Vase apparatus

Abstract

A vase apparatus includes a vase supported by a ground engagement mechanism such that the vase can be displaced from the ground engagement mechanism. The ground engagement mechanism is arranged to enable the vase to be presented substantially vertically. At least one displaceable portion extends from the ground engagement mechanism or the vase. Each displaceable portion includes a plurality of apertures for receiving bunches of flowers or stems of individual flowers or plants.

Claims

1. A vase apparatus comprising: a vase supported by a ground engagement mechanism which enables the vase to be displaced from the ground engagement mechanism, the ground engagement mechanism being arranged to enable the vase to be presented substantially vertically; at least one displaceable portion extending from the vase, each displaceable portion having a plurality of apertures for receiving a bunch of flowers/plants or individual sterns of flowers/plants, and a wire wreath holder formed by two or more wire portions protruding away from the vase in at least two different radial directions, each of the two or more wire portions including a heightened portion forming a backstand for a wreath, the wire wreath holder including a cradle to provide a resting place for the bottom of the wreath, wherein the wire wreath holder is arranged to space the wreath apart from the vase, and the wire wreath holder includes a separate ground engagement mechanism.

2. The vase apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a volume of the vase tapers to form a substantially frusto-conical shape, wherein said tapering is towards ground when the ground engagement mechanism is in use.

3. The vase apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the at least one displaceable portion is connected to the vase by at least one hinge.

4. The vase apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the vase is held in the ground engagement mechanism by means of gravity.

5. The vase apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the ground engagement mechanism comprises a spike.

6. The vase apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the wreath holder further comprises means to space the wreath apart horizontally from the vase.

7. The vase apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the at least one displaceable portion further comprises a hinged arm, the vase apparatus further comprising: a lip upon which the hinged arm of a first of the at least one displaceable portion is arranged opposing a hinged arm of another of the at least one displaceable portion.

8. The vase apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an enclosure for stem ends.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of a first embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

(3) FIG. 3 shows an exploded isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 4 shows an isometric view of a second embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention;

(5) FIG. 5 shows a detail view of the second embodiment of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 4 with addition of wreath holding means;

(6) FIG. 6 shows an exploded isometric detail view of a third embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention, being substantially similar to the first embodiment as shown in FIG. 1;

(7) FIG. 7a shows an isometric view of a fourth embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 7b shows an exploded isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7a and associated apparatus;

(8) FIG. 8 shows a sketch of a second embodiment of the wreath holding means for use with the apparatus according to the present invention; and

(9) FIG. 9 show different views of displaceable portions for use with apparatus according to the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

(10) With reference to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 there is shown an embodiment of the apparatus comprising an inverted frusto-conical vase 1 defining an internal volume 20 for receipt of stems of flowers and plants. The vase 1 is arranged to locate into a ground engagement mechanism 10 comprising a spike 9.

(11) The vase or housing 1 comprises an outer 21 forming an open top face leading to the volume 20. The internal volume 20 has a tapering form, and is watertight.

(12) The ground engagement mechanism 10 is contiguous with a securement mechanism comprising a cradle 5 as shown in FIG. 1, which cradle 5 is arranged to accept the vase's bottom end and maintain it secured horizontally and vertically under gravity. The cradle 5 and ground engagement mechanism 10 are a single part, wherein the cradle 5 provides a concave interior for receipt of the vase and the vase has a male screwthread lowermost to engage a female screwthread of the ground engagement mechanism and trap the cradle 5 between the ground spike and the vase.

(13) The apparatus further includes extending wreath holding means 2, comprising two elongated wire members 12.

(14) It is appreciated that the wreath holding means 2 in some embodiments comprises a ground engagement mechanism, for example a ground spike or screw thread.

(15) The elongate wire members 12 extend outwards from a discontinuous ring 17, arranged to surround the ground spike 9, describing splaying arms 11 extending substantially horizontally and deviated upwards to a summit 14, so as provide two substantially parallel inclined support members 13, spaced apart from the vase and ground engagement mechanism 10.

(16) It is appreciated that the wreath holding means may be provided in various shapes and configurations to permit the display of a wreath that is complementary to the vase and displaceable portions and/or which accommodates different shapes and size of wreath.

(17) The member ends 15 are provided with a vertically extending return so as to provide a cupping structure with the opposing inclined support members 13. In some embodiments the member end 15 may be one continuous piece with 11, 12, 13 & 14 (see FIG. 1).

(18) In the pictured embodiment the wreath holding means comprises the discontinuous annular catch ring 17 for passage of the ground spike 9 to anchor the wreath holding means 2 in the ground.

(19) The ground engagement mechanism 10 comprises a four sided spike 9 formed from a substantially rigid material, preferably a synthetic plastics material, such as a thermoplastics resin, for example acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

(20) The securement mechanism between the ground engagement mechanism 10 and the vase/housing 1 comprises a screw threading, wherein the housing 1 in the first pictured embodiment has a projection 19 with a male screw thread depending centrally, and the spike 9 has a female screw thread hole 18 depending from its top end.

(21) The cradle 5 comprises a central perforation, through which the projection 19 passes to screw into the screw thread hole 18 of the spike 9. In this way the cradle 5 is held in a fixed position due to the securement mechanism. The cradle 5 has four displaceable portions 4, which portions 4 are hinged at 16 to four discrete members 7,8 extending upwards from the spike 9 along the sides of the housing 1.

(22) The displaceable portions 4 are arranged to receive flowers, for example both bunches and single flowers or stems, so have a large central lacuna 66A as shown in FIG. 9 alongside smaller lacuna 66B.

(23) The displaceable portions 4 comprise leaf-like substantially planar projections and basal parts 8, wherein the basal parts 8 curve away to substantially orthogonal, and wherein the basal parts 8 intersect with the projections at a hinge 3, which hinge 3 comprises holes in the cradle member 7 and side pins extending from the basal parts 8.

(24) The basal parts 8 are arranged to contact the cradle members 7 when the planar projections 4 are substantially horizontal, and prevent further rotation of the hinge 3. In this way the projections 4 may be hinged and folded upwards if necessary.

(25) With reference to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 4 the apparatus may comprise a single device formed from thermoplastic resin such as ABS or polyethylene into a vase/housing 1 and a ground engagement mechanism 10 being a spike.

(26) The embodiment forms a combined housing 1 and ground engagement mechanism 10, which ground engagement mechanism comprises a spike depending from the housing centre.

(27) The housing 1 has a topmost entrance which entrance is to the volume 20 and is surrounded by a lip 86, which lip 86 has three hinged displaceable portions 68 hinged to the housing 1 at hinges 69,96 . The portions 68 comprise distal circular apertures 67 for receipt of stems of plants or flowers.

(28) The third embodiment as shown in FIG. 5 has a wreath holding means 2, which wreath holding means 2 comprises a vertical wire member 28, which is arranged to extend vertically from the axis of the housing 1, and comprises a summit 27 and subsequent return 30 leading to an end hook 29.

(29) With reference to the embodiment pictured in FIG. 6 there is shown a fourth embodiment of the apparatus similar to the first embodiment and comprising a housing 1 and ground engagement mechanism 10, with a securement mechanism between the housing and ground engagement mechanism comprising a cradle 77 with displaceable portions 4.

(30) The cradle 77 comprises a central aperture 23 through which the housing 1 and ground engagement spike 9 secure.

(31) The spike 9 comprises a centrally extending projection 24 with a male screw thread, wherein the housing 1 has a hole 22 with an inner female screw thread.

(32) With reference to the fifth embodiment of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 7A & 7b there is shown an embodiment of the apparatus comprising a bi-partite brushed aluminium outer housing 38.

(33) The apparatus comprises a push fit spike engagement mechanism 10, having a central hole 40 arranged to receive a depending catch 39 from the housing 1, and a peripheral lip 41 to limit toppling or stress on the catch.

(34) The top of the housing comprises a lip 37, on which lip 37 are hinged steel wire arms 36 at two opposing hinges 34.

(35) The arms comprise loops 35 at the distal ends, for receipt of flower stems or plants 48. In other embodiments the loop 35 may be envisaged to be much larger in order to house bunches of flowers.

(36) The wreath holding means 2 as shown in FIG. 7b may be envisaged to be substantially the same as that shown in the second embodiment of the wreath holder as shown in FIG. 5.

(37) In some embodiments the wreath holding means comprises a discrete screw thread or spike so as to embed the wreath holding means into soil for example. In this way the wreath holder is not only reliant on the spike from the vase.

(38) In some further embodiments (as illustrated in FIG. 8) rather than having one thick hook with a central plate for stabilizing the wreath, it may be better that the user can buy two lots of such hooks that can then be inserted side by side but slightly apart, to offer the wreath stability as needed. As pictured in FIG. 8 in such embodiments the wreath (not shown) sits in a cradle 45 from which a member 43 extends upwards having catches 46 which can push into the wreath and create stability, returning to form a point 44 to push into the ground, and at the other side of the cradle 45, providing an upward extending member 47 which can pierce through wreath or bend back to offer wreath support.

(39) The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention as defined by the claims, in particular but not solely combination of features of described embodiments.