Invertible christmas tree

• US 8,062,718 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2010
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Balsam International Unlimited Company (Balsam Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bruce A. Schooley
• Inventors: Schooley, Bruce A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Austin; Aaron
• Application Number:
  US12/798,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20100196628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 428 17- 20, 428/27, 362/123, 493/956
• US Class Current: 428/20
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/06 Artificial Christmas trees
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 493/956 having appearance of living plant, e.g. christmas tree
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

An artificial Christmas tree includes a central trunk broken into at least two separate portions including a fixed trunk portion and at least one rotating trunk portion. The fixed trunk extends up from an underlying base. Rotating trunks rotatably attach at midpoints thereof at least indirectly to an upper end of the fixed trunk. Limbs are pivotably attached to the rotating trunks with optional lights coupled thereto. These limbs pivot between a perpendicular orientation extending from the rotating trunks and a collapsed configuration closer to a centerline of the rotating trunks. The rotating trunks can be pivoted from a first collapsed configuration with a first end above a second end to a deployed configuration with the second end above the first end. During such pivoting, the limbs attached to the rotating trunk transition between a collapsed to a deployed configuration automatically. A wheeled base and cover further facilitate storage and deployment.

Claims

1. A collapsible Christmas tree, comprising in combination:

a first trunk portion;

said first trunk portion having an elongate form extending between an upper end and a lower end, said upper end above said lower end when said first trunk portion is supported upon a floor;

a second trunk portion having an elongate form between a first end and a second end;

said second trunk portion including a plurality of limbs extending laterally therefrom;

a pivot joint coupling said first trunk portion to said second trunk portion in a manner allowing pivoting of said second trunk portion relative to said first trunk portion;

said pivot joint interfacing with said first trunk portion at a location closer to said upper end than to said lower end; and

said pivot joint interfacing with said second trunk portion at a location spaced from both said first end and said second end of said second trunk portion.

2. The collapsible Christmas tree of claim 1 wherein said plurality of limbs are attached to said second trunk portion in a manner which allows pivoting of said limbs relative to said second trunk portion.

3. The collapsible Christmas tree of claim 2 wherein said limbs are restricted to movement between substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said second trunk and a collapsed form with a tip of each limb closer to the second trunk portion than a deployed position extending substantially perpendicularly from said second trunk portion.

4. The collapsible Christmas tree of claim 1 wherein said pivot joint allows for at least about 180°

of rotation of said second trunk portion relative to said first trunk portion.

5. The collapsible Christmas tree of claim 4 wherein said pivot joint includes an axle aligned with a rotational axis with said axle coupled directly to both said first trunk portion and said second trunk portion with said second trunk portion pivoting about said axle relative to said first trunk portion.

6. The collapsible Christmas tree of claim 5 wherein said pivot joint is located at substantially a midpoint of said second trunk portion.

7. The collapsible Christmas tree of claim 5 wherein said pivot joint is positioned at substantially a balance point of said second trunk portion aligned with a center of mass of said second trunk portion.

8. The collapsible Christmas tree of claim 4 wherein said pivot joint is located adjacent said upper end of said first trunk portion.

9. The collapsible Christmas tree of claim 1 wherein a plurality of lights are provided along at least one cord, said cord routed up said first trunk portion and transitioning from said first trunk portion to said second trunk portion adjacent said pivot joint with said cord feeding electric power to a plurality of lights deployed on at least one limb coupled to said second trunk portion.

10. The collapsible Christmas tree of claim 1 wherein said second end of said second trunk portion is attachable to a bottom end of a cap portion of the collapsible Christmas tree, said cap portion including a top trunk and top limbs extending laterally from said top trunk with said top trunk substantially aligned with said second trunk portion when said bottom end of said cap is coupled to said second end of said second trunk portion.

11. A method for erecting a collapsible Christmas tree, the steps including:

providing a Christmas tree having a first trunk portion, the first trunk portion having an elongate form extending between an upper end and a lower end, the upper end above the lower end when the first trunk portion is supported upon a floor, a second trunk portion having an elongate form between a first end and a second end, the second trunk portion including a plurality of limbs extending laterally therefrom, a pivot joint coupling the first trunk portion to the second trunk portion in a manner allowing pivoting of the second trunk portion relative to the first trunk portion, the pivot joint associated with the first trunk portion at a location closer to the upper end than to the lower end, and the pivot joint associated with the second portion at a location spaced from both the first end and the second end of the second trunk portion;

initially positioning the collapsible Christmas tree with the first trunk portion extending substantially vertically with the first end of the second trunk portion above the second end of the second trunk portion and with the second trunk portion extending substantially vertically; and

pivoting the second trunk portion about the pivot joint substantially 180°

to be substantially vertical with the second end above the first end.

12. The method of claim 11 including the further step of allowing the limbs coupled to the second trunk portion to pivot relative to the second trunk portion between a substantially perpendicular orientation relative to the second trunk portion and a collapsed orientation pivoted closer to the second trunk portion with the limbs in the collapsed orientation when the first end of the second trunk portion is above the second end of the second trunk portion and with the limbs extending substantially horizontally when the second end of the second trunk portion is located above the first end of the second trunk portion.

13. The method of claim 11 including the further step of securing the first end of the second trunk portion to a portion of the first trunk portion in a temporary fashion to hold the second trunk portion in a deployed position with the second end of the second trunk portion above the first end of the second trunk portion.

14. The method of claim 11 including the further step of providing a cap having a top trunk with a plurality of top limbs extending laterally from the top trunk, the top trunk removably attachable to the second end of the second trunk portion with the top trunk extending substantially colinearly with said second trunk portion;

and

attaching the top trunk of the cap portion to the second end of the second trunk portion.

15. The method of claim 11 including the further steps of:

providing a cover with a height similar to a length of the first trunk portion plus about half of a length of the second trunk portion and with a width similar to a width of the Christmas tree when in a collapsed form with the first end of the second trunk portion above the second end of the second trunk portion, such widths defined by tips of limbs attached to the second trunk portion.

16. The method of claim 15 including the further step of removing the cover before said pivoting step.

17. The method of claim 15 including the further step of removing the cover after said pivoting step.

18. The method of claim 11 including the further steps of:

providing a wheeled base;

fixing the lower end of the fixed trunk to the wheeled base; and

using the wheeled base to transport the Christmas tree from a storage location to a location where deployment of the tree is intended.

19. An invertible artificial tree, comprising:

a first trunk portion with an upper end above a lower end;

a second trunk portion with a first end opposite a second end;

a pivot joint on said second trunk portion;

said second trunk portion joined to said first trunk portion at said pivot joint between said first end and said second end; and

a plurality of limbs extending laterally from said second trunk portion.

20. The artificial tree of claim 19 wherein said pivot joint allows rotation of said second trunk portion substantially 180°

relative to said first trunk portion.

21. The artificial tree of claim 20 wherein said plurality of limbs are pivotably attached to said second trunk portion, such that said limbs can pivot by gravity from a collapsed position to a deployed position with tips of said limbs closer to said second trunk portion when said limbs are in said collapsed position than in said deployed position.

22. The artificial tree of claim 21 wherein lights are coupled to said limbs, said lights coupled to a light cord routed up said first trunk portion, then to said second trunk portion before being coupled to said lights to supply power to said lights.

23. The artificial tree of claim 19 wherein said second trunk portion is oriented substantially parallel with said first trunk portion both before and after rotation of said second trunk portion relative to said first trunk portion about said pivot joint.

24. The artificial tree of claim 19 wherein a clasp is removably attachable between said first trunk portion and a portion of said second trunk portion, between where said second trunk portion is coupled to said pivot joint and said first end of said second trunk portion, to keep said second trunk portion locked in a deployed position until said clasp is removed.