Abstract:
A cover surrounds an expandable frame that, when expanded, shapes the cover in a decorative fashion. The frame includes a plurality of flexible rods interconnected between two base units. As the base units are moved towards one another, the rods flex outwardly to form a somewhat spherical configuration. The rods are tapered at one or both ends to help facilitate a circular curvature.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority from Provisional Application No. 60/232,286, dated Sep. 13, 2000. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to decorative and/or display devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to decorative and/or display devices that are expandable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     People display decorative devices for a wide variety of reasons. For example, during the holidays people display various items relevant to that holiday. For instance, during the Christmas season these people might display a Santa Claus or a snowman. Around Halloween, they might display a pumpkin, a witch or any number of other seasonal items. Often, people desire to reuse these decorative items on a yearly basis. Such reuse presents the additional consideration of storing the decorative item during the remainder of the year. Thus, the larger and more elaborate the display, the more storage space that is required when not in use. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one embodiment, the present invention comprises an expandable and collapsible decoration or decorative object comprising a frame, a flexible body carried by the frame, and an internal lighting assembly. In one embodiment, the lighting assembly is carried by a telescoping, rod-like portion of the frame and, in another embodiment, the lighting assembly is carried by a base member of the frame. In one embodiment, the frame comprises movable members which may be reconfigured, and the body comprises a thin, flexible skin or cover, all or portions of which may be transparent, semi-transparent or opaque. In some embodiments, the present invention may include a frame comprising a number of generally or at least partially flexible rods for helping to support the body. In some embodiments, the rods may be shaped, tapered or otherwise conditioned, e.g., near the ends thereof, to facilitate bending or positioning them for optimizing a selected expanded or collapsed shape of the invention. 
     In some embodiments of the present invention, including those in which a light source is supported or carried by the base member, the frame includes a top member and an adjacent guide/support disk with a central opening. The central opening is sized to generally closely receive a bead and a elongated guide pin member both operably carried by a generally central flexible member used to shape the object, and to optionally hang it for display. The bead serves to lock the object in an expanded position, and the guide pin helps prevent the flexible member and/or bead from fouling or tangling as the object is changed from its expanded to its collapsed state. In some embodiments, the bead and guide pin may be integrated to provide further prevention of fouling. 
     The decorative device weighs very little and can be collapsed for convenient transportation and/or storage. 
     In some embodiments, the configuration of the decorative object or device of the present invention, particularly of the body when the object is expanded, may be varied, e.g., it may appear to be a pumpkin, a holiday ornament, an imaginary or whimsical creature, a geometric figure, or virtually any selected representation or object. Luminous or “glow-in-dark” features may be provided, and the various embodiments may include graphics or colors as desired. In some embodiments, the base member of the frame is annular and includes a bottom member and a top member for capturing and/or supporting a potion of the rods. The central opening may be adapted to received generally interchangeable base plate members, one of which may be adapted to support or carry a light source carrying battery compartment, and one of which may be adapted to receive a Christmas-type bulb. Any bulb and socket type may be used, for example, screw-in, snap-in, press fit or bayonet types may be used. 
     Any references to front and back, right and left, top and bottom, upper and lower, and horizontal and vertical are intended for convenience of description, not to limit the present invention or its components to any one positional or spatial orientation. 
     While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein is shown and described only the embodiments of the invention, by way of illustration, of the best modes contemplated for carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an expandable decoration, consistent with the principals of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is front elevational view of a telescoping assembly consistent with the principals of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3A is a front elevational view of a frame assembly consistent with the principals of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3B is a top, planar view of the frame assembly of FIG.  3 A. 
     FIG. 3C is a bottom, planar view of the frame assembly of FIG. 3A 
     FIG. 4A is a side elevational view of a potion of a frame assembly in a flexed position. 
     FIG. 4B is a perspective view of a key-hole assembly located on an upper portion of the frame assembly of FIG.  4 A. 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a frame assembly and a cable assembly. 
     FIG. 6A is a side elevational view of a two piece cable assembly consistent with the principals of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6B is a side elevational view of a one piece cable assembly consistent with the principals of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a frame assembly under tension. 
     FIG. 8 is a side elevational view illustrating the assemblage of a cover and frame assembly consistent with the principals of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a top base assembly and a plurality of rods consistent with the principals of the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a lower base assembly and a plurality of rods consistent with the principals of the present invention. 
     FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of an expandable decoration staked to the ground. 
     FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of a frame assembly and alternative lighting assembly consistent with the principals of the present invention. 
     FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the alternative lighting assembly of FIG.  12 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, an expandable decoration is illustrated and generally referred to as  10 . A flexible cover  12  substantially defines the outer portion of expandable decoration  10 , while top base  16  and lower base  18  respectively define upper and lower extremes. FIG. 1 illustrates expandable decoration  10  in an expanded position, wherein cover  12  is pushed from the inside out to form a somewhat spherical, or rather an oblong or elliptical three dimensional structure. Of course, the present invention can achieve various other geometrical shapes and configurations. Cover  12  may include various designs  14  or patterns. Cover  12  may be translucent or opaque and my include any number of colors, designs or patterns. By way of example only, design  14  is illustrated as including a jack-O-lantern pattern. Cover  12  may be formed from any number of materials including cloth, plastic, paper or any other suitable flexible material. 
     As will be explained in greater detail below, expandable decoration  10  moves from the expanded position illustrated in FIG. 1 to a collapsed position suitable for storage. FIG. 2 illustrates a telescoping assembly  19  that facilitates the movement from the expanded position to the collapsed position and vice versa. In particular, telescoping assembly  19  includes a cylindrical top pole  20  that slidably engages with a cylindrical bottom pole  22 . That is, bottom pole  22  at least partially receives top pole  20 . Top base  16  attaches to top pole  20  while bottom base  18  attaches to bottom pole  18 . Thus, as bottom pole  22  receives top pole  20 , top base  16  and bottom base  18  move towards one another. 
     Telescoping assembly  19  is located within the interior of expandable decoration  10 . Thus, lighting assembly  24  couples with telescoping assembly  19  and is likewise positionable within expandable decoration  10 . Lighting assembly  24  includes one or more light fixtures  25  coupled with one or more bulbs  26 . Power cord  28  provides an appropriate source of power and may be affixed or secured to bottom base  18  via a clip  30  or other appropriate device. 
     Referring to FIG. 3A, a plurality of flexible rods  40  are disposed between top base  16  and bottom base  18 , to prevent top pole  20  from sliding into bottom pole  25 . When assembled as shown in FIG. 3A, rods  40 , top base  16  and bottom base  18  form a frame assembly  21 , over which cover  12  may be positioned. Causing top base  16  and bottom base  18  to move towards one another causes rods  40  to flex and expand in a generally horizontal direction, as illustrated. FIGS. 3B and 3C illustrate the interconnection of rods  40  with top and bottom bases  16 ,  18  respectively. 
     FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate one mechanism for causing top base  16  and bottom base  18  to move towards one another. In particular, a cord  42  is anchored to bottom base  18  and passes through bottom tube  22 , top tube  20  and top base  16 . Cord  42  includes a top bead  42  sized to prevent cord  42  from slipping through top base  16 . A medially disposed catch bead  44  is able to pass through a wider portion of key-hole slot  46 , but not a narrower portion. Thus, as cord  42  is pulled, cord  42  can be anchored into position by pulling catch bead  44  through key-hole slot  46  and sliding cord  42  into the narrower portion as illustrated. As cord  42  is so pulled, rods  40  flex allowing top base  16  and lower base  18  to move towards one another. Because of the tension produced, cord  42  should be formed from a sufficiently strong material such as a nylon cord or other suitable material. To release rods  40 , cord  42  is pull slightly and catch bead  44  is allowed to pass through the wider portion of key hole slot  46 . 
     FIG. 5 illustrates the relative position of catch bead  44  within frame  21  when in a collapsed position. FIG. 6A illustrates a guide pin  48  that can be positioned just below catch bead  44 . Guide pin  48  serves to guide cord  42  through key hole slot  46  without allowing cord  42  to become tangled or otherwise caught. FIG. 6B illustrates a one piece catch bead and guide assembly  52  that also serves to guide cord  42 . Without having a portion of cord  42  between the bead portion and the guide portion, the one piece assembly may function more efficiently. 
     Because rods  40  are pivotally connected at each end, it is possible for them to flex inwardly, towards telescoping assembly  19 . As this would generally be undesirable when trying to expand decoration  10 , FIG. 7 illustrates the mechanism by which this inward flexing is prevented. That is, even in the collapsed position, rods  40  (only two of which are illustrated for clarity) are retained under some tension so a minimal outward flex is achieved. In other words, when decoration  10  is expanded, rods  40  are already slightly biased outward and will continue to flex in the same manner and direction. There are various methods that can be employed to retain a slight flex in rods  40  when in the collapsed position. For example, cord  42  can have a length such that top bead  32  engages top base  16  as illustrated, thus preventing further separation of top base  16  and bottom base  18 . Alternatively, various other latch mechanisms can be employed within telescoping assembly  19  to limit the amount of travel. 
     To assemble expandable decoration  10 , rods  40  are coupled with bottom base  18 . Cover  12  is then placed over rods  40  as illustrated in FIG.  8 . Cover  12  may simply be a hollow shell that accepts rods  40  within an interior portion. Alternatively, cover  12  may have individual pockets or other structures to receive an individual rod  40 . After positioning cover  12 , rods  40  are attached to top base  16 , as illustrated in FIG.  9 . Top base  16  includes an upper portion  56  and a lower portion  58  that can be secured together by screws, bolts, clamps, interlocking elements, or any other suitable device. Each rod  40  terminates in a T-connector  60 . Each T-connector  60  is seated in an individual receiving slot  62  located on lower portion  58 . Once all of the rods are so seated, upper portion  56  is coupled with lower portion  58 , trapping the various T-connectors  60  in place. That is, rods  40  are able to pivot in one plane, but are otherwise generally retained in place. Cord  42  is threaded from lower base  18  and through top base  16 . An optional handle  50  can be attached to top base  16  to allow decoration  10  to be hung or otherwise secured. 
     FIG. 10 illustrates that lower base  18  also has an upper portion  68  and a lower portion  70  that are coupleable to secure T-connectors of rods  40  therebetween. FIG. 10 also more clearly illustrates rods  40 . With particular reference to rod  40 A, a first end  64  of rod  40 A includes the above described T-connector  60 . In addition, first end  64  is tapered. That is, first end is thinner near T-connector  60  and gradually thickens in a direction moving away from T-connector  60 . In one embodiment, this taper is present on each end of each rod  40 . The taper encourages a more arched or circular configuration when rods  40  are flexed to the expanded position. This results in expanding cover  12  in a more curved or circular configuration. 
     FIG. 11 illustrates expandable decoration  10  in a collapsed position and anchored to the ground. More specifically, lower base  18  may include one or more tabs  82  having a hole. Stakes  80  or other suitable anchoring devices can be passed through the holes in tabs  82  an driven into the ground to secure decoration  10 . When expanded, decoration  10  will remain affixed to the ground. 
     FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate an alternative arrangement. More specifically, telescoping assembly  19  is not utilizes. Rather, upper base  16  and lower base  18  are interconnected only by rods  18  and cord  42 . Lighting assembly  24  is coupled directly to lower base  18  and includes a battery compartment  90 , a bulb assembly  92  and a bulb  94 . Cord  42  is bifurcated near lower base  18  into cord extensions  96 A and  96 B. Extensions  96 A and  96 B are held apart by cord spacers  98 . In use, cord  42  is pulled and rods  40  are caused to flex. While requiring fewer components, this embodiment is not as structurally rigid as the above described embodiment. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.