Patent Application
20050150091
The present invention relates generally to burial caskets, and more particularly to cap panels for burial casket caps or lids.
Burial caskets traditionally comprise a shell to which is pivoted a cap or lid. During viewing of the deceased in the casket, the cap is of course pivoted to its open position to permit relatives, loved ones, acquaintances and the like to view the deceased. During this time the underside of the casket cap is visible. It is thus desirable to trim the underside of the cap with decorative trim. This has been traditionally accomplished with the installation of a dish assembly into the underside of the cap.
The traditional dish assembly has taken the form of a rectangular cap panel having two long sides and two short sides, with a puffing member being attached to each of the four sides. The cap panel is positioned in the casket cap atop a standoff, itself positioned in the cap, or atop a ridge or groove forming a part of the cap. The free edges of the puffing members are retained in a peripheral groove in the casket cap near the peripheral edge of the cap. The puffing members are so sized as to require them to assume a convex shape for their free edges to be retained in the peripheral groove. The cap panel is a generally planar surface that is covered with decorative fabric that typically matches the design and fabric of the puffing members to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance. To enhance the overall appearance of the dish assembly, some type of embroidered or other decorative design might be sewn into the fabric covering the cap panel.
In many cases, it is desirable to have dish assemblies with a wide variety of fabric colors and designs to choose from. To allow for a quick and convenient method of changing the look of the dish assembly, the dish assembly may further include a rectangular generally planar cap panel insert installed between the four puffing members and in juxtaposition relative to the cap panel such that the cap panel insert and the puffing members now make up the decorative aspect of the dish assembly. In this way, when one wants to change the design of the dish assembly, the cap panel insert may be interchanged with one of a different design to effectuate the desires of the deceased's family.
Moreover, it is desirable to employ a means of attachment which permits removable securement of the cap panel insert into the dish assembly to allow various inserts to be readily presented to a purchaser of the casket. Quite often, a customer will desire to view a number of different inserts in a dish assembly during the casket selection process, with each insert having a different embroidered pattern, or different fabric, thereon. Therefore it is desirable to be able to quickly remove one cap panel insert from the dish assembly of a casket cap and to replace it with another insert for selection purposes.
Various means may be provided to secure the cap panel insert into the dish assembly, including for example, by friction fit or by retaining tabs mounted to the cap panel such as that disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,877 issued to Lewis, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and incorporated by reference herein. Lewis discloses using hook and loop type fasteners, such as VELCRO®, adhered to the cap panel and the generally planar cap panel insert to removably secure the cap panel insert to the cap panel.
Another technique for removably installing a cap panel insert into a dish assembly is disclosed in Winburn et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,741, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and incorporated by reference herein. The Winburn patent discloses the use of a pair of elongated straps secured to a generally planar cap panel insert to facilitate installation of the insert into the dish assembly. The straps are spaced along the length of the insert and are fixedly or permanently secured to the insert near the lower ends of the straps. Near the upper ends of the straps the straps are removably secured to the insert via fasteners. The straps are longer than the height of the insert so that a portion of each strap protrudes above and below the top and bottom edges of the insert. To install the insert into a dish assembly, the bottom strap portions are inserted between the cap panel and the bottom puffing. The insert is angled outwardly from the cap, i.e. toward an installer, during which time the upper ends of the straps are not connected to the insert, and the top strap portions are inserted between the cap panel and the top puffing. The straps are flexible enough to allow bowing of the straps to slip the top strap portions into place. The insert is then pivoted into place against the cap panel and the fasteners attached to the insert are fastened to the fasteners attached near the upper ends of the straps.
It is therefore desirable to provide a cap panel insert for a casket dish assembly which is aesthetically appealing and which is a departure from the traditional generally planar cap panel insert. It is also desirable to provide a dish assembly for a burial casket cap of improved construction and aesthetics which provides quick and easy installation and removal of the cap panel insert into and from the dish assembly and positive retention of the insert in the assembly.
The present invention provides a cap panel or cap panel insert of a dish assembly of a burial casket cap having three-dimensional aspects to enhance the aesthetic appearance during the viewing of the deceased. The present invention utilizes cast paper to form the various three-dimensional designs in the cap panel or cap panel insert. In one embodiment, a cap panel is formed from cast paper and configured into a three-dimensional design. The cast paper cap panel may be molded wherein the mold provides various three-dimensional designs integral to the cap panel. The three-dimensional design in the cap panel can comprise many forms including for example, a bas-relief having a wide variety of sculpted shapes formed therein that can be tailored to meet the specific desires of the family so as to reflect a particular feature or trait of the deceased. Moreover, cast paper materials are advantageous in providing a textured aspect to enhance aesthetic appeal.
In another embodiment, a cap panel insert for overlying at least a portion of a cap panel is formed from cast paper and configured into a three-dimensional design. The cast paper cap panel insert may be molded wherein the mold provides various three-dimensional designs integral to the cap panel insert. Alternatively, the cap panel insert can be comprised of a generally planar first portion with a cast paper three-dimensional second portion attached to the planar first portion. As with the cap panel, the three-dimensional design in the cap panel insert may comprise many forms including for example, a bas-relief having a wide variety of sculpted shapes formed therein. The cast paper further provides a textured look to the cap panel insert.
The present invention also provides a dish assembly comprising a generally rectangular cap panel having a pair of opposed shorter sides and a pair of opposed longer sides, and puffing members attached to each side of the cap panel. The cap panel is configured into a three-dimensional design of the above construction.
The present invention also provides a dish assembly comprising a generally rectangular cap panel having a pair of opposed shorter sides and a pair of opposed longer sides, puffing members attached to each side, and a cast paper cap panel insert removably inserted between the puffing members and juxtaposed relative to the cap panel where the cap panel insert is configured into a three-dimensional design of the above construction.
The present invention further provides a one-piece dish assembly comprising a generally rectangular cap panel and puffing members formed integral with each other, and a cast paper cap panel insert removably coupled to the cap panel where the cap panel insert is configured into a three-dimensional design of the above construction.
The present invention also provides a burial casket comprising a shell and a cap pivoted to the shell with the cap including a dish assembly of the above construction.
The present invention also provides a method of making a cast paper cap panel or cap panel insert for a dish assembly of a burial casket cap. The method comprises the steps of chopping cotton fibers into small pieces, mixing the cotton fiber pieces with water to form a watery pulp, pressing the pulp in a mold having a desired three-dimensional design, blotting up any excess water, leaving the molded cast paper in the mold to air dry, and pulling the dried piece from the mold to provide a cast paper cap panel or cap panel insert configured into a three-dimensional design.
The main advantage of the present invention is that a cap panel or a cap panel insert may be aesthetically enhanced by configuring it into a three-dimensional design. Cast paper can be easily molded into a wide variety of designs that provide greater decorative options when selecting a burial casket. The enhancing three-dimensional designs in the cap panel or cap panel insert may be readily incorporated into dish assemblies traditionally used to decorate burial casket lids.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent during the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings herein.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the invention.
FIGS. 6A-B are sequential side elevation views of the cast paper being molded into a cap panel or cap panel insert having a three-dimensional design.
Referring first to
The dish assembly 30 generally includes an insert or cap panel 32 and a series of puffing members 38 attached thereto that give the dish assembly 30 a recessed, picture-frame look, and optionally, a cap panel insert 40 overlying the cap panel 32 such that the cap panel insert 40 and the puffing members 38 now make up the decorative aspects of the dish assembly 30. The cap panel 32 or the cap panel insert 40 may be configured into a three-dimensional design to provide a more aesthetically pleasing appearance, as will be subsequently described.
As shown in
As shown in
Alternatively, and as shown in
The embodiments of the present invention having the cap panel 32 or the cap panel inserts 40, 50 configured into a three-dimensional design 42 formed integral to the cap panel or cap panel insert are made from cast paper product. Moreover, in the embodiment of
As shown in FIGS. 6A-B, the three-dimensional designs of the present invention may be formed by molding the cast paper.
While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of the various embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the scope or spirit of Applicant's general inventive concept.
