Deployable, Customized Vase for Cookie Bouquets
A deployable, customizable vase-like container for presenting a cookie arrangement of one or more cookies each on a support stick includes a platform having one or more anchors and planar material foldable to form a contiguous wall surrounding the anchor(s). The contiguous wall includes one or more connectors for holding the contiguous wall adjacent the platform, and a rear display panel is included having a lower portion nesting inside the contiguous wall. The platform may include a pedestal extending below the contiguous wall and a slot for engaging the contiguous wall. The planar material may corrugated cardboard, including a foldable, planar die-cut cardboard material. The contiguous wall may include a decorative scalloped top edge, while the rear display panel may have decorative printing on at least one side.
This application claims the benefit of the priority filing date of provisional application No. 61/717,293, filed on Oct. 23, 2012
BACKGROUNDDesigner cookies are popular as novelty gifts for various occasions, including birthdays, anniversaries and holidays, among others. They are frequently packaged in a variety of fanciful ways to increase their appeal. One popular style of presentation is a grouping of cookies on stick-like members to mimic the appearance of a flower arrangement. One preferred embodiment of the cookie-supporting members is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/565,729 filed Aug. 2, 2012, entitled “Stick Cookie Packaging System.”
Cookie arrangements appear best when assembled in a structure mimicking a vase. A variety of vase styles and shapes, in various materials (i.e., wood, plastic, etc.) have been developed. Cookie arrangement vases currently available are typically manufactured as a single unit, with walls and a base fitted with anchors for stick-like cookie support members. See
These prior art vases present two principal drawbacks. First, because they consist of a single large piece of wood or plastic, they are expensive to manufacture and bulky to transport. Second, they cannot be easily customized for different occasions because manufacturing is cost prohibitive. Therefore cookie bouquet vases known in the art tend to be plain in appearance. For these reasons, there is a need for an inexpensive cookie arrangement vase that is simple to manufacture, and which can be easily and inexpensively customized for a variety of occasions.
SUMMARYA deployable, customizable vase-like container is disclosed for presenting a cookie arrangement of one or more cookies each on a support stick. The vase-like container includes a platform having one or more anchors and a planar material which is foldable to form a contiguous wall surrounding the anchor(s). The contiguous wall preferably has one or more connectors for holding the contiguous wall adjacent the platform, and a rear display panel is provided to present a decorative appearance. The rear display panel includes a lower portion nesting inside the contiguous wall.
The platform is ideally shaped to provide an attractive appearance to the vase-like container in addition to supporting the contiguous wall. In one embodiment it may have a pedestal extending below the contiguous wall. To hold the wall in place, and disguise the bottom edge of the wall, the platform has a slot for engaging the contiguous wall. To support cookie support stick, each anchor on the platform has a raised member with a through bore adapted to receive the cookie support stick. To hold the contiguous wall and platform together, the contiguous wall includes connectors. These connectors may be tabs which fit into corresponding slots in the platform.
In order to inexpensively produce multiple vase-like containers, which may be shipped in a disassembled state, the planar material that forms the contiguous all may be corrugated cardboard, including a foldable, planar die-cut cardboard material. In this manner, the planar material may be die-cut to a preferred size, and may be die-cut to a predetermined decorative shape, such as having four sides. In one embodiment, a scalloped top edge to the contiguous wall is contemplated. Also, to compliment the decorative aspects of the contiguous wall, the rear display panel may have decorative printing on at least one side.
In another embodiment, the rear panel may be incorporated into the contiguous wall. Like the first embodiment, the platform has anchors for holding cookie supporting members and cookies, and an insert connected to the platform which surrounds the cookie supporting members. In this embodiment, the rear display panel extends above the insert and a message may be printed on it. In this embodiment however, the rear display panel is removable from the insert. Either prior to, or after assembly, the rear display panel and insert are separable from each other using a perforation or similar structure.
In order to create the vase-like container for presenting a cookie arrangement, a user forms a platform having an anchor. A foldable insert may then be prepared from a planar sheet and folded to form a wall. Once the wall is folded into its predetermined position, it may be connected to the platform, including using a connecting mechanism such as attachment tabs. Finally, a rear display panel is inserted inside the wall.
In addition to these basic assembly steps, a user may also connect a cookie support member to the anchor. Also a decorative message may be printed on the planar sheet before affixing a cookie to the cookie support member. Additional steps for the alternative embodiment may include preparing the foldable insert and rear display panel from the planar sheet, and folding the rear display panel prior to inserting the rear-display panel inside the wall for increased stability.
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Preferably, the insert 14 can be printed and personalized for various holidays or special occasions, or simply to match the theme of a cookie arrangement. For example a pirate-themed arrangement may have an insert die-cut to mimic pirate ship sails. For a DISNEY™ arrangement, the insert 14 might comprise mouse ears, and for a baby shower arrangement, the insert 14 might be die-cut to resemble a baby carriage, etc. Customizing the die-cut insert 14 is also useful for creating private label brands for large warehouse store brands.
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In some cases, when preferred, the rear display panel 18 may be omitted entirely.
The flat, die-cut nature of the insert 14 and modular nature of the vase 10 allows a variety of designs to be made easily and inexpensively. Referring to
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In the various embodiments, finished arrangements may be shrink wrapped, with a backer in place to protect the cookies. In this method, the backer protects the arrangement from damage. An alternative method of packaging is to ship the individual parts.
The foregoing description is sufficient in detail to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention. It is understood, however, that the detail of the preferred embodiments presented is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, inasmuch as equivalents thereof and other modification which come within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this specification.
Claims
1. A deployable, customizable vase-like container for presenting a cookie arrangement of one or more cookies each on a support stick, the vase-like container comprising:
- a platform having one or more anchors;
- planar material foldable to form a contiguous wall surrounding the anchor(s), the contiguous wall having one or more connectors for holding the contiguous wall adjacent the platform; and
- a rear display panel having a lower portion nesting inside the contiguous wall.
2. The container of claim 1 wherein the platform has a pedestal extending below the contiguous wall.
3. The container of claim 1 wherein the platform has a slot for engaging the contiguous wall.
4. The container of claim 1 wherein each anchor has a raised member with a through bore adapted to receive the support stick.
5. The container of claim 1 wherein the connectors are tabs which fit into corresponding slots in the platform.
6. The container of claim 1 wherein the planar material is corrugated cardboard.
7. The container of claim 1 wherein the contiguous wall has a scalloped top edge.
8. The container of claim 1 wherein the rear display panel is formed from a foldable, planar die-cut cardboard material.
9. The container of claim 1 wherein the rear display panel has decorative printing on at least one side.
10. The container of claim 1 wherein the contiguous wall has four sides.
11. A vase-like container for presenting a cookie arrangement comprising:
- a platform having anchors for holding cookie supporting members and cookies;
- an insert connected to the platform surrounding the cookie supporting members; and
- a rear display panel extending above the insert on which a message is printed.
12. The container of claim 11 wherein the rear display panel is removable from the insert.
13. The container of claim 11 wherein the rear display panel and insert are separable from each other.
14. A method of making a vase-like container for presenting a cookie arrangement, comprising the steps of:
- forming a platform having an anchor;
- preparing a foldable insert from a planar sheet;
- folding the insert to form a wall;
- connecting the wall and the platform; and
- placing a ear display panel inside the wall.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of connecting a cookie support member to the anchor.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the foldable insert and rear display panel are prepared from the planar sheet.
17. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of printing a decorative message on the planar sheet.
18. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of folding the rear display panel prior to placing the rear-display panel inside the wall.
19. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of affixing a cookie to the cookie support member.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 23, 2013
Publication Date: Apr 24, 2014
Inventors: Stephanie Cigana (Santa Fe Springs, CA), Philip Moreau (Santa Fe Springs, CA)
Application Number: 14/061,654
International Classification: A47F 5/11 (20060101);