Abstract:
An artificial attachment includes a ‘figure-of-eight’ slot, or similar shape, which upon flexure permits clamping application to vegetation or rod member, for example a twig, thereby to effect attachment thereto upon reflexure to its original shape.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    Benefit of U.S. Provisional Application for Patent Ser. No. 61/136,792, filed on Oct. 3, 2008, is hereby claimed. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to an artificial attachment for use in attaching a synthetic element to vegetation or rod member. For example, the element may be in the form of a piece of foliage and the vegetation may be for example stems, stalks, twigs and the like, the combination creating a decorative effect. Such vegetation or rod member may be living or non-living. 
         [0003]    The present invention has further reference to an artificial attachment for use in attaching a synthetic element to vegetation, wherein the synthetic element is a part of for example an entomological creature and a combination of such elements creates an artificial representation of the creature. Other creatures, animals or insects may be composed using specially formed synthetic elements according to the invention. 
         [0004]    In a still further proposal of the invention the synthetic element is a part of a well-known character, a combination of parts representing the complete character, for example a cartoon character. Other applications of the present invention include but are not limited to miniature houses, mobile structures etc. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The production of artificial flowers and arrangements thereof has existed for many years and embraces a wide field extending from children&#39;s toys to artificial flower structures including co-ordinated floral arrangement assemblies, and to kits for creating for example easy care-free instant yard beautification. 
         [0006]    One such kit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,861,108 to Potoroka who proposes various means of attaching artificial flowers and foliage to stems or stalks, such means including inter alia pins, clips or ties or any combination thereof. A disadvantage of such attachment means is that they are separate from the particular piece of foliage requiring attachment and further such small attachment means represent a hazard for children. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, there is a need for an improved artificial attachment to enable and facilitate the attachment of synthetic elements to vegetation or rod member. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved artificial attachment for vegetation or rod member. 
         [0009]    A further object of the present invention is to provide such an artificial attachment that is integral therewith, therefore affording an advantage in terms of a unitary piece. 
         [0010]    A still further object of the present invention is to provide an artificial attachment for attaching a synthetic element to vegetation directly without the need to thread the element onto the vegetation. 
         [0011]    According to the invention there is provided an artificial attachment formed integrally in a synthetic element, the attachment comprising a slot providing an entry for an elongate member to which the synthetic element is to be attached, said slot providing along at least part of its marginal edges a clamping zone which upon flexure of the element is openable and upon release is closable to clamp and thereby attach the element to the elongate member. 
         [0012]    The slot or slot means may advantageously be of ‘figure-of-eight’ shape providing enlarged and rounded end portions and a restricted middle portion at the clamping zone, the restricted middle portion may be of relatively narrow dimension in comparison to the end portions. An alternative shape for the slot means may be an ‘hourglass’ shape and thus similar to the figure-of-eight shape giving a restricted middle portion for the clamping zone widening into the end portions. 
         [0013]    Other alternative forms of slot may be employed and may be constituted by two spaced-apart apertures connected by a slit in the element the slit defining the clamping zone. The length of the slit may be of a size predetermined by the magnitude of the foliage to which the element is to be attached. 
         [0014]    The synthetic element may conveniently be in the form of foliage, e.g. a leaf. 
         [0015]    In the alternative, the synthetic element may be in the form of a representation of a part of an insect or other creature. 
         [0016]    In a still further alternative, the synthetic element may be in the form of a part of famous characters, particularly cartoon characters, the assembled elements with the suitable vegetation combining to make the whole character. 
         [0017]    Although the vegetation does not constitute a feature of the invention and generally will not be provided therewith when commercially available, it will usually consist of a twig, stem or stalk or similar element of relatively slender elongate form. 
         [0018]    The invention may extend to a kit including but not limited to a plurality of flower parts, for example petals, stamens and other parts for assembly by interengagement one with the other by means of interleaving with a central opening of variable dimension for accommodating vegetation, such as generally represented by a twig, stem, stalk or similar element the end of which passes through the opening when assembly is completed, the whole to constitute an artificial flower. The kit would also include the synthetic element attachment herein described and claimed. Accordingly, a selection of synthetic elements may be included in the kit, for example leaves, insects parts and/or cartoon character parts. The object of providing such a kit would be to enable the user, for example a child, to create complete versions of flowers, insects, cartoon characters etc. 
         [0019]    Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided herein, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the description in association with the following Figures, in which similar references used in different Figures denote similar components, wherein: 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  is a perspective front view of a synthetic element in the form of a leaf incorporating the artificial attachment of the present invention, the leaf being mounted on and attached to a piece of vegetation in the form of a twig; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a view of the leaf shown in  FIG. 1  incorporating the attachment in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a perspective scrap view  3  in  FIG. 2  of the artificial attachment; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective taken along line  3  of  FIG. 2  shown in flexure with the attachment ready for application to the vegetation, viz. a twig also shown in this figure; 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an assembled kit of synthetic elements attached to vegetation and combining to create a model of an animal, for example a dog; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic representation of three different forms of slot means according to the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    With reference to the annexed drawings the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be herein described for indicative purpose and by no means as of limitation. 
         [0028]      FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a synthetic element in the form of an ovate leaf  10  having at its root end an attachment referenced generally at  14  and comprising a slot  16  or slot means of ‘figure-of-eight’ shape with two end holes  18  separated by an open central clamping zone  20  of restricted dimension relative to the two holes  18 . In  FIG. 1  the leaf  10  is shown attached to a piece of vegetation or rod member in the form of a twig  22 . 
         [0029]    In  FIGS. 3 and 4  the leaf  10  is shown in flexure, i.e. bent over in the region of the clamping zone  20  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ), or slit, to give an opening for receiving vegetation in the form of the twig  22  of slender elongate form. In use, the application of the leaf  10  to the twig  22  is achieved by passing the twig  22  into the clamping zone  20  with the twig being accommodated in the end holes  18 . The leaf  10  is then allowed substantially to reassume its unflexed state thus clamping the leaf to the twig  22 . It will be appreciated that the attachment of the leaf to the twig is secured without the need to thread the leaf over the twig along its length to the desired position. 
         [0030]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , like parts have been assigned the same numerals of reference as used in the foregoing figures. This figure represents an animal  30  such as a dog having four legs  23  represented and constituted by pieces of vegetation, for example twigs  22  with a spinal column  28  also comprised of a twig  22  with a trifurcated rear end  28 ′, the legs and the column being conjoined by a synthetic element forming the main body part  31  of the dog  30 . The main body part  31  of the dog  30  includes a number of attachment  14  shown engaging the legs  23 , the application of the attachment  14  to the legs  23  being as previously described in relation to  FIG. 4 . The attachments  14  are formed in extensions  32  of the body part  31 , adjacent extensions  32  being spaced apart as at  34 . The body part  31  further has two holes  35 , only one of which can be seen in the figure, longitudinally aligned therein to receive the spinal column  28  as shown. A head  40  for the dog is illustrated with two frontal apertures representing eyes  42 , with an attachment  14  provided in the occipital region of the head to engage with and attach to the spinal column  28 . A stellar-shaped hole  44  is formed at the front of the head  40  to depict the mouth of the dog and also to function in the assembly of the kit parts to receive the end of the spinal column  28 . 
         [0031]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the three representations of the slot are designated A, B and C. ‘A’ shows a ‘figure-of-eight’ formation  16 , whilst ‘B’ shows a slot  16 ′ comprising the holes  18  interconnected by a slit  50  merging into the holes. ‘C’ illustrates a slot  16 ″ comprising holes  18  interconnected by a longer slit  50  than that of ‘B’, the clamping zone thus being sharper than for ‘A’ and ‘B’. The particular type of slot selected will depend upon the materials and the manufacturing techniques being employed. 
         [0032]    The synthetic elements may be made of plastics material that may be recyclable, as indeed may the other parts, which may be commercially available as a kit. 
         [0033]    The present invention may be utilized in all manner of applications in which synthetic elements are combined to create an artificial representation of real flora or fauna, insects, cartoon characters or indeed other structures. 
         [0034]    The invention may be provided for use by children in view of its inherent safety, in terms of it obviating the need for several separate and potentially dangerous parts. In the alternative, the invention may be available for adult usage in terms of creating an artificial effect of natural growth giving colour and form to an otherwise drab environment. 
         [0035]    Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the disclosure has been made by way of example only and that the present invention is not limited to the features of the embodiments described and illustrated herein, but includes all variations and modifications within the scope and spirit of the invention as hereinafter claimed.