ANIMATED ARTIFICIAL FLOWER

Abstract

A device simulating a blooming flower includes a piston slidably disposed within an elongated tube simulating a flower stem. A chamber within the stem is configured to hold a dissolvable solid material. The piston is biased upwardly, but held in place by the dissolvable solid material placed in the chamber above the piston. A simulated flower is attached to the end of the stem or piston and has a plurality of simulated petals configured to open as the stem is placed in a liquid, the solid material dissolves, and the piston moves upwardly within the stem.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an artificial flower device embodying the present invention in its closed state;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, illustrating various component parts of the device;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2, but illustrating the artificial flower device in an opened state;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of area “4” of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of area “5” of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a partially fragmented, partially sectioned and exploded view of various components of the device of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a partially fragmented and sectioned view of the components of FIG. 6 in an assembled and closed state;

FIG. 8 is a partially sectioned and fragmented view similar to FIG. 7 in an assembled and opened state;

FIG. 9 is a partially fragmented, perspective and exploded view of a stem and sleeve, used in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a fragmented perspective view of the stem and sleeve positioned so as to access an inner chamber of the device;

FIG. 11 is a fragmented perspective view similar to FIG. 10, illustrating rotation of the sleeve to close access to the inner chamber;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a brake assembly used in accordance with the present invention, illustrating the braking assembly in a non-braking position;

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view taken generally along line 13-13 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along line 14-14 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 12, but illustrating the braking assembly in a braking position in response to a lost tension condition of the line;

FIG. 16 is a side elevational view taken generally along line 16-16 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along line 17-17 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of another artificial flower device embodying the present invention in a closed state;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged sectional view of area “19” of FIG. 18, illustrating a stop pin used in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 18, but illustrating the artificial flower device in an opened state;

FIG. 21 is an enlarged sectional view of area “21”, illustrating the stop pin extended into engagement with a groove of an inner stem of the device, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 22 is an enlarged sectional view of area “22” of FIG. 20, illustrating another brake system used in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the brake assembly of FIG. 22, illustrating brake shoes thereof in a non-braking position;

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the braking assembly of FIG. 23, but in a braking position due to lost tension between a piston and drive shaft of the device;

FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along line 25-25 of FIG. 24;

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of yet another artificial flower device embodying the present invention, in its closed state;

FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 26, illustrating the device in its opened state;

FIG. 28 is a partially fragmented and sectioned view of an upper portion of yet another flower device embodying the present invention, in a closed state;

FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 28, illustrating the artificial flower device in an opened state;

FIG. 30 is a partially fragmented and sectioned view of yet another artificial flower device embodying the present invention, illustrating its flower in a closed state;

FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 30, illustrating the artificial flower device in an opened state;

FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view of yet another artificial flower device embodying the present invention in its closed state;

FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 32, illustrating the artificial flower device in an opened state;

FIG. 34 is a partially fragmented and sectioned view of yet another artificial flower device embodying the present invention in a closed state; and

FIG. 35 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 34, illustrating the flower in an opened state.

Claims

1. A device simulating a blooming flower, comprising: an elongated tube simulating a stem defining an inlet to a chamber therein configured to hold a dissolvable solid material;a piston slidably disposed within the stem and biased upwardly; anda simulated flower attached to the stem and having a plurality of simulated petals configured to open as the piston is moved upwardly within the stem, and close as the piston is moved downwardly within the stem;whereby upon lowering the piston and inserting the dissolvable solid material within the stem chamber above the piston, and subsequently exposing the dissolvable solid to a solvent, the dissolvable solid material dissolves in the solvent and the piston moves upwardly, opening the simulated petals of the simulated flower.

2. The device of claim 1, including a sleeve connected to the piston and in slidable relation to the stem, the sleeve including an aperture alignable with the stem inlet to provide access to the chamber.

3. The device of claim 1, including a drive shaft slidably disposed in an upper portion of the stem, operably connected to the piston, and biased upwardly through the simulated flower by a first spring.

4. The device of claim 3, including a gift platform disposed at an end of the drive shaft generally opposite the piston.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the gift platform includes a securement member adapted to secure a gift to the platform.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the stem includes a protrusion engageable with a groove formed in an inner stem or cup base to impart rotation to the simulated flower as it moves upwardly.

7. The device of claim 3, including a brake assembly associated with the piston and the drive shaft.

8. The device of claim 7, including a line extending between the piston and the drive shaft.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the brake assembly comprises a first pulley, a second pulley biased away from the first pulley, the line passing over the pulleys and moving the second pulley towards the first pulley when sufficiently tensioned, and a brake shoe operably connected with the second pulley and movable into contact with the line as line tension is lost and the second pulley is moved away from the first pulley.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the brake assembly further comprises a housing through which the line extends, the first pulley being fixed to the housing, the second pulley movable along a slot formed in the housing, and an inner wall of the housing defining a brake shoe guide.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the brake assembly comprises a brake shoe interconnected between the drive shaft and a shaft of the piston and adapted to be disposed in a non-braking position when there is sufficient tension between the drive shaft and piston shaft, and move into a braking position when there is insufficient tension between the drive shaft and piston shaft.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the brake shoe comprises a leaf spring attached to the piston shaft and having a brake pad at an end thereof, and a tension line operably connected to the drive shaft and extending to the leaf spring.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the flower comprises an inner stem slidably received within the stem, petal hinges pivotally attached to the inner stem, the petals being attached at one end thereof to the petal hinges.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the inner stem is biased upwardly by a second spring.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the petal hinges have a spring characteristic so as to open generally flat when extended and bow when closed.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the petals comprise a set of inner petals and a set of outer petals that overlap the inner petals when in a closed position.

17. The device of claim 13, including a petal cup having a simulated sepal attached to the petal hinges and partially covering the petals when in the closed position.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the sepal comprises alternating thick and thin sections.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the sepal includes a sepal base slidably overlying the stem and biased upwardly, the sepal base engageable with the inner stem so as to move upwardly when the inner stem moves upwardly.

20. The device of claim 14, including stops adapted to engage the inner stem.

21. The device of claim 19, including stops adapted to engage the inner stem and the petal base.

22. The device of claim 1, including an electronic circuit having electrical contacts that move into contact with one another to close the circuit as the flower is opened.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the electronic circuit includes a light emitting device or a sound generating device.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein the piston is biased upwardly with a spring engaged with the stem at one end thereof and the piston at a generally opposite end thereof.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the chamber is defined by the piston within the stem.

26. The device of claim 24, including a petal puller adapted to pull the petals downwardly into an open position as the piston moves upwardly.

27. A device simulating a blooming flower, comprising: an elongated tube simulating a stem;a piston slidably disposed within the stem and biased downwardly;a liquid absorbing an expandable material disposed within the stem below the piston; anda simulated flower attached to the piston and having a plurality of simulated petals configured to open as the piston is moved upwardly within the stem, and close as the piston is moved downwardly within the stem;whereby upon placing the stem in liquid, the material absorbs the liquid and expands causing the piston to move upwardly, opening the simulated petals of the simulated flower.

28. The device of claim 1, including an electronic circuit having electrical contacts that move into contact with one another to close the circuit as the flower is opened.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the electronic circuit includes a light emitting device or a sound generating device.

30. The device of claim 27, including a petal puller adapted to pull the petals downwardly into an open position as the piston moves upwardly.