Collapsible plastic tree

• US 4,496,615 A
• Filed: 11/09/1983
• Issued: 01/29/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Herbert P.H. Huang
• Original Assignee: Herbert P.H. Huang
• Inventors: Huang, Herbert P. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Epstein, Henry F.
• Application Number:
  US06/550,132
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 428/18, 428/19, 428/20, 428/8, 428/9-12, 156/61, 362/123, D11/118, 211/196, 211/197, 211/205
• US Class Current: 428/9
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/06 Artificial Christmas trees

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved collapsible plastic tree and in particular to one comprising a plastic trunk having a plurality of holes, a plurality of collars disposed on the plastic trunk, a plurality of ribs movably mounted on the collars, and a plurality of plastic branches each firmly joined to one of the ribs. The plastic branches will lay open with respect to the plastic trunk when the plastic trunk is vertically disposed and the plastic branches will be folded up on the plastic trunk when the plastic trunk is disposed upside down.

Claims

1. An improved collapsible plastic tree comprising:

a plastic trunk in the form of a cylindrical tube;

a plurality of collars each having a number of curved plates mounted to said trunk, each of said curved plates being formed with two flat portions each joined to a flat portion of another one of said curved plates to form a junction;

a plurality of ribs, each formed at one end with a serrated portion and at the other end with a U-shaped portion having an edge designed to limit the outward extent of the rib, said U-shaped portion being pivoted on the junction of two of said curved plates in such a way that said rib will swing to its outstretched, upswept position when said plastic trunk is vertically disposed and will collapse when said plastic trunk is inverted; and

a plurality of plastic branches, each tightly wrapped in the serrated portion of each said rib.

2. The plastic tree of claim 1, wherein said collars are mounted to said trunk with rivets and wherein the flat portions of curved plates are joined to each other with rivets.