Patent Application
20150330000
1. Field of the Invention
The present arrangement relates to a ribbon. More particularly, the present arrangement relates to a ribbon for making a flower or other decorative element.
2. Description of Related Art
In the area of craft products and ribbons, such as decorative ribbons, it has long been a practice to use ribbon as an adornment on packages or gifts. Such ribbons can also be used in craft applications such as scrapbook adornments. In addition to applying the ribbon to either packages or craft applications, additional ribbon may be used to form a bow which is essentially a series of loops compressed at the center. Such loop bows are difficult to make from loose ribbon and, unless the maker is experienced, they tend to not be aesthetically pleasing.
In the prior art such loop bows are fashioned as a separate element to be used as a package adornment in addition to the basic ribbon, sometimes sold as sets or in otherwise matching colors. These separate pre-made loop bow elements are usually affixed to a sticker pad which can be attached to the package or craft product. Although these arrangements provide more aesthetically correct bows they are typically of limited style.
In another prior art arrangement, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,030,719 and 4,812,338, there are ribbons that have been provided for forming such looped bows by providing a ribbon with a series of holes therein along the length of the ribbon. Running through the holes is a string or fabric that weaves in and out between the top and bottom surfaces of the ribbon. When a user holds the two string ends and pulls on a given length of such ribbon, the ribbon folds up to a bow. Although this makes the process easier for making a bow from a ribbon it still only results in a traditional loop style bow.
As noted above, in addition to the traditional uses for decorative bows, such elements have been more frequently used in scrapbooking and other craft projects. As such a need has arisen for a more stylish and decorative bow arrangement that is simultaneously easy to use and does not require excessive training or experience to achieve a quality product.
The present arrangement provides for a ribbon with a pull string there through that when pulled results in a decorative flower (or flower bow) that mimics the look of an actual flower. The ribbon is cut to have a pull region and a petal region where the proportions between the two regions as well as the shape and size of the petals, coupled with the location and placement of the holes and through string in the pull region result in a ribbon being bunched into the shape of a particular flower.
For example a ribbon with a first set of petal regions having a first shape and dimension with a corresponding ribbon portion with a first arrangement of holes for the pull string would result in a particular flower when a given length of ribbon is pulled into a flower. When a ribbon with second set of petal regions having a second shape and dimension with a corresponding ribbon portion with a second arrangement of holes for the pull string is pulled, it would result in a different flower from the first flower. Such an arrangement thus provides an improved decorative quality and style selection while retaining an ease of use for armature users that still produces quality adornments.
To this end the present arrangement is directed to a ribbon having a pull string portion extending along a first edge of the ribbon, along the length of the ribbon, the pull string portion having a series of holes therein extending longitudinally along the first edge. A petal portion extends along a second edge of the ribbon having a predefined shape. A string is positioned within the holes in the pull string portion, the string being disposed within the holes in alternating fashion between a first surface of the ribbon and an opposing surface of the ribbon. The ribbon, including the pull sting portion and the petal portion is configured to be folded in half such that opposing ends of the ribbon may be slid along the string into a bunch, forming a flower.
The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:
In one embodiment of the present invention as shown in
As shown in
In one arrangement, ribbon 10 is a double-sided satin ribbon, but the invention is not limited in that respect. The material make up used to produce the satin weave is preferably polyester and rayon, but the invention is likewise not limited in that respect. The polyester and rayon satin weave for ribbon 10 has been found by the present inventors to produce a quality simulacra of flower petals, but other materials for satin weaves may also produce realistic flower petals, based on the different varietals of flowers.
As with ribbon 10, pull string 16 is likewise preferably made of a satin weaved cord made from polyester and rayon fabrics. Applicants note that the below described pull function of flower ribbon 10 can produce friction during creation that can cause a defective outcome if the components do not fold together correctly. As such, the combination of satin (polyester and rayon) ribbon 10 with matching satin (polyester and rayon) string 16 is preferable for ribbon 10 to properly pull down on string 16 to achieve a realistic flower 100.
In one embodiment, the ideal shape and size for ribbon 10 is approximately 28 mm-50 mm in width (height of petal cutouts 20) to approximate the flowers being replicated, but other dimensions for the width of petal cut outs 20 may be used.
It is noted that the design of ribbon 10 described above and shown in
As another example shown in
Turning to the formation of the flowers from ribbons 10,
At step 202, after ribbon 10 is cut, the user folds ribbon 10 in half and grasps the two associated ends of thread 16 as shown in
Because string 16 is threaded through pull string region 12, below the respective petal regions and/or pistil/stamen regions 22, pull string region tends to bunch together closely around string 16 at the center of flower 100 with petal regions 20 extending outward mimicking the structure of an actual flower. Additionally, because string 16 passed through holes 14 in pull string region 12, which is located along an edge of ribbon 10, in a zig zag manner, when ribbon 10 is pulled down along string 16 as shown in
For example,
While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes or equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore, to be understood that this application is intended to cover all such modifications and changes that fall within the true spirit of the invention.
