Undertaking – Coffins – Lids
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-30
2002-09-10
Swann, J. J. (Department: 3677)
Undertaking
Coffins
Lids
C027S019000, C040S725000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06446315
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to caskets, and more particularly to the interior decorative trim for caskets.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Burial caskets traditionally comprise a shell to which is pivoted a cap or lid. During viewing of the deceased in the casket, the cap is, of course, pivoted to its open position to permit relatives, loved ones, acquaintances and the like to view the deceased. During this time the underside of the cap is visible. It is thus desirable to trim the underside of the cap with decorative trim. This has traditionally been accomplished with the installation of a so-called dish assembly into the underside of the cap.
The traditional dish assembly has taken the form of a rectangular cap panel having two long sides and two short sides, with a puffing board or panel or member being attached to each of the four sides with staples. The puffing boards, typically fabricated of a relatively stiff yet flexible substrate, such as chip board, are covered with decorative fabric. The cap panel is positioned in the casket cap atop a stand-off, itself positioned in the cap, or atop a ridge or groove forming a part of the cap. The free edges of the puffing members are retained in a peripheral groove in the casket cap near the peripheral edge of the cap. The puffing members are so sized as to require them to assume a convex, quarter-round shape with their free edges retained in the peripheral groove. A rectangular cap panel insert, including decorative embroidery or the like, may be removably installed between the four puffing members and in juxtaposition relative to the cap panel. The cap panel insert may be retained by the four puffing members by friction; alternatively, various means may be provided to secure the cap panel insert into the dish assembly, for example, hook and loop-type fasteners.
Mitered corners are formed at adjacent ends of the puffing members. The mitered corners may either be formed by simply overlapping the adjacent puffing member ends or by stapling the adjacent ends together. One example of overlapped, mitered corners is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,316,608, whereas one example of staple, mitered corners is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,964,824. A third technique involving folding one puffing member end, overlapping the puffing member ends and stapling the puffing member ends is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,247. All three of these patents are hereby incorporated by reference herein as if fully set forth in their entirety.
It is desirable to continue efforts and make further progress in the areas of simplifying fabrication, reducing manufacturing costs, and increasing the aesthetic qualities of casket interiors, and in particular dish assemblies for casket caps.
Burial caskets customarily include a locking mechanism on the casket shell, that, when actuated after closing the cap on the shell, holds the cap firmly and securely against the shell. In a funeral home, at the conclusion of a visitation, is it customary for the funeral director to close and lock the casket lid with a locking crank which includes a locking mechanism actuating key thereon. The casket lid may be locked closed for a specified number of years for public health reasons, which also gives comfort and solace to the family and loved ones of the deceased. Once the casket is locked, a common industry practice is for the funeral director to present the casket locking crank, normally ornate in appearance, to the deceased's family or loved ones as a memorial or keepsake of the service and the deceased.
It is desirable to continue efforts and make further progress in the area of memorialization of the deceased, and in particular increasing the quality of the memorial service for the loved ones as well as providing products and services that aid in the memorialization process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In an effort at increasing the quality and styling of the casket interior, and in particular the casket cap dish assembly, and in an effort to increase the quality of the memorialization aspect of the casket and memorial service, the present invention was devised. In one broad aspect, the invention comprises a dish assembly for installation into an underside of a casket cap, the assembly comprising a foam dish including an opening therethrough, and a cap panel installed in the opening in the foam dish.
In a second broad aspect, the dish assembly comprises a dish including an opening therethrough and a cap panel removably installed in the opening in the dish, the cap panel being personalized to the deceased and being removable from the dish by a loved one of the deceased subsequent to a memorial service for the deceased and retained by the loved one as a memorial to the deceased.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides various additional advantageous features. For example, the assembly includes a dish box into which the foam dish is mounted. A backer panel is mounted on a rear side of the dish box. The dish box includes an opening therein corresponding to the opening in the foam dish. The backer panel is fabric covered such that when the cap panel is removed from the foam dish the fabric covered backer panel is visible through the foam dish opening and the dish box opening.
The cap panel is mounted in a frame. The cap panel and frame are removably installable in the foam dish opening as a unit. The cap panel further includes a decorative ornament mounted thereon. The cap panel, foam dish opening and dish box opening are oval shaped. The foam dish and cap panel are fabric covered. In cross-section, the foam dish is generally in the shape of a quarter-round. More particularly, the foam dish is constructed of first and second foam portions. The first foam portion in cross-section is in the shape of a beveled rectangle, and the second foam portion in cross-section is in the shape of a quarter-round. The first and second foam portions are adhered together. In addition, the foam dish and dish box are adhered together, and the backer panel and dish box are adhered together.
The cap panel includes structure facilitating display of the cap panel by the loved one of the deceased. The structure comprises a pair of legs on the rear side of the cap panel. The pair of legs are integrally formed from a paperboard backing of the cap panel. The pair of legs are die cut in the paperboard backing and are foldable rearwardly away from the balance of the paperboard backing. The first frame is mounted around the opening of the dish. The cap panel is mounted within a second frame. The cap panel and second frame are removably installable in the first frame of the dish opening as a unit. The dish may be either a foam dish of the type described above or a paperboard dish including a rectangular central panel having opposed side edges and opposed end edges and a puffing member at each of the edges of the central panel, with adjacent ends of adjacent ones of the puffing members forming a mitered corner.
In the preferred construction, the first and second frames include structure for removably securing them together. The structure comprises spring-loaded ball catches. The cap panel comprises a frame including a recess on a rear side thereof, a memory plaque/board positioned in the recess, a cardboard filler panel juxtaposed against the memory plaque/board, and an easel juxtaposed against the cardboard filler panel. The easel includes a pair of legs die cut therein and foldable rearwardly away from the balance of the easel for supporting the cap panel in an upright position. The memory plaque/board, cardboard filler panel and easel are retained in the recess of the frame with clips secured to the rear side of the frame. The first frame is secured to the dish with staples. The second frame is fabricated of urethane foam.
The invention thus provides an attractively styled dish assembly design while at the same time providing a memento from the memorial service in general and the casket in particular for the loved ones of the deceased.
These and other advantages of the
Agee David L.
Calhoun Rosalie J.
Colangelo Richard A.
Gould Donna F.
Groemminger Brian K.
Batesville Services, Inc.
Miller William L.
Swann J. J.
Wood Herron & Evans L.L.P.
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