U.S. patent application number 13/363484 was filed with the patent office on 2013-08-01 for artificial floral arrangement.
The applicant listed for this patent is Edward C. Glenn. Invention is credited to Edward C. Glenn.
Application Number | 20130196088 13/363484 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48870471 |
Filed Date | 2013-08-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130196088 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Glenn; Edward C. |
August 1, 2013 |
ARTIFICIAL FLORAL ARRANGEMENT
Abstract
An artificial floral arrangement and method for its production
are described. A liner is inserted into a mold container having a
continuous inner side wall with a lower edge and a bottom wall. A
wrap, such as one or more artificial leaves or other plant
components, is wrapped around the container inner side wall, and
secured in place by placing an adhesive moldable binder into the
container at the interface of the wrap and bottom wall. A floral
support, which may be of the same composition as the binder, is
placed inside the container, and floral material is inserted into
the support. The stand-alone floral arrangement made up of the
wrap, binder ring, floral support and floral material, is then
removed from the container and the liner stripped away. The floral
arrangement can be displayed without a container, reinserted into
the mold container, or placed in a different container.
Inventors: |
Glenn; Edward C.;
(Greenville, NC) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Glenn; Edward C. |
Greenville |
NC |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
48870471 |
Appl. No.: |
13/363484 |
Filed: |
February 1, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
428/23 ;
53/461 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 7/00 20130101; B65D
85/52 20130101; A41G 1/00 20130101; B65B 25/026 20130101; A47G 7/06
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
428/23 ;
53/461 |
International
Class: |
A41G 1/00 20060101
A41G001/00; B65B 11/00 20060101 B65B011/00 |
Claims
1. A method of making an artificial floral arrangement comprising
the steps of: a) providing a mold container having a continuous
inner side wall with a lower edge and a bottom wall joining the
lower edge of the inner wall; b) inserting a liner into the
container to cover the container bottom and at least the lower
portion of the continuous side wall; c) wrapping a wrap around the
container inner side wall adjacent the container bottom wall; d)
placing an adhesive moldable binder into the container at the
interface of the wrap and the container bottom wall to secure the
wrap in position; e) positioning a floral support inside the
container; f) inserting floral material into the floral support to
form a floral arrangement comprised of the wrap, binder ring,
floral support and floral material; g) removing the floral
arrangement and liner from the container; and h) removing the liner
from the floral arrangement.
2. The method of claim 1, further including inserting the floral
arrangement into a display container.
3. The method of claim 1, further including reinserting the floral
arrangement into the mold container after removal of the liner.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the hinder is a mixture of
cellulosic material and glue.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wrap is an artificial floral
component.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the floral component is at least
one artificial leaf.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein said binder and said support have
the same composition.
8. A method of making an artificial floral arrangement displayed in
a container comprising the steps of: a) providing a mold container
having a continuous inner side wall with a lower edge and a bottom
wall joining the lower edge of the inner wall; b) inserting a liner
into the container to cover the container bottom and at least the
lower portion of the continuous side wall; c) wrapping a wrap
around the container inner side wall adjacent the container bottom
wall: d) placing an adhesive moldable binder into the container at
the interface of the wrap and the container bottom wall to secure
the wrap in position; e) positioning a floral support inside the
container; f) inserting floral material into the floral support to
form a floral arrangement comprised of the wrap, binder ring,
floral support and floral material; g) removing the floral
arrangement and liner from the container; h) removing the liner
from the floral arrangement; and i) placing the floral arrangement
in a display container.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the binder is a mixture of
cellulosic material and glue.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the wrap is an artificial floral
component.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the floral component is at
least one artificial leaf.
12. The method of claim 8, wherein said binder and said support
have the same composition.
13. The method of claim 8, wherein the mold container is the
display container.
14. The method of claim 8, wherein the display container is
transparent.
15. A stand-alone artificial floral arrangement comprised of: a) an
adhesive moldable binder having a continuous side wall and an inner
cavity; b) a wrap extending around the binder side wall and adhered
thereto; a bottom wall contacting the bottom wall; c) a floral
support within the binder cavity; and d) artificial floral material
inserted into the floral support.
16. The floral arrangement of claim 15, wherein said binder
comprised of cellulosic material and a water-soluble adhesive.
17. The floral arrangement of claim 15, wherein the wrap is
comprised of an artificial plant component.
18. The floral arrangement of claim 17, wherein the wrap is at
least one artificial leaf.
19. The floral arrangement of claim 15, inserted into a transparent
container.
20. The floral arrangement of claim 15, wherein said binder and
said support are of the same composition.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] (1) Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to artificial floral
arrangements, and in particular to artificial floral arrangements
within a transparent vase or other container whereby the
arrangement can be removed for cleaning, or for placement in a
different container.
[0003] (2) Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Artificial floral arrangements are created in a large
variety of designs to have the appearance of natural cut flowers
and plants. In some arrangements, the artificial floral material,
e.g., stemmed flowers or leaves is placed in a glass or plastic
vase or other container to simulate freshly cut flowers or foliage.
In order to arrange the floral material within the vase, the lower
part of the vase is often filled with a floral support, such as
floral foam. When a transparent container is used, a decorative
support, such as marbles, stones or clear acrylic simulating water,
can be used. The lower ends, e.g., stems, of the floral material
are then inserted into the support material and arranged in an
aesthetic manner.
[0005] Artificial floral arrangements, unlike natural floral
arrangements which must be discarded after a few days, may maintain
their original appearance for several years. During this time,
however, the arrangement and the vase become dusty and dirty,
requiring cleaning. Prior arrangements, however, make it difficult
or impossible to thoroughly clean the arrangement and vase without
at least partially destroying the arrangement. Also, over time, the
vase may be damaged requiring replacement or the owner may simply
wish to display the floral arrangement in a different vase.
[0006] Therefore, there is a continuing need for an artificial
floral arrangement, and method of making such arrangement, that
provides a pleasing appearance, especially within a transparent
container, but which can be removed from the container for cleaning
or other purposes, and then replaced in the original container or
transferred to another container. Floral arrangements having these
properties must also be easily created by the professional or
amateur floral arranger.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Generally, the artificial floral arrangement is created by
first placing a liner, such as a flexible plastic sheet inside a
molding container, i.e., the container in which the floral
arrangement is to be created, so that the liner covers the bottom
and at least the lower portion of the continuous side wall of the
container. A flexible wrap is then wrapped around the inside of the
lower portion of the container side wall adjacent the container
bottom wall.
[0008] A moldable and hardenable adhesive binder, such as a pasty
mix of cellulosic material, glue and water is then pressed against
the decorative wrap at the interface of the wrap and the bottom
wall of the container to secure the decorative wrap in place. After
the binder has hardened, a support is positioned inside the
container, and artificial flowers or plant leaves, collectively
plant material, are inserted into the floral support.
[0009] The floral arrangement comprised of the wrap, binder ring,
floral support and floral material held together by the binder and
floral support are then removed from the mold container and the
liner is stripped away. The resultant stand-alone floral
arrangement can be placed in a display container, or displayed
without a container.
[0010] Several variations of this general method are possible. For
example, in one embodiment, the mold container and the display
container are the same container, i.e., the floral arrangement,
after stripping away the liner, is placed back in the original
container. In another embodiment, the floral arrangement is removed
from the original mold container and, after the liner is removed,
placed in a different container, i.e., the display container for
display.
[0011] The binder material and the floral support can be of the
same material or of different materials. For example, a first
amount of an adhesive binder can be packed in the container to bind
the wrap in position, and then additional binder material of the
same composition can be placed in the container, with the floral
material being inserted into the additional binder material before
the additional binder material hardens. Alternatively, the floral
support can be of a different composition, such as a mixture of the
original binder material and florist foam. A weight can also be
placed in the container, e.g., beneath the floral support.
[0012] The wrap can be made of various materials, so long as the
wrap is flexible enough to wrap around at least a portion of the
container inner side wall. More than one wrap can be used to
completely wrap around the inner wall. The wrap can be a flexible
strip of paper, plastic, or cloth. The strip can be generally
rectangular.
[0013] The binder material may be comprised of wood particles,
e.g., sawdust or other finely divided wood dust, intimately mixed
with a water-based adhesive or binder, and water to form a paste
that may then be stored in a plastic bag, jar or other waterproof
container for an extended period prior to use. In order to more
closely approximate the color of natural dirt, the composition may
also include a colorant, such as a water-based latex paint. Other
ingredients, such as fungicides and other biocides, may also be
included in the composition. While various water-based adhesives
can be used so long as the desired adhesion is achieved, the
preferred water-based adhesive is so-called white glue. A suitable
binder material is currently sold under the trademark Durt.RTM. by
Jefferson Group Inc, dba/New Growth Designs of Greenville, N.C. for
potting artificial plants.
[0014] When the floral arrangement is placed in a transparent
container, e.g., a glass vase with a downwardly tapered side wall,
a decorative wrap is preferably used. For example, the wrap
preferably simulates a floral component, such as a leaf. In this
alternative, one or more molded plastic leaves are wrapped around
the inner wall of the container and held in place by the binder.
The leaves, for example, may he elongated with a central stem that
is positioned horizontally.
[0015] In this embodiment, the artificial floral arrangement of the
invention is contained within a transparent vase or other
transparent container having a continuous inner side wall with a
lower edge and a bottom wall joining the lower edge of the inner
wall. At least one artificial leaf having an outer face and an
inner face is positioned around the inner wall adjacent the bottom
wall, the outer face contacts the vase inner wall.
[0016] The leaf or leaves are held in place by a hardened binder,
e.g., a mixture of cellulosic material and a water-soluble glue.
Artificial floral material is held by a support within the vase.
Preferably, the support is made of the same material as the binder
and is adhered to the binder to form an integral plug.
[0017] The floral arrangement of the present invention has several
advantages over prior art floral arrangements contained in vases or
other transparent containers. The present arrangement, in addition
to providing an attractive display, can be easily removed from the
container without damage since the components of the arrangement
are held together by the binder and floral support, while the
leaves contacting the vase are not attached to the vase. As a
result, the vase and the arrangement can be easily cleaned and the
arrangement replaced into the original vase, or into a new
vase.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of a molding container with
a wrap around the inner side wall of the vase adhered in place by a
binder.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a top view of a molding container with a wrap
around the inner side wall of the vase adhered in place by a
binder.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of a molding container with
a wrap around the inner side wall of the vase adhered in place by a
binder, and a floral material support in the center of the
vase.
[0021] FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of a vase with floral
material inserted into the floral material support.
[0022] FIG. 5 is a side view of the floral arrangement in a
transparent vase.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] As illustrated in the drawings, the floral arrangement of
the present invention is created in a molding container 10 having a
continuous side wall 12 and a bottom wall 14. Container 10 is first
lined with a flexible liner 16, e.g., a waterproof plastic sheet. A
wrap 20 is positioned around the inside of side wall 12 with its
lower edge adjacent bottom wall 14. It is not necessary for all
parts of the edge of wrap 20 to completely contact bottom wall
14.
[0024] Adhesive, moldable binder 22 is then pressed against at
least the lower part of wrap 20 to mold wrap 20 against wall 12 and
secure wrap 20 in position. Binder 22 may be in a ring shape with
an open center. Moldable floral support 24 is then pressed into the
center of container 10 and into contact with binder 22 and wrap 20.
Binder 22 and support 24 may be of the same or different
compositions.
[0025] While support 24 is still moldable, floral material 30 is
inserted into support 24 and arranged as desired. After binder 22
and support 24 have hardened, normally at least 48 hours, the
floral arrangement, i.e., the combination of wrap 20, binder 22,
support 24 and floral material 30, along with liner 12 are removed
from container 10 and liner 12 is removed. If desired, a weight 32
can be inserted into the lower part of the arrangement for
increased stability.
[0026] The floral arrangement is self-supporting with wrap 20 being
adhered to the continuous outer wall of binder 22, and can then
stand-alone without a container, or it can be inserted in
transparent display container 40 as shown in FIG. 5. It will be
understood that molding container 10 can also serve as display
container 40.
[0027] Certain modifications and improvements will occur to those
skilled in the art upon a reading of the foregoing description. It
should be understood that all such modifications and improvements
have been deleted herein for the sake of conciseness and
readability but are properly within the scope of the following
claims.
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