Abstract:
The present invention relates to a cupcake holder for secure transport. In one embodiment, the cupcake holder comprises a vase, a mount for mounting a plurality of cupcakes, attached to the vase, a plurality of support pins attached to the mount, projections of pairs of the support pins of configured to support a cupcake; and at least one skewer corresponding to each of the plurality of cupcakes, inserted through each of the cupcake into the mount.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/126,042 filed Feb. 27, 2015, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to food packaging and transport and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for assembling and packaging cupcake bouquets for transport. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Baked goods, such as cupcakes, are widely served at a variety of festivities and occasions. Presentation is particularly important, and hosts seek to impress their guests with unique designs and patterns of cupcakes. One such unique presentation involves arranging cupcakes as a bouquet, creating a cupcake bouquet with a vase. However, it is a challenge to position cupcakes in the bouquet without either compromising the presentation or the integrity of the arrangement, leading to possible breakage. Additionally, it is a challenge to package the cupcake bouquet for easy display and removal by the customer without damaging the bouquet. Furthermore, it is another challenge to transport the cupcake bouquet package while avoiding damage to the bouquet and the cupcakes due to vehicle movement, vehicle breaking, and the like. 
         [0006]    Therefore, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus for assembling and packaging cupcake bouquets for transport. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    A cupcake holder in the form of a bouquet, and techniques for making and packaging the cupcake bouquet are described herein. The cupcakes are arranged over a hemispherical base, and are supported vertically and horizontally over the hemispherical base. The cupcake bouquet is enclosed in a box, and the movement of the cupcake bouquet within the box is restricted. 
         [0008]    These and other features and advantages of the present disclosure may be appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the present disclosure, along with the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a cupcake bouquet being assembled, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the cupcake bouquet of  FIG. 1  being assembled further, according to one or more embodiments; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a partial cut away view of the cupcake mount shown in  FIG. 2 , according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a frontal view of a cupcake bouquet of  FIG. 1  illustrating an alternate embodiment for mounting cupcakes of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a frontal view of an assembled cupcake bouquet, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a cupcake bouquet of  FIG. 1  enclosed in a packaging box prior to being assembled, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the assembled cupcake bouquet of  FIG. 5  secured in the packaging box of  FIG. 6 , according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an assembled cupcake bouquet fixed to a base plate, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the completed cupcake bouquet of  FIG. 7  with complete packaging, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0018]    While the method and apparatus for assembling and packaging cupcake bouquets for transport is described herein by way of example for cupcakes, those skilled in the art will recognize that the method and apparatus for assembling and packaging cupcake bouquets for transport is not limited to the embodiments or drawings described. It should be understood, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit embodiments to the particular form disclosed. Any headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used herein, the word “may” is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include”, “including”, and “includes” mean including, but not limited to. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a method and apparatus for assembling and transporting cupcake bouquets for transport. The cupcakes are arranged in the form of a flower bouquet, having a vase forming the base of the bouquet, and a cupcake mount attached to the vase, for securing the cupcakes in the form of a bouquet. The mount includes support pins or a supporting disc to support the cupcakes arranged removably over the mount, such that the cupcakes stay stably positioned over the mount and the cupcakes may be removed as desired by a consumer of the cupcake bouquet without impacting other cupcakes in the arrangement. Skewers are inserted into the foam from the top of the foam to secure the cupcake. The cupcake bouquet is secured in a packaging box via two or more crossed skewers that are approximately the same length and width of the box. The vase of the cupcake bouquet is secured to the base of the box, and support pins passing through the mount restrict the movement of the cupcake bouquet in the box during transport. In some embodiments, the vase of the cupcake bouquet is affixed to a base plate, which restricts the movement of the cupcake bouquet in the box during transport. 
         [0020]    Various embodiments of a method and apparatus for assembly and packaging of cupcake bouquets are described. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of claimed subject matter. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that claimed subject matter may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, apparatuses or systems that would be known by one of ordinary skill have not been described in detail so as not to obscure claimed subject matter. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a frontal view of a cupcake bouquet  100  being assembled, according to one or more embodiments. The bouquet  100  includes a vase  102 , a mount  104  attached to the vase  102  using an adhesive  106 . The vase  102  forms the base of the bouquet  100 , and according to some embodiments, the vase  102  includes a glass vase, a plastic vase, a metal vase, among others. The mount  104  is generally a portion of a sphere, such as a hemisphere, to support cupcakes in a bouquet formation. The mount  104  may be made using a firm material capable of supporting the weight of the cupcakes, and to accommodate pins and skewers used for supporting cupcakes. According to some embodiments, the mount  104  is made using polystyrene foam, e.g., closed-cell extruded foam such as STYROFOAM, in a hemispherical shape. The adhesive  106  is any adhesive suitable for attaching the mount  104  to the vase  102 . According to some embodiments, the adhesive  106  is a thermoplastic adhesive such as hot melt adhesive applicable using a hot glue gun, an epoxy adhesive, and several other suitable adhesives as known in the art. In some embodiments, the mount  104  may partially overlap a top portion of the vase  102  to further ensure that the mount  104  is limited in movement. For example, the mount  104  may be shaped to have a portion fit snugly within an opening of the vase  102 , for example the mouth (not shown) of the vase  102 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is another frontal view of a cupcake bouquet  100  of  FIG. 1  being assembled further, according to one or more embodiments. The bouquet  100  includes support pins  112  to provide support for cupcakes. The support pins  112  include for example, greenery pins (also called greening pins), U-shaped pins, and the like, and are inserted into the mount  104 . A portion of the support pins  112  projects outwards from the surface of the mount  104  to provide vertical support for cupcakes. Once inserted, the support pins  112  are not easily dislodged from the mount  104 . The portion of support pins  112  projecting from the mount  104  serve as a base to provide vertical support for a cupcake. 
         [0023]    According to some embodiments, the bouquet  100  also includes a decorative colored sheet  108  covering the mount  104 , and a ribbon  110  for skirting the lower edge of the mount  104 . The colored sheet  108  may be made from paper, or plastics, such as cellophane, and the like and serve to mask the mount  104  with an aesthetically suitable color for the bouquet  100  appearance. Similarly, the ribbon  110  is an aesthetically suitable color and material, and may be crafted with different patterns, for example, patterns resembling plants and greens, or other desirable patterns. In one embodiment, the ribbon  110  is made from kale. In embodiments including the colored sheet  108  and/or the ribbon  110 , the support pins  112  additionally serve to hold the colored sheet  108  and the ribbon  110  in place. A decorative thread  109  to accommodate a tag  111  for displaying text  113 , such as, for addressing the recipient of the bouquet  100  may also be included. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a partial cut away view of a mount  104  shown in  FIG. 2  illustrating the mounting of cupcakes  114   1 ,  114   2 , and so on, collectively referred to as cupcakes  114 , according to one or more embodiments. Portions of support pins  112  project outwards from the mount  104 , and according to some embodiments, portions projecting from adjacent support pins  112  forms a base to hold the cupcakes  114 . The projection length of the support pins  112  is approximately equal to the portion of the cupcakes covered with cupcake baking cups  115 . Skewers  116  are inserted through the center of cupcakes  114  and into the mount  104 . The skewers  116  prevent a movement of the cupcakes  114  along the surface of the mount  104 . Although shown projecting outside the cupcakes  114  in  FIG. 3 , the skewers  116  are inserted into the cupcakes  114  (or icing thereon) such that the skewers  114  are not visible. The skewers may be inserted into the cupcakes using any push tool, such as a cup bur used in the jewelry industry. In some embodiments, two or more skewers  116  are inserted into the cupcakes  114  and pushed closer to each other in configuration that ‘squeezes’ the baking material of the cupcakes  114 , thereby resulting in a tighter adherence of the cupcakes  114  to the mount  104 . The cupcakes  114  are mounted such that the cupcakes  114  project slightly upwards from the horizontal plane parallel to the base of vase  102 . For example, an axis  117  of the cupcake  114   2  is at a small angle  119  with the horizontal axis H. This slight upward projection of the cupcake  114   2  prevents an automatic movement of the cupcake  114   2  away from the mount  104 , for example, due to gravity. 
         [0025]    The combination of the support pins  112 , the skewers  116  and a slight upward tilt of the cupcakes  114  provide a stable support arrangement to hold the cupcakes onto the mount  104 , so the cupcakes  114  are not easily dislodged from their position unless intentionally removed, for example, by a consumer of the cupcakes. The support arrangement described above maintains the cupcakes in position during transportation, without incurring any damage to the cupcakes.  FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate the use of support pins  112  to form a base to support the cupcakes  114 , and  FIG. 4  illustrates an alternative embodiment to form a base to support the cupcakes  114 , as further described. 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is another frontal view of a cupcake bouquet  100  of  FIG. 1  illustrating an alternate embodiment for mounting cupcakes. Instead of using support pins  112  to support a first level of cupcakes, the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4  uses a supporting disc  130 . The supporting disc  130  is attached to the vase  102  with an adhesive  107 , and the mount  104  is attached to the supporting disc  130  using the adhesive  109 . The supporting disc  130  is made from material used for making carton boxes, for example, which is easily available due to the availability of carton boxes for packaging the bouquet  100 . According to some embodiments, the supporting disc  130  is made from other materials, including but not limited to, paper, glass, plastics, metal or a combination thereof. The adhesives  107  and  109  may be similar to or different from the adhesive  106  described above, and include suitable adhesives generally known in the art. The cupcakes  114  are secured to the mount  104  by use of skewers  116 , in a manner similar to that described with respect to the embodiment of  FIG. 3 . The supporting disc  130  provides the vertical support provided by the support pins  112  in the embodiment of  FIG. 3 . The supporting disc  130  provides vertical support to a first level of cupcakes, while other levels of cupcakes are supported by the first level of cupcakes in combination with further use of support pins and skewers, according to some embodiments. 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  is a front view of an assembled cupcake bouquet  100 , according to one or more embodiments. According to some embodiments, about 16 support pins  112  are installed to support eight cupcakes  114  in a first level  119   1  of cupcakes  114  arranged around the mount  104 . A second level  119   2  of cupcakes  114 , for example, four cupcakes  114  can be mounted over the first level  119   1 . According to some embodiments, the cupcakes  114  of the first level  119   1  provide vertical support to the cupcakes  114  of the second level  119   2 , without requiring support pins  112  to support the cupcakes  114  of the second level  119   2 , however, the skewers  116  are provided for each cupcake. The second level  119   2  supports a third level  119   3  of one or more cupcakes  114  in a similar manner. According to some embodiments however, support pins  112  are provided for each cupcake  114 . While  FIG. 5  illustrates the assembled cupcake bouquet  100  made by completing the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3 , an assembled cupcake bouquet can be made similarly by completing the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0028]    According to some embodiments, decorative elements  118  are included in the vase  102 . Such decorative elements  118  may be included in the vase  102  before attaching the mount  104  to the vase  102  as shown in  FIG. 1 , or before attaching the supporting disc  130  to the vase  102 . The decorative elements  118  serve to increase the aesthetic of the bouquet  100 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a cupcake bouquet  100  of  FIG. 1  enclosed in a packaging box prior to being assembled, according to one or more embodiments. While the bouquet  100  may be packaged after assembly, that is, the bouquet  100  of  FIG. 5  may be packaged, as show in  FIG. 6 , securing the vase  102  within packaging material such as a carton box  120  before assembling the bouquet  100  protects the vase  102  from damage during the assembling process, for example, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5 . The box  120  is generally made from paperboard, corrugated paper or corrugated fiberboard, however, other suitable materials may also be used without deviating from the scope and spirit of the present invention.  FIG. 6  illustrates the box  120  partially, and a portion of the base  121  of the box  120 , and a portion of the wraparound portion  125  of the box are shown. The wraparound portion  125  includes cuts  122  and folds  124  to wrap around the box material around the neck of the vase  102 . The wrapped around box material is attached together by staples  126 , enclosing the vase  102 . 
         [0030]    The vase  102  of the bouquet  100  is affixed to the base  121  using an adhesive  123 , which is a suitable adhesive similar to or different from the adhesive  106 . Affixing the vase  102  to the base  121  of the box  120  assists in preventing movement of the bouquet  100  within the box  120 , avoiding damage to the cupcakes mounted on the bouquet  100  during transport. 
         [0031]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the assembled cupcake bouquet  100  of  FIG. 5  installed in the packaging box  120  of  FIG. 6 , according to one or more embodiments. The bouquet  100  further includes two box pins  128  to assist in preventing movement of the bouquet  100  within the box  120 . The box pins  128  are made of plastic, or any other suitable material that is lightweight yet rigid to sustain the movement of the bouquet  100  while being transported. The two box pins  128  are skewered through the mount  104  of the bouquet  100 , such that each of the box pins touches or nearly touches opposing walls of the box  120 . For example, one box pin  128   1  skewered through the mount  104  of the bouquet  100  has a length approximately equal to the distance between sidewalls  125  of the box  120 . The other box pin  128   2  has a length equal to the distance between a back wall  127  and a front wall  127  of the box  120 . When a lid (shown in  FIG. 9 ) is mounted over the box  120 , movement of the box pins  128  will be constrained by the sidewalls  125  and the back wall  127  and a wall of the lid interfacing with the front wall  127 , thereby preventing the motion of the bouquet  100  within the box  120 , for example, when the bouquet  100  packaged in the box  120  is transported. 
         [0032]    As illustrated by  FIGS. 6 and 7 , attaching the vase  102  to the base  121  of the box, and the use of box pins  128  prevent the movement of an assembled bouquet  100  within the box.  FIG. 8  illustrates an alternate technique to prevent the movement of an assembled bouquet  100  within the box, as further described. 
         [0033]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an assembled cupcake bouquet  100  fixed to a base plate  132 , according to one or more embodiments. The vase  102  of the bouquet  100  is affixed to the base plate  132  by an adhesive  134 , similar to or different from the adhesive  106 , as generally known in the art. The base plate  132  has dimensions approximately equal to a base of a box in which the bouquet  100  is packaged, for example the base  121  of the box  120 . Due to the same size of the base plate  132  and the base  121  of the box  120 , the movement of the base plate  132 , and therefore the movement of the bouquet  100  attached thereon, is constrained. Such an arrangement therefore prevents the movement of the bouquet within the box  120 , and avoids damage to the bouquet  100 , for example, during transportation. According to alternative embodiments, the vase  102  is filled with heave materials such as pebbles to provide stability to the bouquet  100  to stay upright by balancing the top-heavy bouquet  100  due to the weight of the cupcakes  114 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the completed cupcake bouquet  100  of  FIG. 7  with complete packaging, according to one or more embodiments. The box  120  with the bouquet  100  installed therein is enclosed by a lid  136 . The lid  136  is made from a material similar to the material of the box  120 , and may include a label  136  for advertisement and/or addressing purposes. Additionally, the box  120  has two notched front corners which allow the lid  136  to easily pass over the box  120 , saving time and hassle. 
         [0035]    Cupcake bouquets are assembled using the techniques illustrated with respect to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , or alternatively  FIG. 4 , such that the cupcakes are stably mounted on the bouquet. Thereafter, the assembled bouquets are packaged, for example, installed in carton boxes using the techniques illustrated with respect to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , or alternatively  FIG. 8 , such that the movement of the bouquets in the boxes is restricted. Various techniques described herein therefore provide a cupcake bouquet or cupcake holder having a stable mounting mechanism for the cupcakes, and a stable packaging arrangement, which prevent any damage to the cupcakes or the cupcake bouquet during transportation and handling. 
         [0036]    Various elements are described above in association with their respective functions. These elements are considered means for performing their respective functions as described herein. While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof.