Patent ID: 7484703
Filing Date: 2009-02-03
Classification: A47G

Abstract:
1. A tree stand for receiving a lower portion of a trunk of a tree, comprising: a foot piece; a receiving part for receiving the lower portion of the trunk coaxially with an axis of the receiving part, the receiving part comprising retaining elements arranged about said axis a tensioning device; a force transmission device operatively connecting the tensioning device to the retaining elements to move each of said retaining elements from a release position, in which the trunk is not retained by the retaining elements, then to a support position, in which the retaining elements engage the trunk with relatively little force thereby permitting alignment of the trunk in the receiving part, and then to a retaining position, in which the retaining elements securely clamp the trunk with sufficient force to prevent realignment of the trunk in the receiving part, said force transmission device comprising a flexible connecting device which is loadable by tension; and an elastic buffer element operatively connected to the force transmission device, said elastic buffer element exerting an elastic resistance in response to a tensioning applied to the force transmission device by operation of said tensioning device over a predetermined range of tightening of the force transmission device, said elastic buffer element ceasing to provide meaningful elastic buffering when a threshold is reached in a progressive tightening of the force transmission device by continued operation of the tensioning device, further tightening of said force transmission device beyond said threshold by operation of the tensioning device causing the tensioning device to have a substantially unbuffered effect on the force transmission element, such that, in the alignment position, the force transmission device presses the retaining elements against the trunk with a predetermined, adjustable force exerted by the elastic resistance of the elastic buffer element that is less than a force with which the force transmission device presses the retaining elements against the trunk in the retaining position with the substantially unbuffered effect present after the threshold has been exceeded, so that, in the alignment position, the trunk is supported substantially upright but is realignable prior to exceeding said threshold.