Supports – Staff type – Stand or base
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-13
2001-09-04
Ramirez, Ramon O. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Staff type
Stand or base
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283436
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a retaining device for receiving Christmas trees of various sizes and trunk shapes.
A wide range of different designs for Christmas tree stands are known in practice. There are stands available which comprise a base plate and a tube which is fastened vertically thereon and in which the Christmas tree is fastened by means of a plurality of horizontally arranged T-screws. Erecting a tree using such stands usually involves a number of problems: two people are required in order to erect and align the tree; the tree trunks usually have to be adapted to the tree stand; the T-screws only provide small grip surfaces for fingers and are thus difficult to rotate; and only a small water supply, if any at all, is ensured.
Also known are stands wherein the receiving tube has an oversized diameter and in which the tree is positioned approximately centrally and wedged firmly by means of a plurality of wedges, which are driven between the border of the receiving tube and the tree. It is also difficult in this case for a single person to align the tree.
Also known is a stand in which the tree trunk to be fastened is guided in a sleeve provided with slots. A wedge-shaped displacement body in the form of a union nut is screwed onto the outer circumference of the sleeve and, by virtue of its wedge-shaped displacement profile, displaces radially arranged pressing jaws in the direction of the tree trunk. The tree trunk guided in the sleeve is finally clamped in and fixed by the radially inwardly moving pressing jaws. It is also disadvantageous in the case of this tree stand that, if the cross section of the tree trunk is not circular, then nonuniform abutment of the pressing jaws results and causes insufficient fastening and alignment of the tree which is not completely vertical.
Also known are Christmas tree stands having a trunk-receiving part arranged on the base plate, and a plurality of retaining elements which are arranged about an axis of symmetry and can be pivoted individually, independently of one another, above the receiving part between a release position and a retaining position in planes which intersect at least more or less in the axis of symmetry. In the retaining position, the retaining elements can be made to butt under pressure against the trunk of the Christmas tree by way of an abutment region and have just one tensioning device which, via one force transmitting element, acts with the same force on all the retaining elements simultaneously and moves the retaining elements into their retaining position. This stand, which has achieved considerable market penetration, seems to be the best one at present. However, this Christmas tree stand also has disadvantages: it is necessary, in order to actuate the tensioning device, to produce a considerable manual force when one is bent down to a considerable extent, a position in which it is difficult to keep the tree straight. A cable, for example, a steel cable, which is pulled by the tensioning device and makes the retaining elements butt against the tree trunk, operates on two considerably different planes, develops, at the furthest point from the tensioning device, i.e., on the rear retaining elements, a considerable tensile force that does not allow uniform force distribution over all the retaining elements. An extremely stable construction of the stand is required that is very cost-intensive.
Also known is a Christmas tree stand which is produced by complex and expensive casting and is designed as a pot with three fixed crosspieces at spacings of 120° and an inclination of 25° in a slanting plane. Clamping wedges provided with corresponding grooves are arranged such that the wedges are movable on the crosspieces such that the tree is centrally positioned and presses on a plate connected to the clamping wedges and thus makes the clamping wedges butt against the tree and fasten it. A tree that is fastened in this way is difficult to remove again.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical retaining device of a generic type by means of which Christmas trees of a height of up to approximately 2.50 m, with thick or thin trunks and a smooth or non-uniform trunk surface are uniformly fastened and automatically aligned in the vertical position with the smallest possible amount of force being exerted.
This object is achieved according to the present invention in that two or more flexible connections are directed from a fixation point and are arranged in a tiltable and rotatable manner, via a plurality of retaining elements, by way of a diverting element that guides the flexible connections to a pulling element. The flexible connections are tensioned by the pulling element such that the retaining elements, which are arranged in a tiltable manner, move, by way of their top outer ends, in a predetermined radius in relation to an axis of symmetry of the receiving vessel, which receives the tree trunk, and arrest the latter. The fixation point is in a plane that is lower than the retaining elements. The flexible connections are crossed with one another between the pulling element and the retaining elements and are crossed with one another between the retaining elements and end fastening points. Upon tensioning of the flexible connections, the retaining elements butt against the tree trunk by means of the pulling element in a flexible manner. Accordingly, the flexible connections compensate for unevenness in the shape of the tree trunk without the loss of force due to the movability of the fixation point.
The straightforward operation of the pulling element, either by actuating a foot lever or a remote control means which sets an electric motor in operation, makes it possible to erect the tree reliably and vertically in relation to its axis of symmetry without one being forced to bend down.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5114113 (1992-05-01), Krinner
patent: 5797579 (1998-08-01), Krinner
patent: 6019341 (2000-02-01), Brown et al.
patent: 6087946 (2000-07-01), Menard, Jr.
patent: 6094859 (2000-08-01), Kalman et al.
Schulz Farriba
Schulz Rainer
Jordan and Hamburg LLP
Krinner Klauss
Ramirez Ramon O.
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