Decorative Bow Storable in a Flat Configuration

The present invention relates to decorative devices and particularly to a set of parts in a generally flat configuration which can be assembled easily to resemble a multi-looped ribbon bow.

Decorative bow knots have long been made in ribbons used to secure gift packages. A certain amount of skill and dexterity is required to make attractive bow knots which contain more than a single pair of loops of such ribbon, and fancy hand-tied bows of ribbon may therefore be quite costly. Simulated bow knots are commercially available at low cost in which a number of loops of ribbon are stapled or similarly fastened to a backing member, with the individual loops separated angularly so that the device resembles a multi-looped bow knot. The base member of such a bow can be fastened decoratively to a package by the use of a layer of an adhesive material. Such bows, however, are of quite limited size and occupy a significant amount of space if stored.

Ribbon bows for gift packages can also be made by machines which are able to use fabric ribbon of readily available widths, for example up to about an inch wide. Such bows are also limited in size, however, to rosette diameters of a few inches.

While large bows can be made by tying appropriate ribbon, the ribbon material of which such bows must be made, to be attractive, is quite costly, and the process of tying such bows in an attractive form is difficult and time-consuming. Furthermore, such hand-tied bows occupy large amounts of space if stored for possible reuse, and are not likely to have as good an appearance when reused as when freshly tied, yet are very expensive to be used once and then discarded.

Decorative bows of much larger size than those currently available could be used attractively in advertising and sales displays such as in automobile showrooms and similar locations, to attract attention to large products offered for sale, and if reusable such bows would justify their initial cost.

Artificial flowers have been made of ribbon passed through circular holes arranged on a disc-like base, as shown in Wilson U.S. Pat. No. 1,542,432, but these artificial flowers are not easily disassembled for reuse or storage and do not have the appearance of a hand-tied ribbon bow.

What is desired, then, is a structure for large decorative bows having multiple loops, which present an attractive, rosette-like appearance. Such bows should be relatively inexpensive by comparison to hand-tied ribbon bows of similar size and should be easily assembled from a set of parts which can be shipped in a compact flat configuration. They should either be so inexpensive as to be disposable after one use, or able to be disassembled into a conveniently storable flat configuration. Preferably, such bows should also be able to withstand inclement weather.

The present invention answers the needs set forth above by providing an easily constructed decorative bow device simulating a ribbon bow, which can be made in sizes ranging from a diameter of a few inches or less to a diameter greater than three feet, but with similar proportions. A flat base member of the decorative bow of the invention is of a stiff material such as cardboard or a suitable plastic sheet material, and may be circular or polygonal, with one preferred shape, for example, being a regular pentagon. In one embodiment of the invention slits are provided in the base member to receive portions of each of a plurality of pieces of sheet material, each bent into an arcuate configuration to simulate a loop of ribbon of a hand-tied ribbon bow, although the present invention permits construction of a decorative bow of much larger size than is practical for construction of a bow of fabric ribbon tied as a bow knot. Preferably, the slits are two-legged, having the shape of a "V" with its vertex pointing radially outward from a central portion of the base member. The angle of the "V" defined by each slit is made small enough to leave ample material of the base member between adjacent slits, and the slits are preferably arranged in concentric rings to receive loop members so as to form a rosette-like decorative bow.

Loop members, which are strips of generally flat sheet material, are bent arcuately, and their opposite ends are held together in crossing overlying registration to form each of the individual loops. The material of each loop member is chosen for flexibility combined with sufficient stiffness to be self-supporting in an arcuate form resembling a loop of a bow of ribbon.

In another embodiment of the invention loop members carry small areas of adhesive material used to join opposite end portions of each loop together and to a base member. The base member carries markings to indicate the location, directional orientation, and sequence of attaching the loop members.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a manner of constructing a large decorative bow for use in showrooms and similar displays at a reasonable cost.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a large decorative bow which may easily be disassembled, stored, and later reused, with no significant change in appearance resulting from such storage.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a large decorative bow device capable of being used for outdoor display without easily being damaged by the elements.

It is a principal feature of the decorative bow device of the present invention that it provides a combination of a base member and a plurality of individual loop members of sheet material which can easily be assembled into a decorative bow device and again disassembled into a flat configuration for subsequent storage.

Another feature of one embodiment of the present invention is the inclusion in the base member of slits having two legs which meet at an angle so as to provide support for a respective loop member while also gripping the loop member to retain it in position in the base member.

A further feature of one embodiment of the invention is the provision of an arrowhead-shaped point adjacent one end, and a slot defined adjacent the opposite end of a loop member.

A principal feature of another embodiment of the invention is that it may be made attractively of such inexpensive materials that it can economically be disposed of for recycling of its materials after its initial use.

A principal advantage of the present invention over previously available decorative bows is that it provides a reusable bow of attractive appearance in relatively large sizes at a cost which is less than that of a hand-tied bow of fabric which cannot be reused.

The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled decorative bow device embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the bow shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a partially assembled decorative bow according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the bow shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a loop member which may be used as a part of the decorative bow shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional side view of a portion of the base member of a bow according to the present invention, together with a portion of a loop member of the bow.

FIG. 7 is an exploded side view of the base member and one loop member of a bow which is an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a partially assembled bow of the type shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a decorative bow device which is another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a pictorial view showing a loop member such as the one shown in FIG. 9 being bent into an arcuate loop form for use in a decorative bow device according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a portion of the base member and one of the loop members of a bow which is another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a bottom plan view of the base of a decorative bow device according to the present invention, with the top and bottom layers of the base separated from one another, and a loop member being installed.

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of a decorative bow which is another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of a base member and a portion of one of the loop members of the decorative bow shown in FIG. 13, at an enlarged scale.

FIG. 15 is a plan view of one of the loop members of the bow device shown in FIG. 13, in a flat configuration, at an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a decorative bow 10 which embodies the present invention. The bow 10 includes a plurality of loop members 12 arranged in four concentric rings each containing five of the loop members 12, together with a single loop member 14 located in the center of the bow 10, all releasably attached to a base member 16 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). The bow 10 may be made in any desired size, from a size having a diameter of less than two inches to a diameter greater than three feet, if desired, and may be disassembled for shipment or storage as a flat set of parts.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, five loop members 12 are located in each of four concentric rings, with the individual loop members 12 of each ring being evenly spaced angularly with respect to the center of the bow 10.

The construction of the bow 10 may be seen with greater clarity by referring to FIGS. 3 and 4. A flat base member 16 of a sheet material is in the form of a regular pentagon and includes five "V"-shaped slits 18 of an outermost ring, five slits 20 of a second ring, five slits 22 of a third ring, and five slits 24 of an innermost ring. A center of the base member 16 is indicated by reference numeral 26, and each of the rings of slits is centered about the center 26 of the base member. The slits 18, 20, 22, and 24 are spaced at equal angular separation from one another within each ring, and the slits 20 and 24 are located at positions bisecting the angles about the center 26, between the individual slits 18 and 22.

Each of the slits 18 includes a pair of legs 28 and 30 which intersect to form an angle 32 defining a "V" shape, with the vertex of the "V" pointing radially away from the center 26 of the base member 16. Similarly, each of the slits 20, 22, and 24 includes a pair of legs which intersect in an included angle 34, 36, or 38, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the angles 32 and 34, defined by the legs 30 and 28 of the slits 18, and correspondingly by the legs of the slits 20, are of equal size. The angles 36 and 38 of the slits 22 and 24, however, are of smaller size, in order to maintain sufficiently large spaces 39 between the individual ones of the slits 22 and between the individual ones of the slits 24, so that the base member 16 remains as an integral piece of sheet material.

The radial spacing between adjacent ones of the rings of slits may be somewhat less than the width of the individual loop members 12. For example, with a loop member 12 four inches long and 1 inch wide, the radial distance between the slits of the innermost ring and the next ring is approximately 3/4 inch. However, as the distance between adjacent slits within a particular ring increases, with increasing radial distance from the center 26, successive rings can be spaced somewhat closer to one another, as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The base member 16 may be made of any suitably sturdy and stiff, yet slightly flexible and resilient material, such as a cardboard or sheet plastic, depending on whether intended for indoor or outdoor use. The thickness of the base member, to be appropriate, will depend on the overall size of the bow 10.

As may be seen with reference additionally to FIG. 5, each of the loop members 12 is generally rectangular in shape, having a pair of opposite longitudinal edges 40, and a pair of opposite end edges 42. Ordinarily, the end edges 42 will be perpendicular to the longitudinal edges 40, although it is possible that the loop members 12 may not be rectangular and may not have parallel sides, without departing from the spirit of the invention. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the loop members 12 is preferably bent arcuately about a cone axis or bending axis 44 which extends generally transversely with respect to the longitudinal edges 40. Preferably, the loop member 12 is bent into a conical configuration bringing one of the end edges 42 into alignment with one of the longitudinal edges 40. Portions of the loop member 12 overlie one another closely as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, defining respective opposite end portions 46, 48 of the loop member 12 which are in substantially overlying parallel positions when the loop member 12 has been bent into an arcuately looped configuration, and the end edges 42 are thus respectively aligned with portions of the longitudinal edges 40 within the end portions 46, 48.

A small area of an adhesive material 50 is provided on the end portion 46. Preferably, the adhesive is securely fastened at the location shown in FIG. 5 so as to retain the corner of the opposite end portion 48 so that it will not be loosely exposed. The adhesive preferably is of a reusable type which can be covered protectively when not in use, as by a removable thin sheet of a plastic material. When a loop member 12 is bent into the arcuate configuration shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 the protective sheet (not shown) is removed and the adhesive 50 then holds the opposite end portions 46 and 48 of the loop member together in overlying registration with one another, as shown.

The overlapping opposite end portions 46 and 48 define a point, or corner 52 which is inserted through a respective one of the slits 18, 20, 22, or 24, to attach each of the loop members 12 to the base member 16, as may be seen in FIG. 6 in greater detail. A small area 54 of an adhesive similar to the adhesive 50 is provided on the bottom side of the base member 16, near the vertex of the respective angle 32, 34, 36, or 38 in order to retain the loop member 12 in position attached to the base member 16.

The loop member 12 may be constructed of a suitably flexible yet self-supportingly stiff and resilient material, the choice of which will depend upon the size of the bow to be constructed according to the invention. For example, for a bow having a diameter of only a few inches, a suitably sturdy fabric such as a grosgrain satin cloth might be used. For larger bows 10, with which the present invention is primarily concerned, however, a fabric material such as acetate satin supported by a transparent layer of acetate mylar plastic sheet material heat laminated to the satin ribbon has been found satisfactory, in terms of durability, self-supporting stiffness, and appearance. Additionally, it is possible to construct loop members 12 of materials which are transparent or of combinations of materials having transparent or translucent portions as desired to provide special effects in the appearance of a bow 10 according to the present invention.

It will be apparent that the use of a loop member 12, having a 4:1 ratio of length to width, with the end edges 42 perpendicular to the longitudinal edges 40, will result in each loop member 12 having the general configuration shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Variations in the proportions and shape of the loop members 12 are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will be understood. For example, the end edges 42 might be disposed at other than a right angle to the longitudinal edges 40, or the longitudinal edges might be arcuate, so as to give a slightly different appearance of the loop members 12. Such variations will result in consequently different appearance of the resulting loop 12 when the respective end portions 46 and 48 are placed in overlying registration with one another. Nevertheless, the respective end portions 46 and 48 of each loop member 12 are held together in substantially overlying registration defining a point 52 extending through one of the slits 18, 20, 22, and 24 in the base member 16.

Preferably, the combination of stiffness and resiliency of the base member 16 and the stiffness and resiliency of the loop members 12 is such that the slits 18, 20, 22, and 24, and the loop members 12 held respectively within the slits, cooperate with one another and result in the loop member 12 being secured to the base member 16 in an attitude which is appropriate to result in a pleasing appearance of the completed bow.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, a part of a bow device 59 including base member 60 is shown. The base member 60 is circular and includes a top layer 62 and a bottom layer 64, shown spaced apart in FIG. 7. The layers 62 and 64 may be interconnected with one another by the use of an adhesive in a plurality of small areas of adhesive 66 located between the layers 62 and 64 as indicated in FIG. 8, but should not be adhesively connected over the entire area of the base member 60.

The bottom layer 64, because it is parallel with and close to the top layer 62, tends to force the corner portions 52 of the loop members 12 into a position closer to parallelism with the base member 60 than might be the case were the bottom layer 64 not present, as in the bow 10 shown in FIGS. 1-4. The resulting bow 59 may then be more suitable for certain applications, because of an increased rigidity of the base member 60 by comparison with the base member 16, and by the possibility of using different fasteners on the bottom layer 64 to fasten the resulting bow 59 in a desired location. For example, a bow 59 of such construction might be more suitable than the bow 10 for outdoors use.

As shown in FIG. 7, it is also possible to mount a lamp such as an electric lamp 70 in the center of a bow according to the present invention instead of the center loop 14. Use of such an electric lamp 70 is particularly effective when particular portions of the loop members 12 are of transparent or translucent construction.

As will be appreciated in view of FIG. 8, the base member 60 may be of a circular plan, rather than the pentagonal plan of the base member 16. It will be appreciated, however, that if the base member extends too far beyond the location of the outermost ring of slits the base member may be visible between the outermost loop members 12 and detract somewhat from the appearance of the completed bow according to the present invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 9-12, a decorative bow 59' is shown which is another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown particularly in FIGS. 9 and 10, a loop member 12' includes a layer of transparent material such as a sheet 80 of an acetate mylar clear plastic material 0.003 inch thick and a smaller rectangular piece of woven fabric 82, such as an acetate satin ribbon material. The woven fabric 82 may be attached to the sheet 80 by having its corners 84 tucked through openings defined in the sheet 80, such as by the slits 86 which include a pair of legs at right angles to one another, defining respective triangular flaps 88 of the sheet 80, beneath which the corner portions 84 of the ribbon 82 may be placed to be held by the resiliency of the sheet 80. Alternatively, a pair of sheets 80, each including a single adhesive facing, may be laminated together with the ribbon material 82, to define a loop member 12' of the same shape, but without the need for the slits 86.

A notch 90 is provided in each end edge 42', and a notch 92 is provided proximate each end of the loop member 12' in one of the longitudinal edges 40' of the loop member 12'. The notches 90 and 92 at each end of the loop member 12' are aligned toward one another, diagonally across the corner defined by the intersection of the respective end edge 42' and the longitudinal edge 40', so that when the loop member 12' is arcuately bent as explained previously with respect to the loop member 12, the notches 90 and 92 align with one another in the point or corner 52', giving an arrowhead-like shape to the point or corner 52', as is shown best in FIG. 11. If desired, a small area 94 of an adhesive material may be provided as shown to retain the two corner portions of the loop member 12' together, and a similar area 96 of adhesive material may be provided in the other corner adjacent the same end of the loop member 12', to hold that corner of the loop member in contact with the surface of a portion of the loop member 12 near the opposite end of the loop member 12.

Preferably, at one end of the loop member 12', instead of or in addition to the area 96 of adhesive material, a tab portion 98 is defined, as by a pair of notches 100 defined in the respective end edge 42' and longitudinal edge 40' proximate their point of intersection. An aperture 102 is provided through the loop member 12', proximate the opposite end of the loop member 12', but spaced apart from the end edge 42' by a distance approximately equal to the length of the end edge 42' on which the tab 98 is defined. When the loop member 12' is bent into an arcuate loop configuration as is shown in FIG. 10, the tab 98 may be positioned lockingly within the aperture 102 to serve the same purpose explained previously with respect to the adhesive 96.

When the loop member 12' has been bent into the arcuate configuration desired, with the point or corner 52' properly formed, the point 52' can be inserted into the appropriate slit, such as the slit 18', in the top layer 62' of the base member 60, as shown in FIG. 11. When the point 52' has been inserted far enough into the slit 18', the notches 90 and 92 will permit the point 52' to lock into place beneath the top layer 62', to retain the loop member 12' in place.

When all of the loop members 12' for the decorative bow device 59' have been inserted in their respective slots, the bottom layer 64' may be attached to the top layer 62' by the areas 66' of adhesive material.

Preferably, the base member 60' is constructed of transparent plastic material, for example, transparent acetate mylar sheet plastic of a thickness giving the appropriate amount of stiffness, depending upon the size of the bow device 59'. Such transparency of the base portion 60' permits the color of an object on which the decorative bow device 59' is placed to be visible.

Not only is the decorative bow constructed according to the present invention attractive in appearance, but it is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. Furthermore, because of the materials which may be used in its construction it may be disassembled easily, with each of the loop members 12 being opened into a flat configuration, making the entire bow easily storable as a flat package in a minimum amount of space.

A decorative bow 130 which is a further embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 13, 14 and 15. The decorative bow 130 includes three concentric rings 132, 134 and 136 of loop members 138, with five loop members 138 in each ring. A single loop member 140 is located centrally within the innermost of the three concentric rings. The difference in radii of the rings 132, 134 and 136 is sufficient to leave space for the loop members 138, but should not be much larger than necessary and radial spacing may be less for the outer ring 132.

The bow 130 is intended to be of lower cost than the previously described embodiments of the present invention, and the loop members 138 may be made, therefore, of paper having a suitable appearance, provided, for example, by printing on or embossing the surface of the paper stock before it is cut into the individual loop members.

The decorative bow 130 includes a base member shown best in FIG. 14, which may be of cardboard or any other suitably stiff and sturdy material. For example, cardboard having a thickness of about 0.020 inches or greater is acceptable. The base member 142 is imprinted with indicia 144 marking the respective loop location for each of the loop members 138 for the three concentric rings, with the indicium 144 for the location of each individual loop member 138 including a number to indicate the preferred order of installing the loop members 138 on the base member 142. Preferably, the loop locations are separated by equal angles about the circumference of each of the rings 132, 134 , 136. Thus, the five loop members 138 of the outermost ring 132 are assembled and attached to the base member 142 first, followed by the five loop members 138 of the middle ring 134, followed finally by the five loop members 138 of the innermost ring 136. The single center loop 140 is attached last to provide the bow device having the appearance shown in FIG. 13.

Each of the loop members 138 and 140 is a similar elongate piece of flexible sheet material such as paper, for example, which may be cut to shape from a strip 145 of material, using well known automatic paper cutting machinery, as indicated in broken line at the left end of FIG. 15. Each loop member 138 (and the single loop member 140) has a length 146, a width 148, a pair of longitudinal edges 150 and 152, end edges 154 and 156 extending between the longitudinal edges 150 and 152. A ratio of about 5:1 of the length 146 to the width 148 has been found to provide a satisfactory appearance in the assembled bow 130. The end edges 154 and 156, respectively., define acute angles 158 and 160 with the longitudinal edge 150, the angles 158 and 160 preferably being equal and having a size within the range from 30.degree. to 60.degree., and preferably of about 45.degree.. Each end edge preferably includes a short leg 154a or 156a and a longer leg 154b or 156b, respectively. The longer leg defines the respective angle 158 or 160, while the short leg of the end edge, with the longitudinal edge 150, forms an angle 159 or 161, respectively, which is twice as great as the respective angle 158 or 160. A preferred size of the angles 158 and 160 is 45.degree., so that each of the short legs 154a, 156a meets the longitudinal edge perpendicularly.

Each loop member 138 includes a pair of opposite end portions 162 and 164, adjacent the end edges 154 and 156, respectively, and adhesive material is applied in areas 166 and 168 within the end portions 162 and 164, respectively.

The adhesive used in each of the areas 166, 168 is preferably an adhesive of the type available commercially in the form of a spool of adhesive material wound together with a strip of covering material 170 such as paper or the like having a glossy coating material to which the adhesive adheres removably. A piece of the adhesive material, together with a coextensive area of the covering material 170, may be unspooled and placed in the proper positions adhering to the end portions 162 and 164 of the loop member. As shown in FIG. 15, the adhesive material is protected by the cover material 170 until the time when the loop member 138 is to be assembled as a part of the decorative bow device 130. It will be understood that other adhesives might be used, such as the water soluble adhesives used for attaching postage stamps, but that such a choice of adhesive would also result in permanent assembly of the bow device 130.

To assemble one of the loop members 138, the strip of flexible sheet material is bent arcuately into a frusto-conical shape, as indicated by the arrows 172 and the partial view shown in broken line at the bottom of FIG. 15, bringing the end portions 162, 164 together with the longer legs 154b, 156b parallel and slightly overlapped, as shown in FIG. 14, and with the areas 166 and 168 of adhesive thus facing downward. The short legs 154a, 156a are thus aligned with the portion of the longitudinal edge 150 within the opposite end portion 162 or 164 of the loop member 138, so that the angular relationship between the opposite end portions 162 and 164 is correct for the best appearance of the loop member as a part of the assembled decorative bow 130.

The two opposite end portions 162 and 164 are held together by adhesive material located in one of the areas 166 or 168, after removing the respective piece of covering material 170, while the adhesive material in the other of the opposite end portions 162 or 164 is used to attach the loop member 138 to the respective loop location shown by the indicia 144 on the base member 142.

Preferably, each of the indicia 144 is of a shape defining an angle 174, equal to the angles 159 and 161 defined between the short legs 154a and 156a and the adjacent longitudinal edge 150, with the angle 174 located and oriented appropriately on the base member 142 so that the loop member 138 will be oriented in the correct direction with respect to the other loop members attached to the base member in the same fashion when aligned with the respective indicium 144.

The loop member 140, because of its central location, presents a better appearance if it is bent arcuately into a cylindrical shape and attached to the base member 142, as shown in FIG. 13.

It is possible by choice of appropriately coated materials for use as the base member 142 and as each of the loop members 138 to remove the loop members 138 from the base member 142 and to separate their opposite end portions 162, 164 from each other, and thereafter to store the decorative bow device 130 in its original flat configuration after use. However, this would also require retention of the pieces of covering material 170, or having a supply of additional covering material 170 which could be used to cover the adhesive areas 166, 168 on each of the loop members 138, 140 during storage of the disassembled decorative bow 130. Use of simple uncoated paper and cardboard as the materials of the decorative bow 130 make it less likely that the appearance will remain as desirable after a period of use or display of the bow 130. If such less expensive materials as ordinary uncoated paper and cardboard are used, the attachment of the loop member opposite end portions 162, 164 to each other and to the base member 142 will not be removable, but the decorative bow 130 will be inexpensive enough to be treated as disposable.

The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.