GB2431343A

GB2431343A - A rotatable and shape-changeable Christmas tree

Info

Publication number: GB2431343A
Application number: GB0521535A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chang Lin Chun
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-10-22
Filing date: 2005-10-22
Publication date: 2007-04-25
Anticipated expiration: 2025-10-22
Also published as: GB2431343B; GB0521535D0

Abstract

A rotatable and shape-changeable Christmas tree, wherein the trunk 20 of the tree is pivotally installed on a base 10 and the trunk 20 includes a plurality of straight pipes 21 and a plurality of bent pipes 22 assembled to one another, on each of the straight pipes 21 is arranged a bearing 40 on which is mounted an annular support device 50, and between neighboring annular support devices 50 are arranged a plurality of decorative leaves 70. During rotation of the trunk 20 relative to the base 10, the annular support devices 50 will be driven to rotate, and the decorative leaves 70 will rotate along with the annular support devices 50 and will appear to change in shape during the rotation of the annular support devices. A tree crown decorative assembly 60 may be installed on a top end of the trunk 20. The annular support devices 50 may be of different sizes.

Description

A ROTATABLE AND SHAPE-CHANGEABLE CHRISTMAS TREE

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an artificial Christmas tree, and more particularly to a rotatable and shape-changeable Christmas tree.

Description of the Prior Art

During the holiday seasons, homes are commonly adorned in and out with festive decorations. One common decoration is the artificial Christmas tree.

Therefore, a large variety of Christmas trees have been made so far, some of them are decorated with different ornaments, such as light and acoustic devices, and some of them are foldable. However, very few of the conventional Christmas trees are changeable in shape.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of an improved form of Christmas tree.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a rotatable and shape-changeable Christmas tree, wherein the trunk of the tree is pivotally installed on a base, and the trunk includes a plurality of straight pipes and a plurality of bent pipes being assembled to one another, on each of the straight pipes is arranged a bearing on which being mounted an annular support device, and between neighboring annular support devices are arranged a plurality of decorative leaves.

During rotation of the trunk relative to the base, the annular support devices will be driven to rotate, and the decorative leaves will rotate along with the annular support devices and will appear to change in shape during the rotation of the annular support devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is an assembly view of a Christmas tree in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is an exploded view of a part of the Christmas tree in accordance with the present invention, particularly showing how the trunk and the bearing are assembled together; Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the tree-crown decorative assembly in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 4 is an illustrative view showing that the tree-crown decorative assembly is mounted on the top end of the trunk; and Fig. 5 is an illustrative view showing how the Christmas tree in accordance with the present invention rotates.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to Fig. 1, a Christmas tree in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and comprises a base 10, a trunk 20, a rotating device 30, a plurality of bearings 40, a plurality of different sized annular support devices 50, a tree-crown decorative assembly 60 and a plurality of decorative leaves 70. The base 10 is firmly placed on the ground.

The trunk 20 includes a plurality of straight pipes 21 and a plurality of bent pipes 22, as shown in Fig. 2. Each end of the respective bent pipes 22 is formed with an inserting portion 221 in which being formed an aperture 222. The inserting portion 221 is inserted in the end of the respective straight pipes 21, and in each of the straight pipes 21 is formed an aperture 211 to be aligned with the aperture 222 of the bent pipes 22. The straight pipes 21 and the bent pipes 22 are assembled to one another by screwing a locking member 23 into the aperture 211 of the straight pipes 21 and the aperture 222 of the bent pipes 22. And one of the straight pipes 21 is pivotally fixed to the base 10.

The rotating device 30 is disposed in the base 10 and is fixed to the straight pipe 21 of the trunk 20 fixed to the base 10.

The bearings 40 are installed on the straight pipes 21 of the trunk 20.

Each of the annular support devices 50 includes an inner ring 51, an outer ring 52, and four ribs 53 connected between the inner and outer rings 51, 52, as shown in Fig. 2, the inner ring 51 of the annular support devices 50 is mounted on the bearings 40.

The tree-crown decorative assembly 60 is installed on the top end of the trunk and includes a bracket 61, a positioning seat 62 and a connecting member 63.

With reference to Figs. 3 and 4, the bracket 61 includes an upper ring 611, a lower ring 612, four ribs 613 connected between the upper and lower rings 611 and 612, and a reinforcing rib 614 connected between two opposite ribs 613, thus forming a conical bracket 61. The positioning seat 62 is formed with an axial hole 621 and defined with a locking groove 622 for mating with the reinforcing rib 614 of the conical bracket 61. The connecting member 63 is inserted in the axial hole 621 of the positioning seat 62. In the end of the connecting member 63 is formed a groove 631 for mating with the reinforcing rib 614 of the conical bracket 61, and in the positioning seat 63 is further defined a connecting hole 632.

The decorative leaves 70 are attached between the outer rings 52 of the * neighboring annular support devices 50, and between the connecting hole 632 of the connecting member 63 and the annular support device 50 at the end of the trunk 20.

When the rotating device 30 is turned on, it will rotate the straight pipe 21 disposed on the base 10. Due to the straight pipes 21 and the bent pipes 22 are assembled together by crewing the locking member 23 into the aperture 211 of the straight pipes 21 and the aperture 222 of the bent pipes 22, the straight pipes 22 will also be driven by the rotating device 30 to rotate along with the straight pipes 21.

When the trunk 20 is rotated by the rotating device 30, the annular support devices 50 will also rotate along with the trunk 20 since they are assembled together via bearings 40. Due to the annular support devices 50 are different in size, and due to the irregular shape of the trunk 20 formed by the straight pipes 21 and the bent pipes 22, the decorative leaves 70 between the annular support devices 50 will appear to change in shape during the rotation of the annular support devices 50.

Claims

C'aims:- 1. A rotatable and shape-changeable Christmas tree comprising: a

base; a trunk including a plurality of straight pipes and a plurality of bent pipes being connected to one another, and one of the straight pipes pivotally fixed to the base; a plurality of bearings installed on the straight pipes of the trunk; a plurality of annular support devices mounted on the bearings; and a plurality of decorative leaves arranged between neighboring annular support devices.
2. A rotatable and shape-changeable Christmas tree as claimed in claim 1, wherein a rotating device is disposed in the base and fixed to the straight pipe fixed on the base.
3. A rotatable and shape-changeable Christmas tree as claimed in claim 1, wherein each end of each of the respective bent pipes of the trunk is an inserting portion to be inserted in an end of the respective straight pipes.
4. A rotatable and shape-changeable Christmas tree as claimed in claim 3, wherein an aperture is formed in the inserting portion of each of the bent pipes, and in each of the straight pipes is formed an aperture to be aligned with the aperture of the bent pipes, the straight pipes and the bent pipes are assembled to one another by screwing a locking member into the aperture of the straight pipes and the aperture of the bent pipes.
5. A rotatable and shape-changeable Christmas tree as claimed in claim 1, wherein the annular support devices each includes an inner ring, an outer ring and a plurality of ribs connected between the inner ring and the outer ring, and the inner ring is mounted on each of the bearings.
6. A rotatable and shape-changeable Christmas tree as claimed in claim 1, wherein a tree-crown decorative assembly is installed on a top end of the trunk and includes a bracket, a positioning seat and a connecting member, the bracket is mounted on the bearings, the positioning seat is installed in the bracket, and the connecting member is inserted in the positioning member.
7. A rotatable and shape-changeable Christmas tree as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bracket includes an upper ring, a lower ring, four ribs connected between the upper and lower rings, and a reinforcing rib connected between two opposite ribs, thus forming a conical bracket, the positioning seat is formed with an axial hole and defined with a locking groove for mating with the reinforcing rib of the bracket, the connecting member is inserted in the axial hole of the positioning seat, in an end of the connecting member is formed a groove for mating with the reinforcing rib of the bracket, and in the positioning seat is further defined a connecting hole, the connecting hole and the annular support devices are provided for positioning the decorative leaves.
8. A Christmas tree substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

8. A Christmas tree substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows: Claims:- 1. A rotatable and shape-changeable Christmas tree comprising: a base; a trunk including a plurality of straight pipes and a plurality of bent pipes connected to one another, and one of the straight pipes being mounted to the base so as to be rotatable about its longitudinal axis; a plurality of bearings, one mounted on each of the straight pipes of the trunk; a plurality of annular support devices mounted on the bearings; and a plurality of decorative leaves arranged between neighboring annular support devices.

2. A rotatable and shape-changeable Christmas tree as claimed in claim 1, wherein a rotating device is disposed in the base and fixed to the straight pipe fixed onthebase.

3. A rotatable and shape-changeable Christmas tree as claimed in claim 1, C wherein each end of each of the respective bent pipes of the trunk is an inserting portion to be inserted in an end of the respective straight pipe.

4. A rotatable and shape-changeable Christmas tree as claimed in claim 3, wherein an aperture is formed in the inserting portion of each of the bent pipes, and in each of the straight pipes is formed an aperture to be aligned with the aperture of the bent pipes, the straight pipes and the bent pipes are assembled to one another by ( screwing a locking member into the aperture of the straight pipes and the aperture of the bent pipes.

5. A rotatable and shape-changeable Christmas tree as claimed in claim I, wherein the annular support devices each includes an inner ring, an outer ring and a plurality of ribs connected between the inner ring and the outer ring, and the inner ring is mounted on each of the bearings.

6. A rotatable and shape-changeable Christmas tree as claimed in claim 1, wherein a tree-crown decorative assembly is installed on a top end of the trunk and includes a bracket, a positioning seat and a connecting member, the bracket is mounted on the bearings, the positioning seat is installed in the bracket, and the connecting member is inserted in the positioning member.

7. A rotatable and shape-changeable Christmas tree as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bracket includes an upper ring, a lower ring, four ribs connected between the upper and lower rings, and a reinforcing rib connected between two opposite ribs, thus forming a conical bracket, the positioning seat is formed with an axial hole and defined with a locking groove for mating with the reinforcing rib of the bracket, the connecting member is inserted in the axial hole of the positioning seat, in an end of the connecting member is formed a groove for mating with the reinforcing rib of the bracket, and in the positioning seat is further defined a connecting hole, the connecting hole and the annular support devices are provided for positioning the decorative leaves.