US20090061118A1

US20090061118A1 - Decoration for cakes

Info

Publication number: US20090061118A1
Application number: US11/897,293
Authority: US
Inventors: Quincy Woody
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-08-31
Filing date: 2007-08-31
Publication date: 2009-03-05

Abstract

A decoration is provided which includes a figurine having an open neck and two arms and also has a body. The open neck is located between the two arms. A skewer located in the figurine extends generally from the center of the neck into the body of the figurine. The skewer also extends slightly above the neck and islocated within the neck. A cloth coated wire is wrapped about the skewer and extends into the both arms. A photograph of a person is attached to the figurine and extends upwardly above the skewer.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to decorations and most particularly to decorative figurines such as those used on cakes for special events including wedding dakes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The Hodge Patent, D 348,293, shows a photo doll into which photographs of different faces can be inserted. No reference to a figurine on a cake is included.
The Cohen Patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,1675,569 teaches the use of a variety of male and female figurines with a variety of interchangeable heads to provide cake figurines which have a resemblance to the persons that are the subject of the celebration. The Cohen Patent strives for some resemblance to the persons that are the subject of the clebration but an exact resemblance of such persons is obviously not achievable.
The Martin et. al. Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,648 pertains to the placement of a photograph on Christmas Tree decorations. An actual person is shown but Martin et. al. has nothing to do with cake decorations.
The Lipson Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,457, teaches a frame where the head portion of the frame is configured to hold a picture.
The Yamall Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,611, teaches figurines with a variety of heads to achieve faces resembling those of the persons being honored, as, for example the bride and the groom.
None of these patents teach figurines with faces that are the faces of the pesrosons being honored.
The present invention teaches figures for use on a cake. The figurines include photographic faces of the actual persons being honored, most usually a bride and a groom. The faces are photographic versions of the actual persons so as to clearly identify the persons being honored.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A figurine is provided with an open neck and having a front and having arms. A skewer extending from the open neck into the body of the figurine. A photograph of a person extends from the open neck at the front of the figurine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is front elevation of a bride and a groom with photographic faces.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a figurine showing the neck of the figurine with the coated wire extending from arm to arm and around the nob which is the end of a skewer.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view along the lone 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing the coated wire extending from the arms and being wrapped around the nob.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a photograph with the faces of the people being honored.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the photograph with the foam backing affixed to the photograph.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE NUMERALS


NUMERAL	DESCRIPTION

11	Figurine of Bride and Groom
12	Cake or Wedding Cake
15	Figurines
17	Male
19	Female
21	Neck
23	Nob
25	Body
27	Skewer
29	Upper End
31	Cloth Coated Wire
33	Arm
35	Photograph
37	Head Photograph
39	Neck Extension
41	Backing
43	Back
45	Clothing
47	Stand

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As best seen in FIG. 1, a decoration 11 depicting a bride and groom are shown mounted on a cake 13, which is, more specifically, a wedding cake 13. Other events such as an anniversary, a birthday, retirement or other event is possible as a cause for celebration for which a cake of similar design would be appropriate. This invention is intended to include any such event. With only one person involved instead of a couple, the procedure would also be essentially the same as with a couple. However, wedding cakes 13 are the most obvious cake 13 to have figurines 15 placed on it and wedding cakes 13 clearly involve a couple.
The use of FIG. 15 on wedding cakes 13 is well known but the personalization of the figurines 15 on such cakes 13 is not known. The figurines 15 are made as both male 17 and female 19. At the neck 21 of each figurine 15 is a nob 23 which extends generally vertically upwardly from the body 25. The nob 23 is formed by forcing the a skewer 27 into the figurine 15. The figurines 15 are stuffed with paper or other suitable stuffing. The skewer 27 provides rigidity to the figurine 15. The upper end 29 of the figurine 15 extends upwardly a short distance generally at the center of the neck 21 of the figurine 15. A cloth covered wire 31 is placed in each arm 33 of the figurine 15. The cloth coated wire 31 is wrapped about the end of the nob 23 formed by the end of the skewer 27. A smoking pipe cleaner serves as an excellent cloth covered wire.
To assure a likeness of the persons being honored, a photograph 35 is taken of each such person. The photograph 35 is taken so that the head 37 of each person as shown in the photograph 35 is sized to be in proportion to the size of the figurine 15. The head 37 of the person to be shown as a figurine 15 is carefully cut from the photograph 35. A neck extension 39 is included with the head 37 cut from the photograph 35.
A backing 41 of flexible foam, approximately an eighth of an inch thick, is placed on the back 43 of the photograph 37 after it is cut from the photograph 35. The backing 41 provides body to the head photograph 37. The photograph 37 is tucked into the clothing 45 of the figurine 15 and is secured by glue or adhesive to the clothing of its respective figurine. In this way, the head photograph 37 of the person being honored is displayed. Behind the head photograph 37 is the nob 23 previously described which is covered from view by the head photograph 37.
Each figurine 15 is supported by a stand 47 which rests on the cake 13 and extends upwardly into the figurine 15.
Finally, obvious variations of the invention described herein will make themselves apparent to those skilled in the art, all of which are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A decoration comprising:

a figurine with an open neck and having a front and having arms;

a skewer extending from the open neck into the body of the figurine; and and a photograph of a person extending from the open neck at the front.

2. A decoration according to claim 1 further including a cloth coated wire wrapped about the skewer and extending into each arm.

3. A decoration according to claim 1 wherein the skewer extends generally from the center of the open neck.

4. A decoration comprising:

a figurine having a body and two arms and having a open neck between the two arms, clothing being located on the figurine;

means to support the figurine in a standing position.

a skewer extending generally from the neck and above the body into the body of the figurine;

a wire means wrapped about the skewer and extending into each of the two arms;

a photograph of a person attached to the figurine and extending upwardly at the front of the figurine.

5. A decoration according to claim 4 wherein the wire means is a cloth covered wire.

6. A decoration comprising:

a figurine having an open and two arms and also having a body, the open neck being located between the two arms;

a skewer in the figurine extending generally from the center of the neck into the body of the figurine, the skewer also extending slightly above the and in the neck;

a cloth coated wire wrapped about the skewer and extending into the both arms; and

a photograph of a person attached to the figurine and extending upwardly above the skewer.