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US 10,478,003 B2Granted
Tree stand
AssigneePolygroup Macau Limited (BVI)
InventorChi Yin Alan Leung
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for mounting decorative objects, such as Christmas trees, is disclosed. The system can include a base and a plurality of inserts. The base can comprise a plurality of feet that have a retracted position for ready storage and a deployed position for supporting a tree. The base can further comprise a locking mechanism for locking the feet in the retracted position, the deployed position, or both. The base can further comprise an adapter for receiving one or more inserts. The inserts can comprise a consistent outer diameter, for insertion into the adapter, and a variety of inner diameters for use with a variety of tree diameters. The insert can be installed on the trunk of a tree and then installed into the adapter on the base simplifying the tree erection process.
Claims19
A Christmas tree system comprising:
- a Christmas tree;
- and
- a tree stand including:
- a body having:
- a first concentric cylinder rotatably coupled with a second concentric cylinder, each of the first concentric cylinder and the second concentric cylinder comprising one or more holes;
- and
- an adapter positioned proximate an end of the body;
- one or more legs coupled to the first concentric cylinder;
- one or more legs coupled to the second concentric cylinder;
- and
- a spring-loaded locking mechanism configured to engage the one or more holes of the first and second concentric cylinders to secure a rotational alignment of the first concentric cylinder relative the second concentric cylinder, the spring-loaded locking mechanism including a spring and a detent having a base portion and a protruding portion,
- wherein, when the spring-loaded locking mechanism is in a locked configuration corresponding to the rotational alignment of the first concentric cylinder relative the second concentric cylinder, the spring pushes the detent outward from a central axis of the first and second concentric cylinders such that the protruding portion extends at least partially through the holes of the first and second concentric cylinders and the base portion abuts an inner wall of the first concentric cylinder or the second concentric cylinder,
- wherein, when the spring-loaded locking mechanism is in an unlocked configuration, the spring is compressed such that the base portion does not abut an inner wall of the first concentric cylinder or the second concentric cylinder and the protruding portion is located substantially within the inner wall of the first concentric cylinder and the second concentric cylinder, and
- wherein at least one of the concentric cylinders is configured to receive a trunk of the Christmas tree.
11 more elements
A Christmas tree system comprising:
- a Christmas tree;
- and
- a tree stand including:
- a first base comprising one or more holes and a second base comprising one or more holes, the first base and the second base each comprising one or more legs, and wherein the first base can rotate with respect to the second base such that the legs of the first base rotate with respect to the legs of the second base;
- an adapter positioned proximate an end of the first base or the second base;
- and
- a spring-loaded locking mechanism configured to engage, when the spring-loaded locking mechanism is in a locked configuration, at least one of the one or more holes of each of the first base and the second base to prevent rotation of the first base with respect to the second base when the legs of the first base and the legs of the second base are in a deployed state, the spring-loaded locking mechanism including a spring and a detent having a base portion and a protruding portion,
- wherein, when the spring-loaded locking mechanism is in the locked configuration, the spring pushes the detent outward from a central axis of the first and second concentric cylinders such that the protruding portion extends at least partially through the at least one of the one or more holes of the first and second concentric cylinders and the base portion abuts an inner wall of the first concentric cylinder or the second concentric cylinder,
- wherein, when the spring-loaded locking mechanism is in an unlocked configuration, the spring is compressed such that the base portion does not abut an inner wall of the first concentric cylinder or the second concentric cylinder and the protruding portion is located substantially within the inner wall of the first concentric cylinder and the second concentric cylinder,
- wherein the adapter is configured to receive a trunk of the Christmas tree.
7 more elements
A method of assembling a tree system, the method comprising:
- rotating a first concentric cylinder of the tree stand relative to a second concentric cylinder of the tree stand to separate legs of the tree stand;
- aligning a detent with a hole of one or more holes in each of the first and second concentric cylinders, wherein upon alignment of the hole of the one or more holes of the first concentric cylinder and the hole of the one or more holes of the second concentric cylinder, a spring pushes the detent outward from a central axis of the first and second concentric cylinders such that a protruding portion of the detent extends at least partially through the hole of the one or more holes of the first concentric cylinder and the hole of the one or more holes of the second concentric cylinder and the base portion abuts an inner wall of the first concentric cylinder or the second concentric cylinder;
- and
- inserting a trunk of a Christmas tree into an adapter of the tree stand, the adapter positioned proximate an end of the tree stand.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.