PATENT ABSTRACT
A combination for extending between a plant support stake and a plant trunk has a bracket for surrounding the plant support stake and a trunk engaging strap for contacting and enclosing the plant trunk. Reinforcement structure is built into both the bracket and the strap. The strap includes a member that insulates the bracket from the tree trunk to avoid damage to the trunk through contact with the bracket when trunk movement is imposed by outside forces.

PATENT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     A number of publications are known which provide for support of growing plants and trees, particularly when they are in the early stages of growth. One such publication exists in U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,125, issued to the instant inventor, which discloses various apparatus for supporting young plants in their initial stages of growth by contacting and stabilizing the plant trunks. It is important for an apparatus of this type to engage and protect the trunk from damage when the trunk is moved about by outside forces such as wind or motion imparted by transit. It is also important to provide structure that extends from a plant support stake to the part of the apparatus that engages the tree trunk wherein such structure is strong enough to prevent undue tree trunk trauma imposed by these outside forces.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Apparatus for use in supporting a plant trunk that is spaced from a plant support stake includes a bracket having a support stake end and a free end extending toward the plant trunk. The support stake end has an enlarged opening therein for surrounding the plant support stake and a pair of spaced elongate members having inwardly facing surfaces and opposing outer surfaces that extend from the enlarged opening. The pair of spaced elongate members each has a hole therein on a substantially common central axis and reinforcing ribs running along the length of the members.  
         [0003]     In another aspect of the invention apparatus is described for use in supporting in place a plant trunk spaced from a plant support stake, including an elongate strap having a first end and a second end and a plant trunk protector on the elongate strap that is spaced from the first end. There is at least one reinforced section on the strap at the second end. The first end has a first hole therethrough between the first end and the plant trunk protector, and the at least one reinforced section has a second hole therethrough, so that when a fastener is passed through the first and second holes and the first and second ends are joined, a loop is formed for surrounding and supporting a plant trunk.  
         [0004]     Further, the apparatus for use in supporting in place a plant trunk spaced from a plant support stake includes a bracket having a support stake end and a free end extending toward the plant trunk. The support stake end has an enlarged opening therein for surrounding the plant support stake and a pair of spaced elongate members with inwardly facing surfaces and opposed outer surfaces extending from the enlarged opening. The pair of spaced elongate members each has at least one hole therein on a substantially common central axis. Reinforcing ribs are formed along the length of the pair of spaced elongate members. An elongate strap has a first end and a second end and a plant trunk protector on the elongate strap spaced from the first end. At least one reinforced section is located on the strap at the second end. The first end has a first hole therein toward the first end from the plant trunk protector and the reinforced section has a second hole therein. Fastener means are provided for passing through the at least one hole in each of the pair of spaced elongate members and the first and second holes, so that a loop for surrounding a plant trunk is formed between the strap first and second ends.  
         [0005]     In another aspect of the invention, apparatus is provided for use in supporting in place a plant trunk spaced from a plant support stake utilizing an adjustable hose clamp that has a slotted strap capable of surrounding the support stake and a strap loop size adjusting member having a coarse thread mounted thereon that is in engagement with the slotted strap. Further, the adjusting member has a shape on one end that is accessible by an adjustment tool to accomplish loop size adjustment. An improvement includes a first threaded extension on the strap loop size adjusting member, a second opposing threaded extension on the strap loop size adjusting member, and an adjustment tool accessible portion on the first threaded extension having a smaller diameter than the threads thereon.  
         [0006]     In yet another aspect of the invention, apparatus is provided for use in supporting in place a plant trunk spaced from a plant support stake that includes a bracket for surrounding the plant support stake and an elongate strap for surrounding the plant trunk, wherein the elongate strap has first and second opposing ends. Also included are first and second bracket engaging means on the first and second opposing ends. A plant trunk protector is located toward the first opposing end of the elongate strap and a reinforced portion is located toward the second opposing end of the elongate strap. Means is provided for securing the first and second bracket engaging means to the bracket.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective of one embodiment of the bracket of the present invention.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a section along the line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0009]      FIG. 3A  is a perspective of another embodiment of the bracket of the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3B  is a perspective of yet another embodiment of the bracket of the present invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective of an old art hose clamp.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective of an improved strap loop size adjusting member for use in the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 6A  is a perspective of the detail of  6 - 6  in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 6B  is an alternate perspective of the detail  6 - 6  in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a partial view of the apparatus of the present invention using the strap loop size adjusting member of  FIG. 5 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is a perspective of the trunk engaging clamp of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 9  is a view of one embodiment of the combination of the bracket and trunk engaging strap of the present invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]     Occasionally the structure extending between a plant support stake and the trunk of a plant or tree to be supported is not strong enough to withstand motion imparted from outside forces, such as wind, etc. In such cases, the invention described herein is useful as it provides a strong link between the plant support stake and the tree trunk. Referring to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, a bracket, shown generally at  10 , is formed of flat stock having an enlarged opening portion  11  and a pair of extending and spaced elongate members  12  and  13 . The elongate member  12  has a pair of ribs  14  and  16  running lengthwise on the extending member  12 . Note that the ribs  14  and  16  in  FIG. 1  extend along elongate member  12 , through the bend in the flat stock where enlarged portion  11  and elongate member  12  are joined and along a part of the outer surface of the opening portion  11 . The ribs  14  and  16  serve to stiffen elongate member  12  and to reinforce the part of the bracket  10  where elongate member  12  is joined to opening portion  10 . The bracket  10  is thus able to withstand the aforementioned motion from wind, etc. without breaking, particularly at the junction of opening portion  11  and elongate member  12  where stress risers are likely to occur. While this feature is not shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , it is understood that the extension of ribs  14  and  16  through the junction of opening portion  11  and elongate member  12  may be implemented in any of the other embodiments disclosed herein.  
         [0019]     The section of  FIG. 2  shows the ribs  14  and  16  in clearer detail, as well as formed portions  17  and  18  in each of the ribs  14  and  16  respectively. The formed portions  17  and  18  are located adjacent holes  19  and  21  formed in the elongate member  12 . Holes  22  and  23  are formed in elongate member  13  in alignment with holes  19  and  21 , respectively. The formed portions  18  and  17  in the reinforcing ribs  14  and  16  are shaped to accept one end of a fastener, such as a head  24  on a bolt  26 . In this fashion, when the bolt or bolts  26  are inserted through the aligned holes  19 / 22  and  21 / 23  and are engaged at their exposed ends by a pair of wing nuts  27  and  28 , the bolt heads  24  are seated in portions  17  and  18  and prevented from rotating in the holes. The wing nuts may then be securely tightened thereon.  
         [0020]     Referring now to  FIG. 3A , a modified version of the bracket shown in  FIG. 1  will be described. The enlarged opening portion of the bracket is shown at  11   a  and  11   b , having wall portions thereon since the bracket is made of flat stock as previously described. The enlarged opening portion of the bracket has a separation as seen in  FIG. 3A  that is spaced peripherally from the pair of spaced elongate members  12  and  13 . A tab  29  extends outwardly from the portion  11   a  and another tab  31  extends outwardly from the portion  11   b . Aligned holes  32  and  33  are formed in the tabs  29  and  31 , respectively, through which a fastener such as bolt  34  is passed to be engaged by a nut  36 , so that the diameter between the portions  11   a  and  11   b  may be adjusted to some extent to surround and fit support stakes of various diameters.  
         [0021]     In  FIG. 3B  of the drawings, a modification of the embodiment shown in  3 A is depicted. The embodiment of  FIG. 3B  is similar to that of  FIG. 3A  except that the spaced elongate members are shown at  12   a  and  13   a  in a shortened configuration. Only one pair of aligned holes  19  and  22  is shown wherein a single bolt  26  having a bolt head  24  is passed to be engaged by a wing nut  27 . Shortened reinforcing ribs  14   a  and  16   a  are shown having formed portions  17  and  18  therein for capturing the bolt head  24  on bolt  26  in a fashion and for the purposes hereinbefore described in conjunction with  FIG. 1 . The remainder of the embodiment of  FIG. 3B  is similar to that of  FIG. 3A  as noted.  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a depiction of old art, being a hose clamp such as that manufactured by IDEAL™ marked 300 SS. The hose clamp of  FIG. 4  has a slotted strap  37  that is capable of surrounding a support stake for a plant or tree. The slotted strap has a free end  37   a  and a fixed end  37   b  that is fixed to a housing  38 . Mounted within the housing  38  is a strap loop size adjusting member  39  having a coarse thread mounted thereon that is positioned to engage the slotted strap so that the free end  37   a  of the slotted strap may be advanced or retracted to thereby adjust the loop encompassed by the strap to a smaller or larger configuration. The strap loop size adjusting member has a shape on one end that is accessible by an adjustment tool to accomplish the aforesaid loop size adjustment. The strap loop size adjusting member  39  is removed from the old art assembly of  FIG. 4  and replaced by a modified strap loop size adjusting member shown generally at  41  in  FIG. 5 . The member  41  has the aforementioned coarse thread  42  near the central portion thereof for contacting the slots in the slotted strap  37  to thereby advance and retract the free end of the slotted strap  37   a  as previously described. The coarse threads  42  are held in place for rotational movement only within the housing  38  ( FIG. 4 ). A first threaded extension  43  is on the loop size adjusting member and a second opposing threaded extension  44  extends in an opposite direction from the adjusting member. The threaded extension member  43  has an adjustment tool accessible portion  46  on the free end thereof that may take any number of configurations such as those depicted in  FIGS. 6A and 6B  at  46   a  and  46   b . It should be noted that the diameter of the accessible portion  46  must be no larger than the diameter of the threads on threaded member  43 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 8  shows an elongate strap  47  having a tree trunk protection member  48  formed near one end of the strap. A hole  49  is formed through the strap between the strap end and the tree trunk protection member  48 . At the opposing end of the strap a plurality of reinforced sections  51   a  through  51   e  are shown. The reinforced sections are seen to be thicker than the other portions of the strap  47 . Holes  52   a  through  52   e  are formed through each of the reinforced sections. The strap  47  is fabricated of some material that is easily bent into a loop and may be of an elastomeric material. The loop formed by the strap  47  is for the purpose of surrounding the trunk of a plant or tree to be engaged and supported.  
         [0024]     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , the manner in which the strap  47  is used in conjunction with the embodiment of  FIGS. 4 and 5  will be described. A support post or stake  53  for plants and trees is shown in section extending through the opening in the slotted strap  37  shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 4 . The loop size adjusting member  39  is modified as discussed in the description of  FIGS. 5, 6A  and  6 B. The hole  49  in the strap  47  is fitted over the threaded extension  44  and secured thereto by a nut  54 . Depending on the size of the loop to be formed by the strap  47  to adequately contact and stabilize a tree trunk, one of the holes  52   a  through  52   e  ( FIG. 8 ) is fitted over the threaded extension  43  and secured thereto by the nut  56 . The remainder of the strap  47  beyond the hole  52   a  through  52   e  that is fit over the threaded extension  43  is cut off and discarded. Contact between the tree or plant trunk and the housing  38  is prevented by the plant trunk protector  48 . The adjustment tool accessible member  46  is turned to snugly bring the slotted strap  37  up against the outside diameter of the plant support post  53 .  
         [0025]     In  FIG. 9  of the drawings, the strap  47  is seen in combination with the bracket embodiment of  FIG. 1 , item  10 . The manner in which bracket embodiments of  FIGS. 3A and 3B  are used to extend between a plant support post  53  and a tree trunk shown at  54  in  FIG. 9  are similar to that described for the bracket embodiment of  FIG. 1 . The enlarged portion  11  of the bracket  10  of  FIG. 1  is placed in position surrounding the plant support stake  53 . The end of the elongate strap  47  having the plant trunk protector  48  thereon is placed between the pair of spaced elongate members  12  and  13  and the hole  49  is aligned with the holes  21 / 23 . The opposite end of the strap  47  is placed around a trunk  54  and one of the holes  52   a  through  52   e  is aligned with the holes  19 / 22 . One of the bolts  26  is passed through the aligned holes  52   b  (in this instance),  19 / 22  and  49 , until the head  24  of the bolt  26  is engaged in the formed portion illustrated at  17  and  18  in  FIG. 2 . The fastening of the end of the strap  47  between the elongate members is completed by applying the wing nut  28  to the free end of the bolt  26  and tightening the wing nut. The reinforced portion  51   b  (in this case) provides extra strength in that portion of the strap adjacent to the hold down position illustrated by the bolt  26  so that bending of the strap will not cause the strap to fatigue and fail at the hold down point. The reinforcing ribs  14  and  16  strengthen the spaced elongate members in bending mode and serve to provide a more rigid connection between the plant support stake  53  through the strap  47  surrounding the tree trunk  54 . The second bolt  26  is seen passed through the aligned holes  19  and  22  in the elongate members and engaged by the wing nut  27  to ensure that the enlarged opening  11  in the bracket is kept snugly against the periphery of the plant support stake  53 . As described hereinbefore, the bracket embodiments of  FIGS. 3A and 3B  may be used where the enlarged portion  11  of the bracket must be adjusted in diameter to snugly fit the plant support post  53 . The unused portion of the strap  47  toward the end of the strap from reinforced portion  51   b  is shown in place in  FIG. 9 , but may be cut off after the installation is completed. Alternatively, the unused end portion of the strap  47  may be left in place in the event the loop formed by the strap around the tree trunk  54  needs to be enlarged in the future. It may also be seen in  FIG. 9  that the ends of the elongate members  12  and  13  are isolated from any contact with the trunk  54  by the trunk protector portion  48 . The trunk  54  is shown in  FIG. 9  as spaced substantially from the ends of the elongate members for clarity.  
         [0026]     Although the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention has been shown and described herein, it will be understood that modification and variation may be made without departing from what is regarded to be the subject matter of the invention.