Abstract:
The invention provides a magnetic floral attachment device which includes a T-shaped flower receiving body and a magnetic component to be placed on opposite sides of an article of clothing so as to secure the flower in place. The attachment device is an improved mechanism for attaching floral arrangements, such as corsages or boutonnieres, to garments in that it eliminates the use of floral pins which can cause damage to skin or clothing and provides an improved means with a unique shape and magnetic grip to firmly hold the floral arrangement in place.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the benefit of provisional APPLICATION NO. 06\574,969 filed on MAY 24, 2004. 
     
    
     CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0002]     Not Applicable  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0003]     Not Applicable  
       REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX  
       [0004]     Not Applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0006]     The invention relates generally to a floral attachment device meant to attach floral arrangements to garments and, more particularly, to a magnetic floral attachment device.  
         [0007]     2. Background of the Invention  
         [0008]     It is common practice for people to decorate their clothing with floral arrangements, such as corsages and boutonnières, on special occasions.  
         [0009]     Traditionally, floral arrangements meant to be worn on a person&#39;s body have been attached by straight pins directly to the individual&#39;s clothing. The use of a pin as a method of attachment is problematic for many reasons. The pin&#39;s sharp piercing end can easily pierce the user&#39;s skin, causing pain or even drawing blood which can stain a garment upon contact. Piercing floral stems can also produce moisture that can stain fine clothing.  
         [0010]     Using a pin for floral attachment involves piercing a garment twice at the spots where the pin enters and exits the garment. This can leave permanent holes in a garment, or even lead to tears if the arrangement is heavy or the garment is made of delicate fibers. This problem is heightened by the fact that pinning an arrangement to clothing can be awkward and may require several attempts, and several pin holes, before the arrangement is attached precisely in the location desired.  
         [0011]     Additionally, using a straight pin for floral attachment does not always provide the most secure positioning for the flowers. The pin can loosen from the garment, resulting in movement of the arrangement from the desired location, or even causing it to fall from the garment completely.  
         [0012]     There is, accordingly, a need for a more effective and efficient floral attachment device.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     With the foregoing in mind, embodiments of the present invention advantageously provide an effective magnetic system to attach floral arrangements to garments. The magnetic floral attachment device addresses the issue of how a floral arrangement can be attached to a garment without piercing the garment and, thus, provides significant advantages for all users. The invention can adjust easily to accommodate a wide range of flower arrangement styles and sizes, and it is less awkward to handle than a straight pin or other attachment devices in that it does not involve any sharp ends or edges which can pierce clothing, skin, or floral stems. Embodiments of the present invention are also distinguished from pin and non-pin systems for attaching floral arrangements to garments in that they are uniquely designed to stay securely attached to a garment without loosening or moving from side to side and cannot readily be seen from the frontal view.  
         [0014]     In one embodiment, the magnetic floral attachment device includes a clear T-shaped base to which flowers are attached with floral tape. The top of the T-shaped base has a metal plate attached to the back. The device also includes a separate rectangular magnetic component. The T-shaped base will be placed outside the garment and the rectangular magnet will be placed inside the garment in the same position as the top of the T-shaped base. The two pieces of the device will attract strongly enough to hold a flower arrangement in place on an individual&#39;s garment. The unique design of the base will keep the floral arrangement from moving from side to side.  
         [0015]     In another embodiment, the T-shaped base is made of metal in a color that will easily blend with the floral arrangement. The metal base placed outside the garment will attract to the magnetic component that is placed inside the garment sufficiently to hold a floral arrangement in place. In another embodiment, the metal T-shaped base will have one or a plurality of pliable arms which extend horizontally from its vertical edge. These arms will be used to strap the device to the stems of the floral arrangement in the event floral tape is not used or if extra security is desired.  
         [0016]     While the present discussion describes the use of an all, or partial, metal base with a separate magnetic component, the invention contemplates a variety of materials and magnetic properties. In additional alternative embodiments, the base is magnetized and the component to be placed inside the garment is not; in still another alternative embodiment, both the T-shaped base and separate rectangular component are magnetized to form the strongest of attractions. Further, the materials used for the T-shaped base and rectangular component can be varied to include any material which exhibits magnetic properties.  
         [0017]     The invention, together with various embodiments thereof, will be more fully explained by the attached drawings and descriptions. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]     Twelve drawings are included in this application:  
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the attachment device using a T-shaped base made of clear non-metal material with an attached metal component which will be used to attract a separate magnetic component through a garment.  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the embodiment in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the  FIG. 1  embodiment showing the alignment of the metal and magnetic components.  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the  FIG. 1  embodiment illustrating the attachment of a floral arrangement to a garment.  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment in which the attachment device includes an all metal T-shaped base which will be used to attract a separate magnetic component through a garment.  
         [0024]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the alternative embodiment in  FIG. 5  showing the alignment of the top horizontal portion of the T-shaped base and the magnetic component.  
         [0026]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 5  illustrating the attachment of a floral arrangement to a garment.  
         [0027]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a second alternative embodiment in which the attachment device includes an all metal T-shaped base which will be used to attract a separate magnetic component through a garment. The T-shaped base also includes two horizontal arms extending from the vertical portion of the base which can be bent over the stems of the floral arrangement.  
         [0028]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the second alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 9 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 11  is a top view of the second alternative embodiment in  FIG. 9  showing the alignment of the top vertical portion of the T-shaped base and the magnetic component.  
         [0030]      FIG. 12  is a side view of the second alternative embodiment in  FIG. 9  illustrating the attachment of a floral arrangement to a garment.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0031]     The first preferred embodiment as shown in  FIG. 1  provides an improved means for securing a floral arrangement to a garment by providing a T-shaped body with a horizontal head to which flowers are attached with floral tape which keeps the floral arrangement from moving from side to side, thus keeping it more stable on the garment than a floral pin can. It also provides a magnetic means to secure the arrangement so as to not damage the garment or skin as a floral pin can, and provides a structure that can be hidden from frontal view, as it is positioned underneath the floral arrangement.  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment. It shows a clear, non-metal T-shaped base  10  which is placed on the outer surface of the garment  14 . The bottom portion of the T-shaped base  10  extends vertically. Floral arrangements are attached to the bottom of the T-shaped base  10  with floral tape. The top of the T-shaped base  10  extends horizontally in order to keep the attached floral arrangement stationary. The top of the T-shaped base has a metal plate  12  attached to the back. The metal plate  12  is rectangular in shape and almost completely covers the back of the top horizontal portion of the T-shaped base  10 . The part of the magnetic floral attachment device which is placed inside the garment  14  is a rectangular magnetic component  16  approximately the same size as the top of the T-shaped base  10 . The magnet  16  compliments the shape of the metal plate  12  in order to provide for maximum attraction and minimal side to side movement of the attached floral arrangement.  
         [0032]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the first preferred embodiment showing the T-shaped base  10  on the outer side of the garment  14  and the magnet  16  on the inside. The top portion of the T-shaped base  10  has a metal plate  12  attached to the back. The bottom portion of the T-shaped base  10  extends vertically and provides the space to which the floral arrangement will be attached with floral tape. The magnet  16  is placed on the inside of the garment  14  aligned with the top of the base  10  and metal plate  12 . The strong attraction between the metal plate  12  and the magnet  16  will allow the device to attach securely to the garment  14 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the first preferred embodiment which shows the alignment of the top of the T-shaped base  10  and attached metal plate  12  with the magnet  16 . The alignment of both pieces  12  and  16  provide for the strong attraction through the garment  14 . This attraction will keep the attached floral arrangement securely attached to the garment  14 .  
         [0034]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the first preferred embodiment of the attachment device with a floral arrangement  18  inserted for illustration.  FIG. 4  is a side view showing the T-shaped base  10  on the outer side of the garment  14  and the magnet  16  on the inside. The top portion of the T-shaped base  10  has a metal plate  12  attached to the back. The bottom portion of the T-shaped base  10  extends vertically and provides the space to which a floral arrangement  18  will be attached with floral tape  20 . The magnet  16  is placed on the inside of the garment  14  aligned with the metal plate  12 . The strong attraction between the metal plate  12  and the magnet  16  will allow the device to attach securely to the garment  14 .  
         [0035]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention showing an all metal T-shaped base  10  which is placed on the outer side of the garment  14 . The bottom portion of the T-shaped base  10  extends vertically. Floral arrangements are attached to the bottom of the T-shaped base  10  with floral tape. The top of the T-shaped base  10  extends horizontally in order to keep the attached floral arrangement stationary. The component of the magnetic floral attachment device which is placed inside the garment  14  is a rectangular magnetic component  16  approximately the same size as the top of the T-shaped base  10 . The magnet  16  compliments the shape of the top of the T-shaped base  10  in order to provide for maximum attraction and minimal side to side movement of the attached floral arrangement.  
         [0036]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the second embodiment showing the T-shaped base  10  on the outer side of garment  14  and the magnet  16  on the inside. The top portion of the T-shaped base  10  extends horizontally. The bottom portion of the T-shaped base  10  extends vertically and provides the space to which the floral arrangement will be attached with floral tape. The magnet  16  is placed on the inside of the garment  14  aligned with the top of the T-shaped base  10 . The strong attraction between the top of the metal T-shaped base  10  and the magnet  16  will allow the device to attach securely to the garment  14 .  
         [0037]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the second embodiment which shows the alignment of the top horizontal portion of the T-shaped base  10  with the magnet  16 . The alignment of both pieces  10  and  16  provide for the strong attraction through the garment  14 . This attraction will keep the attached floral arrangement securely attached to the garment  14 .  
         [0038]      FIG. 8  is a side view of a second embodiment of the attachment device with a floral arrangement  18  inserted for illustration.  FIG. 8  shows the T-shaped base  10  on the outer side of the garment  14  and the magnet  16  on the inside. The top portion of the metal T-shaped base  10  aligns with placement of the magnet  16  on the opposite side of the garment  14 . The strong attraction between the metal and magnet will allow the device to attach securely to the garment  14 . The bottom portion of the T-shaped base  10  extends vertically and provides the space to which the floral arrangement  18  is attached with floral tape  20 .  
         [0039]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a third preferred embodiment. It shows the all metal T-shaped base  10  with two small horizontal arms  10   a  and  10   b  extending from the vertical portion of the base which is placed on the outside of garment  14 . Floral arrangements are attached to the bottom of the T-shaped base  10  by bending the two pliable arms  10   a  and  10   b  over the stems of the floral arrangement. The top of the T-shaped base  10  extends horizontally in order to keep the attached floral arrangement stationary. The component of the magnetic floral attachment device which is placed inside the garment  14  is a rectangular magnetic component  16  approximately the same size as the top of the T-shaped base  10 . The magnet  16  compliments the shape of the top of the T-shaped base  10  in order to provide for maximum attraction and minimal side to side movement of the attached floral arrangement.  
         [0040]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the third embodiment showing the T-shaped base  10  on the outer side of the garment  14  and the magnet  16  on the inside. The top portion of the T-shaped base  10  extends horizontally. The bottom portion of the T-shaped base  10  extends vertically and provides the space to which the floral arrangement will be attached with floral tape. Pliable metal arms  10   a  and  10   b  can be bent over the stems of the floral arrangement in order to attach it to the device. The magnet  16  is placed on the inside of the garment  14  aligned with the top of the base  10 . The strong attraction between the top of the metal T-shaped base  10  and the magnet  16  will allow the device to attach securely to the garment  14 .  
         [0041]      FIG. 11  is top view of the third embodiment which shows the alignment of the top horizontal portion of the T-shaped base  10  with the magnet  16 . The alignment of both pieces  10  and  16  provide for the strong attraction through the garment  14 . This attraction will keep the attached floral arrangement securely attached to the garment  14 .  
         [0042]      FIG. 12  is a side view of the third embodiment of the attachment device with a floral arrangement  18  inserted for illustration.  FIG. 12  shows the T-shaped base  10  on the outer side of the garment  14  and the magnet  16  on the inside. The top portion of the metal T-shaped base  10  aligns with placement of the magnet  16  on the opposite side of the garment  14 . The strong attraction between the metal and magnet will allow the device to attach securely to the garment  14 . The bottom portion of the T-shaped base  10  extends vertically and provides the space to which the floral arrangement  18  is attached by bending pliable metal arms  10   a  and  10   b  over the stems of the floral arrangement  18 .