Patent Publication Number: US-2019183067-A1

Title: Topiary System

Description:
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/608,150 filed on Dec. 20, 2017, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference thereto. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to topiary frames. More particularly, it relates to a topiary frame configured from a kit of removably engageable components. The components in disassembled form will substantially all nest or fit within the confines of one half portion of the largest component in the kit of components, thereby allowing for compact shipping and customized user assembly to a desired topiary shape in any of a plurality of configurations. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Topiary is the horticultural practice of training perennial plants to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes. These shapes can be geometric or fanciful or, more modernly, can resemble the three dimensional shapes of various animals. 
     In the art of topiary, the plants of choice are trained and urged to grow in the desired shape by clipping the foliage and twigs of trees, shrubs and subshrubs to develop and maintain the desired eventual shape. To aid in this plant growth shaping endeavor, shaped wire cages are sometimes employed in modern topiary to provide a shaped structure for the plant to grow upon, and to guide untutored shears during trimming of the growing plant over time, to continuously urge it to assume the shape of choice, which would be the shape of the wire cage. 
     Conventional topiary frames of three dimensional objects or animals are formed of a wire or synthetic mesh, which is shaped into the shape of the desired three dimensional object or animal or the like. However, because conventional topiary frames are formed in this fashion, they tend to be very large and ungainly. Conventionally, such frames are formed on-site if a large truck to transport them is unavailable. 
     Further, conventional topiary structures are generally unitary in nature because the mesh portion is shaped to the dimensions of the desired object or animal and permanently engaged to a skeletal structure or frame which provides the support for the weight of the mesh, as well as the eventual weight of the plant once intertwined with the mesh portion. 
     As a consequence, in addition to being large and expensive to ship and transport, each topiary structure is formed in a final three dimensional structure and offers the user on site no option to customize or adjust it. As such, there are no options for topiary structure employable by users wishing to customize it on site or for manufacturers who wish to increase sales by providing topiary structures which are shipped in small packages and which can be customized to multiple shapes using provided kit components for the topiary structure. 
     The topiary system herein provides a user-assemblable topiary structure which is easily assembled from a kit of topiary components. The components provided initially, or available by subsequent purchase, allow each user to customize the shape of their assembled topiary to any of a plurality of different animal or object shapes. Such is accomplished using a torso and head portion adapted to nest within separated halves thereof. The torso and head portion, once assembled, are engageable with any chosen appendage components from a kit of such. All of the torso halves and appendage components are adapted for easy on site assembly to each other. 
     The topiary system herein, by provision in assembled kit form, further provides manufacturers the option to provide multiple shapes which can be formed by buyers from a kit of topiary components. Such a kit is formed of a base body portion and a plurality of engageable head and limb members. All engageable body, limb, and head components themselves disengage into sections which nest into themselves. The nested appendage portions all are configured to nest within the larger body section. This configuration not only allows for easy on site assembly by a user, and easy customized ordering of preferred shapes of the device, it also provides compact shipping of the dissembled components. This nesting configuration significantly reduces the volume of the packaging and the freight costs to the buyer which are generally calculated by weight and volume of the shipped package. 
     It should be noted, the foregoing examples of related art for topiary structures and the like and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not imply any limitations on the topiary system described and claimed herein. Various limitations of the related art are already known or will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings. 
     An object of the present invention is the provision of a user-assemblable topiary structure formed from user-chosen components from kit of such components, which allows users to form a topiary structure in any of a plurality of three dimensional shapes using the chosen engageable components. 
     Further objectives of the topiary system herein will be brought out in the following parts of the specification wherein the summary and detailed description of the invention are for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a device and method solving shortcomings and dilemma in the art of topiary structures through the provision of a user-assemblable topiary structure in a user chosen three dimensional shape using chosen engageable components provided in a kit. 
     The kit features an assemblable body portion formed of pair of engageable body half sections, which have a three dimensional form of choice. Each of the body half sections have mating fasteners thereon in registered positions to properly position both half sections when engaged to form a three dimensional body portion. 
     This body portion formed of half sections includes apertures communicating through the mesh forming each half section. The apertures are each configured with mating fasteners on the apertures which are in registered positions to engage mating fasteners located on assembled limbs thereto. The limbs are each formed from mirrored shaped half sections from a kit of such, to form the assembled topiary figure in the shape desired by a user. 
     A head section of the body portion is adapted with first mating connectors in registered positions on the head portion. These first connectors, so positioned, properly locate any of a chosen plurality of head-engageable components, to properly position them on the assembled structure to complete the shape with for example ears and a nose or trunk on the head portion. 
     The body half sections are mirrored in shape, which allows for a nesting stacking of the two half sections of the body portion, for shipment and storage. Each of the attachable limbs and head attachments also are configured from two half sections which are also mirrored in shape. Such allows the half sections of the limbs and head attachments to also stack in a nesting configuration which significantly reduces their three dimensional footprint during shipment and storage. 
     Further, the attachable limbs and head attachments stacked in a nesting configuration, will all fit within a curved interior recess of the nested body half sections. Such allows all of the components from a kit of components to form a chosen topiary structure, to ship in a container having an interior cavity equal to or just slightly larger than the volume needed to ship one half section of the body portion of the device. This nesting stacking of all components significantly decreases shipping costs which are conventional based on volume and weight. Further, it significantly decreases the containers used for shipping a topiary structure which is environmentally friendly in that such reduces the amount of trash deposited into landfills by reducing the packaging requirements of the device herein. 
     Still further, the apertures provide easily accessible pathways between the interior cavity of the assembled body portion, and axial passages of the attached limbs such as arms, legs, and the like. This is especially preferred to allow the user to easily position water conduits and wiring and lighting onto the entire assembled topiary structure without having to cut holes in the body portion where limbs have been attached is done conventionally. 
     With respect to the above description, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the herein disclosed user assembled topiary structure system and method in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The topiary system herein described is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other topiary structures assembled from kit components and for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosed system. It is important, therefore, that the claims herein be regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology, insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some, but not the only or exclusive examples of embodiments and/or features of the invention. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  shows a fully assembled topiary structure formed chosen topiary components from a kit of such components, showing the chosen topiary shape of a bear. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a typical assembled topiary structure such as in  FIG. 1 , showing components of the kit to include a separable body half sections and separable half sections of chosen appendages configured to connect to formed apertures in the body portion of the topiary. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a first or front section of the body portion of the assemblable topiary structure adjacent an engageable second or rear section, and showing appendage apertures formed into the half sections which have mating connectors in registered portions to connect to mating connectors on any of a kit of engageable appendage components. 
         FIG. 4  shows a side perspective view of the engageable body sections of  FIG. 3  and shows the apertures for both arms and legs or connection of similar appendage components from a kit such as in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 5  shows a kit of engageable appendage components each of which is formed of two half sections which will nest with each other for shipping, and may be assembled for engagement to the apertures of an assembled body portion of the structure. 
         FIG. 6  shows two half sections of an assemblable appendage and shows complimentary cooperative fasteners in registered positions on each half portion, to engage with such on the other half potion. 
         FIG. 7  is a side perspective view of the two half sections of the body portion of the topiary structure such as in  FIGS. 3-4 , engaged and upright with apertures having bayonet style mating connectors ready for connection to chosen assembled appendages from a kit, such as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 8  depicts the half portions of the appendages of  FIG. 6  where the complimentary fasteners on each half portion are engaged, and shows connecters positioned on one end to engage with mating connectors positioned upon the apertures of the formed body portion such as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  shows an assembled appendage such as in  FIG. 8 , where the connectors positioned on the end thereof are operatively engaged with mating connectors on the aperture in a permanent or preferably removable engagement therebetween. 
         FIG. 10  shows the two sections of a body portion of the system such as in  FIG. 7  engaged with chosen appendages from a kit such as in  FIG. 5 , which are assembled and engaged to the apertures in the body portion, to form the shape of a rabbit. 
         FIG. 11  shows the two sections of a body portion of the topiary assembly system herein, such as in  FIG. 7  engaged with chosen appendages from a kit such as in  FIG. 5 , which are assembled and engaged to appendage apertures to form the shape of a piglet. 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of the topiary assembled from the kit of components herein of  FIG. 11  showing another view of the assembled three dimensional piglet and also showing the preferred unobstructed path through the axial passage of the leg and arm appendages into the interior cavity of the body portion. 
         FIG. 13  is a view of components of the topiary device showing the nesting of all components within their respective opposing half section, and the nesting of all components in a half section of the body enabling compact shipping. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     In this description, any directional prepositions if employed, such as up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, first, second, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms referring to the device or depictions as such may be oriented, are describing it such as it appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only. Such terms of direction and location are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the device herein has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation. The term substantially, where used, unless otherwise defined, means plus or minus twenty percent. 
     Now referring to drawings in  FIGS. 1-13 , wherein similar components are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in  FIG. 1  a fully assembled topiary structure device  10 . Each such topiary device  10  is formed from user-chosen topiary components, which are available as a kit of such components. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  the assembled device  10  forms to a bear like three dimensional shape, from the engageable components which are all configured with removably engageable mating or complimentary connectors, to allow easy separation and assembly and shipping in a nested configuration. Such provides, as noted, for significant reduction in shipping costs and quick and easy on-site assembly. 
     The device  10  shown assembled in  FIG. 1 , as with all modes of the device  10  herein, is shown in  FIG. 2 , in an exploded view. Each assembled topiary device  10 , herein, is formed of a plurality of assemblable topiary components from a kit of such. Each of the components is formed in a rigid mesh to allow plant growth therethrough. Each component also preferably features a first half section engageable to a second half section using complimentary fasteners one both. 
     By complementary fasteners  12  is meant that a first half of the complimentary fastener  12  on one component is positioned to align with and removably engage with a second half of the complimentary fastener  12  on another component. In all modes of the device  10  herein, most, if not all of the separable components, are preferably formed of a first half section which will nest against a second half section for storage and shipment, which is shown, for example in  FIG. 13 . As noted, this is preferred to allow for shipping, easy assembly, and the provision of a wide variety of user chooseable appendages to engage to a generic body of the device  10 , to render it in appearance to any of a large plurality of shapes. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , each topiary device  10  includes a body portion  14  which, as shown, has a torso section  16  and a head section  18 . Preferably the combination torso and head section, as well as the other components of the topiary device  10 , are formed in their respective half sections of a mesh formed of metal, plastic, fiberglass, or other materials adapted for outdoor long term use as would occur to those skilled in the art. 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 1-4 , the body portion,  14  as with other nesting parts of the device  10 , is formed of a substantially rigid mesh in a shape defining a first half section  20 , which is substantially a mirrored configuration of a second half section  22 . By substantially is meant that they both have similar or mirrored curved shapes and dimensions and one half section will easily nest into the other half section. 
     In the exploded view of  FIG. 2 , can be seen in addition to the two half sections of the mesh body portion  14 , are the different components which are engageable using complimentary fasteners  12  where one half of each fastener  12  is positioned upon one half section, and the other half of each mating fastener  12  is located in mating positions on the other half section of each component. The engageable components are also preferably formed of a rigid mesh to both hold their shape, and allow growth through openings in the openings in the mesh. 
     Included in the assembled body portion  14  are also first formed openings  24  which have complimentary fasteners  12  thereon, which mate with complimentary fasteners  12  located on each assembled arm  28 . Also included in each assembled body portion  14  are second openings  26 , which have fasteners  12  thereon which are complimentary to fasteners  12  located on one end of legs  30 . The openings  24  may be left out in a less functional mode of the device  10 , however they are preferred to allow for easy access to the interior of the formed device  10  for lighting and watering. Additionally, the formed openings  24  and  26 , have been found to give the user, who may not be a sophisticated assembler, targets for positioning of the various appendages resulting in a significant decrease in assembly time. 
     Consequently, while the device  10  may be assembled without openings, by positioning mating fasteners  12  at the appropriate locations, however these openings  20  and  22 , as noted, are especially preferred as they provide user targets, and an unobstructed pathway through the wall forming the body portion  14  whereby an axial passage  32  running through each arm  28  and leg  30  is in unobstructed communication with an interior cavity  34  formed within the assembled half sections of the body portion  14 . 
     The complimentary fasteners  12  and their operation can be seen in  FIGS. 6-8  where they are shown un engaged in  FIG. 6-7  and operatively engaged in  FIG. 8 . As shown, a first fastener component with a projection  11  is engageable with a second fastener component opening  13 . The projection  11  is compressible such that once passed through the opening  13  it expands and hold the complimentary fastener  12  in a removable engagement. The complementary fasteners  12  are very secure which is desirable for the long term the device  10  will occupy outdoors. 
     Disengagement of the fasteners  12 , if required, can be accomplished by compressing the projection  11 . Of course, other separable or permanent complimentary fasteners  12 , formed of engageable fastener half portions as would occur to those skilled in the art may be employed such as any from the GRAINGER or other catalogs with fasteners. However, the bayonet style fasteners herein allow the user an especially easy engagement by simply aligning all the fastener halves on each piece, and pushing the part to be engaged to the body portion  14  toward the body portion  14 . Consequently, such would be preferred for this ease of engagement in outdoor garden conditions where lighting and weather are an issue. The self-engaging complimentary fastener halves herein are also preferred because the user needs no tools, nor wires or crimpers or other non-attached, hard to use fasteners to attach the various components. 
     Shown in  FIG. 3 , is an overhead view of the first half section  20  and second half section  22  which engage to form the body portion  12  of the device  10  such as in  FIGS. 1-2 and 10-12 . As can be seen, the complimentary fasteners  12  are formed by the engagement of the projection  11  on one half of the fasteners  12  and the opening  13  of the other half of the complimentary fasteners  12  and hold the first half section  20  to the second half section  22 , to form the body portion  14 . Similar to  FIG. 3 , in  FIG. 4  is shown the two half sections  20  and  22  of  FIG. 3 , in a perspective view. 
     In  FIG. 5  is depicted, an example of one mode of a kit  40  of appendage components which are made available to user, to choose from, to render the three dimensional shape of the finished device  10 , to the desired shape. As shown, ears  42  can be provided in many different shapes in the kit  40  such as those in  FIGS. 1,11, and 12 . By appendage components is meant a kit of engageable arms and/or legs, and or ears, and/or noses, and/or other projecting appendages, which give the device  10  a recognizable shape of an object or animal. 
     Consequently in the kit of appendages shown for example in  FIG. 5 , other shapes for such as would occur to those skilled in the art for ears  42  which will change the overall perceived shape of the device  10  when attached. Also shown are arms  28  and legs  30 , both of which would be part of an appendage kit  40  but which also can vary in shape and size to allow a changing of the shape of the finished device  10  to user requirements. 
     As shown, all of the arms  28 , legs  30  and ears  42  are formed by first and second half sections, which will stack in a compact nesting fashion, and which when in such a nesting fashion, can be stacked within the internal cavity  34  of one of the first half section  20  or second half section  22  of the body portion  12 , for compact shipping and storage. The first and second half sections of the components of the kit  40 , are easily assembled by complimentary fasteners  12 , which locate a first complimentary fastener or projection  11  on one half section which engages a second complimentary fastener which is shown here as formed openings  13  on the other half sections. While noted above, the arms and legs and other appendages in the kit  40  may be formed in single pieces instead of halves, however such will not best provide the nesting utility of the device  10  herein in all modes, and consequently half sections are preferred. 
     Also shown in  FIG. 5  and larger in  FIG. 6 , the appendages from the kit  40 , can have their respective half sections easily joined as all have mating portions of complimentary fasteners  12  which as can be seen in  FIG. 6 , currently are a first complimentary fastener or projection  11  which will engage the second complementary fastener such as an opening  13  located on the body portion  14 , such as on a first opening  24  or second opening  26 , or the appropriate registered position on the body portion  14 . 
       FIG. 7  shows a side perspective view of the two half sections  20  and  22 , of the body portion  14  of the topiary device  10  such as in  FIGS. 3-4  and in other drawings herein. Shown are the engaged complimentary fasteners  12  as well as the first openings  24  and second openings  26  having mating connectors such as openings  13  ready for connection to the mating connector portions such as projections  11  on the chosen assembled appendages from a kit  40  shown by example in  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 8  shows an enlarged view of the typical engagement of the two half portions of the appendages available in the kit of  FIG. 5 . The complimentary first and second portions of each complimentary fastener  12  are engaged to connect the two half portions of the appendages available in the kit  40 . When disengaged, the half sections of each appendage will nest in an adjacent positioning to each other, and be easily positioned within the internal cavity  34  of one half section of the body portion  14 . 
       FIG. 9  shows a chosen appendage from the kit of appendages  40  of  FIG. 5 . As noted,  FIG. 5  is depicted to show a kit  40  featuring various exemplars of various appendages which could be included in a kit of appendages  40  where each has one half of a complimentary fastener  12  thereon, which can be easily engaged to the other half of complimentary fasteners  12  located on the body portion  14 . Particularly preferred, as noted for the arms  28  and legs  30  once assembled from their respective half portions, are engagement points on one of the first opening  24  or second opening  26  already shown and described in previous figures herein. This is preferred as noted to provide unobstructed passage or access through the mesh wall of the body portion  14  between the interior cavity  34  and axial passages  32  of the appendages such as the arms  28  and legs  30 . 
     In  FIG. 10  is shown that the member appendages of the kit  40  can include other shapes for the ears  42  such as the shown rabbit-like ears, and the appendages in the kit  40  can also include one or a plurality of noses  44 . The nose  44  can be as in  FIG. 10 , or could be a trunk where an elephant shape is desired, or a snout type nose  44  shown in  FIG. 11 , or any other shape as would occur to those skilled in the art. The kit  40  of appendages could include any of the shown noses  44  herein or others not shown which will help the user form a chosen shape for their device  10 . The nose  44  appendages from the kit  40  would engage the head section  18  of the body portion  14  using complimentary fasteners  12  in the same fashion noted herein for engagement of half sections of appendages and engagement thereof to the body portion  14 . 
       FIG. 11  shows the two half sections of a body portion  14  of the topiary device  10  herein, such as in  FIG. 7  engaged by complimentary fasteners  12 . Also shown are chosen appendages from a kit  40  of appendages such as in  FIG. 5 . As assembled the device  10  in  FIG. 11  has user chosen appendages from a kit  40  of appendages which are engaged to the body portion  14  using the complimentary fasteners  12 , to form the shape of a piglet.  FIG. 12  is a side view of the topiary device  10  shown in  FIG. 11 . 
     Finally, shown in  FIG. 13  is a view of components of the topiary device  10  herein, depicting the nesting or stacked positioning of the half portions forming the body as well as half sections forming the appendages completely within one cavity of the higher stacked body half section, and below the perimeter edge, in a nesting position. As shown, the two half sections of the arms  28  or the legs  30 , can nest with each other and then be positioned within the half portion of the interior cavity  34  of the higher positioned half sections  20  and  22  of the body portion  14 . Once they have been so positioned in a stacked nesting positioning with the appendages sitting below the perimeter edge of the interior cavity  34  of the stacked half sections of the body portion  14 , this stacked nesting storage and shipping configuration significantly reduces package size for shipping and storage. 
     While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the topiary structure assemblable from removably engageable components herein have been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that upon reading this disclosure and becoming aware of the disclosed novel and useful kit assembled topiary system herein disclosed, that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may occur to and be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations and substitutions, as would occur to those skilled in the art are considered included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.