Controlled diameter collapsible artificial christmas tree

• US 7,122,230 B1
• Filed: 06/12/2004
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas Joseph Maskell
• Original Assignee: Thomas Joseph Maskell
• Inventors: Maskell, Thomas Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): McNeil, Jennifer C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Austin, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US10/866,061
• Time in Patent Office: 857 Days
• Field of Search: 428/18, 428/19, 428/20, D11/118
• US Class Current: 428/20
• CPC Class Codes: A41G 1/007 Artificial trees
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/06 Artificial Christmas trees

Abstract

The invention relates to an artificial tree that can be reduced in diameter by rotating its branches inward and along the length of the tree'"'"'s trunk. The rotation of the branches is initiated by the rotation of the threaded inner core which is coaxially placed within the tree'"'"'s outer trunk shell. This rotational motion is translated into a linear motion along the threaded inner core by the restriction of the rotational movement of a threaded branch translator placed on the threaded inner core. The restriction is caused by branch extenders pivotally attached to the branch translator and passing through openings located on the tree'"'"'s outer trunk shell. The linear motion of the translator causes a multitude of pivotally attached branches radiating from the tree'"'"'s trunk to rotate inward and along the tree'"'"'s trunk. Thus, the diameter of the tree is reduced for easier transport and storage.

Claims

1. An artificial tree with changing diameter, said tree comprising:

an outer trunk shell including a multitude of elongated openings along and around said outer trunk shell;

a threaded inner core within and coaxial to said outer trunk shell;

a multitude of threaded branch translators threaded onto said threaded inner core and aligned with said elongated openings in said outer trunk shell;

a multitude of branches passing through said elongated openings in said outer trunk shell and pivotally attached to said threaded branch translators such that said branches are free to rotate in planes parallel to the central axis of said outer trunk shell; and

means for rotating said threaded inner core such that the rotational motion of said threaded inner core is transformed into linear motion of said threaded branch translators along the length of said threaded inner core causing said branches to rotate along the length of said outer trunk shell and changing the diameter of said tree.

2. The artificial tree of claim 1, said tree further comprising:

a multitude of branch extenders, said branch extenders are pivotally attached to said threaded branch translators such that said branch extenders are free to rotate in planes parallel to the central axis of said outer trunk shell while simultaneously restricting the rotational motion of said threaded branch translators because said branch extenders pass through said elongated opening.

3. The artificial tree of claim 2, said tree further comprising:

a multitude of branch guides, said branch guides are pivotally attached to said outer trunk shell at said elongated openings such that said branch guides are free to rotate in planes parallel to the central axis of said outer trunk shell, said branch extenders are coaxially and slidably joined to said branch guides such that said branch extenders are contiguous to said branch guides during rotation.

4. The artificial tree of claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said threaded inner core includes a geared coupling attached to said threaded inner core.

5. The artificial tree of claim 1 wherein said artificial tree has a removable top.