Abstract:
A display device has a holder for a displayed item, such as a toy. The holder is adjustable to accommodate displayed items of a variety of sizes and shapes. The adjustment feature includes legs which may be cut to reduce their length. An additional adjustment permits the relative spacing of the components of the holder. Further adjustment may be accomplished by resiliently distorting the components of the holder. A retainer may be included to hold the displayed item in the device.

Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/133,106, filed Nov. 22, 2000 now U.S. Pat. No. D452,469. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to the field of novelty items and in particular relates to devices for displaying novelty items. Further, the invention relates to the field of devices for displaying novelty items with other companion products such as flowers, to provide an attractive display and promote the sale of the novelty items with such companion products. 
     2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
     It may be desirable to display and sell toys, such as, figurines, dolls and stuffed animals in conjunction with flowers, floral arrangements, potted plants, fruit baskets and similar arrangements. The doll, figurine, animal or the like may be supported on or in the display. The support can be as simple as a ribbon which is tied to a vase or a basket. However, some supports are more complex to provide a fanciful or imaginative display or to incorporate other functions, such as card holders for messages. 
     Applicant is aware of the following U.S. Patents which are incorporated by reference herein: U.S. Pat. Nos. 180,613, 1,808,292, 3,279,736, 3,516,632, 4,706,915, 5,003,725, 5,549,499, 5,735,075, 5,967,470 and 6,038,812. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and novel device for displaying an item, such as a toy, for sale with a companion product. It is another object to provide an adjustable device for displaying items having a range of sizes and shapes. It is also an object to provide a device for displaying an item for sale with a companion product which will accommodate a range of sizes and shapes of the companion product. It is a further object of this invention to provide a device for displaying figurines, dolls, stuffed animals and the like in conjunction with companion products, such as flowers, the device having adjustments to accommodate a variety of sizes and shapes of all of the products displayed. Other objects and features of the invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. 
     The device of the present invention permits toys, such as dolls, figurines, stuffed animals and the like to be displayed in conjunction with other companion products, for example, flowers, floral displays and so forth. The device of the invention provides a support for the item to be displayed and provides spacing elements which allow the device to accommodate a variety of sizes and shapes of companion products. 
     The device of the invention may include adjustments to accommodate a range of sizes and shapes of the items to be displayed and to accommodate a range of sizes and shapes of the companion products, as disclosed herein. The device of the invention may include retainers to secure the displayed items in the device. The retainers may also be adjustable. 
     The invention summarized above comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated by the subjoined claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     In the accompanying drawings, in which several of various possible embodiments of the invention are illustrated, corresponding reference characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device of the invention with an exemplary displayed product; 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the device of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the device of the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the device of the invention as shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a rear view of the device of the invention, 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of the device of the invention, 
     FIG. 7 is a detail, partly in section, taken along line  7 — 7  in FIG. 6; and, 
     FIG. 8 is a detail, in section, taken along line  8 — 8  in FIG.  6 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a display device  10  of the invention is shown holding a displayed item  12  such as a stuffed animal toy. Stuffed animal toy  12  is displayed with a companion product  14 , as shown. Companion product  14  is a floral display or live plant arranged in a container  16 . Stuffed animal toy  12  is supported on a horizontal ring  18 , although it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that ring  18  may be placed in other orientations. 
     A plurality of legs  20  depend from ring  18 . As shown in FIG. 1, legs  20  extend into the interior of container  16 . However, legs  20  may also be placed outside a vase or container, as described herein. The length of legs  20  may be adjusted, as described to position stuffed animal toy  12  or some other displayed item in the desired proximity to companion product  14 , such as the floral arrangement or live plant shown in FIG.  1  and give the desired aesthetic effect. 
     Display device  10  has an additional support  22  for the displayed item  12  such as a stuffed animal toy as shown in FIG.  1 . Support  22  has a plurality of extending arms  24  which may be adjusted to grip stuffed animal toy  12 . Extending arms  24  may have a curvature and terminate in hooks or eyelets  26  which co-operate with a retainer  28 , as shown. Retainer  28  may also be adjustable, for example, by being formed of an elastic material, such as rubber. The tension in retainer  28  may be increased or decreased by winding the elastic material about its longitudinal axis, or by unwinding it, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
     Display device  10  of the invention will typically be made of a rigid or semi-rigid material, such as metal rods or wire. For example, of stiff aluminum or steel wire. However, the display device  10  could also be made of a structural plastic material, such as polypropylene or the like, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. The elements of display device  10  may be joined by soldering, by welding, by adhesive bonding or by other conventional means. 
     The material forming display device  10  will be sufficiently resilient that legs  20  of display device  10  may be adjusted by compressing them inwardly to be inserted into container  16 , as shown in FIG.  1 . The legs  20  may also be bent outwardly so that they may be placed outside of an associated container or vase. The length of legs  20  may be adjusted to the desired length by clipping the ends of the legs  20 . 
     Arms  24  may also be adjusted by compressing them inwardly to decrease the circumference of the space they enclose or by bending them outwardly to increase the circumference of the space they enclose. This adjustment permits display device  10  to accommodate displayed items  12  of a variety of sizes and shapes. 
     In addition, display device  10 , may have a further adjustment to accommodate displayed items of varying sizes and shapes. Referring to FIGS. 6-8, an additional adjustment is shown in further detail. Support  22  is attached to a depending element  30 . If desired, the attachment between support  22  and depending element  30  may be strengthened by a reinforcing member  32 . One of legs  20  is provided with a receiver  34 . Receiver  34  is shown at a location adjacent to ring  18 , but it will be appreciated that receiver  34  could be at another location on leg  20  without impairing its function. Receiver  34  has an aperture  35  therethrough, shown in FIG. 7, that accepts depending element  30  in a vertical sliding relationship thereto. Receiver  34  also has a clamp  36  that selectively arrests the sliding travel of depending element  30  in relation to receiver  34 . As shown in FIG. 7, clamp  36  may be placed in a transverse orifice  38  in receiver  34 . Clamp  36  may be held in place by friction, by spring force or other means, as known in the art. However, if clamp  36  is a threaded fastener, such as a set screw, and orifice  38  is threaded to receive clamp  36 , a secure attachment can be achieved. 
     Leg  20  having receiver  34  mounted thereon may also have an additional stabilizing element  40 , as shown in FIG.  8 . Stabilizing element  40  may be a loop fastened to leg  20  at a position spaced from receiver  34 . Stabilizing element  40  has an aperture  42  therethrough that receives depending element  30  in a vertical sliding relationship, as shown. Receiver  34  and stabilizing element  40  co-operate to provide rigidity to depending element  30  and support  22  and permit the spacial relationship of support  22  to ring  18  to be adjusted. If clamp  36  is released, depending element  30  and attached support  22  may be moved vertically to a new position and fixed in that position by engaging clamp  36 . 
     While the description given herein illustrates display device  10  with adjustable support  22  located above stationary support  18 , the elements may be reversed. Legs  20  may be attached to support  22 , for example at reinforcement  32 . Receiver  34  and clamp  36  may be placed on the interior side of a leg  20  and support  18  may be attached to the lower end of depending element  30 . This arrangement permits adjustment of support  18  toward and away from support  22 . 
     In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained. As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.