WO2005110167A1

WO2005110167A1 - Flower arranging aid

Info

Publication number: WO2005110167A1
Application number: PCT/GB2005/001267
Authority: WO
Inventors: Darren Wayne Gervis
Original assignee: Darren Wayne Gervis
Priority date: 2004-04-03
Filing date: 2005-03-31
Publication date: 2005-11-24
Also published as: GB0407670D0

Abstract

An aid for flower arranging comprises a net (10) of elastic material having attachment means around its edge so that it can be stretched over and attached to the mouth of a vase or bowl, such that it will support flowers inserted through it. The net has radial threads (12) and circumferential threads (13). The attachment means may comprise clip means (14) attached to or integral with the edge of the net, or may be formed by the edge (outer circumferential thread) of the net itself, which is then preferably stronger than the remainder of the net.

Description

Flower Arranging Aid

The present invention relates to flower arranging aids.

The standard method of displaying flowers is in some sort of vase or bowl. In some cases, the flowers can simply be placed in the vase or bowl and allowed to fall into a natural arrangement. In many cases, however, the user may want to put them into some more artistic arrangement.

With some sorts of bowl, eg rose bowls, the bowl may be provided with a wire grid which fits over the mouth of the bowl, with the stems of the flowers being pushed through the apertures of the grid. With other sorts of bowl, a layer of sand may be placed in the bowl, with the flower stems being pushed into the sand. Another system uses a block of plastics material, typically of rigid but crumbly foam, placed in the base of the bowl, with the flower stems being pushed into the block.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved form of aid for flower arranging.

Accordingly the invention provides an aid for flower arranging, comprising a net of elastic material having attachment means around its edge so that it can be stretched over and attached to the mouth of a vase or bowl, such that it will support flowers inserted through it.

The attachment means may comprise clip means attached to or integral with the edge of the net, or may be formed by the edge of the net itself, which is then preferably stronger than the remainder of the net. A flower arranging aid in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the drawing, which is a diagrammatic perspective view.

Referring to the drawing, the aid comprises a net 10 somewhat resembling a spider's web, with attachment elements 11 fixed around its edge (for convenience, only one attachment element is shown). The net 10 may conveniently consist of several radial threads 12 and a small number of circular threads 13, dividing the area of the net into a number of regions of very roughly equal size. (If desired, additional radial threads may be provided in the outer regions of the net.) The shape of the circular threads when the net is relaxed is not critical, and they can form straight segments if desired. (In use, they will be under tension and become substantially straight regardless of their relaxed shape.)

The net is shown as formed of thin threads, but the threads may be wider if desired, to give the appearance of a disc of elastic material with holes formed in it. The holes or apertures should however form most of the area of the disc.

The net can be manufactured from a sheet of elastic material by stamping out or otherwise cutting out the apertures.

The net has a suitable number of attachment elements 11 fixed around its edge. These elements can conveniently be fixed at the ends of the radial threads 12, though their positions can of course be varied. The attachment elements 11 are used to attach the net across the open mouth of a vase or bowl. The net then forms a grid through which the stems of flowers may be pushed in whatever pattern or arrangement is desired.

The elasticity of the net should allow it to be stretched so as to fit bowls and vases having a reasonably wide range of mouth diameters, with sufficient tautness to resist significant distortion from the weight of the flowers and the force used to insert them.

The attachment elements are preferably of resilient material formed into roughly U-shaped form with outwardly turned ends, such that they can easily be pushed onto the rims of vases and bowls having a reasonably wide range of thicknesses. Mechanically operable attachment elements may however be used if desired. The attachment elements, or at least their rim-gripping portions, should preferably be not too smooth, to minimize the chance of them sliding along or off the material of the vase or bowl.

The attachment elements may be attached to the net in any convenient manner. A convenient technique is to provide the net with small holes at the junctions of the radial threads with the outermost circular threads and the attachment elements with normally closed hooks which can engage with those holes. Another option is for the attachment elements to engage with T-shaped portions of the net where the radial threads meet the outer circular thread.

The attachment elements 11 are shown as separate from the net, but may be integrally formed with the net. Alternatively, the outer circular thread of the net may be used to attach the net to the vase by being looped over the rim of the vase. For this, it is desirable to minimize the chance of the net slipping off the rim of the vase. This is affected by the flare of the vase at its rim, the tension in the outer circular thread of the net, and the tension in the radial threads where they meet the outer circular thread. Preferably the outer circular thread is of relatively strong construction, which can be achieved by making it wider and/or thicker than the radial threads.

Claims

1 An aid for flower arranging, comprising a net (10) of elastic material having attachment means (14) around its edge so that it can be stretched over and attached to the mouth of a vase or bowl, such that it will support flowers inserted through it.

2 An aid according to claim 1 wherein the net (10) comprises radial (12) and circumferential (13) threads.

3 An aid according to either previous claim wherein the attachment means comprise clip means (11) attached to the edge of the net.

4 An aid according to either of claims 1 and 2 wherein the attachment means comprise clip means integral with the edge of the net.

5 An aid according to either of claims 1 and 2 wherein the attachment means are formed by the edge of the net itself.

6 An aid according to claim 5 wherein the edge of the net is stronger than the interior portions thereof.

7 Any feature of novelty or combination thereof within the meaning of Article 4H of the International Convention (Paris Convention).