EP0213926A1

EP0213926A1 - A vase for holding flowers or a pot plant

Info

Publication number: EP0213926A1
Application number: EP86306605A
Authority: EP
Inventors: David Nightingale
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-08-29
Filing date: 1986-08-27
Publication date: 1987-03-11
Also published as: GB8521511D0

Abstract

A vase for cut flowers or for flowers or a plant growing in a pot comprises a container formed from cardboard or the like and which, therefore, is light and cheap to produce, with a bag of waterproof material located inside the container. The bag is able to contain a quantity of water and the stems of the flowers or the pot in which the flowers or plant are growing. Conveniently, the container can be collapsed so as to lie flat with the bag inside it so as to take up minimum space for transport and storage.

Description

This invention relates to a vase for holding cut flowers or flowers or a plant growing in a pot.
Vases for flowers or plants are usually of glass, pottery or rigid plaftics material and are of a variety of shapes and sizes. Particularly in the case of glass and pottery vases, they are of a substantial weight and care has to be taken to ensure that they are not damaged either when they are in use or when they are being stored between periods of use.
According to the present invention, a vase for holding flowers or a plant is characterised in that it comprises a light-weight container formed of cardboard or the like and having an open end, a bag positioned in the container, the bag being formed of waterproof material and having an open mouth positioned such that, when the container is arranged with the open end uppermost, the bag serves to receive liquid introduced into the container through the open end thereof.
The bag and the container are formed of lightweight materials and so the vase is light in weight and can readily be handled without risk of damage. Furthermore, the materials are such that they are cheap to provide and, consequently, the cost of the vase is low as compared with similar vases of glass, pottery or rigid plastics material.
In use, cut flowers are arranged in the vase with their stems extending into the bag which contains water for the flowers. In the case of flowers or a plant growing in a pot, the pot is of cheap and unattractive appearance and is placed in the vase with the pot within the bag. When the plant is watered, as is necessary at regular intervals, excess water drains out of the pot and is retained in the bag.
The container is conveniently of non-waterproof paper or cardboard and is given an attractive appearance both in shape and pattern and ornamentation applied to its outer surface.
According to a preferred embodiment of invention, the container with the bag inside it is collapsible for storage purposes. Such vases are arranged in their collapsed state, thus taking up the minimum of space, when they are not being employed for their intended use. The vases can be transported and stored in large numbers while requiring the minimum of space. When the vases are required for use, they are restored to their non-collapsed state. The concept of a collapsible vase allows a collapsed vase to be included with each bouquet of flowers despatched from a florift. The recipient of the bouquet simply has to restore the vase to its non-collapsed state and it is then ready to receive the flowers from the bouquet and a quantity of water to keep the flowers fesh and in good condition.
A collapsible vase may have the container which is of non-waterproof cardboard or thin plastics material provided with a plurality of creases extending in the direction of its length and arranged to divide the container into an even number of panels. To collapse the vase it is folded flat along a pair of opposite creases.
It is convenient for the container to have a base and, in the case of a container divided into panels, each panel conveniently has a hinged tab at one end, the tabs being such that pairs of tabs can be arranged in interlocking relation when the vase is to be used.
The bag is conveniently of a thin-walled plastics material so that the bag is flexible and can be accommodated inside the collapsed container. Alternatively, the bag can be of metal foil, such as aliminium foil or paper-metal foil laminate.
In order that the invention may be more readily understood, it will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vase with a part removed to show the interior thereof;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the vase in its collapsed state; and
Figure 3 is a plan from beneath the vase.

A vase suitable for receiving a quantity of cut flowers or flowers or a plant growing in a pot comprises a container (1) formed of thick paper or cardboard. The paper or cardboard is not treated in any way to render it waterproof. The container has an open end (3) and it conveniently has a base (5) at the opposite end.
The shape of the container can be of any suitable form, for example, frusto-conical or hexagonal cross-section. To ensure that the container is fairly stable when it is stood on the base, it is convenient for the container to taper downwardly from the open end to the base. The outside of the container can carry any desired ornamentation, advertising material, etc.
A bag (7) having an open mouth (9) is positioned inside the container and it is permanently secured, as by a layer of adhesive around the outside of the mouth of the bag, to the inside of the container. The bag is of a waterproof material so that it can readily contain a quantity of water.
The bag is conveniently of a thin plastics material, although a metal foil, such as aluminium foil or a laminate of paper with a metal foil could be employed.
In use, the container is arranged with the open end uppermost and a quantity of water is introduced through the open end of the container into the bag where it is retained. As the water is not in contact with the container, the container is not damaged in any way by the water. Cut flowers can then be introduced into the vase with their stems resting in the bag (7). Alternatively, a pot containing growing flowers or a plant can be positioned inside the bag.
The container may be manufactured with a base (5) which does not permit the container to be readily collapsed in order to reduce its volume. However, it is advantageous for the container to be readily collapsed and easily restored to it.s opened out condition.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 2 and 3, the container initially comprises a tube 15 of cardboard or self-supporting plastics material of tapered form and open at both ends. The tube has six creases (17) extending in the direction of its length to define six equal panels (18). Each panel has a tab (19) hinged to it at its lower end and each tab has a transverse slit (21) extending for approximately half its width close to its lower end.
A bag (not shown in Figures 2 and 3) is secured, as described with reference to Figure 1, within the container and the bag is sufficiently flexible to allow the container to be flattened along an opposite pair of creases (17) so that three of the panels (18) lie closely upon three other panels, as shown in Figure 2. In this collapsed state the vase takes up a minimum of space.
To assemble the vase, the outer creases (17), shown in Figure 2, are pressed inwardly to separate the two groups of panels. The two tabs on a pair of opposite panels are interlocked together with the slot (21) on one tab passing into the slit (21) on the other tab. This is repeated for a second pair of opposite tabs and, finally, it is repeated for the tabs (19A and 19B) on the remaining pair of opposite panels. The interconnected pairs of tabs constitute the base of the container.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, which is not illustrated, the bag is made in the form of a bellows so that it is axially expansible and contractible. The container cannot be collapsed while the bag is within it but, after removing the bag from the container, both the bag and the container can be collapsed.

Claims

1. A vase characterised in that it comprises a container (1) formed of light-weight material and having an open end (3), a bag (7) positioned in the container, the bag being formed of waterproof material and having an open mouth (9) positioned such that, when the container is arranged with the open end uppermost, the bag (7) serves to receive liquid introduced in the container through the open end (3) thereof.

2. A vase as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the bag is permamently secured around the edge of the mouth to the inside of the container.

3. A vase as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the bag is of plastics material.

4. A vase as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the bag is of metal foil.

5. A vase as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the container with the bag inside it is collapsible for storage purposes.

6. A vase as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the container is of non-waterproof paper or cardboard or self-supporting plastics material.

7. A vase as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that the container has a plurality of creases extending in the direction of its length and arranged to divide the container into an even number of panels.

8. A vase as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that each panel has a hinged tab at one end, the tabs being such that they can be arranged in interlocking relation to form a base for the container when the container is in use and arranged in non- interlocking relation when the container is collapsed.

9. A vase as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the bag is axially expansible and contractible and, on removal of the bag from the container, both the container and the bag are collapsible for storage purposes.

10. A vase as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that the bag is expansible and contractible in a bellows-like manner.