EP1535755B1 - Method for manufacturing ornamental objects - Google Patents

Abstract

In a process to make a Christmas tree decoration, a natural dried cone that has fallen from a coniferous pine tree is used as the core decorative unit. A spot of adhesive is applied to the open inner surface (3) of the sporophyll (2) and a decorative item e.g. a bead is applied to the wetted spot. The cone is then soaked in a water or paint until the sporophylls close and the cone then enclosed within a watertight plastic wrapper. The end-user removes the wrapper, allowing the cone to reveal its decorative function.

Description

The invention relates to a method for the production of decorative objects, and a decorative item.

Decorative items based on naturally grown coniferous cones, such as pine or pine cones, are known per se. For example, a dried cones filled with chocolate cookies as Christmas tree decorations.

However, such ornaments are not very varied and therefore in principle require improvement.

From US Pat. No. 5,489,452 A there is known a method of manufacturing a miniature tree using a pine cone which is freed in its lower part from some of its seed leaves so as to provide a trunk which can be fixed on a base. The seed leaves are provided with a fire-resistant coating and decorative items.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method for the production of decorative items, and a decorative item, based on a natural coniferous coniferous wood, with which it is possible to create a variety of designs of ornaments in a simple and effective manner.

The solution of this object is achieved by the features of claims 1 and 7.

Investigations carried out in the context of the invention have shown that a naturally grown cone, such as a pine cone, which, when falling from the tree to the In spite of the dried state, the purpose of the seed dispersion is to be able to close again when moistened.

This knowledge makes use of the method according to the invention. In order to be able to create a large variety of different ornaments, according to the inventive method first a naturally grown, opened and thus dry pin coated on the inner surfaces of its seed leaves with a suitable adhesive.

On the so coated with adhesive inner surfaces of the seed leaves now a variety of decorative items, such as decorative beads, decorative stones, but even gemstones or the like can be applied and thus fixed to the inner surfaces of the opened seed leaves.

The thus prepared pin is now soaked in a liquid, especially water, and moistened with it. By absorbing the moisture, the seed leaves close again and thus cover in the closed state of the pin applied to their inner surfaces ornaments. Thus, it is possible to produce a pin which, viewed from the outside, can fully correspond to a natural pin, unless it is provided with paint from the outside.

The thus prepared pin is packaged and sealed in a liquid-tight envelope, such as in particular a plastic wrap. This ensures that the liquid stored in the pin can not escape and thus the pin can be packed and shipped in its closed state.

If the pin is then taken out of the liquid-tight enclosure by the end user, the liquid will escape by evaporation and thus the pin will open and thus release the view of the ornamental objects arranged concealed in it.

Thus, it is possible to have a large variety of differently designed ornaments based on the naturally grown ones To produce pins and also to provide the additional optical stimulus that the pin gradually opens after removal from the packaging and thus gradually releases the view of the ornamental objects arranged in it.

The dependent claims have advantageous developments to the content.

In claim 7, a decorative object is defined as an independently tradable object.

An exemplary embodiment will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing.

The sole figure of the drawing shows a pin 1 according to the invention in the open state. The pin 1 has grown naturally and accordingly has a number of seed leaves varying from pin to pin type, one of which is representatively designated by the reference numeral 2. The inner surface 3 of the seed sheet 2 has been coated according to the inventive method in the open state of the dry pin 1 with an adhesive. On this surface coated with adhesive, an ornamental article formed in the exemplary case as a pearl 4 is applied and fixed by the interaction with the adhesive.

After these process steps, in which a desired number of seed leaves 2 can be provided with one and the same type of ornament or different ornaments, the pin 1 is watered. As a result of this process, liquid penetrates into the seed leaves 2, thereby closing them again in a position which they have taken on the tree during their condition. Thus, the seed leaves enclose 2 the decorative objects applied to them 4 and thus obscure the view of the same.

The pin 1 is now packed in a liquid-tight envelope, such as welded in a liquid-tight plastic film. Thereafter, it is placed in an outer packaging and can now be shipped.

After removing the pin 1 from the liquid-tight envelope, the seed leaves 2 open gradually and then release the view of the arranged in them ornaments 4, as can be seen from the figure.

According to the method of the invention, it is also possible to dye the inner and / or outer sides of the seed leaves 2 with adhesive before wetting. For this purpose, the pin 1, for example, coated with a moisturizing non-hindering paint or sprayed or soaked in such a color. It is only necessary to use a color that does not hinder the rewet of the seed leaves 2 and thus their closing on the one hand and on the other hand is water resistant, so that the color is not washed off when moistening the pin 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Ziergegenstand / peg

2

seed leaf

3

palm

4

pearl

Claims (7)

1. Method of producing ornamental objects based on a naturally grown conifer cone (1), particularly a pine cone, comprising the following steps:

   - moistening the inner surfaces (3) of the opened seed scales (2) of the dry cone (1) with an adhesive;

   - fixing decorative objects (4) on the adhesive-coated inner surfaces (3);

   - impregnating the cone (1) with a liquid until the seed scales (2) have closed up; and

   - packing the impregnated cone (1) in a fluidtight wrapping.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that water is used as the liquid.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the wrapping used is a fluidtight plastics which is welded to form a fluidtight seal after the impregnated cone (1) has been placed therein.
4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the decorative objects are pearls, gemstones, mineral stones, jewels or the like.
5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the cone (1) is painted before the step of applying the adhesive.
6. Method according to claim 5, characterised in that the cone (1) is dipped in paint or sprayed with paint.
7. Ornamental object based on a naturally grown conifer cone (1), particularly a pine cone, having the following features:

   - the inner surfaces (3) of the opened seed scales (2) of the dry cone (1) are moistened with an adhesive;

   - decorative objects (4) are fixed to the adhesive-coated inner surfaces (3);

   - the cone (1) is impregnated with a liquid until the seed scales (2) have closed up; and

   - the impregnated cone (1) is packaged in a fluidtight wrapping.

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