Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Assembling or joining
Reexamination Certificate
1995-08-09
2001-01-09
Bryant, David P. (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Assembling or joining
C047S066100, CD11S144000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170144
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to decorative containers and methods for making such containers, and specifically relates to a construction for a molded plastic flower pot utilizing distinctively different decorative elements.
The prior art discloses a number of configurations for live plant and cut flower containers which utilize an added element to provide either a functional or decorative aspect, or both, to the container. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,447,262 to Uhl, there is disclosed a flower arranging container employing an arranging member which is attached to the upper rim of the flower pot to provide both a decorative element and also to permit cut flowers to be spaced across the opening of the flower pot. Similar collar arrangements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,785,508 and 2,790,269 to Coleman. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,598, Beckwith discloses an open lid for a flower container to facilitate seed sprouting or plant culturing. Mauffette, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,634, discloses a collapsible flower vase using a collar at the upper extremity of the construction. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,499, Petty discloses a planter box employing a “Planter Update Device” which is attached to the rim of the planter box and surrounds a portion of its side.
The prior art also discloses containers used for purposes other than as flower pots or plant containers using rings for collars for various functional purposes. See the following U.S. Pat. Nos: 5,414,959 to Weder et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,739 to Weder; U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,821 to Bradley, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,586 to Gröne; U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,130 to Blake; U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,833 to Korcz et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,285 to Korcz et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,101,857 to Freedman; U.S. Pat. No. 1,952,401 to Wilson; U.S. Pat. No. 1,421,628 to Watkins; U.S. Pat. No. 1,409,336 to Fahlman; and U.S. Pat. No. 340,027 to Allen.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a decorative container, such as a container for living plants (generally referred to as a “flower pot”), and to techniques for fabricating and assembling such containers so as to impart different decorative characteristics to an individual container while retaining certain desirable characteristics, such as the ability of the containers to nest together for shipment and storage.
In accordance with the method of the present invention, a decorative container is made by forming a container member having an enclosing side wall with a rim around an upper extremity of the side wall, the rim including a downwardly extending outer portion. A decorative ring member is formed and dimensioned so that at least a portion of the ring member fits in an overlapping relationship with an outside surface of the rim of the container member side wall. The container member side wall and the ring member are imparted with different decorative characteristics in order to impart a distinctively different “look” to the container with respect to prior art constructions. By way of example, the distinctively different characteristics may utilize different textures, finishes or colors, or combinations of those decorative characteristics. Additionally, the ring member may be formed with a different shape than the rim, so long as at least a portion of the ring member is dimensioned to fit in overlapping relationship with the outside surface of the rim.
To achieve the desired distinctive decorative appearance in the container member-ring member combination, the ring member is fitted onto the rim in the defined overlapping relationship.
Further in accordance with the present invention, to insure that the ring member stays in the overlapping position relative to the container member rim, the ring member is removably locked with the rim. This is achieved by molding a locking tab at an extremity of the ring member and then locking the tab around the extremity of the downwardly extending outer portion of the rim. In the preferred embodiment, the locking tab is molded with a camming surface at the extremity of the ring member, to facilitate the sliding of the ring member onto the rim during the fitting step. Preferably, the container member and the ring member are both molded of a resilient plastic material so that the ring member has sufficient resiliency to expand during sliding across the outside surface of the container member rim.
During a conventional molding process for containers of the type which are the subject of this invention, the rim is formed by making a radius of the plastic material between an upper extremity of the container side wall and the outside rim. In order to obtain the full advantage of the different decorative appearance between the ring member and the container, the ring member is provided with a portion that extends across the radius of the container member which forms the rim. Further, in order to maintain the ability of the container member to nest with other container members during shipment and storage, the radius portion of the ring member is dramatically tapered to an extremity which just encircles the radius of the container member, but avoids interference with a next adjacent container which may be in a nesting relationship.
When the container member and the ring member are fabricated from a resilient plastic material, it is preferred that the rim be shaped with an outwardly-facing concavity which is somewhat accentuated at the downward extremity of the rim. In a corresponding manner, the ring member is provided with an outwardly-facing concavity, the resilience of the plastic ring member being sufficient to flare outwardly temporarily while the ring member is being fitted onto the rim as the camming surface thereof passes along the outside surface of the rim to the locking position.
In the preferred form of a decorative flower pot made according to the present invention, there is also provided a water tray within which the flower pot rests, and which is also provided with a decorative ring member feature. The water tray ring member has a construction and decorative characteristic consistent with that employed in the construction of the decorative flower pot as described above.
REFERENCES:
patent: 340027 (1886-04-01), Allen
patent: 1409336 (1922-03-01), Fahlman
patent: 1421628 (1922-07-01), Watkins
patent: 1952401 (1934-03-01), Wilson
patent: 2785508 (1957-03-01), Coleman, Jr.
patent: 2790269 (1957-04-01), Coleman, Jr.
patent: 3079037 (1963-02-01), Schechter
patent: 3101857 (1963-08-01), Freedman
patent: 3447262 (1969-06-01), Uhl
patent: 4369598 (1983-01-01), Beckwith
patent: 4664285 (1987-05-01), Korcz et al.
patent: 4706833 (1987-11-01), Korcz et al.
patent: 4880130 (1989-11-01), Blake
patent: 4955499 (1990-09-01), Petty
patent: 5226586 (1993-07-01), Grone
patent: 5318821 (1994-06-01), Bradley, Jr.
patent: 5349739 (1994-09-01), Weder
patent: 5403634 (1995-04-01), Mauffette
patent: 5414959 (1995-05-01), Weder et al.
Bryant David P.
EnviroWorks, Inc.
Foley & Lardner
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