Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02619453 2008-01-16
THE GREETING CARD VASE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a Greeting Card Vase for holding cut flowers and an
area
to act as a greeting card to write a message to the recipient and is intended
to be made
from inexpensive materials so that the Greeting Card Vase may be disposed of
through
recycling or garbage.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Cut flowers are commonly displayed as a bouquet in attractive or colourful
containers which complement or enhance the visual appeal of the flowers.
Conventionally, a vase for holding cut flowers is made of transparent or
translucent glass
or plastic.
When cut flowers are purchased, they have usually been stored in a container
which holds water, such as a pail, in order to preserve the flowers in an
attractive
condition and to prevent wilting and decay. The purchaser is given a bouquet
of selected
flowers which sometimes are already bundled and is then given the option of
wrapping
the bouquet in decorative paper which is taped or stapled to form a cone.
The recipient of the bouquet is presented with the paper cone which conceals
the
flowers from view and which often is wet at the bottom from water dripping
from the
stems of the flowers. It is not always convenient for the recipient to
transfer the bouquet
into a Greeting Card Vase, particularly since it is recommended to trim the
stems of the
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flowers before immersing into fresh water. The recipient may be in a public
venue where
access to a Greeting Card Vase and trimming utensil is limited or not
available, or the
recipient may be preoccupied with other functions, to immediately trim the
bouquet and
place the bouquet in water so that it can be displayed and enjoyed. As a
result,
considerable time may lapse in which the flowers of the bouquet are out of
water, from
the time of purchase of the bouquet to the time the flowers are received in a
Greeting
Card Vase ultimately decreasing the life expectancy of the bouquet.
It is known to the Applicant that some flowers, such as roses, are often
delivered
with the stems received in respective ampoules or floral foam which hold water
and keep
the roses fresh. This expedient is expensive and has not been widely adopted
for use with
other less valuable flowers. The recipient is also required to remove the
ampoules or
floral foam and cut then arrange the flowers into a Greeting Card Vase for
display.
An object of the invention is to provide a disposable Greeting Card Vase
whereby
a cut flower bouquet may be given to the recipient without some of the
aforementioned
problems as well as to provide an adequate space for a personalized message to
the
recipient rather than enclosing a separate card that often gets misplaced or
disposed of
with the wrap the flowers are received in.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with this invention, there is provided a Card Vase comprising of
an
open container made from self-supporting paperboard and having a waterproof
liner
which is closed at the bottom and which overlaps the liner at the top
peripheral edge of
the container.
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Conveniently, the paperboard container will be imprinted with multiple
decorative
exterior designs for a variety of occasions and consumer preferences along
with a blank
block area that is suitable for the sender to write messages or greetings
personalized to
the recipient.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, a preferred
embodiment is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a 3 dimensional concept of the Greeting
Card Vase
in accordance with the invention;
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a blank for forming the Greeting Card Vase;
Fig. 3 is a picture of design one to demonstrate the graphic design and the
area that
messages can be written in.
Fig. 4 is a picture of design two to demonstrate the graphic design and the
area that
messages can be written in.
Fig. 5 is a picture of design three to demonstrate the graphic design and the
area that
messages can be written in.
Fig. 6 is a picture of design four to demonstrate the graphic design and the
area that
messages can be written in.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT WITH REFERENCE TO THE
DRAWINGS
The bouquet comprises selected cut flowers arranged to complement one another
for display in Fig. 1 and could include additional decorative elements such as
small
special occasion balloons and the like. The flowers are received in a Greeting
Card Vase
(A) made in accordance with the invention from inexpensive materials so that
the
Greeting Card Vase may be thrown out or recycled after use.
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The enclosure (B) is preferably made of self-supporting paperboard and, in
this
case, has been formed into a box of rectangular cross-section which is open at
a top end
and has a closed bottom end. Conveniently, the closed bottom of the enclosure
(C) may
comprise a folding bottom lock so that the enclosure may be collapsed during
shipping
and storage or when the Greeting Card Vase (A) is provided in a kit form as
outlined
below. The enclosure (B) will advantageously be printed with different
decorative
exteriors and have an ample area for a greeting, sentiment or social
expression to be
written by the sender in accordance with the occasion for which the bouquet is
being
presented. The liner (D) is comprised of a polyethylene bag with a thickness
of
approximately 0.002 mm white opaque poly, of which the length meets the height
of the
enclosure (B), the liner (D) having sufficient width to meet the folded top
peripheral edge
(E) of the enclosure (B) on Fig. 1. The liner (D) is waterproof and contains
water
indicated by (F) for sustaining the cut flowers and the liner (D) is fixed
under the folded
peripheral edge (E) which protects the enclosure (B) from water spills and any
resulting
damage.
It will be appreciated that the Greeting Card Vase (A) may be provided as a
kit
comprising the paperboard enclosure (B) and the liner (D) in collapsed form,
as well as
an envelope fit to accommodate the collapsed Greeting Card Vase (A). In this
way,
purchasers of the kit may create their own floral arrangements and write a
personalized
message before presenting the bouquet or present the bouquet separately with
the
collapsed Greeting Card Vase (A) in an envelope as a card. The configuration
of the
enclosure (B) is known and will not be described in any detail however a
diagram, Fig. 1
is attached.
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In use, a bouquet may be presetlted to a recipient for immediate enjoyment and
display. The bouquet may be kept in the Greeting Card Vase of the invention
for a
recommended ? week period and it is entirely at the discretion of the
recipient whether to
transfer the flowers into a Greeting Card Vase of a more permanent nature.
Trials
conducted by the Applicant have deinonstrated that bouquets held in a
Greetino, Card
Vase according to the invention have not caused any leakat;e and have allowed
for
flowers to sustain life for an avera(,e expectancy.
lt is understood that several variations may be made to the above described
embodiment of the invention without depai-ture from the scope of the appended
claims.
ltwill also be appreciated that the afore-mentioned advantages may be re-
alized
with a container made frorn more permanent materials such as an enclosure made
from synthetic plastic.
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