Patents Assigned to Balsam International Unlimited Company
  • Patent number: 11730298
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: BALSAM INTERNATIONAL UNLIMITED COMPANY
    Inventor: Bruce A. Schooley
  • Patent number: 11624474
    Abstract: The disclosed invertible structures rely on combinations of translational movements to effect inversion. An exemplary invertible structure includes a track operable to be slidably coupled to a connector element of a longitudinal structure. In an embodiment, the connector element may include at least two connectors at least partially disposed in a slot defined in the track, which may have a plurality of translational axes for translational movements of the connectors of the longitudinal structure that would effect the inversion of the longitudinal structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: BALSAM INTERNATIONAL UNLIMITED COMPANY
    Inventors: David Jalbert, David Simonelli
  • Patent number: 11092277
    Abstract: The disclosed invertible structures rely on combinations of translational movements to effect inversion. An exemplary invertible structure includes a track operable to be slidably coupled to a connector element of a longitudinal structure. In an embodiment, the connector element may include at least two connectors at least partially disposed in a slot defined in the track, which may have a plurality of translational axes for translational movements of the connectors of the longitudinal structure that would effect the inversion of the longitudinal structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: BALSAM INTERNATIONAL UNLIMITED COMPANY
    Inventors: David Jalbert, David Simonelli
  • Patent number: 10925426
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: BALSAM INTERNATIONAL UNLIMITED COMPANY
    Inventor: Bruce A. Schooley
  • Patent number: 10682003
    Abstract: The artificial tree is collapsible by inverting a main trunk thereof to swap positions of a first end and second end. The limbs are pivotably attached to the main trunk so that they sag under force of gravity from a deployed more horizontally extending orientation to a collapsed more vertically extending orientation when the main trunk is inverted. A base is preferably provided which has wheels and static portions in contact with the ground for supporting the tree thereon. A riser extending up from the base is configured to have an end of the main trunk rest therein. A lock is also preferably provided to hold an end of the trunk within the riser of the base. A separate treetop portion is removably attachable to ends of the trunk to complete the tree when in a deployed configuration and for storage of the treetop when the tree is not collapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: BALSAM INTERNATIONAL UNLIMITED COMPANY
    Inventor: Bruce A. Schooley
  • Publication number: 20200146490
    Abstract: The artificial tree is collapsible by inverting a main trunk thereof to swap positions of a first end and second end. The limbs are pivotably attached to the main trunk so that they sag under force of gravity from a deployed more horizontally extending orientation to a collapsed more vertically extending orientation when the main trunk is inverted. A base is preferably provided which has wheels and static portions in contact with the ground for supporting the tree thereon. A riser extending up from the base is configured to have an end of the main trunk rest therein. A lock is also preferably provided to hold an end of the trunk within the riser of the base. A separate treetop portion is removably attachable to ends of the trunk to complete the tree when in a deployed configuration and for storage of the treetop when the tree is not collapsed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Applicant: BALSAM INTERNATIONAL UNLIMITED COMPANY
    Inventor: BRUCE A. SCHOOLEY
  • Patent number: 10638866
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Balsam International Unlimited Company
    Inventor: Bruce A. Schooley