Abstract:
The present invention relates generally to a stackable series of holders of different sizes and shapes. More particularly it relates to a holder with integral riser in the center and a universal stacking support between each level of holder primarily for floral applications.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a design system of several different sizes and shapes of holders for flowers and plants with risers that can be stacked for multiple presentation options. More particularly it relates to holders that completely surround a presentation platform and holders that allow presentations to be placed against a flat wall or in a corner or mixed for various design options. 
         [0003]    2. Prior Art 
         [0004]    Cut flowers are often inserted in blocks of foam soaked in water and other plant preservatives in various shaped containers such as wreaths, crosses, hearts and such. They have not, however, been placed in one-piece stackable holders with the variety of design options shown in present invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    One of the objectives of the Stackables invention is to provide a display platform that can be stacked to provide varying heights of presentation platforms. Stackables can contain water soaked foam for cut flower insertion, dry foam for dried or silk flowers, or be available for snacks, condiments, gifts or any other items that compliment the rest of the presentation platform. 
         [0006]    Another objective is for the container to be inexpensive to fabricate, transport, assemble and be reusable. 
         [0007]    Another objective is for the material selection and wall thickness to be sufficiently strong as to withstand the weight of water soaked foam filled holders with flowers inserted or heavy gifts or featured presentation items placed on top of display platform. 
         [0008]    Another objective is for there to be a plurality of different size and shapes holders with riser available, some completely encircling the center riser and some only proceeding half-way around the center riser. 
         [0009]    Another objective is for there to be stacking supports which allow the various holders with risers to stack on top of each other with several optional fixed spacing heights between levels. 
         [0010]    Another objective is for there to be round, half-round, square, rectangular, oval or triangular holder shapes with standard risers. 
         [0011]    Stackables are holders with central risers that can be used as stand-alone display platforms. They also can be used for various sizes and shapes of holders with riser and stacking supports to be stacked, one on top of the other, forming a tower of holders. The holders can hold water soaked foam for cut flowers, dry foam for dried or silk flowers or any combination of appropriate materials that fit in the holders and enhance the design impact. Stackables can be used for floral arrangements, as gift baskets, sympathy arrangements or celebration center pieces. All the different size holders with risers utilize either a common round or square riser shape. Therefore all sizes of round, half-round and oval shapes can be safely stacked on one another utilizing universal round stacking supports and all sizes of square, rectangular or triangular shapes can be stacked on one another utilizing universal square stacking supports. Round, half-round and oval holders nest in each other reducing the space requirements for storage and shipping. Square, rectangular, and triangular holders also nest within each other minimizing the space required for storage and shipping. Either a round or square riser may be used on all of the various shapes such that all shapes using the common riser could then be intermixed as the designer desires and nested for shipping and storage space reduction. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    In order that the invention is fully understood it will now be described with reference to the following drawings in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a stack of three different size round holders with risers. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of a stack of three different size half round holders with risers. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of a stack of three different size square holders and one rectangular holder with risers. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of a stack of three different size triangular holders. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a top view showing a stack of two different size round holders. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a section view showing stacking supports mounted on holders with round risers taken along cutting line  6 - 6  from  FIG. 5 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 6A  is an enlarged partial section view showing a universal round stacking support between holders. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is top view of a stacking support on an oval holder. 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  A is a front view showing a stacking support mounted over riser on an oval holder. 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  A is a front view showing a stack of different size round holders with a framed photo as the design feature. 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  B is a front view showing a stack of different size round holders with a bundle of gifts as the design feature. 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  C shows a stack of one round and two half round holders with a pumpkin as a design feature. 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  D shows a stack of round holders with an urn as a design feature. 
       
    
    
       [0026]    Design features are shown in broken lines for illustrative purposes only as they form no part of this invention. 
       DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]    In order that Stackables  10  are fully understood they will now be described by way of the following examples. This new invention is a convenient and easily adaptable set of stackable display holders for use in floral presentations or any other materials that fit into stackable display holders  11 , 12 , 13 , 17 , 18 , 19 ,  21 ,  24 ,  25 ,  26 ,  27 ,  28 ,  30  and  31 . Stackables  10  can have various informative, decorative or greeting cards placed at the top of display platforms  14  or  15  indicating the donor, the celebration cause, or a trophy, an urn or any other design feature  20  suggested by the occasion. Stackables  10  may be made from a transparent or opaque material of various colors. Risers and holders can be fabricated as a single piece or attached using standard material attachment processes and can be fabricated from either plastic or metal materials. The wall thickness and shear strength of the plastic material are selected such that with universal stacking supports in place; Stackables  10  assembly will support the weight of water soaked foam with flowers inserted in all assembled holders  11 , 12 , 13 , 17 , 18 , 19 ,  21 ,  24 ,  25 ,  26 ,  27 ,  28 ,  30  and  31 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  describes a preferred embodiment of Stackables  10  in which 3 holders  11 ,  12  and  13  with risers  22  are stacked together. Holders  11 ,  12  and  13  have approximately a 12-inch diameter, a 16-inch diameter and a 20-inch diameter respectively. Riser  22  has a 6⅞-inch height, is in the center of each holder and has an approximately 6⅞-inch diameter at the base that tapers up to an approximately 6-inch diameter at display platform  14 . There is an approximately ⅛-inch high by ⅛-inch thick security rib  29  around the periphery of display platform  14  to assist in keeping design feature  20  in place. 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  describes a Stackables  10  embodiment with half-round holders  26 ,  27  and  28  again with standard risers  22 .  FIG. 3  shows a Stackables  10  embodiment with 3 sizes of square holders  17 ,  18 , and  19  and one size of rectangular holder  30  with riser  23  and stacking support  32  in between risers  23 .  FIG. 4  shows a Stackables  10  embodiment with 3 sizes of half-square or triangular holders  21 ,  24  and  25  with risers  23 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 5  shows a top view of a stack of round holders with cutting plane  6 - 6 . The sectional view in  FIG. 6  shows universal stacking support  16  between holders  11  and  12  stacked together. Universal stacking support  16  has a matching draft to riser  22  and has a slip fit set of diameters larger than riser  22  as is shown in enlarged partial section view  6 A. It is approximately 2 inches tall although different height stacking supports are available if more separation between levels of a Stackables  10  arrangement is desired.  FIGS. 1 and 7A  show oval holder  31  with stacking support  16 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 8  A-D show front views of different combinations illustrative of, but not limited to, various Stackables  10  embodiments. 
       Operation: 
       [0032]    An exemplary embodiment of a Stackables  10  assembly with more than one holder is assembled by placing first holder  13  with riser  22  on a flat surface. Universal stacking support  16  is slipped over the top of first riser  22  until its upper lip  34  rests on the top surface of first riser  22  with holder  13 . Second riser  22  with holder  12  is slipped over the top of first universal stacking support  16  until the bottom surface of second riser  22  rests on universal stacking support lower lip  36 . Second universal stacking support  16  is slipped over second riser  22  with holder  12  and the stacking continues until the desired height of Stackables  10  embodiment has been reached. Floral foam can be glued into holders  11 ,  12  and  13  and flowers inserted, creating a floral display. The various levels can be disassembled at the florist for ease of handling and delivery and reassembled at the display site. Floral arrangements can be combined with other elements as in gift baskets, food or condiment trays or used in any manner limited only by the imagination of the designer. They can completely surround presentation platforms  14  or  15  with round holders or square. Half-round holders or triangular holders allow presentation platforms  14  or  15  to be placed against a wall or curtain, in front of, behind or to either side of display platform  14  or  15 . Since risers  22  and  23  are common to the round and rectilinear holders respectively, regardless of their size, different sizes of holders can be nested together, minimizing required space for storage and shipping. 
         [0033]    The descriptions in the above specification are not intended to limit this invention to given shape holders or risers but they are shown for exemplary purposes only. Any combinations of full, half-round or oval holders with risers  22  and rectangular, triangular and square holders with risers  23  are intended to be covered in this application. One skilled in these arts could easily scale the invention&#39;s dimensions and materials to work with any diameter or shape of tray and height of riser. Stackables  10  are also not limited to the dimension or wall thickness of the holders with risers shown here. Stackables  10  may be configured using any or all of the features disclosed here in any combination without diverging from the design intent of this disclosure.