[0001] The invention relates to a method for constructing an artificial tree, for example
a Christmas tree, and to a tree constructed using this method.
[0002] More particularly, the invention relates to a method for forming an artificial tree,
which envisages the use of a central support with suitable seats into which the bottom
ends of the branches are inserted.
[0003] A method of this type is described in Italian Patent No. 1217021. According to this
known method, the trunk of the tree is formed by a tubular member having, in several
successive sections, a plurality of holes distributed along the cylindrical surface.
The bottom ends of the branches are inserted into these holes and are then fixed by
inserting a wedging member inside the tubular member. Fixing is achieved as a result
of folding of the ends of the branches, which are held fast between the internal surface
of the tubular member and the wedging member.
[0004] The invention relates to a different method for constructing an artificial tree,
allowing faster and easier assembly and a greater degree of versatility.
[0005] Substantially the method according to the invention is characterised by the following
operations: forming a plurality of joints each comprising two elements intended to
be coupled with each other, one of which forms force-fitting seats for the ends of
the branches; inserting the ends of the branches in said seats; firmly coupling said
two elements; and connecting a plurality of said joints by interposing spacing members.
[0006] According to this method, the branches are attached to joining members, any number
of which may then be assembled in a variable manner depending on the requirements,
for example according to the dimensions of the tree which is to be constructed. With
this method, therefore, trees of variable dimensions can be constructed in an extremely
versatile manner. Furthermore, the coupling operations may be performed separately
from the tree assembly operations, with the possibility of automating the individual
stages of production.
[0007] The invention relates, moreover, to an artificial tree comprising a trunk to which
branches arranged at different heights along the trunk itself are attached, characterised
in that said trunk comprises a plurality of joints connected together by spacing members,
and in that the branches are connected to the trunk in the region of and by means
of said joints.
[0008] Each joint may advantageously consist of two elements which can be coupled together
and which form the seats for the ends of the branches to be connected to the trunk
and which form at the same time members for anchoring the branches. Special stems
may be used to connect the individual elements, and thus the joints formed by them,
to the spacing members which connect successive joints to form the trunk of the tree.
[0009] Further advantageous features of the artificial tree according to the invention are
described in the accompanying claims.
[0010] The invention also relates to a joining member for forming an artificial tree, characterised
in that it comprises two elements which can be coupled together and which are equipped
with means for effecting connection to spacing members, said elements forming seats
for receiving the ends of the branches and fixing means for attaching said branches
to the joint itself. In practice, a first of said elements has a cavity and the second
of said elements has a flange portion designed to be inserted into said cavity so
as to fix the ends of the branches.
[0011] Further advantageous embodiments of the joining member according to the invention
are described in the accompanying claims.
[0012] The invention will be better understood with reference to the description and accompanying
drawings which show a practical non-limiting example of the said invention. In the
drawings:
Fig. 1 shows an artificial tree which can be obtained using the method according to
the invention;
Fig. 2 shows an enlarged detail of the trunk with two branch joining zones, one of
which is sectioned longitudinally along the line II-II of Fig. 4;
Fig. 3 shows a detail of a branch joining zone in longitudinal section along III-III
of Fig. 4;
Fig. 4 shows a section along IV-IV of Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 shows a front view of one of the branch connecting elements;
Fig. 6 shows, in isolation and in partial longitudinal section, a side view of one
of the branch joining elements; and
Fig. 7 shows a modified embodiment of the member for connecting successive joints.
[0013] Fig. 1 shows in very schematic form a tree, in particular a Christmas tree, constructed
according to the invention. The tree, denoted generally by 1, has a trunk 3 to which
branches 5 are connected. The branches are attached to the trunk in several successive
joining zones denoted by 7. At each joining zone, a ring of branches is arranged uniformly
around the trunk 3. Each branch consists, in a manner known per se, of wire or other
suitable twisted material to which strips of plastic material or the like, forming
the leaves or needles of the tree, are attached.
[0014] Fig. 2 shows an enlarged detail, in partial longitudinal section, of the trunk 3
of the tree and of two joining zones 7. As can be seen in this figure, a tubular spacing
member 9 is arranged between two successive joining zones 7, inside the two opposite
ends of which member two elements forming the joint 7 for the branches are inserted.
The first of these elements (also shown in isolation in Fig. 6), denoted by 11, has
a hollow cylindrical stem 13, intended to be inserted into the tubular spacing member
9. A body 15 which forms an abutment 17 for the front part of the tubular spacing
member 9 is connected to the cylindrical stem 13. The body 15 has an external surface
with a frusto-conical portion and a cylindrical portion. The latter is equipped with
a plurality of slots 19 distributed uniformly along the extent of the cylindrical
surface of the body 15 of the joining element 11. The slots 19 lead into a cylindrical
cavity 21 of the body 15 and are open along the front edge 23 of the body 15.
[0015] Blind holes 25 are formed in the bottom surface of the cylindrical cavity 21 of the
body 15 of the joining element 11 and are uniformly distributed around an axial through-hole
27. There are the same number of blind holes 25 as there are slots 19 and they are
arranged so as to coincide with the latter. Projections 29 are also provided in the
cavity 21, being of the same number as the slots 19 and being arranged offset with
respect to the latter.
[0016] The second joining element is denoted generally by 31. It consists of a hollow cylindrical
stem 33 and a flange portion 35. The flange portion 35 has a diameter substantially
equal to the diameter of the cylindrical cavity 21 formed in the first joining element
11, and a height such that, when inserted into the cylindrical cavity 21 of the element
11 with the front surface 35A up against the projections 29, the rear surface 35B
of the flange is approximately flush with the front edge 23 of the body 15 of the
joining element 11. The front surface 35A of the flange 35 has annular projections
37 (see in particular Fig. 5), concentric with the axis of a central hole 39 which,
when the two elements 11 and 31 are coupled, is, aligned with the axial hole 27 of
the element 11.
[0017] Assembly of the tree is performed as follows: The bottom ends of the branches 5 are
inserted into the blind holes 25 of the joining element 11 and the branches themselves
are folded so as to project radially from the slots 19. The joining element 31 is
then inserted with its flanged portion 35 into the cylindrical cavity 21 of the element
11 so as to force and deform the ends of the branches 5 as shown in Fig. 2. The two
elements 11 and 31 are firmly connected by means of a self-threading screw 41 inserted
through the holes 27 and 39 of the two elements 11 and 31. By tightening the screw
41, the two elements 11 and 31 of the joint 7 are locked together and the branches
5 firmly anchored, the bottom ends of the latter being held inside the blind holes.25
as a result of the restraining action of the annular projections 37.
[0018] Any desired number of successive joints 7 with their respective branches 5 are then
assembled by means of the tubular spacing members 9. Coupling of the tubular spacing
members 9 and the joints 7 is performed by means of force-fitting with the possible
addition of an adhesive if desired. The surface of the stems 13 and 33 may be equipped,
if necessary, with annular ribs (as shown for the stem 33 in Fig. 3) or longitudinal
ribs so as to increase the friction on the internal cylindrical surface of the tubular
members 9.
[0019] Fig. 7 shows an alternative embodiment for the spacer 9 to be arranged between two
successive joints 7. In this figure the branches 5 have been omitted for the sake
of clarity of the drawing. In this embodiment the spacer is equipped, at its ends,
with cylindrically extending seats defined by two coaxial cylindrical walls 51, 53.
The cylindrical stems 13 and 33 are force-fitted into the seats. The internal cylindrical
walls 53 give the structure of the trunk 3 greater rigidity.
[0020] The spacer of Fig. 7 may be used as an alternative to the spacer shown in Fig. 2.
It is also possible, in a single tree, to use both spacers in succession, for example
the spacer of Fig. 7 in the bottom part and the spacer of Fig. 2 in the top part of
the trunk.
[0021] It is obvious that the drawing shows only one example given merely by way of a practical
demonstration of the invention, it being possible for the forms and arrangements to
be varied without thereby departing from the scope of the idea underlying the invention
itself. Any reference numbers used in the accompanying claims are intended to facilitate
reading of the claims with reference to the description and the drawing and do not
limit the protective scope of the claims.
1. Method for forming an artificial tree, wherein the branches are applied to a central
support with suitable seats, their ends being inserted into said seats, characterised
by the following operations: forming a plurality of joints (7) each comprising two
elements (11, 31) intended to be coupled with each other so as to form seats for the
ends of the branches (5); inserting the ends of the branches (5) in said seats; firmly
coupling said two elements (11, 31), thereby attaching the branches to the elements
themselves; and connecting a plurality of said joints (7) by interposing spacing members
(9).
2. An artificial tree comprising a trunk (3), to which branches (5) arranged at different
heights,along the trunk itself are attached, characterised in that said trunk comprises
a plurality of joints (7) connected together by spacing members (9), and in that the
branches (5) are connected to the trunk in the region of and by means of said joints
(7).
3. Artificial tree according to Claim 2, characterised in that each joint comprises two
elements (11, 31) which can be coupled together, said elements forming seats for receiving
the ends of the branches and fixing means for attaching said branches to the joint
itself.
4. Artificial tree according to Claim 3, characterised in that said elements (11, 31)
have stems (13, 33) for effecting connection to the spacing members (9).
5. Artificial tree according to Claim 3 or 4, characterised in that a first (11) of said
elements has a cavity (21) and the second (31) of said elements has a flange portion
(35) designed to be inserted into said cavity (21) so as to fix the ends of the branches
(5).
6. Artificial tree according to Claim 5, characterised in that said first element (11)
has a plurality of holes (25) inside which the ends of the branches are inserted,
and a plurality of slots (19) from which said branches emerge, said holes (25) opening
out into said cavity (21).
7. Artificial tree according to Claim 5 or 6, characterised in that said cavity (21)
of said first element (11) is cylndrical and said flange portion (35) of said second
element (31) is cylindrical with a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of
said cavity.
8. Artificial tree according to one or more of Claims 5 to 7, characterised in that projections
(29) are arranged inside said cavity (21) and form an abutment for the flange portion
(35) of said second element (31) intended to be inserted into said cavity.
9. Artificial tree according to one or more of Claims 5 to 8, characterised in that said
flange portion (35) of said second element (31) has a front surface (35A) with a plurality
of projections (37) for clamping the ends of the branches (5).
10. Artificial tree according to one or more of Claims 3 to 9, characterised in that said
elements (11, 31) forming the joint (7) are coupled together by means of a screw member
(41).
11. Artificial tree according to Claim 4, characterised in that said stems (13, 33) have
grooves designed to increase the friction between the stems themselves and the spacing
members (9).
12. Artificial tree according to one or more of Claims 2 to 11, characterised in that
said spacing members (9) consist of tubular members.
13. Artificial tree according to Claims 4 and 12, characterised in that said spacing members
(9) have at their ends two coaxial cylindrical walls (51, 53) defining seats for the
stems of the elements (11, 31) forming the joints (7).
14. A joining member for forming an artificial tree of the type comprising a trunk and
branches attached to said trunk, characterised in that it comprises two elements (11,
31) which can be coupled together and are equipped with means (13, 33) for effecting
connection to spacing members (9), said elements forming seats for receiving the ends
of the branches (5) and fixing means for attaching said branches to the joint itself.
15. Joining member according to Claim 14, characterised in that a first (11) of said elements
has a cavity (21) and the second (31) of said elements has a flange portion (35) designed
to be inserted into said cavity (21) so as to fix the ends of the branches (5).
16. Joining member according to Claim 15, characterised in that said first element (11)
has a plurality of holes (25) inside which the ends of the branches are inserted and
a plurality of slots (19) from which said branches emerge, said holes (25) opening
out into said cavity (21).
17. Joining member according to Claim 15 or 16, characterised in that said cavity (21)
of said first element (11) is cylindrical and said flange portion (35) of said second
element (31) is cylindrical with a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of
said cavity.
18. Joining member according to one or more of Claims 15 to 17, characterised in that
projections (29) are arranged inside said cavity (21) and form an abutment for the
flange portion (35) of said second element (31) intended to be inserted into said
cavity.
19. Joining member according to one or more of Claims 15 to 18, characterised in that
said flange portion (35) of said second element (31) has a front surface (35A) with
a plurality of projections (37) for clamping the ends of the branches (5).
20. Joining member according to one or more of Claims 14 to 19, characterised in that
said elements (11, 31) forming the joint (7) are coupled together by means of a screw
member (41).
21. Joining member according to Claim 14, characterised in that said stems (13, 33) have
grooves designed to increase the friction between the stems themselves and the spacing
members (9).