US-20260123781-A1 - SIMULATED TREE BRANCH, CHRISTMAS TREE, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE

US20260123781A1US 20260123781 A1US20260123781 A1US 20260123781A1US-20260123781-A1

Abstract

Simulated branch, Christmas tree, and method for manufacturing them. In one aspect, a simulated branch comprises a first branch body which includes a first main body and a plurality of first insertion portions provided on the outer periphery of the first main body. The first main body and the plurality of first insertion portions are integrally injection-molded, and the first branch body is without a metal inner core.

Inventors

Junjie Mai

Assignees

SHENZHEN CITY MING JIE HAO TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20260106
Priority Date: 20230706

Claims (20)

1 . A simulated branch comprising: a first branch body including a first main body and a plurality of first insertion portions disposed along an outer periphery of the first main body; wherein the first main body and the plurality of first insertion portions are integrally injection molded; and wherein the first branch body is without a metal inner core.
2 . The simulated branch of claim 1 , wherein the first main body includes at least one linear segment, and at least one zigzag or curved segment.
3 . The simulated branch of claim 1 , wherein the first branch body further includes at least one first sub branch extending laterally from the first main body, the first sub branch being integrally injection molded with the first main body.
4 . The simulated branch of claim 1 , further comprising foliage having an end portion formed to cooperate with at least one of the plurality of first insertion portions to insert the foliage into the at least one first insertion portion.
5 . The simulated branch of claim 4 , wherein one of the first insertion portion and the foliage end portion is a recess and the other is a projection formed to mate with the recess.
6 . The simulated branch of claim 1 , further comprising a first hook at one end of the first branch body, the first hook being formed to connect the simulated branch to a simulated trunk of a Christmas tree, and the first hook being integrally injection molded with the first main body.
7 . The simulated branch of claim 1 , further comprising another first branch body, wherein an end portion of the other first branch body is formed to cooperate with at least one of the plurality of first insertion portions to insert the other first branch body into the at least one first insertion portion and thereby connect the other first branch body to the first branch body.
8 . The simulated branch of claim 1 , further comprising another first branch body, wherein an end portion of the other first branch body is formed to mate with an opposite end of the first branch body to insert the other first branch body into the first branch body and thereby connect the other first branch body to the first branch body.
9 . The simulated branch of claim 1 , further comprising a second branch body connected to the first branch body, the second branch body including a metal inner core and an outer layer surrounding the metal inner core.
10 . The simulated branch of claim 9 , wherein the outer layer comprises tying rope, and the simulated branch further comprises foliage tied and fixed to the second branch body by the tying rope.
11 . The simulated branch of claim 9 , wherein the outer layer comprises an outer sleeve fitted over the metal inner core, the outer sleeve having a plurality of mounting holes formed to receive foliage.
12 . The simulated branch of claim 9 , wherein the outer layer comprises a second main body covering the metal inner core and a plurality of second insertion portions disposed along an outer periphery of the second main body, the second main body and the plurality of second insertion portions being integrally injection molded.
13 . The simulated branch of claim 9 , wherein one end of the second branch body includes a second hook formed to connect the simulated branch to a simulated trunk of a Christmas tree.
14 . The simulated branch of claim 9 , further comprising a first mounting portion at one end of the first branch body and a second mounting portion at one end of the second branch body, the second mounting portion being formed to cooperate with the first mounting portion to connect the first branch body with the second branch body.
15 . The simulated branch of claim 14 , wherein one of the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion is a projection and the other is a recess formed to mate with the projection.
16 . The simulated branch of claim 14 , further comprising a connecting member disposed between the first branch body and the second branch body, wherein a first end of the connecting member is formed to cooperate with the first mounting portion and a second end of the connecting member is formed to cooperate with the second mounting portion to connect the first branch body with the second branch body.
17 . A Christmas tree comprising a simulated trunk and at least one simulated branch, the simulated branch including: a first branch body including a first main body and a plurality of first insertion portions disposed along an outer periphery of the first main body; wherein the first main body and the plurality of first insertion portions are integrally injection molded; and wherein the first branch body is without a metal inner core.
18 . The Christmas tree of claim 17 , wherein the simulated branch includes a first hook at one end of the first branch body, the first hook being formed to connect the simulated branch to the simulated trunk, and wherein the first hook is integrally injection molded with the first main body.
19 . A method of manufacturing a simulated branch comprising: providing a mold having an inner surface corresponding to an outer surface of the simulated branch; positioning a plurality of ejector pins at respective locations within the mold corresponding to first insertion portions along an outer periphery of a first main body; softening a moldable first material; injecting the softened first material into the mold to integrally injection-mold the first main body and a plurality of first insertion portions defined by the ejector pins; cooling the first material within the mold to solidify the simulated branch; and demolding by removing the simulated branch and the plurality of ejector pins from the mold; wherein the method is performed without inserting a metal inner core into the mold.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein injecting the softened first material into the mold to integrally injection-mold the first main body includes forming the first main body with at least one linear segment, and at least one zigzag or curved segment.

Description

PRIOR APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) of International Application under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) designating the United States, No. PCT/CN2024/103945, filed Jul. 5, 2024, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202321771216.9, entitled “Simulated Branch and Christmas Tree,” filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration on Jul. 6, 2023, the entirety of each of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a simulated branch and a Christmas tree including such a simulated branch. BACKGROUND During the Christmas holiday season, it is a traditional custom around the world to use a Christmas tree for decoration. Traditional Christmas trees are real trees that are decorated. With the increase in environmental awareness in recent years, more and more artificial simulated Christmas trees have been used. Simulated Christmas trees usually include a simulated trunk and simulated branches mounted on the simulated trunk. The simulated branch typically uses a metal inner core as support, and foliage is tied around the metal inner core. Tying the foliage requires dedicated tying machines or manual tying, and the process is complicated and costly. In addition, because the metal inner core is usually straight and difficult to bend, simulated branches are difficult to form into curved, zigzag, or other non-linear shapes. Different simulated branches are also difficult to splice together to form complex shapes. The variability and scalability of design and manufacture are therefore poor, affecting the realism of the simulated Christmas tree. Accordingly, in view of the problems of the prior art, a need exists for a new simulated branch and a Christmas tree including such a simulated branch. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure proposes a simulated branch, Christmas tree, and method for manufacturing them, which address at least the above problems through the following technical features and also bring other technical effects. In one aspect of the present disclosure, a simulated branch is provided, comprising a first branch body which includes a first main body and a plurality of first insertion portions provided on the outer periphery of the first main body. The first main body and the plurality of first insertion portions are integrally injection-molded, and the first branch body does not include a metal inner core. In some examples, the first main body further includes at least one linear segment, at least one zigzag segment, and/or at least one curved segment. In some examples, the first branch body further includes at least one first sub-branch extending laterally from the first main body, and the first sub-branch is integrally injection-molded with the first main body. In some examples, the simulated branch further includes foliage. An end portion of the foliage cooperates with at least one of the plurality of first insertion portions, so as to insert the foliage into the first insertion portion. In some examples, one of the first insertion portion and the foliage end portion is a recess, and the other is a projection that matches the recess. In some examples, one end of the first branch body is provided with a hook for connecting the simulated branch to a simulated trunk of a Christmas tree, and the hook is integrally injection-molded with the first main body. In some examples, the simulated branch further includes another first branch body. An end portion of the other first branch body cooperates with at least one of the plurality of first insertion portions to insert the other first branch body into the first insertion portion, thereby connecting the other first branch body to the first branch body; or the end portion of the other first branch body cooperates with the other end of the first branch body to insert the other first branch body into the first branch body, thereby connecting the other first branch body to the first branch body. In some examples, the simulated branch further includes a second branch body comprising a metal inner core and an outer layer surrounding the metal inner core, and the second branch body is connected to the first branch body. In some examples, the outer layer is formed by tying rope, and the simulated branch further includes foliage that is tied and fixed to the second branch body by the rope. In some examples, the outer layer is an outer sleeve fitted over the metal inner core, and the outer sleeve is provided with a plurality of mounting holes for inserting foliage. In some examples, the outer layer is a second main body covering the metal inner core and a plurality of second insertion portions disposed on the outer periphery of the second main body, the second main body and the plurality of second insertion portions being integrally injection-molded. In some examples, one end of the second branch body is provided with a hook for connecting the si