Hybrid Tree

Abstract

A hybrid tree having a vertical central support 10a, 10b and a number of branch-receiving members 12 arranged both along the length of the central support, and in adjacent pairs of groups around its c

Description

Technical Field The present disclosure relates to a hybrid tree and particularly, though not exclusively, to a hybrid coniferous tree comprising a synthetic support structure onto which are attached a series of real coniferous tree branches. Background According to information published in 2020 by the British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA) it is estimated that between 6 and 8 million live Christmas trees are sold in the United Kingdom alone each year. Depending on the tree variety, a typical 6 to 7ft high (approximately 1.8 to 2.1 metres) coniferous tree for domestic use takes between 10 and 12 years to grow. Larger coniferous trees, such as those commonly purchased by local authorities for use in public spaces, will of course take many more years to grow. It can be challenging to source a larger coniferous tree with the required degree of symmetry and high-quality appearance around its entire circumference. Their supply is relatively scarce which increases their cost. Additional costs associated with the transportation and safe erection of larger trees may also be significant. The majority of Christmas tree growers comply with sustainable practices by planting several trees for eveiy tree which is felled. However, a public survey of 1647 adults in the UK conducted on 2 December 2022 by YouGov (an international online research company) confirmed that only 15% of those polled intended to buy a real Christmas tree, whereas 67% intended to opt for an artificial or synthetic Christmas tree. Furthermore, 54% of those polled were of the opinion that an artificial tree is the more environmentally friendly option. Whether or not that assumption is correct (which, in reality, will depend on a multitude of factors), there is clearly an acceptance of artificial trees within domestic settings. This acceptance may be influenced by reasons of cost and convenience. However, anecdotally at least, there is also a preference among many people for the authenticity and scent of a real coniferous Christmas tree. A problem associated with existing artificial trees is that most of them cannot adequately replicate the appearance of a natural coniferous tree. Furthermore, the target market for artificial trees tends to be confined to domestic usage, i.e. trees of around 12 feet (approximately 3.7 metres) in height, or less. Artificial trees having plastic branches are usually not sufficiently robust or resilient to survive high winds or other adverse weather, especially if they are built to typical heights of the order of 20-60 feet (approximately 6 to 18 metres). In recognition of the above issues, the inventor of the present invention has devised an alternative or improved tree of a hybrid nature which combines a synthetic support structure and real tree branches thus preserving the authenticity of a real tree whilst preserving its symmetry and overall appearance. Furthermore, the invention avoids the expense associated with selecting, felling, transporting, and erecting an entire real tree. Summary According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a hybrid tree comprising: (i) a central support extending, in use, along a substantially vertical axis; (ii) a plurality of branch-receiving members arranged both along the length of the central support, and around the circumference of the central support; and (iii) real tree branches received within some or all of the branch-receiving members. Optionally, the branch-receiving members are comprised of tubular supports which extend outwardly from the central support away from said vertical axis along longitudinal branch axes. Alternatively, the branch-receiving members are comprised of concavities which extend inwardly within the central support towards said vertical axis along longitudinal branch axes. It will be appreciated that this alternative means of providing an aperture or socket for receiving branches may be preferred in certain circumstances, e.g. where the central support is of a sufficient diameter. For example, a potential advantage of the absence of any outwardly projecting parts of the branch-receiving members is that the central support can be formed in multiple parts which can be fully telescoped within one another for ease of storage and transportation. In some circumstances it may be preferred to have a mixture of outwardly projecting branch-receiving members and branch-receiving members in the form of concavities. For example, concavities may be preferred for receiving smaller tree branches nearer the top of a tree. Optionally, said longitudinal branch axes are inclined upwards by an inclination angle within the range of 5 degrees to 15 degrees; or more preferably within the range of 8 degrees to 12 degrees; or most preferably at an angle of 10 degrees. Optionally, the longitudinal branch axes are all inclined at the same inclination angle. Optionally, the branch-receiving members are arranged in groups of five. Optionally, the longitudinal branch axes of each adjacent pair of branch-receiving members within said group are separated circumferentially about said vertical axis by a circumferential angle of 72 degrees. Optionally, adjacent pairs of groups of branch-receiving members are arranged along the length of the central support at a regular or non-random longitudinal spacing. Optionally, adjacent pairs of groups of branch-receiving members are arranged on the central support in a circumferentially offset manner about said vertical axis. Optionally, adjacent pairs of groups of branch-receiving members are arranged around the circumference of the central support at a circumferential angle of 24 degrees about said vertical axis. Optionally, the central support is formed of two or more interconnected parts. Optionally, the part of the central support located nearest the ground, in use, is longer than the other part(s). Optionally, the two or more parts are telescopically interconnected. According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of erecting a hybrid tree according to the first aspect; comprising: (i) arranging the central support along a vertical axis; and (ii) connecting real tree branches of appropriate dimensions into some of all of the branch-receiving members. Optionally, the step of arranging the central support along a vertical axis comprises interconnecting two or more interconnected parts to achieve a desired tree height. Optionally, the method comprises the further step of securing a base of the central support at or below ground level. Optionally, the method comprises the further step of tethering the central support to the ground. It will be appreciated that the base of the central support may be secured in a number of different ways depending upon the setting and consequent structural requirements. For example, in a domestic setting for a low-height tree, a simple container or stand may be sufficient. For larger, heavier trees, it may be appropriate to set the base of the central support within concrete above or below ground and / or to tether one or more upper portion(s) of the central support to the ground via ropes, cables, wires and the like. According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a hybrid tree kit comprising: (i) a central support according to the first aspect; (if) tether lines for tethering the central support to the ground; and / or (iii) a ground anchor for anchoring a base of the central support at or below ground level. Optionally, the kit comprises a supply of real tree branches of appropriate dimensions for connection into the branch-receiving members of the central support. Further features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the claims and the following description. Brief Description of Drawings Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrams, in which:- Fig. la is a schematic side view of a central support forming part of a hybrid tree; Fig. lb is a schematic side view of a hybrid tree comprising the central support of Fig. la with real tree branches connected into some of its branch-receiving members; Fig. 2a is a partial schematic side view showing part of a central support with a real tree branch connected into one of its branch-receiving members; Fig. 2b is a partial schematic perspective view showing part of a central support; Fig. 2c is a schematic plan view showing the circumferential spacing and angle of each branch-receiving member within a group; Fig. 3 is a schematic side view of a central support forming part of a hybrid tree and its means of securing to the ground; Fig. 4a is a schematic sectional view of a base of a central support connected to a concrete block; Fig. 4b is a schematic plan view of the of Fig. 4a showing radially extending stiffening flanges welded to the base of the central support; Fig. 5a is a schematic sectional view of one means of connecting two parts of a central support; Fig. 5b is a schematic sectional view of an alternative means of connecting two parts of a central support, and facilitating the connection of tethers; and Fig. 5c is a schematic exploded sectional view of one means of connecting two parts of a central support. Detailed Description Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of a central support 10 forming part of a hybrid tree of the present disclosure. The central support 10 extends along a substantially vertical axis, X and is comprised of a lower part 10a and an upper part 10b, each part 10a, 10b being telescopically interconnected. It will be appreciated that additional parts may be provided as needed to achieve the desired tree height. By way of a non-limiting example, a hybrid tree of the present disclosure may be formed in three parts (see Fig. 3) and extend to a total height above ground of 18 metres. The lowest part 10a will generally be longer that any of the upper parts for reasons explained further below. Typically, the central support 10 is formed from a metal such as steel. However, any suitable material may be selected dependent on the specific requirements of an individual project, taking into consideration factors such as cost, strength, weight etc. A number of tubular supports 12 are fixed to, and arranged around, the circumference of the central support 10, and along its length. The tubular supports 12 are each inclined upwardly (e.g. at 10 degrees) along a longitudinal branch axis B extending away from the vertical axis, X. The tubular supports 12 provide apertures (see detail in Fig. 2a) within which real tree branches 14 can be inserted to connect them to the central support 10. The branches 14 may be secured within the tubular supports 12 by means of suitable fixings, e.g. by screws extending through the wall of the tubular supports 12 into the branches. The manner in which the branches 14 are secured may be dictated by factors such as the tree height, branch length and / or weight, whether the branches 14 must withstand external loads due to weather conditions and / or decorations and / or lighting placed thereon. For smaller trees or trees situated indoors, a frictional fit between the branches and the tubular supports 12 may be deemed sufficient. As is shown in Fig. lb, real tree branches 14 of appropriate length and thickness are selected for connection at different heights so as to resemble the shape and appearance of a real tree (i.e. shorter branches with increasing height). Other terms known to those skilled in the art will be limbs (i.e. larger and more substantial branches); boughs (i.e. major structural branches); and "boughlets" (i.e. smaller branches) etc. Branches from the following non-limiting coniferous tree varieties may be used depending on cost factors, needle retention, and aesthetic requirements: Nordman fir, Fraser fir, Noble fir, Douglas fir, Norway spruce, blue spruce, lodgepole pine, and Serbian spruce. In the illustrated examples, all tubular supports 12 are inclined upwardly at the same angle. The tubular supports 12 are provided in notional groups of five along the vertical axis X as is best shown in Figs 2b and 2c. Adjacent tubular supports 12 within said groups are separated circumferentially by an angle of 72 degrees. Each of the groups of tubular supports 12 are regularly spaced along the vertical axis X as is best shown in Fig. 2b. With reference to the aforementioned example of a three-part tree extending to a total height above ground of 18 metres, its central support may have a diameter of approximately 0.25 to 0.30 metres, and adjacent groups of tubular supports 12 may be spaced along its vertical axis X by a distance of 0.3 metres. The lowermost part 10a of such a tree may be 7.5 metres in length (1.5 metres of which is located below ground) and the upper parts each 6.0 metres in length (excluding any telescopic overlap). Despite their regular spacing along the vertical axis X, adjacent groups of tubular supports 12 may be offset circumferentially along said axis. In the example best shown in Figs 2a and 2b, the circumferential offset between adjacent groups is 24 degrees in a repeating pattern along the length of central support 10. It will be appreciated that this feature is intended to mimic the natural diversity of branch positions in a real tree whilst balancing that with the need to maintain an overall symmetrical appearance. If a denser branch appearance is required, one or both of the circumferential offset angle and the spacing of adjacent groups of tubular supports 12 can be reduced; and / or the total number of tubular supports can be increased. In the example shown in Fig. 3, the central support 10 (shown without its tubular supports 12 for clarity) is formed in three parts: a lowermost part 10a, an intermediate part 10b, and an uppermost part 10c. As mentioned previously, the lowermost part 10a is longer than the other parts 10b, 10c. The "excess" length of the lowermost part 10a is situated below the ground level 20 within a submerged concrete ground socket 30, as is shown in more detail in Figs. 4a and 4b. Also shown in Fig. 3 is a are tether lines 40 which are tensioned between their points of connection 15 at the base of the uppermost part 10c and ground level 20. The manner of the connection between the intermediate part 10b, and the lowermost part 10a is shown in Fig. 5a whereby flanges 16 provided on each part are secured together by nuts and bolts in a manner which allows adjustment of the connected parts 10a, 10b to ensure they are each mutually aligned along the vertical axis, X. The manner of the connection between the intermediate part 10b, and the uppermost part 10c is shown in Fig. 5b. The uppermost part 10c is partially telescoped inside the intermediate part 10b, and the two parts 10b, 10c are secured via radially extending nuts and bolts 17. A flange and stiffening webs 18 each project radially away from the uppermost part 10c and are dimensioned to be larger than the diameter of the intermediate part 10b. Apertures 19 are provided within lugs 22 on the stiffening webs to enable securement of tether lines 40 (Fig. 3). Fig, 5c is an exploded view of Fig. 5b, but without the webs and stiffening lugs. It will be appreciated that the hybrid tree of the present invention affords several advantages. Firstly, the invention overcomes the practical difficulties associated with sourcing a real coniferous tree exhibiting the required characteristics of height, symmetry, and branch quality and density around its entire circumference. Indeed, the limited supply of trees meeting these criteria no longer need to be felled. Instead, the hybrid tree of the present invention can be produced using branches removed from trees lacking these criteria. For example, trees located in a tree belt in close proximity to other trees may only have good quality branches on one or two sides. The hybrid tree of the present invention can utilise these branches. Although particular embodiments of the disclosure have been disclosed herein in detail, this has been done by way of example and for the purposes of illustration only. The aforementioned embodiments are not intended to be limiting with respect to the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a hybrid tree comprising:(i) a central support extending, in use, along a substantially vertical axis;(ii) a plurality of branch-receiving members arranged both along the length of thecentral support, and around the circumference of the central support; and(Hi) real tree branches received within some or all of the branch-receiving members.

2. A hybrid tree according to claim 1, wherein the branch-receiving members are comprised of tubular supports which extend outwardly from the central support away from said vertical axis along longitudinal branch axes.

3. A hybrid tree according to claim 1, wherein the branch-receiving members are comprised of concavities which extend inwardly within the central support towards said vertical axis along longitudinal branch axes.

4. A hybrid tree according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said longitudinal branch axes are inclined upwards by an inclination angle within the range of 5 degrees to 15 degrees; or more preferably within the range of 8 degrees to 12 degrees; or most preferably at an angle of 10 degrees.

5. A hybrid tree according to claim 4, wherein the longitudinal branch axes are all inclined at the same inclination angle.

6. A hybrid tree according to any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the branch-receiving members are arranged in groups of five.

7. A hybrid tree according to claim 5, wherein the longitudinal branch axes of each adjacent pair of branch-receiving members within said group are separated circumferentially about said vertical axis by a circumferential angle of 72 degrees.

8. A hybrid tree according to claim 6 or 7, wherein adjacent pairs of groups of branchreceiving members are arranged along the length of the central support at a regular or nonrandom longitudinal spacing.

9. A hybrid tree according to any of claims 6 to 8, wherein adjacent pairs of groups of branch-receiving members are arranged on the central support in a circumferentially offset manner about said vertical axis.

10. A hybrid tree according to any of claims 6 to 9, wherein adjacent pairs of groups of branch-receiving members are arranged around the circumference of the central support at a circumferential angle of 24 degrees about said vertical axis.

11. A hybrid tree according to any preceding claim, wherein, the central support is formed of two or more interconnected parts.

12. A hybrid tree according to claim 11, wherein the part of the central support located nearest the ground, in use, is longer than the other part(s).

13. A hybrid tree according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the two or more parts are telescopically interconnected.

14. A method of erecting a hybrid tree according to any of claims 1 to 13; comprising: (i) arranging the central support along a vertical axis; and(if) connecting real tree branches of appropriate dimensions into some of all ofthe branch-receiving members.

15. A method of erecting a hybrid tree according to claim 14, wherein the step of arranging the central support along a vertical axis comprises interconnecting two or more interconnected parts to achieve a desired tree height.

16. A method of erecting a hybrid tree according to claim 14 or 15, comprising the further step of securing a base of the central support at or below ground level.

17. A method of erecting a hybrid tree according to any of claims 14 to 16, comprising the further step of tethering the central support to the ground.

18. A hybrid tree kit comprising:(i) a central support according to any of claims 1 to 13;(ii) tether lines for tethering the central support to the ground; and / or(iii) a ground anchor for anchoring a base of the central support at or below ground level.

19. A hybrid tree kit according to claim 18, comprising a supply of real tree branches of appropriate dimensions for connection into the branch-receiving members of the central support.28 10 24Amendments to the claims have been made as follows:CLAIMS1. A hybrid tree comprising:(i) a central support extending, in use, along a substantially vertical axis;(ii) a plurality of branch-receiving members arranged both along the length of thecentral support, and in groups around the circumference of the central support; and(Hi) real tree branches received within some or all of the branch-receiving members, wherein the branch-receiving members are comprised of tubular supports which extend outwardly from the central support away from said vertical axis along longitudinal branch axes; and wherein adjacent pairs of groups of branch-receiving members are arranged on the central support in a circumferentially offset manner about said vertical axis.

2. A hybrid tree according to claim 1, wherein the branch-receiving members are comprised of concavities which extend inwardly within the central support towards said vertical axis along longitudinal branch axes.

3. A hybrid tree according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said longitudinal branch axes are inclined upwards by an inclination angle within the range of 5 degrees to 15 degrees; or more preferably within the range of 8 degrees to 12 degrees; or most preferably at an angle of 10 degrees.

4. A hybrid tree according to claim 3, wherein the longitudinal branch axes are all inclined at the same inclination angle.

5. A hybrid tree according to any preceding claim, wherein the branch-receiving members are arranged in groups of five.

6. A hybrid tree according to claim 5, wherein the longitudinal branch axes of each adjacent pair of branch-receiving members within said group are separated circumferentially about said vertical axis by a circumferential angle of 72 degrees.28 10 247. A hybrid tree according to claim 5 or 6, wherein adjacent pairs of groups of branchreceiving members are arranged along the length of the central support at a regular or nonrandom longitudinal spacing.

8. A hybrid tree according to any preceding claim, wherein adjacent pairs of groups of branch-receiving members are arranged around the circumference of the central support at a circumferential offset angle of 24 degrees about said vertical axis.

9. A hybrid tree according to any preceding claim, wherein, the central support is formed of two or more interconnected parts.

10. A hybrid tree according to claim 9, wherein the part of the central support located nearest the ground, in use, is longer than the other part(s).

11. A hybrid tree according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the two or more parts are telescopically interconnected.

12. A method of erecting a hybrid tree according to any of claims 1 to 11; comprising: (i) arranging the central support along a vertical axis; and(ii) connecting real tree branches of appropriate dimensions into some of all of the branch-receiving members.

13. A method of erecting a hybrid tree according to claim 12, wherein the step of arranging the central support along a vertical axis comprises interconnecting two or more interconnected parts to achieve a desired tree height.

14. A method of erecting a hybrid tree according to claim 12 or 13, comprising the further step of securing a base of the central support at or below ground level.

15. A method of erecting a hybrid tree according to any of claims 12 to 14, comprising the further step of tethering the central support to the ground.

16. A hybrid tree kit comprising:(i) a hybrid tree according to any of claims 1 to 11 having a central support;(ii) tether lines for tethering the central support to the ground; and / or(hi) a ground anchor for anchoring a base of the central support at or below ground level.

17. A hybrid tree kit according to claim 16, comprising a supply of real tree branches of appropriate dimensions for connection into the branch-receiving members of the central support.28 10 24

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