Abstract:
A tabletop stand for holding a palm branch in an upright orientation. The stand has a horizontal sleeve which is a receptacle for a bottom aspect of a palm branch. The sleeve is provided with a slot so that the stand may be used in combination with an elongated plastic bag which has a rod extending for a segment of the bag&#39;s length. A bottom segment of the rod and surrounding bag is inserted into the sleeve and a lateral part of the bag passes through the slot.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This applications claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Appl. Ser. No. 61/991,772, filed May 12, 2014—the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to the field of holders, more specifically to a table-top holder for a palm branch. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many people use palm branches (fronds) during the course of religious observance. For example, Jewish people hold palm branches (called a lulav in Hebrew) in their hands during certain religious services. One problem often encountered by such users is the issue of where to store these branches while not being held. Many will lay branches across a table while not in use. However, the branches occupy a lot of linear space and they are susceptible to being knocked off the tabletop or otherwise interfering with other items on the table. There is, therefore, a need in the art for a portable holder for conveniently holding and/or storing palm branches. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention set forth herein is a substantially cylindrical housing which has an inner cavity that is sized and shaped to receive a palm branch. In one embodiment, the inventive holder is configured to hold an elongated plastic bag that is commonly used to transport palm branches. The cylindrical housing is provided with legs or similar structures for supporting the same in an upright position on a tabletop. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a palm branch holder according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of a palm branch holder with its legs folded according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a side perspective view of a palm branch holder having an elongated bag secured therein according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a side perspective view of a palm branch holder having two receptacle areas for receiving two elongated palm branch bags according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of the palm branch holder of  FIG. 4  showing palm branch bags in each receptacle according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the above-identified Drawings. However, the Drawings and the description herein of the invention are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. It will be understood that various modifications of the present description of the invention are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Also, features described herein may be omitted, additional features may be included, and/or features described herein may be combined in a manner different from the specific combinations recited herein, all without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
       FIG. 1  shows a portable branch holder  8  according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown a cylindrical shaped sleeve  10  having an upper opening  12 . Sleeve  10  has an outer wall  14  and an inner wall  15 . Inner wall  15  defines a cylindrical-shaped cavity that is used to capture a bottom area of a palm branch or a bag for holding a palm branch. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a slot  18  is made in the wall  14  of sleeve  10 . Slot  18  is a notch out, slot or similar slender longitudinal opening made in wall  14  of sleeve  10 . As shown, slot  18  is defined by substantially parallel side walls  16   a ,  16   b , bottom wall  16   c  and upper opening  16   d.    
     In one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of legs extend from the bottom of sleeve  10  which, in use, rest on a table top or similar flat surface. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, legs  19  are attached to sleeve  10  by way of a pivot  20 , hinge or similar mechanism which allows for movement of the legs in relation to the sleeve. 
     In one embodiment, a bottom surface of cylinder  10  is mounted to, or integrally formed with a plinth or similar base member  22 . Base  22  has an outer wall  24 , a top surface  26  and an underside surface  28 . Sleeve  10  is affixed (or integrally formed) orthogonally to upper surface  26  of base  22  and extends upwardly therefrom. As shown in  FIG. 1 , legs  19  are hingedly mounted to base  22  by way of a pivot  20  passing through a terminal end of leg  19  and through a tab  21  or similar surface projecting from outer wall  24  of base  22 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, support arms  30  are provided for maintaining legs  19  in a deployed position while providing buttressing support for sleeve  10 . As shown, support arms  30  have a first end that contacts the outer wall  14  of sleeve  10  and a second end that contacts legs  19 . Preferably, support arms  30  are connected to sleeve by way of a hinge, pivot  32  or similar mechanism. In one embodiment, the second end of support arms  30  insert into corresponding notches  34  or similar pockets made in the outer surfaces of legs  19 . Notches  34  are sized and shaped to capture terminal ends of support arms  30 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a portable palm branch holder  8  with its legs  19  folded upwardly. In an embodiment of the invention, a spring  36  mounted on pivot  20  has an end that contacts the bottom surface  19   a  of leg  19 —thus biasing leg upwardly (i.e. to pivot in the direction toward sleeve  10 ). In storage or non-deployed position, legs  19  are pivoted upwardly to be stowed substantially parallel to outer wall  14  of sleeve  10 . Spring  36 , maintains legs  19  in such stowed position. Support arms  30  are similarly pivoted upwardly where they are maintained in an upward orientation, substantially parallel to outer wall  14  of sleeve  10 . In such storage or non-deployed position, support arms  30  are sandwiched between the outer wall  14  of sleeve  10  and top surfaces of legs  19 . 
     In use, a user rotates legs  19  downward such that they are substantially orthogonal to outer wall  14  of sleeve  10 . Support arms  30  are similarly pivoted downward and ends thereof are inserted into notches  34  of legs  19 . Support arms  30  provide constant counter bias to springs  36 —thereby maintaining legs  19  in a locked position and deployed substantially orthogonally to a longitudinal axis of sleeve  10 . Bottom surfaces  19   a  of legs  19  and bottom surface  28  of base  22  are substantially coplanar, forming a bottom plane that is placed in contact with a table top or such similar planar surface. 
     In the embodiment shown, four legs extend from base  22 , but it will be understood that more or fewer than four legs are possible. Moreover, as an alternative to legs  19 , base member  22  may be of sufficient width and weight so as to support sleeve  10  in an upright position without the need of extending legs. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, a bottom segment of a palm branch may be inserted into sleeve  10  through opening  12 . The palm branch is thusly supported and maintained in an upright position. However, in another embodiment of the invention, palm branch holder  8  is configured to support a specialized palm branch carry bag. 
     For example, referring to  FIG. 3 , a lulav bag is shown. Lulav bag  38  is an elongated plastic bag having plastic walls  40  which create an inner cavity that is sized and shaped to receive a palm branch  42 . A rod  44 , dowel or similar supporting element is runs along a segment of the interior length of bag  38 . Rod  44  is located in a side aspect of the bag  38 . Because rod  44  is positioned within the inner confines of bag  38 , plastic walls  40  surround, or partially surround rod  44 . Rod  44  may be formed of various materials including cardboard, plastic, wood or such similar rigid material. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the internal circumference of sleeve  10  is incrementally greater than the external circumference of rod  44 . In the embodiment shown, rod  44  (and bag material partially surrounding the same) inserts into sleeve  10  through opening  12 . In one embodiment of the invention, the inside walls  15  of sleeve  10  contact bag area surrounding rod  44  and grip the outer bag and rod  44  in a tight frictional grip. In another embodiment of the invention, a bottom surface of bag  38  and rod contact an inner floor surface  23  of sleeve  10 , and a bottom bag segment contacts bottom wall  16   c  of slot  18 . A segment of bag walls  40  extend laterally out of slot  18 . This allows for a branch to be secured inside a bag and maintained in an upright position. 
     The internal diameter of sleeve  10  is substantially sized and shaped to surround a rod  44  and surrounding plastic bag material. In one preferred embodiment, the internal diameter is between ¾″ to 1″. 
     It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that an aspect of the invention is to provide a sleeve, a tube or one or more rounded slots that are sized and shaped to receive outer contours of a rod and surrounding bag material—whereby a segment of the bag may egress laterally through a slot or similar opening. 
       FIG. 4  shows another embodiment of the invention, whereby a dome shaped holder  46  is provide with corresponding upper and lower apertures to receive a rod associated with a lulav bag (or a lower aspect of a palm branch). As shown, holder  46  has a bottom plate  48  and a top plate  49 . Bottom plate  48  has a bottom surface  50   a , a top surface  50   b  and a thickness  50 . Top plate  49  also has a top surface  51   a , a bottom surface  51   b  and a thickness  51 . An aspect of top plate is separated in space from bottom plate and is substantially parallel thereto. 
     A rounded notch out  54   a  or similar aperture is made in top plate  49 . Notch  54   a  has an annular wall  56   a  that is substantially the thickness  51  of top plate  49 . Annular wall  56   a  is not a complete circle, but rather ends of annular wall terminate in a gap which forms a slot  58   a  in top late  49 . Slot  58   a  allows lateral access to notch  54   a . Similarly, a rounded notch out  54   b  is made in bottom plate  48 . Notch  54   b  has an annular wall  56   b  that is substantially the thickness  50  of bottom plate  48 . Annular wall  56   b  is not a complete circle, but rather ends of annular wall terminate in a gap, which forms a slot  58   b  in bottom plate  48 . Slot  58   b  allows lateral access to notch  54   b . In the embodiment shown, two respective upper notches and lower notches are shown substantially mirroring one another; however, a single pair of cooperating upper and lower notches or more than two pairs of cooperating upper and lower notches are within the teaching of the invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , a rod  44  of an associated lulav bag  38  is inserted through upper notch  58   a  and into lower notch  58   b . A bag segment  40  egresses laterally through respective slots  58   a ,  58   b.    
     It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  are exemplary and that any of various holders having an upper and lower plate or similar support structures having respective notches or similar annular rings in respective upper and lower plates/structures are within the teaching of the invention. The upper and lower notches or annular rings are substantially parallel to one another. In a preferred embodiment, each notch or annular ring has a slot allowing for passage of a bag section. 
     Having described this invention with regard to specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the description is not meant as a limitation since further modifications and variations may be apparent or may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. It is intended that the present application cover all such modifications and variations.