Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
DUAL SIDED OPEN ENDED FLORAL DESIGN MECHANIC
BACKGROUND
The present invention pertains generally to the field of floral arrangements
and
specifically to floral design mechanics for creating and securing a floral
arrangement, such as a
bouquet, centerpiece, basket or the like. A wide range of products are used to
create floral
arrangements and to hold a floral arrangement in a desired shape or position.
As an example,
floral foam is a commonly used product that comprises a shaped foam that
receives the end of a
stem of a flower used in the floral arrangement. The stem of the flower is
forced into the foam
it) .. so that the foam supports the flower at a particular position. However,
with floral foam, the
flower is only supported at one location making it easy for the flower to be
knocked out of
position while moving the arrangement. Additionally, since only the end of the
flower is
supported, it is difficult to keep flowers at an extremely angled position
within the bouquet or
arrangement. Alternative methods include the use of chicken wire or flower
frogs to support
floral arrangements.
Thus, there is a need for improvement in this field.
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SUMMARY
Certain embodiments include a floral design mechanic for arranging and
securing a
bouquet or arrangement of flowers or other decorative plants. In one form, a
floral design
mechanic includes a top shell having a top outer edge. The top shell includes
top supports and
top openings defined between the top supports. The floral design mechanic also
includes a
bottom shell having a bottom outer edge. The bottom shell includes bottom
supports defining
bottom openings and is attached to the top shell. An interior cavity is
defined between the top
shell and the bottom shell when the top shell is attached to the bottom shell.
The floral design mechanic is configured to secure a plant or a portion of the
plant by
to accepting a stem that extends through one of the top openings and
through one of the bottom
openings. The top supports surrounding the top opening and the bottom supports
surrounding
the bottom opening keep the plant constrained to a general location and
placement within the
floral arrangement.
In some embodiments, the floral design mechanic includes at least one
connection prong
positioned on either the top outer edge or said bottom outer edge. The
connection prong
corresponds to a prong reception member positioned on either the top outer
edge or the bottom
outer edge, opposite of the connection prong. The connection prong couples to
the prong
reception member to attach the top shell to the bottom shell.
In some instances, a floral design mechanic may be configured for and/or used
with a
vase. The vase may have a base and a top rim with an inner surface. A body
defining a hollow
interior extends between the base and the top rim. The floral design mechanic
is supported by
the inner surface of the vase. A stem of a plant is inserted through a top
opening and then
through one of the bottom openings of the floral design mechanic so that the
stem extends into
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the hollow interior defined by the body of the vase. In certain embodiments,
the floral design
mechanic is positioned on the vase so that at least a portion of the floral
design mechanic extends
above the top rim of the vase. The design mechanic may be secured to the vase
by friction, clips,
tape or some other attachment mechanism, if desired.
Further forms, objects, features, aspects, benefits, advantages, and
embodiments of the
present invention will become apparent from a detailed description and
drawings provided
herewith.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a floral design mechanic
according to
the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a top shell of the floral design mechanic of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a bottom shell of the floral design mechanic
of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the interaction between a connection prong on
the top
shell and a connection assembly on the bottom shell of the floral design
mechanic of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the interaction between a connection assembly
on the top
shell and a connection prong on the bottom shell of the floral design mechanic
of FIG. 1.
fo FIG. 6 is a perspective view of flowers supported by the floral
design mechanic of FIG.
1.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a floral design
mechanic.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a top shell of the floral design mechanic of
FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a bottom shell of the floral design mechanic
of FIG. 7.
FIG. 10 is a front view of the floral design mechanic of FIG. 7 supported by a
vase.
FIG. 11 is a front view of a flower in a vase supported by the floral design
mechanic of
FIG. 7 (or 10).
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DESCRIPTION OF THE SELECTED EMBODIMENTS
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the
invention,
reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and
specific language
will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no
limitation of the
scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further
modifications in the
described embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the
invention as
described herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in
the art to which the
invention relates. One embodiment of the invention is shown in great detail,
although it will be
apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that some features that are not
relevant to the present
to invention may not be shown for the sake of clarity.
FIG. l illustrates a top perspective view of one embodiment of a floral design
mechanic
20. Floral design mechanic 20 defines an interior cavity 25 situated between a
top shell 30 and a
bottom shell 60. Top shell 30 and bottom shell 60 are shown as being separably
attached to each
other, allowing floral design mechanic 20 to be split into two separate
pieces. Floral design
mechanic 20 has an oblong, pill-like shape, such as for creating horizontal
bouquets.
As shown in FIG. 2, top shell 30 includes a series of top supports 32 that
collectively
form a frame with a lattice-type arrangement. Top openings 36 are voids
defined through top
shell 30 between the series of top supports 32. In the embodiment shown, top
openings 36 come
in a variety of shapes. Some of top openings 36 are quadrilateral, pentagonal,
or hexagonal. In
other embodiments, different shapes for top openings 36 may be used or top
shell 30 may
include top openings 36 that are all the same shape.
Top shell 30 includes a top outer edge 42. Top connection prongs 44 and top
prong
reception members 50 are spaced around top outer edge 42. In the embodiment
shown, one half
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of the top outer edge 42 of top shell 30 includes top connection prongs 44 and
the other half of
outer edge 42 of top shell 30 includes top prong reception members 50. In
other embodiments,
the arrangement of top connection prongs 44 and top prong reception members 50
may be
modified. As an example, top connection prongs 44 and top prong reception
members 50 may
alternate around outer edge 42. In other instances, outer edge 42 may include
only top
connection prongs 44 or may include only top prong reception members 50. In
alternate
embodiments, other connection types may be utilized, such as snap-fit, clips
or other known
alternatives.
Bottom shell 60, shown in FIG. 3, is symmetric with top shell 30. Similar to
top shell 30,
bottom shell 60 includes a series of bottom supports 62 that collectively form
a frame with a
lattice-type arrangement. Bottom openings 66 are voids defined through bottom
shell 60 between
the series of bottom supports 62. Bottom openings 66 are arranged to
correspond with the
position of top openings 36 defined through top shell 30. In other forms, the
bottom shell 60
may take on a different shape and configuration from top shell 30, provided
that the two remain
connectable.
Bottom shell 60 includes a bottom outer edge 72. Bottom connection prongs 74
and
bottom prong reception members 80 are spaced around bottom outer edge 72.
Bottom
connection prongs 74 are positioned around one half of outer edge 72 to
correspond with top
prong reception members 50 of top shell 30. Bottom prong reception members 80
are positioned
along the other half of bottom outer edge 72 to correspond with the position
of top connection
prongs 44 of top shell 30. In other embodiments, where the arrangement of top
connection
prongs 44 and top prong reception members 50 on top shell 30 is modified, the
arrangement of
bottom connection prongs 74 and bottom prong reception members 80 is also
modified. Bottom
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connection prongs 74 are positioned to correspond with top prong reception
members 50 and
bottom prong reception members 80 are positioned to correspond with top
connection prongs 44.
Top shell 30 and bottom shell 60 in the illustrated embodiment are connected
by
interlocking top connection prongs 44 with corresponding bottom prong
reception members 80
and interlocking bottom connection prongs 74 with corresponding top prong
reception members
50. As shown in FIG. 4, top connection prong 44 includes a body 45. An
extension 46 projects
from body 45 and a tapered surface 47 is provided between extension 46 and an
end surface 48
of connection prong 44. Bottom prong reception member 80 includes a projection
81 that
extends from outer edge 72 of bottom shell 60. Projection 81 includes a top
surface 82 and a
bottom surface 84. A prong opening 85 is defined through projection 81 and
extends completely
through top surface 82 and bottom surface 84.
Connection prongs 44 and 74 connect to prong reception members 50 and 80 using
a
snap fit mechanism. To interlock top connection prong 44 with bottom prong
reception member
80, end surface 48 of connection prong 44 is inserted into prong opening 85.
Connection prong
44 is advanced so that tapered surface 47 extends through prong opening 85
until extension 46
clears bottom surface 84 of projection 81. Once extension 46 clears bottom
surface 84,
connection prong 44 flexes outward so that extension 46 contacts bottom
surface 84 when top
shell 30 is pulled away from bottom shell 60 (see FIG. 1). This connects top
shell 30 and bottom
shell 60 and assists to prevent accidental separation of top shell 30 and
bottom shell 60.
As shown in FIG. 5, the interaction between bottom connection prong 74 and top
prong
reception member 50 is symmetrical to the interaction between top connection
prong 44 and
bottom prong reception member 80. Top prong reception member 50 includes a
projection 51
that extends from outer edge 42 of top shell 30. Bottom connection prong 74 is
inserted through
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a prong opening 55 in top prong reception member 50. A tapered surface 77 of
bottom
connection prong 74 is advanced through prong opening 85 until an extension 76
extending from
a body 75 of bottom connection prong 74 clears the top surface 52 of
projection 51. Once
extension 76 clears top surface 52, connection prong 74 flexes outward so that
the lack of
clearance between extension 76 and top surface 52 prevents top shell 30 from
being separated
from bottom shell 60.
Floral design mechanic 20 provides a lightweight, easy to handle structure for
a floral
arrangement or bouquet of flowers 90 that keeps the arrangement intact during
construction. The
interior cavity 25 of floral design mechanic 20 remains empty, without the
addition of floral
foam or any other material which supports the stems of the flowers used in the
bouquet. The
floral design mechanic allows a florist or designer to insert flower stems at
all angles and keep
them in a horizontal fan-shaped or asymmetrical array without the flowers
popping to a vertical
position when the stem handle is tied. As shown in FIG. 6, the structure of
the bouquet is
maintained by securing the stems 92 of flowers to the supports 32 and/or 62 of
shells 30 and 60.
The stems 92 may be secured to supports 32 and /or 62 by wire 94 or by any
other suitable
attachment mechanism. The open ended design allows stems to extend through the
top shell 30
and the bottom shell 60 of floral design mechanic 20 so that one stem can be
supported at two
points. This assists to secure the flower in the desired position in the
bouquet while also
allowing for built-out, cascading bouquets.
By securing stems of flowers in the bouquet at supports 32, 62 of floral
design mechanic
20, the stems of each of the flowers are separated so that each bloom in the
bouquet can be seen.
This reduces the number of flowers and stems needed to fill the bouquet.
Additionally, the two
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points of also supports permit stems of to be severely angled (see FIG. 6)
without allowing the
stems to collapse into a ball.
As the arrangement is created, the user may set down the floral design
mechanic 20 to
take a break, while the flowers attached to floral design mechanic 20 remain
in the position at
which they were arranged. In other instances, the user may place the floral
design mechanic 20
on a vase to support floral design mechanic 20 while the bouquet is designed
rather than having
to hold floral design mechanic 20 during design and arrangement.
Once the bouquet is completed, floral design mechanic 20 is easily hidden. As
an
example, in some embodiments, floral design mechanic 20 is hidden by a collar
of green leaves.
Other embodiments may use other suitable materials or techniques to hide
floral design
mechanic 20; however, in some instances, floral design mechanic 20 may not be
hidden, but
instead remains visible. Floral design mechanic 20 and the stems of the
flowers used in the
bouquet can also be easily placed into water to prolong the life of the
flowers and the bouquet.
In some embodiments, a bouquet designer may use wired stems for the flowers in
the
bouquet. The wired stems may be twisted into the interior 24 of floral design
mechanic 20 to
provide additional support to the bouquet. In some embodiments, a designer may
include
succulents or pods on the frame, either with stemmed flowers or for a bouquet
that only includes
succulents and/or pods.
The separable top shell 30 and bottom shell 60 allows floral design mechanic
20 to be
reduced in size for storage. Top shell 30 is removed from bottom shell 60 and
one of the shells
30, 60 can be nested within the other shell 30, 60 to minimize storage space
needed for floral
design mechanic 20.
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An alternative embodiment of a floral design mechanic 120 is shown in FIG. 7.
Floral
design mechanic 120 includes a top shell 130 and a bottom shell 160 that are
separably attached
to each other to define an interior cavity 125. In this embodiment, the top
shell 130 has a
circular outer edge 142 and supports 132 defining openings 136 and extending
convexly from
outer edge 142 (see FIG. 8). Similarly, bottom shell 160 has a circular outer
edge 172 and
supports 162 defining openings 166 and extending convexly from outer edge 172
(see FIG. 9).
Top shell 130 and bottom shell may be connected by connection prongs 144 and
corresponding connection assemblies 174 arranged around the outer edges of the
top shell and
bottom shell 160, similar to the top connection prongs 44 and bottom
connection assemblies 80
already discussed above. As shown in FIGS. 8-9, each of top shell 130 and
bottom shell 160
may include both connection prongs 144 and connection assemblies 174 around
outer edges 142,
172. As an example, in some embodiments, outer edge 142 may have alternating
connection
prongs 144 and connection assemblies 174. In other embodiments, outer edge
includes only
connection prongs 144 or only connection assemblies 174. Still other examples
may include any
other suitable arrangement of connection prongs 144 and connection assemblies
174.
As illustrated in FIG. 10, floral design mechanic 120 can be used in
combination with a
vase 210 to create a structured floral arrangement system. Vase 210 includes a
base 212 and a
top rim 214. A body 216 defining a hollow interior 218 bounded by an inner
surface 220 of
body 216 extends between the base 212 and the top rim 214. Hollow interior 218
is accessible
through top rim 214. Floral design mechanic 120 is placed on top of vase 210
and supported by
top rim 214 so that at least a portion of floral design mechanic 120 is
positioned within hollow
interior 218 of vase 210 and a portion of floral design mechanic is positioned
above the top rim
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214 of vase 210. In some embodiments, vase 210 may include a neck 222, and
floral design
mechanic 120 is positioned above neck 222.
In FIG. 10, floral design mechanic 120 rests on top rim 214 so that roughly
the top shell
130 extends above top rim 214 while the bottom shell 160 is below top rim 214,
within hollow
interior 218. In other embodiments, floral design mechanic 120 may be used
with different sized
vases so that either more of floral design mechanic 120 is above top rim 214
or so that less of
floral design mechanic 120 is above top rim 214. For vases with a wider top
rim 214, less of top
shell 130 extends above top rim 214. In some cases, floral design mechanic 120
may be
positioned so that the entirety of floral design mechanic 120 is within hollow
interior 218. For
vases with a narrower top rim 214, a greater portion of floral design mechanic
120 extends above
top rim 214, so that the entirety of top shell 130 and even some of bottom
shell 160 extends
above top rim 214.
A portion of the plant or flower 90, such as the stem 92, desired for use in
the bouquet is
inserted through the openings 136, 166 in floral design mechanic 120 and into
the hollow interior
218 of vase 210 (see FIG. 11). It shall be appreciated that both organic and
artificial flowers and
floral products shall be considered "plants" or "flowers" for purposes of this
disclosure. The
supports 132, 162 of floral design mechanic 120 keep the plants in a desired
location in the
bouquet, and in some embodiments, a plant may be attached to a support 132
and/or 162 using
wire or another suitable attachment method. The two support points allow
floral stems to be held
and maintained at sharp angles without falling over as might occur if the
flower is only supported
at the base of the stem.
Because both the top shell 130 and the bottom shell 160 of floral design
mechanic 120
include openings 136, 166, the stems of the plants in the bouquet can be kept
in water,
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lengthening the life of the bouquet. In contrast, floral foam used to
stabilize and maintain the
shape of a floral bouquet requires the base of the flowers to be inserted
directly into the foam,
preventing the floral bouquet from being placed in water.
Floral design mechanic 120 allows for a floral arrangement to easily be moved
from vase
210 without disrupting the floral bouquet. Floral design mechanic 120 is
lifted off of top rim 214
of vase 210 while the plants and flowers of the bouquet remain secured by
floral design
mechanic 120. Floral design mechanic 120 may then be moved to a different
container such as a
bowl or to another vase. This may also be useful for transportation of the
bouquet so that the
floral bouquet may be kept in water and delivered separately from the vase 210
to reduce the
chances of breaking vase 210 and to maintain the health of the bouquet.
Additionally, even if the
floral design mechanic 120 remains with the vase 210 during transportation, if
the vase 210 is
broken, the design of the floral bouquet remains intact.
The position of floral design mechanic 120 on top rim 214 of vase 210 provides
several
other advantages. The ability of floral design mechanic 120 to support flowers
at steep angels
allows a soft edge of flowers and cascading flowers to be arranged along the
outer edges 142,
172 so that flowers surround top rim 214. Floral design mechanic 120 also
allows elevated
designs without having to rely on certain types of flowers, such as hydrangea,
to create the high-
profile design.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the
drawings and
foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not
restrictive in character,
it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and
described and that
all changes, equivalents, and modifications that come within the spirit of the
inventions defined
by following claims are desired to be protected. All publications, patents,
and patent applications
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cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference as if each
individual publication,
patent, or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to
be incorporated by
reference and set forth in its entirety herein.
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