Artificial Shrub

This invention relates to artificial shrubs, particularly those which are mass merchandized for Christmas decorations, although it is not necessarily limited thereto.

Artificial shrubs of the foregoing type generally fall into two categories. In those of the first category, individual branches, which may number 50 or more depending upon the nature of the shrub and its height, are required to be inserted into openings in the trunk of the shrub or holders supported from the trunk each time the shrub is erected, and then withdrawn for storage of the shrub. Since the branch lengths vary so as to give a realistic, tapered appearance to the shrub, the assembly process defeats a less competent segment of society. Even for the more competent segment, the assembly can be tedious and time consuming. The category of artificial shrub aims to overcome these problems by providing partially preassembled shrubs wherein the branches are permanently secured to branch holders, which holders may be supported on a central support pole or keyed together, for example. For storage purposes the securement means is such as to permit the branches to pivot between an upstanding stored position and an outspread position.

Many proposals have been heretofore made of record for pivotally connecting the branches. In one such proposal, the construction necessitated drilling and rivetting, making the second construction somewhat less competetive economically with the first type. In a second embodiment of the pivotable structure a pivot is molded as a spur into the branch support structure, and a loop formed at the end of a branch is engageable therewith. The loop is maintained in engagement with the pivot by using a separately provided wedge. This structure is amenable to user assembly, but in practise it has been found to be disadvantageous in permitting an undesirable lateral movement (wobbling) of the branches, and in necessitating the provision of a separate component which can be misplaced.

The problem of providing a pivoting type branch holder which did not require the provision of additional parts, and yet which gave a firm support to the branch was addressed by Koehler, U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,814 commonly assigned herewith. In accordance with this proposal the branch holder comprised pairs of axially aligned, spaced apart walls, one of the walls having a transverse opening thereto and a passageway communicating with the opening. The end of the stem of the branch was turned at right angles whereby the end could be inserted through the passageway into the opening, which formed a bearing for the branch, while the portion of the stem location outwardly of the turned end was firmly supported in its outspaced portion between the opposed walls. While this solution is suitable for shrubs of a certain appearance, the double wall structure of the branch holder tends to limit the number of branches that can be secured to the trunk at a particular level to about 6, whereas it is sometimes desirable in order to provide a layered appearance that this be increased to about 12.

It is then an object of this invention to provide improvements to artificial shrubs.

It is another object of this invention to provide improved branch holders for shrubs.

It is another object to provide artificial shrubs of economic cost, and reliable performance which may have a pleasing aesthetic appearance.

It is yet another object of my invention to provide artificial shrubs which facilitate the connection of the branches to the holders, whether this is performed in a factory operation or by a user.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an artificial shrub comprises a trunk having a plurality of branch holders axially spaced therealong. Such branch holder comprises a hub, which may be integrated with the trunk or separately supported therefrom when the tree is assembled, and a disk-like flange radiating from the hub. The flange has a plurality of radial walls upstanding therefrom, at least some of the walls being provided with a transverse aperture therethrough defining a bearing for a pivot element of a branch, and in which the pivot element is receivable and rotatable to permit the branch to swing in the axial plane of the trunk between a stored, upright position and a outspread position wherein it is supported by the flange. A passageway connects the bearing aperture to a free edge of the radial wall which is generally remote from the outwardly facing end thereof, to permit the introduction of the pivot element into the bearing opening. The inscribed circular dimension of the passageway adjacent the juncture of the passageway and the bearing opening is marginally less than the inscribed circular dimension of the bearing opening, thereby forming a trap to retain the pivot element in the bearing opening.

The stem of the branch is hooked, preferably by folding the end of the stem over into a U shape, with the bight of the hook forming the pivot element. The transverse spacing between the arms of the hook is preferably such that the arms provide an interference fit and grasp the radial wall, so as to resist lateral movement of the branch and rotational movement about the axis of the stem.

In accordance with more specific aspects of the passageway communicates with the free edge of the radial wall at the inwardly facing end thereof which, in the vicinity of the opening to the passageway, is spaced apart from the hub. Desirably, the upper surface of the flagne defines the lower margin of the passageway and bearing opening, and is slotted to be in communication therewith, so as to facilitate the moulding of the holder as a unitary structure without the use of mould inserts.

In accordance with still further aspects of the invention, the holder includes a plurality of radial walls cantilevered outwardly from the central support element and connected to the flange on the underside thereof.

Preferably, the central support element is tubular, and includes means for indexing a branch holder in relation to an adjacent branch holder.

These foregoing objects and aspects of the invention, together with other objects, aspects and advantages thereof will be more apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the following drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspecive view of an artificial tree as contemplated by the invention;

FIG. 2 shows in perspective view from above a branch holder in accordance with the invention, to which holder the stems of two branches are shown in assembled relationship;

FIG. 3 shows the branch holder of FIG. 2 in plan view, and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on line 4--4 of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows.

With reference to the drawings an artificial shrub is denoted therein by the numeral 10 and comprises a main portion 12 and top portion 14 supported from a base 16. A support pole 18 is upstanding from base 16; conveniently, and as known in the art, support pole 18 may be formed from a limited number of members the ends of which telescope one into the other so as to form a relatively rigid structure. A plurality of branch holders 20 are slidingly received on support pole 18. Branch holders 20 comprise a platform 22 in the form of a disk like flange. A plurality of the branch holders are axially maintained in spaced apart relationship on pole 18 by means of tubular spacers 24 which are slidingly received on the pole. Conveniently spacers 24 are integrally formed with branch holders 20 and form part of a hub 26 from which the platform 22 radiates. The upper and lower extremities of tubular spacers 24 are formed with saw toothed notches 28 which permit the branch holders 20 to be stacked in a indexed relationship on pole 18.

Arranged in equi-spaced relationship on platform 22 are a number of radially aligned, vertically upstanding walls 30. Radial walls 30 have an inwardly facing free edge 32, and are provided with a radially extending passageway 34 which communicates with the free edge. The upper surface of the entrance to passageway 34 is downwardly inclined at 36 to form a ramp surface. The blind end of passageway 34 is enlarged somewhat at 38. The lower margin of passageway 34 is defined by the upper surface 40 of platform 22. The platform is slotted at 42 in communication with the passageway, to permit the moulding of the undercut surfaces of passageway 34 using a simple two part mould. The outer peripheral edge 44 of platform 22 is downwardly turned to stiffen the platform; further stiffening is provided by radially aligned walls 46 cantilevered outwardly from hub 26 which connect to the underside of platform 22. Suitably, branch holders 20 are moulded from a thermoplastic resinous material.

Branches 50 of the main portion 12 of shrub 10 are formed of relatively heavy gauge wire, with two strands being twisted together to trap flat filaments 52 therebetween in a manner well known in the art. The stem portion 54 of the branches 50 is devoid of filaments 52. The end portion 56 of the stem portion 54 is turned twice at right angles to form a U shaped hook 58. Hook 58 is formed in part by stem 54, a bight 60 and a tip 62, the tip being parallel to stem portion and spaced apart therefrom by the thickness of wall 30.

The assembly of branches 50 to branch holders 20 is initiated by engaging the bight 60 of hook 58 in the entrance to passageway 34, and then exerting a tensile force on branch 50 to urge it outwardly relative to the branch holder. The circumcircular cross sectional dimension of bight 60 is marginally greater than the inscribed circular dimension of passageway 34, at least at the juncture of the passageway with the blind end 38. The tensile force applied to branch 50 acts to deform wall 30 elastically whereby the bight of the hook 58 becomes trapped in blind end 38. The blind end 38 thereby forms a bearing for bight 60 about which branch 50 may be pivoted between a generally upright position, for storage, and a outspread position as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. In its outspread position, the hooked end of branch 50 firmly grips and interferes with wall 30 and lays along the upper surface 40 of platform 22. The contact area between the platform surface 40 and branch 50 is maximized by ensuring that the blind end 38 forming the bearing for the branch locates radially well inwardly of the peripheral edge of the platform. For this purpose the upper edge of hub 26 and the notched indexing means 28 thereon does not project above the level of the upper surface 40 of platform 22, so as not to impede the entry of hooked ends 58 of branches 50 into the passageways 34. The branches 50 secured to different axially spaced branch holders 20 may differ somewhat in their length and density of furnish or other characteristic as is commonly known in the art, so as to provide the main portion 12 of shrub 10 with a realistic appearance. The outer ends of the branches of the assembled tree will normally reside approximately on a frustrated conical surface 70. The top portion of shrub 10 is normally preassembled from twisted wire in a construction similar to that of branches 50, the stem of the top portion commonly being received in an axial bore in pole 18 to complete the artificial shrub.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that many changes may be made to the illustrated embodiment both for structural and aesthetic reasons, which achieving at least action of the aims, objects and advantages of the invention. It is intended that all such variations fall within the spirit of the claims appended hereto be encompassed by the invention.