1995-10-27
1997-11-18
Melius, Terry Lee
Plant husbandry
Flower holder
229162, 229199, A01G 500, A47G 700
Patent
active
056875037
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an erectable vase.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The popularity of sending flowers, particularly via telephone orders to networks of florists, has increased. When such flowers are delivered to the recipient away from home, in an office or hospital for example, there is often difficulty in finding a suitable vase for the flowers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved vase.
According to the invention there is provided a flower vase of waterproof sheet material, which is erectable from a collapsed state, the vase comprising: erected vase to hold the mouth open and through which the stems of flowers supported in the vase can extend.
In accordance with a preferred feature of the invention, the apertured stiffening member is set at between 5% and 10% of the height of the vase below the top of the vase when erected. At this height, the stiffening member serves to stabilize the stems of flowers arranged in the vase, so that the flowers form a stable arrangement.
Preferably, the stiffening member has edges each provided with a flange for holding the stiffening member flat when in use holding the mouth of the vase open. Conveniently, one of the flanges of the stiffening member attaches the latter to one of the walls of the vase; and the flange of the stiffening member opposite from the attached one is adapted to be connected to the wall opposite from the attached-to wall, and this former wall is complementarily adapted. The said adaption can consist of a slot along a line of connection of the said opposite flange to the stiffening member and a tongue cut in the said opposite wall, the tongue engaging in the slot in use of the vase to connect the said flange to the said wall.
In the preferred embodiment, the vase has four walls, prior to use two being non-folded and two being folded along their middle to lie between the flat walls, the base being similarly folded and arranged. The stiffening member is attached to one of the non-folded flat walls.
Preferably, the vase includes a detachable greetings card. The greetings card can comprise extensions of the walls of the vase other than the one to which the stiffening member is attached, the greetings card being connected to these walls at perforated lines prior to its detachment.
To help understanding of the invention, a specific embodiment thereof will be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vase of the invention in its erected state;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vase of FIG. 1 in its collapsed state ready for erection;
FIG. 3 is plan view of a cut sheet before assembly to form the of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of the vase during erection, with its greetings card ready for removal and its stiffening member ready for folding down into the mouth of the vase.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The erectable vase shown in the drawings is produced from a single sheet 1 of waterproof card, cut, pre-creased, folded and glued to form a mouth 2, a base 3, a front wall 4 and a back wall 5, and a pair of side walls 6,7. An apertured stiffening member 8 lies within the mouth 2. A tab 41 at one side of the front wall 4 enables the front wall to be glued to the side wall 7.
As shown in FIG. 3, the base 3 is made up of four base flaps 34,35,36 and 37, which are respectively joined to the bottom edge of the front wall 4, the back wall 5, and the side walls 6,7. The flaps are conventionally cut and creased for gluing together to form a water tight collapsible base. In so far as the base details as such are conventional, within the capabilities of the man skilled in the art and form no part of the present invention, they will not be further described herein.
After assembly and gluing, the vase is collapsed to its state shown in FIG. 2. For this the side walls are creased at 61,71 and the base is creased at 31.
For use, the vase is opened out to the erect state as as sh
REFERENCES:
patent: 2416725 (1947-03-01), Williamson
patent: 4069917 (1978-01-01), Stollberg et al.
patent: 4209092 (1980-06-01), Jones
patent: 4662107 (1987-05-01), Van Den Kieboom
patent: 5038930 (1991-08-01), Holtkamp, Jr.
Downs Joanne C.
Melius Terry Lee
LandOfFree
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