US20100159162A1

US20100159162A1 - Artificial flower

Info

Publication number: US20100159162A1
Application number: US12/427,737
Authority: US
Inventors: Ju-Lan Hao; Wei Gong
Original assignee: Hongfujin Precision Industry Shenzhen Co Ltd; Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd
Current assignee: Hongfujin Precision Industry Shenzhen Co Ltd; Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd
Priority date: 2008-12-22
Filing date: 2009-04-21
Publication date: 2010-06-24
Also published as: CN101756405A

Abstract

An artificial flower includes an artificial stem, a receptacle held by the artificial stem, numerous artificial petals rotatably positioned on the receptacle, a cable and a driving unit. The cable is moveably extended through the artificial stem and includes a first end and an opposite second end. The first end of the cable is coupled to the artificial petals. The driving unit is coupled to the second end of the cable and capable of driving the cable to rotate the artificial petals between an open position where the artificial petals are opened and a close position where the artificial petals are closed.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to ornaments, and particularly, to an artificial flower.
2. Description of Related Art
Artificial flowers are popularly used as substitutes for real flowers because they do not need watering and never wilt. However, the artificial flowers remain in one state, which may be dull and boring.
Therefore, what is needed is an artificial flower, in which the above problem is eliminated or at least alleviated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partially perspective view of an artificial flower including a driving unit, a receptacle and numerous artificial petals, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged, schematic view of the driving unit of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the receptacle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partially isometric view of the artificial flower of FIG. 1, showing the numerous artificial petals coupled to the receptacle.

FIG. 5 is a partially isometric view of an artificial flower according to another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is another partially isometric view of the artificial flower of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, an artificial flower 10 according to an exemplary embodiment includes a flowerpot 11, a driving unit 12, an artificial stem 13, a receptacle 14, and numerous artificial petals 15. The driving unit 12 is received in the flowerpot 11. The artificial stem 13 protrudes from the flowerpot 11. The receptacle 14 is fixed on the top of the artificial stem 13 and held by the artificial stem 13. The artificial petals 15 are rotatably connected to and positioned on the receptacle 14.
Referring to FIG. 2, the flowerpot 11 includes a fixed board 111. The fixed board 111 defines a central through hole 1111. The artificial stem 13 is extended through the central through hole 1111 and fixed to the fixed board 111.
The driving unit 12 is below the fixed board 111 and includes a gear box 121, a motor 122, a gear assembly 123, a toothed bar 124, and an elastic member 125. The gear assembly 123 is received in the gear box 121. The gear box 121 defines a guide rail 1211, aligned with the artificial stem 13. The motor 122 is partially received in the gear box 121. The motor 122 includes a rotating worm shaft 1221 meshed with the gear assembly 123. Therefore, the motor 122 may drive the gear assembly 123 by rotating the worm shaft 1221.
The toothed bar 124 includes a toothed portion 1241. The toothed bar 124 is moveably received in the guide rail 1211 with the toothed portion 1241 meshed with the gear assembly 123. The toothed bar 124 can move along the guide rail 1211 towards the fixed board 111 (upwards) when the motor 122 drives the gear assembly 123.
A fixing pole 110 extends from an inner surface 112 of the flowerpot 11. An end of the elastic member 125 is fixed to the fixing pole 110. Another end of the elastic member 125 is coupled to the toothed bar 124. When the elastic member 125 is fixed in the driving unit 12, the length of the elastic member 125 is greater than the natural length of the elastic member 125. In this embodiment, the elastic member 125 is a tension coil spring.
Referring to FIG. 3 together with FIG. 2, the artificial stem 13 is a hollow cylinder. A cable 16 such as a steel cable is moveably extended through the artificial stem 13. The cable 16 includes a first end 161 and a second end 162 opposite to the first end 161. Four sections 163 extend from the first end 161. The second end 162 is fixed to the toothed bar 124. Each section 163 may be made from steel and is connected to the first end 161 by welding.
The receptacle 14 includes a disc-shaped body 140, four fixed arms 141, four holding arms 142, and four torsion springs 143. The fixed arms 141 extend from the body 140, each extending radially away from the artificial stem 13 substantially symmetrical to each other. Each holding arm 142 is rotatably connected to each fixed arm 141. Each torsion spring 143 is received in the fixed arms 141 and is configured for driving the holding arm 142 to rotate about the fixed arm 141 towards the disc-shaped body 140. Each section 163 is wrapped/looped round each holding arm 142 in a manner that when the cable 16 is pulled by the toothed bar 124, the holding arms 142 rotate about the fixed arms 141 substantially enclosing the longitudinal axial of the artificial stem 13, overcoming a torque applied by the torsion springs 143 on the holding arms 142. Therefore, the holding arms 142 are closed.
Referring to FIG. 4 together with FIGS. 2 and 3, each artificial petal 15 is positioned on the holding arm 142 and defines two through holes 150. Each section 163 is extended through the two through holes 150 and wound round the holding arm 142. Therefore, the artificial petals 15 move together with the holding arms 142.
To animate the artificial flower 10, the motor 122 is turned on to drive the toothed bar 124 using the gear assembly 123 to move upwards (towards the fixed board 111) along the guide rail 1211. Meanwhile, the elastic member 125 extends further. The cable 16 is moved upwards and the artificial petals 15 together with the holding arms 142 open up due to the torque of the torsion springs 143 on the holding arms 142. Therefore, the flower 10 appears to bloom. When the motor 122 is turned off, the cable 16 is pulled back by restoration of the elastic member 125. Therefore, the artificial petals 15 become closed.
It is to be understood that number of the fixed arm 141, the holding arm 142, the torsion spring 143 and the artificial petal 15 may be three, five or more. It depends on what the flower manufacturer designs. The elastic member 125 may be an elastic rod.
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 together with FIG. 2, an artificial flower 10 a according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. The differences between the artificial flower 10 a and the artificial flower 10 are that the four torsion springs 143 are omitted and a lubricant layer (not shown) is coated between each fixed arm 141 a and each holding arm 142 a. When the motor 122 (referring to FIG. 2) is turned on and the cable 16 a is moved upwards, the artificial petals 15 a and the holding arms 142 a open under the influence of gravity. The artificial petals 15 a closes similar to that of the artificial petals 15 of the artificial flower 10. The artificial flower can achieve blooming and closing up. Therefore, the artificial flower may cheer up people.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. An artificial flower comprising:

an artificial stem;

a receptacle held by the artificial stem;

a plurality of artificial petals rotatably positioned on the receptacle;

a cable moveably extended through the artificial stem and comprising a first end and an opposite second end, the first end of the cable coupled to the plurality of artificial petals; and

a driving unit coupled to the second end of the cable and capable of driving the cable to rotate the plurality of artificial petals between a first position where the plurality of artificial petals are opened and a second position where the plurality of artificial petals are closed.

2. The artificial flower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the artificial stem is a hollow cylinder.

3. The artificial flower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receptacle comprises a disc-shaped body, a plurality of fixed arms, a plurality of holding arms and a plurality of torsion springs; the fixed arms extend from the body, each extending with a direction inclined to an axial direction of the artificial stem; each holding arm is rotatably connected to each fixed arm; and each torsion spring is received in the fixed arms and is configured for driving the holding arm to rotate around the fixed arm towards the disc-shaped body.

4. The artificial flower as claimed in claim 3, wherein a plurality of sections extend from the first end of the cable; each artificial petal is positioned on each holding arm and defines two through holes; and each section is extended through the two through holes and wound round the holding arm.

5. The artificial flower as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a flowerpot, the driving unit received in the flowerpot, the artificial stem protruding from the flowerpot.

6. The artificial flower as claimed in claim 5, wherein the driving unit comprises a gear box, a motor, a gear assembly, a toothed bar and an elastic member; the gear assembly is received in the gear box; the gear box defines a guide rail, aligned with the artificial stem; the motor is partially received in the gear box and comprises a rotating worm shaft meshed with the gear assembly; the toothed bar comprises a toothed portion and is moveably received in the guide rail with the toothed portion meshed with the gear assembly; an end of the elastic member is fixed to an inner surface of the flowerpot and another end of the elastic member is coupled to the toothed bar; and the second end of the cable is fixed to the toothed bar.

7. The artificial flower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receptacle comprises a disc-shaped body, a plurality of fixed arms, a plurality of holding arms and a lubricant layer; the fixed arms extend from the body, each extending with a direction inclined to an axial direction of the artificial stem; each holding arm is rotatably connected to each fixed arm; and the lubricant layer is coated between each holding arm and each fixed arm.

8. The artificial flower as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cable is made from steel.