Abstract:
A Christmas tree stand is structured with a large capacity reservoir for holding comparatively larger amounts of water for hydrating a tree, and is also structured with selectively adjustable legs to adjust the height of the stand relative to a supporting surface, such as a floor. The tree stand is also provided with wheels for allowing movement of the stand and tree into position after the tree has been decorated. The Christmas tree stand may also be configured with adjustable arms for engaging the trunk of the tree, a drainage apparatus for removing water from the reservoir and a viewable window for easily determining the level of water in the reservoir. Also disclosed is a particularly configured water bucket for filling and draining the reservoir of the stand.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This is a continuation-in-part application of Ser. No. 10/826,775 filed Apr. 16, 2004, which is now abandoned. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     This invention relates to devices for holding Christmas trees, both natural and artificial, in an upright position and specifically relates to an improved Christmas tree stand for decorating and positioning the tree.  
         [0004]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0005]     Freshly cut Christmas trees are a main staple of the Christmas season and for centuries people have brought freshly cut trees into their homes for decorating at Christmas time. A variety of means have been employed to maintain the tree in a vertical position. In earlier times, the tree was most conventionally nailed to a wooden structure configured to stabilize the tree in an upright position. However, the cut end of the tree trunk remained exposed to the air, leading to rapid dehydration and death of the tree. In more recent times when Christmas trees have been purchased long before Christmas day and kept for some time after, the dehydration and death of the tree has lead to a very dangerous fire condition.  
         [0006]     Therefore, in more recent decades, various tree stands have been developed with the principal objective of keeping the cut end of the tree trunk moist and exposed to a source of water to help keep the tree hydrated and fresh, thereby reducing the fire hazard. Most such tree stands comprise a metal bowl having upstanding spikes for piercing the cut surface of the tree trunk, at least three legs and a means for further securing the tree to the stand in a vertically stabilizing manner. Usually, the vertical stabilizing means comprises a ring which encircles the trunk of the tree and which also engages the upper ends of the legs of the stand.  
         [0007]     Known tree stands have a number of disadvantages. Mainly, the bowl portion of the tree stand is shallow and can only hold a small amount of water. Thus, the water in the bowl must be replenished every day or two in order to keep the tree hydrated. Most people quit watering the tree after the first or second refilling of the stand because of the inaccessibility of the stand once a tree skirt and/or presents have been placed about the bottom of the tree. As a result, the tree dries out and becomes a potential fire hazard. Therefore, known tree stands ultimately defeat the purpose for which they were intended.  
         [0008]     Additionally, many bowl-shaped tree stands leak or, more often, the tree owner cannot clearly see where the water level is in the tree stand and more water is placed in the bowl of the stand than can be accommodated, thereby leading to a flooding of water on the carpet or floor.  
         [0009]     Further, all known tree stands have little or no means for adjusting the height of the stand relative to the floor, and have little or no means for providing height adjustment of the tree. With conventional tree stands, the tree must either be measured very carefully, taking into consideration the height that the stand will add to the tree, to assure that the tree will fit the intended height (usually of the room). More often, the tree is placed in the stand and once positioned, it becomes apparent that the tree is too tall with the additional height of the stand so the tree must be removed again from the stand and a length of the trunk removed before replacing the tree in the stand.  
         [0010]     Another disadvantage of all known tree stands is that once the tree is attached to the stand, the tree must be positioned where it will reside for the remainder of the season and then decorating can begin; however, certain portions of the tree (i.e., typically the back portions that are positioned against a wall) are no longer easily accessible for decoration, although those portions are still visible to the viewer. The result can be an unevenly or poorly decorated tree.  
         [0011]     Thus, it would be advantageous in the art to provide a Christmas tree stand that is configured to provide an increased means for retaining water, that is easily accessible and determinable as to the water content within the stand, that is vertically adjustable, and which allows movement of the tree into position after the decorations have been placed on all portions of the tree.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     In accordance with the present invention, a Christmas tree stand is configured with a reservoir for containing the fresh cut end of a tree in a comparatively large capacity receptacle for water, the reservoir being easily accessible and viewable to determine the level of water contained in the reservoir at any given time. The Christmas tree stand of the present invention is also configured with height adjustment apparatus for selectively adjusting the height of the stand, and thus the tree. The Christmas tree stand of the present invention is further structured with apparatus for horizontally moving the stand and the tree following the decoration of the tree thereby allowing the tree to be decorated prior to placement in its final position.  
         [0013]     The Christmas tree stand of the present invention is further configured with tree engaging apparatus that is structured to secure the tree trunk to the stand and is configured to accommodate virtually any circumferential dimension of a tree. The Christmas tree stand of the present invention may also include apparatus for draining water from the reservoir while the tree is still engaged by the tree stand. To that end, a water bucket is disclosed as part of the Christmas tree stand of the present invention, the water bucket being particularly configured for providing easy access to the reservoir when filling the reservoir of the stand, and being particularly configured to attach to the drainage device of the stand to drain water from the stand.  
         [0014]     In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the Christmas tree stand is configured for use with an artificial tree. In such an embodiment, the tree stand is comprised of a tree support device the supports the artificial tree in a vertical position and provides support for apparatus by which the tree stand and tree may be vertically moved, such as along the floor. The alternative embodiment of the stand may also be configured with height adjustment means to adjust the height of the artificial tree once positioned in the stand.  
         [0015]     These and other advantageous elements of the present invention are further disclosed in the drawings and detailed description of the invention that follows. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     In the drawings, which illustrate what is currently considered to be the best mode for carrying out the present invention:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a view in perspective of the Christmas tree stand of the present invention illustrating a tree (shown in phantom) engaged by the stand, a portion of the reservoir being shown in cutaway;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view of the Christmas tree stand of the present invention illustrating an alternative device for attaching the arms of the stand to the reservoir;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a partial view in cross section of the height adjustment apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , taken at line  3 - 3 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a water bucket particularly configured for use with the Christmas tree stand of the present invention; and  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is an alternative embodiment of the invention that is structured for use with artificial trees. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]     The Christmas tree stand  10  of the present invention, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , is generally configured for use with natural trees and is comprised of a reservoir  12  having a bottom  14  and an upstanding wall  16 . The reservoir  12  is structured and sized to receive the trunk  18  of a tree  20  and is sized in volumetric capacity to hold a greater amount of water than is capable in conventional Christmas tree stands. For example, the height of the upstanding wall  16  as measured from the bottom  14  to the upper rim  22  of the reservoir may be from about six inches to about twelve inches or greater, and may have a volumetric capacity of between about 0.25 gallons to about 1.5 gallons.  
         [0023]     The reservoir  12  may preferably be structured with at least one tree engaging element  26 , such as a sharp spike, for example, which extends from the bottom  14  of the reservoir  12  toward the upper rim  22  of the reservoir  12 . As illustrated, the reservoir  12  may have a plurality of tree engaging elements  26  which are positioned to engage and/or pierce the cut end  28  of the trunk  18  of the tree  20 . The tree engaging elements  26  may be secured to the bottom  14  of the reservoir  12  or, as shown, may be integrally formed with a plate  30  that is secured to the bottom  14  of the reservoir  12 . The plate  30  may, in one embodiment, be removably secured to the reservoir  12 .  
         [0024]     The stand  10  of the present invention further comprises a plurality of arms  34  which are secured to the reservoir  12  and which are oriented to engage the trunk  18  of the tree  20 . In the particular embodiment shown, the arms  34  may each have a first end  36  that is secured to the upper rim  22  of the reservoir  12 , and each arm  34  has a second end  38  which contacts and engages the tree trunk  18 . The first end  36  of each arm  34  may, most suitably, be pivotally connected to the reservoir  12  so that the arms  34  can be swung outwardly from the central axis  40  of the reservoir  12 , in the direction of arrow  42 , while the tree  20  is being positioned within the reservoir  12  and on the tree engaging elements  26 .  
         [0025]     By way of example, the first end  36  of each arm  34  may be formed with a closed loop  44  through which a ring-like member  46  associated with the upper rim  22  of the reservoir  12  is positioned to allow the arm  34  to pivot about the ring-like member  46 . In an alternative embodiment, shown in  FIG. 2 , the upper rim  22  of the reservoir  12  may be formed with a pair of parallel apertured posts  48 ,  50 , and the first end  36  of each arm  34  may be configured with a corresponding pair of parallel apertured braces  52 ,  54  that are journalled between the apertured posts  48 ,  50  of the reservoir  12  by the positioning of a pin  56  through the aligned apertures. In the alternative embodiment of  FIG. 2 , the arms  34  are pivotally joined to the reservoir  12  to allow the arms  34  to be moved away from the central axis of the reservoir  12  while the tree is being positioned in the reservoir  12 .  
         [0026]     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , it can be seen that the second end  38  of each arm  34  may be structured with tree engaging apparatus  60 , shown here as laterally extending spikes that pierce the trunk  18  of the tree  20  when the arms  34  are rotated into position to contact the tree  20 . At least one ring  62  may be provided which is sized to encircle the trunk  18  of the tree  20 . The ring  62  is positioned over each of the arms  34  to secure the arms  34  to the trunk  18  to stabilize the tree in its position relative to the tree stand  10 . By way of example only, the ring  62  (here shown as having two rings  62 ) may be circumferentially adjustable to tightly secure the arms  34  in contact with the tree trunk  18 . However, any other type of means or device for securing the ring  62  in place against the trunk  18  and/or the arms  34  may be employed to affix the arms  34  to the trunk  18  and stabilize the tree  20  in a vertical position.  
         [0027]     The Christmas tree stand  10  of the present invention is further structured with legs  64  that are secured to the reservoir  12 . As shown, each leg  64  may preferably have associated therewith a caster-type wheel  66  which allows the Christmas tree stand  10  and the tree  20  to be moved into a final position after the tree  20  has been secured to the stand  10  and has been decorated in a desired fashion. The tree stand  10  may also be structured with a movement device, such as a handle  68 , here shown positioned on the reservoir  12 , to facilitate horizontal (i.e., along the floor) movement of the stand  10  and tree  20  into a desired position. While a handle provides perhaps the most steadying device for effecting horizontal movement of the stand  10 , other devices may include, by way of example only, an apertured bracket attached to the stand that can be grasped by a long handled hook, positionable through the aperture of the bracket, to provide movement of the stand  10 .  
         [0028]     The legs  64  of the present invention are most suitably vertically adjustable relative to the reservoir  12 , thereby allowing the height of the tree  20  and the stand  10 , relative to the supporting surface (i.e., the floor), to be selectively adjusted. By way of example only, each leg  64  may be structured with a vertical portion  70  which is positioned in proximity to the upstanding wall  16  of the reservoir  12  and is slidingly movable relative to the upstanding wall  16 . The vertical portion  70  of each leg  64  may be slidingly received in a saddle bracket  74  structured with inwardly curved sides that partially enclose the vertical portion  70  of the leg  64 .  
         [0029]     In the exemplar embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the saddle brackets  74  may be structured with a detent button  76  which is spring-loaded and which is sized to be received in one of a plurality of holes  78  formed along the length of the vertical portion  70  of each leg  64 . Thus, as shown more fully in  FIG. 3 , the saddle bracket  74  may be secured to the upstanding wall  16  of the reservoir  12  and is formed with a detent housing  80  in which is retained a spring  82  biased between the rear wall  84  of the saddle bracket  74  and the detent button  76 .  
         [0030]     When it is desired to change the vertical position of the leg  64  relative to the reservoir  12 , the detent button  76  is pushed inwardly toward the rear wall  84  of the saddle bracket  74  until the button  76  is released from the hole  78  in which it currently resides. The leg  64  may then be moved up or down relative to the reservoir  12  and when the desired position of the leg  64  relative to the reservoir  12  is achieved and a hole  78  is approximately aligned with the button  76 , the button  76  is released. The spring  82 , biased against the button  76 , will cause the button  76  to snap in to the aligned hole  78  to secure the leg  64  in its new vertical position.  
         [0031]     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the Christmas tree stand  10  may further comprise slot brackets  88  that are secured to the upstanding wall  16  of the reservoir  12  and are positioned in alignment with the vertical portion  70  of each leg  64  to aid in aligning the leg  64  relative to the reservoir  12 . The vertical adjustment means described and illustrated herein is but one apparatus or structure for accomplishing height adjustment of the Christmas tree stand  10  relative to a supporting surface (i.e., floor). Many other structures and devices may be employed to accomplish the same intended characteristic of the present invention.  
         [0032]     The Christmas tree stand  10  of the present invention may further be structured with a transparent or opaque window  90  formed in the upstanding wall  16  of the reservoir  12  which allows the user to determine the level of water in the reservoir  12 . Thus, the water level may be selectively increased or decreased in accordance with the hydration needs of the tree.  
         [0033]     The Christmas tree stand  10  of the present invention may also be structured with a drainage device  92  which, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , may comprise, by way of example, a spigot  94  and valve  96 . The fluid level in the reservoir  12  may be reduced, or the reservoir  12  drained, while the tree  20  is still in position within the reservoir  12 . This feature is particularly advantageous since it permits the tidy removal of the tree  20  from the stand  10  when dismantling the tree and prevents spillage of water on the floor. The drainage device  92  is preferably located at a low point of the reservoir  12  near the bottom  14  of the stand  10  to employ the force of gravity in emptying the reservoir  12 .  
         [0034]     The fluid may be removed from the reservoir  12  most conveniently by using a water bucket  98  especially designed for use with the Christmas tree stand  10 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , an exemplar water bucket  98  is configured with a flexible hose  100  that may be secured to the spigot  94  of the drainage device  92  in a fluid tight manner. The valve  96  of the spigot  94  is then opened to allow the water to drain from the reservoir  12  into the water bucket  98  via the hose  100 . The flexible hose  100  of the water bucket  98  also provides a very advantageous means of delivering water to the reservoir  12  once the tree  20  has been positioned in the stand  10 . The hose  100  of the water bucket  98  may include a closure device, such as a clip  102 , that is removably attachable to the hose  100  to prevent water from exiting the bucket  98 .  
         [0035]     In an alternative embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 5 , the tree stand  100  is configured for use with an artificial tree. The alternative embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 5  may retain many of the same features as previously illustrated and described with respect to  FIG. 1  and, therefore, like elements are identified by like reference numerals. The embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 5  principally comprises a tree support device  102  for supporting the artificial tree in an upright or vertical position and provides support for apparatus by which the tree stand  100  and artificial tree may be moved horizontally, such as along the floor. In a simple configuration, the tree support device  102  may be a platform which supports the tree and provides means for attachment of legs  64  having wheels or casters  66 , and additionally may support means for providing height adjustment of the tree stand  100  and tree.  
         [0036]     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , the general design of a Christmas tree stand for natural trees is retained. That is, the tree stand  100  is configured with a reservoir  12  having a bottom  14  and upstanding wall  16 , although the reservoir is not needed or used for retaining water for the tree. However, the reservoir  12  of the alternative embodiment of  FIG. 5  is smaller or reduced in size compared to the embodiment for natural trees since the reservoir does not need to hold water for the tree. Therefore, the height, or depth, of the upstanding wall  16  of the reservoir  12  may be up to approximately six inches or thereabouts.  
         [0037]     The tree stand  100  preferably provides a tree-engaging device  104  for anchoring the bottom of the artificial tree to the stand  100 . By way of example only, the tree-engaging device  104  may be a pipe  106  or similarly-functional devices for engaging the bottom of the tree. Any number of other suitable tree-engaging devices may be employed in the invention. The alternative embodiment of  FIG. 5  may also be structured with arms  34 , as previously described, to further anchor and support the trunk of the artificial tree.  
         [0038]     The alternative embodiment of the invention for artificial trees further comprises means by which the tree stand  100  and the artificial tree may be horizontally moved, such as along the floor. Thus, the alternative embodiment may further comprise a plurality of legs  64  having wheels or casters  66  for facilitating movement of the tree stand  100 . The alternative embodiment may also comprise a movement apparatus, such as a handle  68 , to facilitate movement of the tree support device in a horizontal manner.  
         [0039]     The alternative embodiment for artificial trees may also have height adjustment apparatus for adjusting the height of the tree once it is supported in place by the tree stand  100 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5  and as previously described, the height adjustment apparatus may be associated with the legs  64  in that each leg  64  is structured with a vertical portion which is positioned in proximity to the upstanding wall  16  of the tree stand  100  and is slidingly movable relative to the wall  16  by the mechanism previously described. Other equally suitable height adjustment apparatus may be employed.  
         [0040]     The Christmas tree stand of the present invention is particularly suited for accommodating fresh cut trees of any size and dimension of trunk, and allows the tree to be adjusted in height via the vertical adjustability of the stand. The Christmas tree stand of the present invention also allows the tree to be decorated and then wheeled into its final position, thereby making decoration of the tree much simpler. The tree stand is disclosed herein with respect to use with fresh-cut trees and artificial trees as well. Therefore, the features of the invention disclosed herein may be effected in a variety of ways using a number of different devices or structures to impart vertical or height adjustment and horizontal movement of the stand along a supporting surface. Thus, reference herein to specific details of the invention are by way of example only and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention.