GB2128936A

GB2128936A - Bow or rosette forming ribbon

Info

Publication number: GB2128936A
Application number: GB08230517A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ryuji Aoyama
Original assignee: Aoyama KK
Current assignee: Aoyama KK
Priority date: 1982-10-26
Filing date: 1982-10-26
Publication date: 1984-05-10

Abstract

A bow or rosette-forming ribbon (10) having an overlapped pair of strips (12, 14) and strings (16) placed longitudinally in the middle of strips and therebetween. One end (18) of the string (16) is joined to those of the strips (12, 14), and both strips (12, 14) are adhered to each other at a plurality of line areas (20, 20') spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the strips (12, 14) so as to permit relative movements of the strips (12, 14) and the string (16). The line areas (20, 20') are inclined with respect to the widthwise direction of the strips, the inclinations being alternately reverse. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Artificial-flower-forming ribbon This invention relates to a ribbon for forming an artificial flower.

One of the conventional artificial-flowerforming ribbons has an overlapped pair of strips joined to each other at one ends and a pair of strings placed along and between said strips also joined at one end with the ends of the strips. On both sides of the overlapped strips are made a plurality of notches equally spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the strips and aligned widthwise to pair with each other. Around respective portions of the strips narrowed by the sets of notches are fitted metallic rings to surround the strings.

According to the conventional artificialflower-forming ribbon, the parts between the narrowed portions of both strips gradually bend outwardly, each forming a petal by pulling apart the other ends of the strings or by drawing the other ends thereof by one hand with the neighboring portion of the strips held by the other hand, when the petals are oriented by the rings provided at the notches.

Accordingly, this conventional ribbon can form an artificial flower when needed. However, it is difficult to make definite orientations of the petals by this conventional ribbon, because it is the rings fitted at the narrowed portions that orient the petals. Therefore, the ribbon cannot easily form an artificial flower with uniformly and radially oriented petals. In addition, the artificial flower thus formed does not sufficiently look like a natural flower of which diameter decreases from the base to the top thereof as a whole, because of a uniform length of the petals.

Furthermore, the conventional ribbon requires notches on both sides of the strips and the rings to fit around these notches to such a disadvantage as to need a complicated manufacturing process.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a ribbon for forming an artificial flower with uniformly and radially oriented petals.

According to the present invention, there is provided an artificial-flower-forming ribbon including a pair of strips having a plurality of line areas spaced apart by a certain longitudinal interval, respective line areas being inclined with respect to the widthwise direction of the strips, the inclinations being alternately reverse and the line areas being adhered to each other so that respective petals formed by bends of an overlapped pair of strip are oriented in the desired directions correctly.

According to the artificial-flower-forming ribbon of the present invention, orientation of respective petals are defined by said line areas so that the petals can be distributed in the circumferential direction of the flower. No notches and rings are required as in the conventional one so that the structure and manufacturing process can be more simplified.

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively side and pian views showing the artificial-f lower-form- ing ribbon according to the present invention; Figure 3 is a plan view showing a production process of the ribbon shown in Figs.

1 and 2; Figure 4 is a drawing similar to Fig. 2 showing another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the artificial flower showing a manner of forming a flower by the ribbon of the present invention; Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the artificial flower formed by the ribbon of the present invention; and Figures 7 and 8 are respectively plan views showing further embodiments of shapes of the flower centers formed by the ribbon of the present invention.

Figs. 1 and 2 show the artificial-flowerforming ribbon of the present invention before forming a flower, the entire ribbon being indicated by reference numeral 1 0. The ribbon 10 consists of an overlapped pair of elongated strips 12, 1 4 and a pair of strings 1 6 placed along and between said strips.

Strips narrower enough than the width of the strips 12, 14 can be used as the strings. The strings 1 6 are longitudinally placed between and in the middle of strips 12, 14 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Both strips 12, 14 are joined together at the adhesive portions 1 8 provided near one end thereof where the strings 1 6 are adhered to both strips 12, 14. Strips 12, 14 can be formed by folding back a single strip, and by this, strips 12, 14 can be united at one ends. Also, the one ends of the strings 1 6 may be fastened to the strips 12, 14.

Strips 12, 1 4 are further adhered to each other at a plurality of line areas 20 spaced apart in the direction of the length of the strips 12, 14. In the example of Fig. 2, the strips are adhered to each other in the whole line areas 20 except for the middle portion to permit relative movements against the strips 12, 1 4 of the strings 1 6 placed in the longitudinal direction of the strips.

Respective line areas 20 are inclined of a certain angle, for example, of 45 with respect to the widthwise direction of the strips, the inclinations of which are alternatively reverse. Also, the distance D between the line areas 20, viz., the distance D between the middle portions of respective line areas 20 gradually lengthens from the one end of the strips 12, 1 4 toward the other end thereof.

As an adhesive for the adhesive portion 1 8 and the line areas 20, a hot-melt adhesive such as polyvinyl acetate is preferable. Also, by using a heat-adhesion means with at least a pair of heat roller (not shown) having a die for adhering the adhesive portion 1 8 and the line areas 20, both strips 12, 1 4 and the strings 1 6 can be combined by one heatadhesion process. Further, successive forming of the ribbon 10 is practicable, and after that, a number of the ribbon 10 can be efficiently produced by cutting a prescribed portion as shown by A in Fig. 3.

Instead of adhering both strips 12, 14 at the entire areas except for the above-mentioned middle portion through respective line areas 20, as shown in Fig. 4, the portions 20' on both sides of the strings 1 6 in the respective line areas 20 may be spot glued.

In order to form an artificial flower by the ribbon 10 of the present invention, hold near the other ends of the strips 12, 1 4 by one hand, for example, and pull the other end of strings downwards by another hand as shown in Fig. 5. This causes respective portions 1 2a, 1 4a, between the areas 20 of the strips to bend outwardly with the line areas 20 as folded lines. These bent portions 1 2a, 1 4a form petals, and, because petals are oriented by respective line areas 20 with an inclination of 45 with respect to the widthwise direction of the strips 12, 14, the portions 1 2a and the portions 1 4a in pairs make an angle of 90 to each other.Moreover, since the inclination angle of the line areas 20 is alternately reverse, respective petals 1 2a, 1 4a have a phase difference of 90 to each other. As the result, as shown in Fig. 6, an artificial flower with considerably uniformly distributed petals 1 2a, 1 4a in cross-shape can be speedily formed.

Also, since the distance D between the respective line areas 20 gradually lengthens as mentioned above, from the one ends of the strips 12, 14 toward the other ends, the petals 12a, 14a gradually shorten from the base of the flower toward the flower center 22 formed by the tip portions of the one ends.

Accordingly, while the distance D can be made equal, the artificial flower looks like more natural if the distance D varies to increase from the one ends toward the other ends of the strips.

The strings 1 6 can be used as strings to fasten the artificial flower to an article like a box. Only one string 1 6 may be used, but a pair of strings 1 6 can be used to tie around the article in two opposite directions or four strings 1 6 in four directions.

As shown in Fig. 7, by notching the tip portions of the strips 12, 1 4 in V-shape or by inclining the adhesive portion 1 8 in the direction of the width of the strips 12, 14, a desired form of flower center 1 8 can be made.

In the foregoing, the case with the inclination angle of respective line areas 20 at 45 was explained, however, in order to give a desired phase difference to the petals, the angle can be varied as desired.

According to the present invention, as already mentioned, petals can be oriented by the line areas adhering both strips together, whereby the petals can be oriented to the desired directions correctly without using rings.

Besides, since orientation of petals can be effected by the line areas adhering both strips together, no ring is used to form easily an artificial flower having uniformly distributed petals in the cercumferential direction.

Furthermore, the structure and the production process can be simplified, since no rings and notches for the rings are needed.

Claims

1. An artificial-flower-forming ribbon comprising a pair of strips overlapped on each other; and at least a string placed longitudinally in the middle of said strips and therebetween, said string being joined to one ends of said strips at one end thereof, said strips being adhered to each other at a plurality of line areas respectively spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of said strips so as to permit relative movement of said strips and string, said line areas being inclined with respect to the widthwise direction of said strips, and the inclinations of said line areas being alternately reverse.

2. An artificial-flower-forming ribbon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pair of strips are united at the one ends thereof.

3. An artificial-flower-forming ribbon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pair of strips are adhered to each other at the one ends.

4. An artificial-flower-forming ribbon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pair of strips are adhered at respective line areas except for the middle of said strips.

5. An artificial-flower-forming ribbon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pair of strips are spot glued together at respective line areas on both sides of said strings.

6. An artificial-flower-forming ribbon as claimed in claim 1, wherein distances between respective line areas gradually lengthen from the one end toward the other end of said strips.

7. An artificial-flower-forming ribbon as claimed in claim 1, wherein respective line areas have an inclination angle of 45 with respect to the direction of the width of said strips.

8. An artificial-flower-forming ribbon as claimed in claim 1, wherein said strings are paired.

9. An artificial-flower-forming ribbon substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 or in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.

10. An artificial flower produced from the ribbon as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.