MXPA06004494A - Method of making a decorative arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of making a decorative arrangement includes providing a wet foam (30), securing a plurality of decorative elements (83, 84, 86, 88) consisting of live or dried flowers, live or dried vegetation, artificial flowers or other artificial vegetation. A plurality of decorative elements are secured to the wet foam and the wet foam is subsequently permitted to dry. The wet foam may be applied to a release surface 20 or to a support structure 80. Portions of the decorative arrangement may be made by sequential applications of wet foam. The wet foam, after partial curing, is shaped to provide a nodule 70 within which decorative elements are placed. the surface of the foam may be wet, as by spraying water thereon prior to shaping and partial curing, and may also be sprayed thereafter. Cuts or depressions(72, 74, 76) may placed on the surface of the nodule.

Description

METHOD FOR DEVELOPING A DECORATIVE SETTLEMENT CROSS REFERENCE TO THE RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation in part of the US patent application. UU serial number 1 0 / 672,449 entitled "METHOD OF MAKING A DECORATIVE ARRANGEMENT" filed on September 26, 2003 claiming the benefit of the Provisional Application of EE. UU serial number 60/41 5,663, entitled "METHOD OF MAKI NG A DECORATIVE ARRANGEMENT", presented on 3 Ocfubre 2002.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of making decorative arrangements which are initially formed in a wet foam which is subsequently dried to provide a rigid foam in which a plurality of decorative elements are securely retained. . 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART In the flower business, it is common to provide various types of decorative arrangements which may consist of (a) arrangements of fresh flowers or fresh vegetating, such as ferns, for example, or (b) dry flowers or other type of dry vegetation, or (c) artificial flowers or other types of artificial vegetation with or without additional ornamenial objections. It has also been known to provide various combinations of the aforementioned anis.

It has been known to provide for decorative purposes in buildings and on terraces and floors, combinations of living floors assembled in the floor of a conventional building as in a "garden of fuel". It has also been known to run live plañías and provide arrangements that have a more limited life expectancy. Such arrangements may be simple, such as running flowers present in a convenient container containing water. It has been known to use preformed rigid resin foam as a means to facilitate the relative positioning of flowers or real or artificial flowers, or combinations thereof, in the creation of a decoraive arrangement. See the problems encountered in connection with the use of rigid foam, such as foam foam, for example, is the difficulty in inserting flower failures into the foam without breaking foam or failure. It has also been known to use peaks which have a base of penetration similar to a nail at the lower end to penetrate the rigid foam and an open receptacle upward to receive the flowers. An additional problem with these rigid foam arrangements is the fact that you can grow fragile flowers that can not be introduced into the foam without damaging the flowers. It is difficult, for example, to use hydrangeas or baby breaths with such materials. This inability serves to place a limit on artistic creativity and the aesthetic benefits of the arrangement. It has also been known to provide a preformed rigid foam which can be soaked in water with fresh flowers being inserted into the foam. Suitable products for this purpose are those sold under the commercial designation of Ultrafoam or Oasis. It has also been known to create crowns of any of the materials described above through the use of a wire frame to which the decorative members are secured. A problem with such arrangements is that it is a very intensive labor, a consumer of time. Such crowns are often created by providing a rigid foam of portions of the crown frame and by inserting denim crown components of the rigid foam. It has also been known to use a hot melted glue to secure the decoraive portions to the frame. Similarly, when making wreaths, a number of preceding difficulties have been conflated with the result being subsidential investment in time to create the arrangements and sewing relationally because of the nature of the labor's iniensive work. It has been known to provide an artificial plant in a large container supported on the floor by the introduction of foam into the container with or without other materials, such as filling gravel, for example, in the pot for purposes of stabilizing the position of the plant inside the pot. The Patenfe of EE. UU 5,235,780 discloses a framework for supporting live plants. German Paière 3042429 discloses a vase filled with rigid foam block which can be molded polyurethane foam denfro of the container. Plañas, rods and other items can be secured inside the foam. One of the problems with such a foam is that more fra plants, such as baby aliens, for example, require the insertion of a denier peak of the foam with the hollow beak receiving the failure of the pan. FrenchPatent 2454752 discloses placing a hardenable material inside a container with inserted pins for reinforcement. A film is provided on it to keep the material in a soft condition. The aim of the film is to allow the insertion of faults of flowers and similar ar- rows from the material before it dries. The material is not aliamení visible in visía of esíando positioned deníro of a container and íeniendo a plurality of flowers concillando the same. French Patent 2693092 discloses a process of first molding a chemical foam block after which it is placed in a wet plaster bath to provide a coating around it. It has been known to provide various forms of vases containing mineral materials from which the flower material can be placed for decorational purposes. See aquacoíía liíeralura. There remains, by Ian, a subjective and very real necessity of a simple and effective creation method of decorative arrangements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention has solved the above-described problems by providing a fast and efficient cost-effective method for making a decorative arrangement. The method includes providing a wet foam which is allowed to partially cure to create a nodule, whereupon a plurality of decorative elements are secured therein with a subsequent cure allowing the nodule to heal completely. It is preferred that the nodule assumes a visible position in the decorative arrangement. The wet foam prior to the insertion of decorative elements can be moistened by spraying water on it. It can also be moistened after such partial healing by the spray of water on it. The partially cured wet foam or nodule can be formed to the desired configuration prior to the insertion of the decorative elements and, subsequent to curing, can be subjected to physical decorative changes by means of the placement of cories or holes therein. Pinura, as by means of spray pin, may be provided in desired locations for an additional decorative effect. In one embodiment, the decorative arrangement may be made on a supporting structure which becomes part of the decorative arrangement, such as a wire frame for a crown or other supporting structure. In other modalities, no support structure is provided and a releasing surface that does not join the foam is used. The wet foam is preferably one which has sufficient viscosity to allow easy positioning and securing of the decorative elements therein in the wet form and subsequent drying producing a rigid foam which retains the decorative elements in the desired arrangement. Among the preferred foam materials are polyurethane foam and lather foam which can be provided in a container in an aerosol container. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method for the rapid creation of decorative arrangements while resisting unwanted damage to the material of the support foam and the decorative elements. It is still another object of the present invention to employ a preformed rigid foam in combination with the wet foam to produce a decorative arrangement of the present invention. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a method wherein a wide variety of decorative elements can be secured in numerous configurations with or without the supporting structures. It is a further object of the present invention to allow skilled or semi-skilled workers to create a decoraive arrangement at a substantially reduced time, thus allowing decorative arrangements to be sold at a profit at a reduced price compared to prior art practices. . It is a further object of the present invention to provide the method which facilitated the sequential creation of decorative arrangements. It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for free positioning of a plurality of decorative elements in a wet soporfe foam and firmly smiling said decoraive elements in the rigid foam. These and other objections to the invention will be more fully understood from the following description of the invention with reference to the illusions appended hereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a flowchart showing a mode of the present invention. Figure 2 illustrates a usable release film in a mode of the method of the present invention. Figure 3 illustrates the spraying of a release agent on a film. Figure 4 illustrates the use of an aerosol spray to deliver wet foam to the film. Figure 5 illustrates a container with a support to receive wet foam. Figure 6 illustrates an uncovered film with the container. Figure 7 illustrates the application of a release schedule to the film. Figure 8 illustrates an aerosol delivering wet foam to the release film. Figure 9 illustrates the wetting of the surface of the wet foam or nodule by a convenient spray. Figure 10 illustrates a method for providing decorational elements on the surface of the nodule through a forming tool. Figure 11 illustrates a nodule having a plurality of decorative elements secured thereto. Figure 12 illustrates the dew by pinning a portion of the surface of the nodule to improve the decorative effect. Figure 13 illustrates the wrapping of a decorafive element around the exodus of the nodule. Figure 14 will produce a nodule with pinura in decorative spray applied to it along with cuts in it. Figure 1 5 shows a decorative arrangement having the nodule highly visible and containing material from living plants. Figure 16 is an exploded schematic view of a form of displaying a group of components which may be assembled in a method of another embodiment of the invention. Figure 17 shows an elevated view of a form of embodiment of the present invention. Figure 18 is a lower view of the mosírada language in Figure 1 7. Figure 1 9 is a top-level view of the mosírada language in Figure 17.

Figure 20 is a raised view of an array produced by another method of the invention. Figure 21 is an additional modified version of another embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES With reference to Figure 1 and a preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention, wet foam is supplied to a release surface 2, after which a liquid, such as water, is sprayed onto the surface. of the foam. The foam is then formed 6, after a partial cure, which can be a drying at ambient temperature or in a high-temperature environment, subsequently, the liquid, as water is sprayed on the surface of the foam. Partially cured foam is a "nodule" as defined in the present. Whether pre-curing the nodular node or later, it can be decorated by aligning the surface, as well as by placing corias or depressions on the surface, adding decorafive elements, or pinch-spraying portions of the surface of the nodule. Decorative elements 12, which can be live plañías, dry plañías, artificial flowers and plañías, or other decorative elements 12 are inserted deníro of the nodule prior to the íoal cure. Subsequently, the complete cure is terminated 14 with any additional desired decoration 16 being provided. As used in the present, "decorative element (s)" means an element selected from the following group: (a) living flowers or other living vegetation, or (b) dried flowers and dry vegetation, or (c) artificial flowers or hear artificial vegetation. The term "additional ornamenios" refers to any additional decoraive elements, desired either in the deníro of the categories (a), (b), (c) or independent as bows, Christmas ornamenios, conínedores for decorative elements, and other articles which are or may be of a decorative nature. As used in the present, "wet foam" means a moistened resin foam which receives the decorative elements for a decorative arrangement and becomes rigid foam when it dries. As used herein, the term "crown" means a generally annular decorative arrangement in spite of having an underlying wire support or other support apart from the support foam. As used herein, the term "preformed rigid foam" refers to a preformed rigid foam having a predefined shape such as, for example, those sold under the trade designation of "Ultrafoam" or "Oasis" which may be employed in the present invention method in combination with a malerial which is a wet foam as applied. As used in the present, the term "garland" means an elongated decoraive arrangement despite having an underlying support structure or no support away from the support foam. In general, the method of this invention will be carried out on a release surface which will be unattached with respect to the wet foam and the rigid foam that will be produced. A convenient method to achieve this objective is either to provide an unworkable surface, which will generally be not bonded to the foam, or to employ a plastic film or paper having said release properties. The foam can also be applied to a support structure which becomes part of the decorative arrangement. Among the preferred wet foam materials are polyurethane foam and latex foam which may be conveniently provided from an aerosol container. Conventional polyurethane foams are those sold under the trade designation of "Greaí Síuff" by the Dow Chemical Company and Touch'n Foam by Convenience Producís of Feníon, Missouri. When the partially moistened foam is cured or cured in a nodule, a thin skin forms on the extruder, thus facilitating an external decoration and providing additional sustaining power. With reference to figure 2, a suitable release film 20 is provided which can provide the desired soporie for the wet foam (not visible in the visia) as long as the adhesion of the foam to the release film is resisted. In Figure 3, an alignant film 26 which may lack the inherent release properties is employed with a convenient release agent 27 being dosed thereon from an appropriate container. Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the wet foam 30 is distributed from a convenient aerosol container 32 on the surface of film 20. It is a wet film, it will become, after a partial cure, a nodule which will be capable of be formed and receive decoraive elements. As is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a holder 40 can be provided with a release film 42 which is portions to be exfoliated on the top of the container and portions of the container to receive a release agent 50 from a container holder. spray 52. After the release film is in a convenient position, as is shown in Figure 7, the wet foam 60 is applied by an aerosol container 62 in any volume desired for a particular item. Regardless of whether the wet foam 30 is applied to the surface of a film 20, as in Fig. 4, or is applied to a container as in Fig. 8, it is preferred that a water-like liquid 64 be sprayed onto the nodule. 66, as is shown in Figure 9. Esio serves to help heal and assist in the development of a soft lining surface for subsequent decoration, such as painting. Different textures on the surface of the nodule can be provided in this way. Other liquids such as oil can be used to improve surface textures on the nodule. It will be appreciated that such spraying may take place more than once during healing. It is preferred that the nodule be sprayed before the decorative elements are inserted into the nodule. It will generally be preferred to form the nodule at about 8 to 10 minutes after the wet foam has been dissipated. Fluid like water, can be sprayed on the nodule before forming it, as well as later. Figure 10 shows a nodule 70 which has at least partially cured and is provided with decorational depressions 72, 74, 76, 78 by knife 80. One of the features of the present invention is to provide nodules which are sufficiently useful as to be positioned in a decorative arrangement in a visible location, as is confrased with numerous previous systems where the rigid plastic foam was used only for purposes of decorating the decorative elements, but it was essentially hidden complete of the visia by they are the containers or the decorative elements or combinations thereof. As shown in Figure 11, a support member 80 is secured to an underlying node 82 which is of an irregular configuration and is provided with a plurality of decorative elements 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94. These they can be living or dried plants, artificial plants or other desired elements. A plurality of grooves, such as 1 00 and 1 02, are placed in the upper surface of the nodule for decorative effect. As shown in Figure 12, a nodule 1 1 0 has a portion of its surface 1 12 covered by a decoraive pinire of an aerosol spray container 1 14. The spray paint can be achieved within 8 or 12 minutes after that the wet foam has been disfribuida. With reference to FIG. 13, a nodule 120 is shown as a pair of decorative elements 124, 126 and an elongated decorative wire or a wire-like member 130 which is tied around the nodule after the nodule has fully cured or cured susiancialmenie by compleio. Another way to decorate the nodule is to use a propane blower to create a carbonized effluent or wood effusion. This can be done after partial healing and is preferably carried out after the cure. As shown in figure 14, a torch 130 is employed to provide a flame 132 to the surface of the nodule 136. Also a knife 140 has provided cuts 142, 144, 146, 148 to the surface of the nodule. With reference to Figure 15, a nodule 160 protrudes and is supported by a transverse fazenda 162 which contains water 164. The nodule is highly visible and forms an integral part of the attractive decorative arrangement. The nodule has a pair of decorative elements 170, 172, 174 which can be living, dried, or artificial plants. It also contains a pair of live plants 1 80, 182 which respectively have roots 186, 188 enirring in water 164. It will be appreciated that the method of the present invention can be used to create decorational arrangements sequentially. For example, an initial step of creating portions of foam with the associated decorative elements and subsequently additional foam areas can be created and decorated on the support surface. In addition, after the foam portions have become rigid, additional wet foam can be placed on them to overlay different decorative elements thereon. Although reference has been made in the present to drying wet foam in rigid foam at ambient conditions, it is preferred that the decorative arrangement be created in an ambience that is at an approximate temperature of 42 ° C to 82 ° C and that drying It takes place for at least 30 minutes with a complete drying of approximately 4 hours. Whether the drying is allowed to occur at room temperature or is conducted at a high temperature for convenience of reference herein, it will be referred to as drying the wet foam. If a support structure is employed as part of a decorative arrangement, it will generally be preferred that it be substantially rigid to reinforce and protect the wet foam and the resulting rigid foam. With reference to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 16 to 19 and another embodiment of the invention, a container 200 may be a transparent or frosted container, if it is desired that one see the arrangement, see the arrangement thereof, or it may be opaque. It can be made of any conventional material such as glass, a sini fi c resin, a ceramic and any other desired material. In this embodiment, a support 202 which is preferably a preformed rigid foam has a wet foam 206 applied thereto, preferably prior to completing the adjustment of the wet foam material with a subsequent introduction of the decorative elements 210, 212, 214, 216 , 218 having its stems inserted from the wet foam 206 to thereby illuminate a decoraive arrangement. If desired, the preformed rigid foam 202 can be wetted by the application of water prior to application of the wet foam 206 thereon. The final arrangement shown in Figures 17 to 1 9 has a transparent container 200 with water 220 denier thereto at a desired level 221, has the lower stems 222, 224, 226, of the living decorative elements 230, 232, 234, 236 Expend- ing itself for water supply purposes and, if desired, also nurturing them. The artificial decorative elements 248, 250, 252 are anchored within the wet foam 206 and may extend through the wet foam 206 and into the rigid foam 202. Water may be administered to the test for wet moistening purposes 206, the rigid preformed foam 202. In the alternative, one can lift the rigid foam 202 of the container 200 to allow the water 220 to be replaced therein. Artificial flowers 252 are also produced within the rigid foam 202. With reference to the embodiment shown in FIG. 20, a posière slide holder 260 is shown which has a base 262 and an annular tapered wall 264. In this embodiment, a plurality of layers of wet foam 270, 272, 274, 276 may be applied in several different colors and may be alternated with preformed rigid foam such as 280 with a preformed rigid foam 282 protruding therefrom and a layer of wet foam 284 projecting from the preformed rigid foam 282 with the decorative foam segments 290, 292 positioned around. To provide a dessert simulation, an artificial cherry 300 and a pair of flowers 302, 304 which may be real or artificial June with a popoie 305 may be employed. The preformed rigid foam 282 is preferably soaked in water prior to use as is optional with respect to the grain of the Ulimafoam type or Oasis previously referred to in the present to hold the flowers 302, 304 if they are fresh flowers. With reference to Fig. 21, there is a further embodiment of the invention wherein a rigid foam block 330 has extrudate walls 336, 338, 340 and the fourth wall corresponds (not mosdyred) to provide an improved anchoring for the decorative arrangement. In this embodiment, a wooden branch 340 has its upper portion visible on the container 330 and there is a lower portion 342 passing through the rigid foam 330. A decoraive element 334, which may be bamboo, for example, is ex- Above the structure and an additional decoraive element 350 with portions 352 extending downwards. A decorative element similar to a moss 354 is also mosírado. It is contemplated that this could be positioned in a location protruding from a water container to provide water and, if desired, nurture the decorative articles. It will also be appreciated that the rigid foam 330 is provided as a support for decorative articles with all or a portion thereof received within a wet foam 360 without the use of a separate container such as those shown in Figures 16 to 21. It will be appreciated, therefore, that the present invention provides a rapid, effective means of creating a wide array of decorative arrangements through the use of wet foam to which a plurality of decorative elements is secured, after which the foam it dries and becomes a rigid foam with the arrangement being secured in the desired configuration and desired appearance. In other mode, a rigid foam preform for the wet foam arrangement can be provided. Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that numerous variations of details may be made without departing from the invention as referred to in the appended claims.

Claims (9)

1. CLAIMS 1. A method of making a decorative arrangement comprising: providing a wet foam, partially curing said wet foam to create a nodule, shaping said nodule, securing a plurality of decorative elements to said nodule, and subsequently drying said nodule to convert it into a foam rigid decorafive, and prior to said conversion of said wet foam to a rigid decorative foam to soporize said rigid foam on the rigid preformed foam.
2. 2. The method of claim 1 including placing a soporum holder in underlying support relationship with respect to said preformed rigid foam.
3. 3. The method of claim 2 including introducing portions of said decorative elements into the preformed rigid foam, and moistening said preformed rigid foam before the introduction of portions of said decorative elements therein.
4. 4. The method of claim 2 including employing a transparent or translucent container as said support container for said preformed rigid foam.
5. 5. The method of claim 1 including introducing portions of at least some of said decoraive elements into said preformed rigid foam.
6. 6. The method of claim 2 including providing water in said container, and introducing portions of said decorafive elements in said water, wherein said decorative elements include living vegetation. The method of claim 1 including providing a transverse support in support relation with respect to said preformed rigid foam, and providing wet foam on said preformed rigid foam. 8. The method of claim 7, including providing said wet foam in a plurality of different colors. 9. The method of claim 8 including providing said arrangement with the general appearance of a sundae ice cream. 1. The method of claim 1 including employing said preformed rigid foam without an underlying support agent. eleven . The method of claim 1 including causing at least some of said decorative elements to penetrate said wet foam as said rigid preformed foam. 12. The method of claim 1 including said preformed rigid foam being sprayed to permit the flow of water therefrom. The method of claim 1 including making said decorative arrangement by the sequential application of portions of at least some of said decorative elements to said nodule prior to complete drying of said nodule. 14. The method of claim 1 including effecting said securing of said decorafive elements by securing at least a portion thereof to the surface of said nodule. 15. The method of claim 1 including moistening said wet foam prior to said partial cure. 16. The method of claim 1 including securing said wet foam to said support structure prior to the complete drying of said wet foam.
7. 7. The method of claim 1 including placing a support structure in underlying support relationship with respect to said preformed rigid foam, providing said wet foam at least in part on said support structure, and said support structure being a foam. rigid preformed. 1
8. 8. The method of claim 12 including moistening said nodule prior to subsequent drying. 1
9. 9. The method of claim 14 including employing at least some of said decoraive elements at least one article of the group consisting of living vegetation, dry vegetation and artificial vegetation. The method of claim 1 including employing as said wet foam a foam which when dried becomes stiff. twenty-one . The method of claim 20 including employing a foam as said wet foam selected from the group consisting of polyurethane foam and latex foam. 22. The method of claim 20 including distributing said wet foam from an aerosol container. 23. The method of claim 22 including drying said wet foam at an approximate time of 42 ° C to 82 ° C for at least 30 minutes. 24. The method of claim 1 including after applying said decorative elements to said wet foam provide additional wet foam and apply additional decorative elements thereto. 25. The method of claim 1 including placing said nodule within said decorative arrangement to retain said nodule in an easily visible position.