Hanging fruit tree construction

• US 6,854,609 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2003
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kevin D. Hettinger
• Original Assignee: Kevin D. Hettinger
• Inventors: Hettinger, Kevin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O
• Application Number:
  US10/378,345
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 211/85.4, 211/205, 211/196, 211/189, 242/99, 242/65.EC, 243/43, 248/317, 248/316.5, 248/316.7, 248/339, 248/229.23, 248/229.13, 248/686
• US Class Current: 211/85.4
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/04 Stands with a central pillar, e.g. tree type A47F5/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/0071 for perishable goods

Abstract

A hanging fruit tree construction (10) for suspending individual articles of fruit (100) from their respective stems (101) wherein, the construction (10) includes a circular base (21) that supports an elongated shaft member (30), the upper portion of which is provided with a plurality of recesses (32) which are dimensioned to receive the inboard ends of a plurality of dowels (40) (40′) the outer portions of which are adapted to releasably engage at least one spring clip member (50) the jaw elements (51) (52) of which are adapted to releasably engage the stem portion (101) of an article of fruit.

Claims

1. A hanging fruit tree construction comprising

a base unit including a circular base

a shaft unit including an elongated shaft member having a lower end adapted to be centrally affixed to the circular base and having an upper end provided with a plurality of vertically staggered recesses

a plurality of limb units including a plurality of dowels having inboard ends adapted to be captively received in said plurality of recesses and further having outboard portions;

and,

a plurality of fruit stem engaging units operatively associated with the outboard portions of said plurality of dowels wherein, each fruit stem engaging unit includes a spring clip member wherein, each of the plurality of dowels is provided with a selected one among an eyelet and a hook element, and each of the plurality of spring clip members is provided with the non-selected one among the eyelet and the hook element.

2. The construction as in claim 1;

wherein, said spring clip member includes a pair of relatively movable spring clip jaws.

3. The construction as in claim 2;

wherein, said spring clip jaws are pivotally associated with a spring element.

4. The construction as in claim 1;

wherein, the base unit further includes raised sidewalls surrounding said circular base.

5. The construction as in claim 2;

wherein, the base unit further includes raised sidewalls surrounding said circular base.

6. The construction as in claim 3;

wherein, the base unit further includes raised sidewalls surrounding said circular base.

7. The construction as in claim 1;

wherein, said plurality of dowels includes a first plurality of short dowels and a second plurality of elongated dowels.

8. The construction as in claim 7;

wherein, said first plurality of short dowels is each associated with at least one spring clip member.

9. The construction as in claim 7;

wherein, said second plurality of elongated dowels is adapted to be associated with at least a pair of spring clip members.

10. The construction as in claim 3;

wherein, said second plurality of elongated dowels is adapted to be associated with at least a pair of spring dip members.

11. A hanging fruit tree construction comprising

a base unit including a circular base

a shaft unit including an elongated shaft member having a lower end adapted to be affixed to the base and having an upper end

a plurality of limb units including a plurality of dowels having inboard ends adapted to be connected to said shaft member and further having outboard portions;

and,

a plurality of fruit stem engaging units operatively associated with the outboard portions of said plurality of dowels wherein, each of the plurality of dowels is provided with a selected one among an eyelet and a hook element, and each of the plurality of spring clip members is provided with the non-selected one among the eyelet and the hook element.