WO1994010672A1

WO1994010672A1 - Decorative display device having improved support structure

Info

Publication number: WO1994010672A1
Application number: PCT/US1993/009952
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jack Hou
Original assignee: Giftec Ltd
Current assignee: Giftec Ltd
Priority date: 1992-10-27
Filing date: 1993-10-22
Publication date: 1994-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 1995-04-27
Also published as: AU5406894A

Abstract

A decorative display device having an improved support structure is disclosed which enables at least the exterior portion of the base to be formed of glass material. The transparent housing (10) and stopper member assembly (14) is mounted on a support (14, 16) which may be formed separately from an external base portion (24) which has an improved aesthetic appearance. The support (14, 16) is associated with the base so as to support the transparent housing (10). The transparent housing (10) may be attached to the support (14, 16) by adhesive, since the support (14, 16) need not be formed of glass material and the adhesively bonded portions will be hidden from view by the decorative base member (24). The improved support structure (14, 16) prevents any possibility of adhesive being inadvertently placed on the exterior surfaces of the base, thereby improving the appearance of the decorative display device.

Description

DECORATIVE DISPLAY DEVICE HAVING IMPROVED SUPPORT STRUCTURE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to devices for displaying ornamental objects, more particularly such a device having an improved structure for supporting the ornamental display.

Decorative display devices having one or more decorative objects sealed within a transparent housing and supported on a decorative display base are well known. The transparent housings may be filled with water or other liquid, which may have particles of material suspended therein in order to improve the aesthetic effects of the device. Display devices of this type generally include a spherical housing formed of glass or transparent plastic material which has a bottom facing opening defined by an outwardly extending neck portion which permits the housing to be filled with the liquid and the decorative object. The bottom opening is sealed with a liquid tight

gasket, which may be fictionally or threadedly engaged with the neck portion.

This assembly is then placed on a pedestal-type base which is generally formed of wood or plastic material.

The prior art devices have typically been assembled using adhesive to bond the transparent housing/gasket assembly to the wood or plastic base. Unless the quantity of adhesive is carefully controlled and carefully applied, it will mar the exterior surface of the base resulting in a product with an unacceptable appearance. Also, the use of adhesives has limited the materials from which the base may be fabricated to materials which will bond with the adhesive. This has, in the past, prohibited the use of glass bases, since the adhesive will not adequately bond to the smooth, impervious surface of glass.

The use of glass material to form the base of the decorative display object results in such an object having an improved aesthetic appearance over the prior art devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A decorative display device having an improved support structure is disclosed which enables at least the exterior portion of the base to be formed of glass material. The transparent housing and stopper member assembly is mounted on a support which may be formed separately from the external base portion which has an improved aesthetic appearance. The support is associated with the base so as to support the transparent housing. The transparent housing may be attached to the support by adhesive, since the support need not be formed of glass material and the adhesively bonded portions will be hidden from view by the decorative base member. Alternatively, the transparent housing assembly may be frictionally attached to the support, clamped to the support, or may be attached thereto by threaded fasteners. Regardless of the attachment method utilized, the improved support structure prevents any possibility of adhesive being inadvertently placed on the exterior surfaces of the base, thereby improving the appearance the decorative display device.

The base defines an interior chamber which may be used to accommodate a music box mechanism, or a light assembly to illuminate the interior of the device. The music box mechanism provides only music and does not rotate or otherwise move the transparent housing relative to the base.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a decorative display device having an improved support structure which will make assembly and manufacture of the device easier than the prior art devices, while at the same time preventing any possibility of adhesive material marring the exterior surface of the device.

It is another object of the invention to provide a decorative display device having a base with at least an exterior portion formed of a glass material to improve the quality and aesthetic appearances of the device. Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is an exploded, perspective view of a first embodiment of the display device according of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical, cross-sectional view of the display device illustrated in Figure 1 .

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an alternative support structure which may be utilized with the present invention.

Figure 4 is a vertical, cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the display device according to the present invention.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the stopper utilized in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the support member utilized in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.

Figure 7 is a vertical, cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the invention according to the present invention. Figure 8 is a vertical, cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the display device according to the present invention.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the stopper utilized with the display device illustrated in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the support member utilized with the embodiment illustrated in Figures 8 and 9.

Figure 1 1 is a vertical, cross-sectional view of a fifth embodiment of the display device according to the present invention.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the support member utilized with the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 1 .

Figure 13 is a vertical, cross-sectional view of a light source which may be incorporated into the base of any of the preferred embodiments of the resent invention.

Figure 14 is a vertical, cross-sectional view of a sixth embodiment of the display device according to the present invention.

Figure 1 5 is a vertical, cross-sectional view of a seventh embodiment of the display device according to the present invention. Figure 1 6 is an exploded, cross-sectional view of the display device illustrated in Fig. 1 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A first embodiment of the decorative display device according to the present invention, is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. As can be seen, the device comprises a transparent housing 10 which may be formed of any transparent material and may have a generally spherical shape with a neck portion 1 2 extending therefrom which defines a generally downwardly facing bottom opening. A stopper member

14 fits within the neck portion 12 of the transparent housing 10 to seal the bottom opening of the transparent housing in a fluid tight fashion. Stopper member 14 may be formed with a generally outwardly extending ridge 14a which engages a corresponding indentation 1 2a defined by the neck portion 12 of the transparent housing 10. Quite obviously, other means may be provided between the stopper member 14 and the neck portion 12 to enable the stopper member 14 to seal the bottom opening of the transparent housing 10.

The transparent housing/stopper member assembly is supported on a support means which, in this embodiment, comprises a support ring 1 6 attached to support member 1 8. Support ring 1 6 defines generally upwardly facing groove 1 6a adapted to accommodate therein the neck portion 12 along with the stopper member 14, as illustrated best in Figure 2. A known adhesive may be placed between the neck portion 12 and the groove 1 6a in order to fixedly attach the transparent housing 10 to the support ring 1 6. Support ring 1 6 has support rods 1 6b extending downwardly therefrom whose distal ends are engaged with the corresponding distal ends of supports 18a extending upwardly from the support member 1 8. Legs 18b extend from the support member 1 8 and are adapted to rest on a surface so as to support the display device thereon. The distal ends of support rods 1 6b may be frictionally engaged with corresponding recesses defined by the distal ends of supports 18a, or threaded fasteners 20 may be inserted into these respective elements, as illustrated in Figure 2.

Music box mechanism 22 may be mounted on the support member 18. The music box 22 may be of any known type, such as a spring operated wind-up music box, or an electrically powered music box. In the former case, a wind-up key may extend exteriorly of the device in known fashion.

In assembling the decorative display device according to this invention, a decorative object (not shown) is placed within the transparent housing 10 which may then be filled with water or other liquid. The stopper member 14 is then affixed to the neck portion 1 2 of the transparent housing to seal the contents within the transparent housing 10. This assembly is then affixed to support ring 1 6 by friction engagement, adhesive bonding, or other connection methods to fixedly attach these elements together.

A decorative base member 24 having a generally hollow interior and which may be open at both ends is placed onto the support member 18. The decorative base member 24 need not be bonded to, or otherwise attached to the base member 1 8, since the transparent housing 10 will hold the decorative base member 24 in position once the support member 1 6 is attached to the base member 18, as illustrated in Figure 2. In the present invention, there is no means directly affixing the transparent housing 10 to the decorative base member 24 and, thus, the decorative base member 24 may be formed of any material, even glass which would not ordinarily be receptive to adhesive bonding. The use of glass for the decorative base member 24 imparts a higher quality, more aesthetically pleasing appearance to the display device than the known prior art devices.

In addition, the only use of adhesive in the present device is to attach the transparent housing/stopper member assembly to the support ring 16, the juncture of these elements being visually consealed by the decorative base member 24.

Thus, any inadvertent application of adhesive to the exterior surface of support ring

1 6 will be invisible when the device is assembled.

The support ring construction may be altered to that shown in support ring 1 60, illustrated in Figure 3. In this modification, the support ring 1 60 is formed of two support ring portions 160a and 160b which are hingedly attached together.

The hinged support ring 1 60 may be formed by cutting a one-piece support ring almost entirely across its diameter, but leaving a wall portion joining these portions together so as to form a living hinge. This enables the support ring 1 60 to be clamped around the neck portion 1 2 of the transparent housing 10. A clamping force is generated by screw 1 62 which passes between threaded members 1 64 and 1 66 attached to each of the support ring portions, respectively.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 4-6, the support means is simplified so as to eliminate the support ring 1 6. In this embodiment, the support member 1 8 has a single support 18a extending upwardly therefrom having a distal end 18c which engages a recess 14b defined by a boss 14c extending from the stopper member 14. Adhesive may be interposed between the distal end of support rod

1 8a and the recess 14b, or these elements may be dimensioned so as to be frictionally engaged with each other.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 7, the pair of support rods 1 6b extending downwardly from the support ring 1 6, illustrated in Fig. 1 , have been replaced by a single support rod 1 6b. As in the embodiment described in Figure 1 , the distal end of the support rod 1 6b engages the distal end of support 1 8a which extends upwardly from the support member 1 8. Any known means may be utilized to affix these elements together, such as threaded fastener 20. As in the previously described embodiment, the support ring 1 6 may be adhesively bonded to the neck portion 12 of the transparent housing 10.

This embodiment may be modified so as to removably attach the transparent housing 10/stopper member 14 assembly to the support ring 1 6, as illustrated in Figures 8-10. This is accomplished by forming the stopper member 14 with one or more downwardly extending bosses 14c which define openings 14b. Openings defined by the support ring 1 6 enable threaded fasteners 26 to be inserted through the support ring 1 6 into the bosses 14c so as to removably attach the support ring

1 6 to the transparent housing 10/stopper member 14 assembly.

Figures 1 1 and 1 2 illustrate an alternative embodiment in which the support ring and the support member are formed as an integral support unit 28. Support unit 28 comprises a base portion 30 having legs 32 extending downwardly therefrom. The support means 28 also has a generally upwardly extending support

34 which, at its distal, uppermost end, defines a recessed portion 36 adapted to receive the neck portion 1 2 of the transparent housing 10. In this embodiment, the decorative base ring 24 is placed onto the support base 30 prior to the attachment of the transparent housing 10/stopper member 14 assembly to the support 34 in the recess 36.

It is quite evident that the structures of the aforementioned embodiments may be utilized to display decorative objects without filling the transparent housing 10 with water or other fluids. In this instance, it is possible to provide an illumination device in the base of the decorative display device in order to illuminate the decorative article. As shown in Figure 13, the stopper member 14 defines an opening 14b which is generally in alignment with an opening 1 6c defined by the support ring 1 6. The decorative article (not shown) may be attached to the stopper member 14 such that it covers opening 14b. An illumination device 38, which may comprise socket 40 and light bulb 42, is attached to the base member 18 such that the bulb extends upwardly into the base in alignment with openings 1 6c and 14b. Electrical cord 44 may provide electrical power to the bulb 42 and the socket 40 in known fashion.

Figure 14 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention in which the support means is integrally formed with, the decorative base member. As can be seen, decorative base member 24 again rests on the support member 18, but has a central portion which defines a recess 46 adapted to receive the neck portion 12 of the transparent housing 10. Figures 1 5 and 1 6 illustrate another embodiment of the present invention in which the transparent housing 10 and stopper 14 have been replaced by a support plate 50. Support plate 50 may be attached to support ring 16, and this assembly mounted on support member 1 8 by the engagement of the support rods 1 6b with the supports 1 8a. The attachment of the support ring 1 6 to the support member

18 holds the decorative base 24 in position on the support member 18, as in the previously described embodiments. Music box mechanism 22 may be attached to the base member 18 and located in the interior chamber defined by the decorative base 24. The various embodiments of the support ring and base member, previously described, may also be utilized in conjunction with the support plate 50.

The foregoing description is provided for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as in way limiting this invention, the scope of which is define solely by the appended claims.

Claims

Claims:

1 . A display device comprising: a) a transparent housing having a bottom portion defining a bottom opening; b) a stopper member fitted within the bottom portion so as to cover the bottom opening; c) a base defining an interior chamber adapted to receive the bottom portion of the transparent housing; and, d) support means operatively associated with the base and the bottom portion of the transparent housing so as to support the transparent housing in the base.

2. The display device of claim 1 wherein the base comprises: a) a support member adapted to rest on a support surface; and, b) a decorative base member supported on the support member.

3. The display device of claim 2 wherein the decorative base member has generally annular configuration.

4. The display device of claim 2 wherein the decorative base member is formed of glass material.

5. The display device of claim 2 wherein the support means comprises at least one support extending upwardly from the support member.

6. The display device of claim 5 wherein the at least one support has a distal end and further comprising a generally downwardly facing recess defined by the stopper member adapted to engage the distal end of the support.

7. The display device of claim 5 further comprising: a support ring operatively associated with the at least one support so as to support the bottom portion of the transparent housing thereon.

8. The display device of claim 7 further comprising means to attach the support ring to the at least one support.

9. The display device of claim 8 wherein the means to attach the support ring to the at least one support member comprises: a) at least one support rod extending downwardly from the support ring; and, b) fastening means to fasten the at least one support rod to the at least one support.

10. The display device of claim 9 wherein the fastening means comprises a threaded fastener.

1 1 . The display device of claim 9 further comprising a plurality of supports extending generally upwardly from the support member and a plurality of support rods extending downwardly from the support ring.

12. The display device of claim 7 wherein the support ring comprises a pair of support ring portions hingedly attached together.

13. The display device of claim 12 further comprising fastening means operatively associated with the pair of support ring portions so as to prevent relative movement of the portions about their hinged attachment.

14. The display device of claim 7 further comprising attaching means to attach the support ring to the stopper member.

1 5. The display device of claim 14 wherein the attaching means comprises a threaded fastener.

1 6. The display device of claim 1 further comprising a music box located within the interior chamber of the base.

1 7. The display device of claim 1 further comprising illuminating means located in the interior chamber.

18. The display device of claim 17 wherein the illumination means comprises an electric light assembly.

1 9. The display device of claim 17 further comprising a decorative object located within the transparent housing such that it is illuminated by the illumination means.

20. The display device of claim 17 wherein the base comprises: a) a support member adapted to rest on a support surface; and, b) a decorative base member supported on the support member.

21 . The display device of claim 20 further comprising attachment means to removably attach the illumination means to the support member.

22. A display device comprising: a) a support member having at least one support extending therefrom; b) a decorative base supported on the base member, the decorative base defining an interior chamber; and c) support ring means for supporting a decorative object thereon, the support ring having at least one support rod extending therefrom located so as to extending into the interior chamber and engage the at least one support.

23. The display device of claim 22 wherein the support ring means comprises: a) a support ring having the at least one support rod extending therefrom ; and, b) a support plate for supporting a decorative object thereon.

24. The display device of claim 22 further comprising a music box located within the interior chamber.