Apex decoration stabilizing mount for a decorative tree

Abstract

An apex decoration support device including an apex decoration mount is provided and described. The apex decoration mount includes a central shaft and a frustoconical shell coupled to one end of the central shaft at an attachment end of the central shaft, the frustoconical shell extending from the attachment end lengthwise along the central shaft. The apex decoration mount further includes a a carriage coupled to and configured to move linearly along the central shaft such that linear movement of the carriage along the central shaft toward the attachment end rotates the frustoconical shell around the attachment end away from the away from the central shaft.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apex decoration support device, comprising:
 an apex decoration mount, including;
 a central shaft; 
 a frustoconical shell coupled to one end of the central shaft at an attachment end of the central shaft, the frustoconical shell extending from the attachment end lengthwise along the central shaft; and 
 a carriage coupled to and configured to move linearly along the central shaft such that linear movement of the carriage along the central shaft toward the attachment end rotates the frustoconical shell around the attachment end away from the away from the central shaft. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apex decoration support device of  claim 1 , wherein the carriage further includes a central hole sized to receive the central shaft and allow the carriage to move linearly along the central shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The apex decoration support device of  claim 2 , further comprising a slide lock coupled to the carriage and structurally configured to lock the carriage at a location on the central shaft. 
     
     
         4 . The apex decoration support device of  claim 2 , wherein the central shaft further includes central shaft threads extending from the attachment end at least part way down the central shaft and the central hole of the carriage further includes central hole threads complimentary to the central shaft threads, such that rotation of the carriage relative to the central shaft moves the carriage linearly along the central shaft. 
     
     
         5 . The apex decoration support device of  claim 1 , wherein the frustoconical shell is comprised of a plurality of linear supports extending radially downward from the attachment end. 
     
     
         6 . The apex decoration support device of  claim 5 , wherein each linear support of the plurality of linear supports is coupled to the attachment end by a plurality of hinges. 
     
     
         7 . The apex decoration support device of  claim 5 , wherein each linear support of the plurality of linear supports is coupled to the attachment end by a plurality of living hinges. 
     
     
         8 . The apex decoration support device of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of linear supports is at least three linear supports. 
     
     
         9 . The apex decoration support device of  claim 1 , wherein the frustoconical shell is comprised of a frustoconical sheet having an edge at each lateral side that overlap and slide relative to one another to allow the frustoconical sheet to increase and decrease in size as the carriage moves back and forth linearly along the central shaft. 
     
     
         10 . The apex decoration support device of  claim 9 , wherein the frustoconical sheet is comprised of a plurality of frustoconical sheet segments, each having an edge at each lateral side. 
     
     
         11 . The apex decoration support device of  claim 1 , wherein the central shaft includes a cap coupled to the attachment end to which the frustoconical shell is coupled. 
     
     
         12 . The apex decoration support device of  claim 1 , further comprising a tree coupling coupled to the central shaft of the apex decoration mount at one end and configured to couple to an apex of an artificial tree at an opposite end. 
     
     
         13 . The apex decoration support device of  claim 12 , wherein the tree coupling is rotatably coupled to the central shaft. 
     
     
         14 . The apex decoration support device of  claim 12 , wherein the tree coupling is bendably coupled to the central shaft. 
     
     
         15 . The apex decoration support device of  claim 12 , wherein the tree coupling is at least partially comprised of bendable body. 
     
     
         16 . The apex decoration support device of  claim 12 , wherein the opposite end of the tree coupling has a helical structure sized and shaped to twist around an upper portion of the artificial tree from the apex of the artificial tree downward.