters, such as from about 2.5 inches to about 7 inches.
Locking Foot Pedal: As illustrated in
Adjustments: The amount of tightening and the tree position is adjustable by manually rotating counter-clockwise the tree trunk 22 before depressing the locking pedal 15. The rotation automatedly retracts the restraints 2 and screws 3 outwardly to loosen the tree. Additionally, before and after the locking pedal 15 is depressed, screws 3 can be manually turned by the user to further stabilize the tree within the stand.
Watering Hole: As illustrated in
Apparatus 100 may further comprise a built-in tarp 16 residing on a roller 18 within housing 8. As illustrated in
The tree stand apparatus 100 is then disassembled by: unlocking pedal 15 by lifting it at the hinge 13; and then rotating the tree downward to lay on the floor while the cylinder 5 and cable assembly rotate out of housing 8 and into a vertical position (e.g. see
It is additionally noted and anticipated that although the apparatus is shown in its most simple form, various components and aspects of the apparatus may be differently shaped or slightly modified when forming the invention herein. As such those skilled in the art will appreciate the descriptions and depictions set forth in this disclosure or merely meant to portray examples of preferred modes within the overall scope and intent of the invention, and are not to be considered limiting in any manner.
While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the invention have been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or claims herein. Consequently, all such modifications and variations and substitutions are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/099,455 filed on Jan. 3, 2015 and incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference thereto.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62099455 | Jan 2015 | US |
