U.S. patent application number 12/427737 was filed with the patent office on 2010-06-24 for artificial flower.
This patent application is currently assigned to HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to WEI GONG, JU-LAN HAO.
Application Number | 20100159162 12/427737 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42266533 |
Filed Date | 2010-06-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100159162 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HAO; JU-LAN ; et
al. |
June 24, 2010 |
ARTIFICIAL FLOWER
Abstract
An artificial flower includes an artificial stem, a receptacle
held by the artificial stem, numerous artificial petals rotatably
positioned on the receptacle, a cable and a driving unit. The cable
is moveably extended through the artificial stem and includes a
first end and an opposite second end. The first end of the cable is
coupled to the artificial petals. The driving unit is coupled to
the second end of the cable and capable of driving the cable to
rotate the artificial petals between an open position where the
artificial petals are opened and a close position where the
artificial petals are closed.
Inventors: |
HAO; JU-LAN; (Shenzhen City,
CN) ; GONG; WEI; (Shenzhen City, CN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PCE INDUSTRY, INC.;ATT. Steven Reiss
288 SOUTH MAYO AVENUE
CITY OF INDUSTRY
CA
91789
US
|
Assignee: |
HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY
(ShenZhen) CO., LTD.
Shenzhen City
CN
HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
Tu-Cheng
TW
|
Family ID: |
42266533 |
Appl. No.: |
12/427737 |
Filed: |
April 21, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
428/24 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41G 1/002 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
428/24 |
International
Class: |
A41G 1/00 20060101
A41G001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 22, 2008 |
CN |
200810306446.1 |
Claims
1. An artificial flower comprising: an artificial stem; a
receptacle held by the artificial stem; a plurality of artificial
petals rotatably positioned on the receptacle; a cable moveably
extended through the artificial stem and comprising a first end and
an opposite second end, the first end of the cable coupled to the
plurality of artificial petals; and a driving unit coupled to the
second end of the cable and capable of driving the cable to rotate
the plurality of artificial petals between a first position where
the plurality of artificial petals are opened and a second position
where the plurality of artificial petals are closed.
2. The artificial flower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
artificial stem is a hollow cylinder.
3. The artificial flower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
receptacle comprises a disc-shaped body, a plurality of fixed arms,
a plurality of holding arms and a plurality of torsion springs; the
fixed arms extend from the body, each extending with a direction
inclined to an axial direction of the artificial stem; each holding
arm is rotatably connected to each fixed arm; and each torsion
spring is received in the fixed arms and is configured for driving
the holding arm to rotate around the fixed arm towards the
disc-shaped body.
4. The artificial flower as claimed in claim 3, wherein a plurality
of sections extend from the first end of the cable; each artificial
petal is positioned on each holding arm and defines two through
holes; and each section is extended through the two through holes
and wound round the holding arm.
5. The artificial flower as claimed in claim 4, further comprising
a flowerpot, the driving unit received in the flowerpot, the
artificial stem protruding from the flowerpot.
6. The artificial flower as claimed in claim 5, wherein the driving
unit comprises a gear box, a motor, a gear assembly, a toothed bar
and an elastic member; the gear assembly is received in the gear
box; the gear box defines a guide rail, aligned with the artificial
stem; the motor is partially received in the gear box and comprises
a rotating worm shaft meshed with the gear assembly; the toothed
bar comprises a toothed portion and is moveably received in the
guide rail with the toothed portion meshed with the gear assembly;
an end of the elastic member is fixed to an inner surface of the
flowerpot and another end of the elastic member is coupled to the
toothed bar; and the second end of the cable is fixed to the
toothed bar.
7. The artificial flower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
receptacle comprises a disc-shaped body, a plurality of fixed arms,
a plurality of holding arms and a lubricant layer; the fixed arms
extend from the body, each extending with a direction inclined to
an axial direction of the artificial stem; each holding arm is
rotatably connected to each fixed arm; and the lubricant layer is
coated between each holding arm and each fixed arm.
8. The artificial flower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cable
is made from steel.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The present disclosure relates to ornaments, and
particularly, to an artificial flower.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Artificial flowers are popularly used as substitutes for
real flowers because they do not need watering and never wilt.
However, the artificial flowers remain in one state, which may be
dull and boring.
[0005] Therefore, what is needed is an artificial flower, in which
the above problem is eliminated or at least alleviated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a partially perspective view of an artificial
flower including a driving unit, a receptacle and numerous
artificial petals, according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged, schematic view of the
driving unit of FIG. 1.
[0008] FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the receptacle of FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 4 is a partially isometric view of the artificial
flower of FIG. 1, showing the numerous artificial petals coupled to
the receptacle.
[0010] FIG. 5 is a partially isometric view of an artificial flower
according to another embodiment.
[0011] FIG. 6 is another partially isometric view of the artificial
flower of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] Referring to FIG. 1, an artificial flower 10 according to an
exemplary embodiment includes a flowerpot 11, a driving unit 12, an
artificial stem 13, a receptacle 14, and numerous artificial petals
15. The driving unit 12 is received in the flowerpot 11. The
artificial stem 13 protrudes from the flowerpot 11. The receptacle
14 is fixed on the top of the artificial stem 13 and held by the
artificial stem 13. The artificial petals 15 are rotatably
connected to and positioned on the receptacle 14.
[0013] Referring to FIG. 2, the flowerpot 11 includes a fixed board
111. The fixed board 111 defines a central through hole 1111. The
artificial stem 13 is extended through the central through hole
1111 and fixed to the fixed board 111.
[0014] The driving unit 12 is below the fixed board 111 and
includes a gear box 121, a motor 122, a gear assembly 123, a
toothed bar 124, and an elastic member 125. The gear assembly 123
is received in the gear box 121. The gear box 121 defines a guide
rail 1211, aligned with the artificial stem 13. The motor 122 is
partially received in the gear box 121. The motor 122 includes a
rotating worm shaft 1221 meshed with the gear assembly 123.
Therefore, the motor 122 may drive the gear assembly 123 by
rotating the worm shaft 1221.
[0015] The toothed bar 124 includes a toothed portion 1241. The
toothed bar 124 is moveably received in the guide rail 1211 with
the toothed portion 1241 meshed with the gear assembly 123. The
toothed bar 124 can move along the guide rail 1211 towards the
fixed board 111 (upwards) when the motor 122 drives the gear
assembly 123.
[0016] A fixing pole 110 extends from an inner surface 112 of the
flowerpot 11. An end of the elastic member 125 is fixed to the
fixing pole 110. Another end of the elastic member 125 is coupled
to the toothed bar 124. When the elastic member 125 is fixed in the
driving unit 12, the length of the elastic member 125 is greater
than the natural length of the elastic member 125. In this
embodiment, the elastic member 125 is a tension coil spring.
[0017] Referring to FIG. 3 together with FIG. 2, the artificial
stem 13 is a hollow cylinder. A cable 16 such as a steel cable is
moveably extended through the artificial stem 13. The cable 16
includes a first end 161 and a second end 162 opposite to the first
end 161. Four sections 163 extend from the first end 161. The
second end 162 is fixed to the toothed bar 124. Each section 163
may be made from steel and is connected to the first end 161 by
welding.
[0018] The receptacle 14 includes a disc-shaped body 140, four
fixed arms 141, four holding arms 142, and four torsion springs
143. The fixed arms 141 extend from the body 140, each extending
radially away from the artificial stem 13 substantially symmetrical
to each other. Each holding arm 142 is rotatably connected to each
fixed arm 141. Each torsion spring 143 is received in the fixed
arms 141 and is configured for driving the holding arm 142 to
rotate about the fixed arm 141 towards the disc-shaped body 140.
Each section 163 is wrapped/looped round each holding arm 142 in a
manner that when the cable 16 is pulled by the toothed bar 124, the
holding arms 142 rotate about the fixed arms 141 substantially
enclosing the longitudinal axial of the artificial stem 13,
overcoming a torque applied by the torsion springs 143 on the
holding arms 142. Therefore, the holding arms 142 are closed.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 4 together with FIGS. 2 and 3, each
artificial petal 15 is positioned on the holding arm 142 and
defines two through holes 150. Each section 163 is extended through
the two through holes 150 and wound round the holding arm 142.
Therefore, the artificial petals 15 move together with the holding
arms 142.
[0020] To animate the artificial flower 10, the motor 122 is turned
on to drive the toothed bar 124 using the gear assembly 123 to move
upwards (towards the fixed board 111) along the guide rail 1211.
Meanwhile, the elastic member 125 extends further. The cable 16 is
moved upwards and the artificial petals 15 together with the
holding arms 142 open up due to the torque of the torsion springs
143 on the holding arms 142. Therefore, the flower 10 appears to
bloom. When the motor 122 is turned off, the cable 16 is pulled
back by restoration of the elastic member 125. Therefore, the
artificial petals 15 become closed.
[0021] It is to be understood that number of the fixed arm 141, the
holding arm 142, the torsion spring 143 and the artificial petal 15
may be three, five or more. It depends on what the flower
manufacturer designs. The elastic member 125 may be an elastic
rod.
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 together with FIG. 2, an
artificial flower 10a according to another exemplary embodiment is
shown. The differences between the artificial flower 10a and the
artificial flower 10 are that the four torsion springs 143 are
omitted and a lubricant layer (not shown) is coated between each
fixed arm 141a and each holding arm 142a. When the motor 122
(referring to FIG. 2) is turned on and the cable 16a is moved
upwards, the artificial petals 15a and the holding arms 142a open
under the influence of gravity. The artificial petals 15a closes
similar to that of the artificial petals 15 of the artificial
flower 10. The artificial flower can achieve blooming and closing
up. Therefore, the artificial flower may cheer up people.
[0023] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous
characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been
set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of
the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is
illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in
matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the
principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the
broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
expressed.
* * * * *