Invertible Christmas Tree Trunk for Gravity-Assisted Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing collapsible Christmas trees require significant labor and strength to transition from a collapsed to a deployed configuration, posing a risk of injury or damage, especially due to the need to reorient the entire tree while holding it away from the body.
Innovation Solution
An artificial Christmas tree design featuring a central trunk with two pivotable trunk portions, allowing for automatic deployment by inverting the tree, with limbs that pivot between collapsed and deployed orientations using a pivot joint, and a clasp to secure the trunk in place, along with optional lighting and a wheeled base for easy movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the entire tree is picked up and reoriented to deploy limbs, then the limbs can be transitioned from collapsed to deployed orientation, but the operation becomes highly labor intensive and dangerous requiring significant strength and dexterity
Solution Approach 1:
The trunk is divided into a first trunk portion and a second trunk portion that can pivot independently relative to each other. This segmentation allows the limbs to be deployed by pivoting only the second trunk portion rather than requiring the entire tree to be lifted and reoriented, significantly reducing the force and strength needed for deployment while maintaining full functionality of the limb transition mechanism.
2Ease of operation
If limbs are pivotably attached to allow automatic deployment upon inversion, then deployment becomes easier and safer, but the device complexity increases due to additional pivot joints and trunk portions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes an inverted configuration where the second trunk portion with pivotably attached limbs is positioned above the first trunk portion in the collapsed state. When inverted, gravity automatically causes the limbs to pivot from a collapsed orientation toward the first trunk portion to a deployed orientation extending away from the first trunk portion. This inversion principle transforms the deployment mechanism from a manual, strength-intensive operation to an automatic, gravity-assisted process, easing operation while the added pivot joint and trunk portion segmentation represent a controlled increase in structural complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables easy and safe transition from a collapsed to a deployed configuration without requiring high strength or dexterity, minimizing the risk of injury or damage to the tree, while maintaining light functionality throughout the process.
Implementation Method 1
the second trunk portion pivotably attached to the first trunk portion, allowing for automatic deployment by inverting the tree
Data Source
AI summary
An artificial Christmas tree includes a central trunk broken into at least two separate portions including a fixed trunk portion and at least one rotating trunk portion. The fixed trunk extends up from an underlying base. Rotating trunks rotatably attach at midpoints thereof at least indirectly to an upper end of the fixed trunk. Limbs are pivotably attached to the rotating trunks with optional lights coupled thereto. These limbs pivot between a perpendicular orientation extending from the rotating trunks and a collapsed configuration closer to a centerline of the rotating trunks. The rotating trunks can be pivoted from a first collapsed configuration with a first end above a second end to a deployed configuration with the second end above the first end. During pivoting, the limbs attached to the rotating trunk transition between a collapsed to a deployed configuration automatically. A wheeled base and cover further facilitate storage and deployment.