Container for edible and non-edible objects

Abstract

A display assembly for edible and non-edible objects comprises a container having an interior bottom surface, at least one tubular holder mounted to the interior bottom surface for receiving a support member, the holder having walls extending substantially perpendicularly to the bottom surface and defining an area on the bottom surface having a minor dimension substantially less than a major dimension, and disposed along the major dimension of the holder at least two internal constrictions of the walls, the constrictions adapted so that the support member is movable between a first, second and third position to change the orientation of the support member out of the vertical.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A display assembly for edible and non-edible objects, comprising: 
 a) a container having an interior bottom surface;    b) mounted to said interior bottom surface at least one tubular holder for receiving a support member, said holder having walls extending substantially perpendicularly to the bottom surface, said walls defining an area on the bottom surface having a first major dimension and a first minor dimension, said first minor dimension being substantially less than said first major dimension; and    c) disposed along said major dimension at least two substantially vertical internal constrictions of said walls of said tubular holder, said constrictions adjacently reducing said first minor dimension, the various constrictions adapted so that said support member is movable between a first, second and third position to change the orientation of the support member from vertical to one of two predetermined angles with the vertical.    
     
     
         2 . The display assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said constrictions comprises a ridge on one of two opposing inside surfaces of said walls at a position of the constriction.  
     
     
         3 . The display assembly in accordance with  claim 1  wherein at least one of said constrictions comprises ridges on both opposing inside surfaces of said walls at a position of the constriction.  
     
     
         4 . The display assembly in accordance with  claim 1  including a plurality of tubular holders mounted to said bottom surface, said plurality of tubular holders having walls extending substantially perpendicularly from the interior bottom surface.  
     
     
         5 . The display assembly in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein at least some of said plurality of tubular holders individually define a substantially circular area on said bottom surface.  
     
     
         6 . The display assembly in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein at least some of said plurality of tubular holders individually define a substantially oval area on said bottom surface.  
     
     
         7 . The display assembly in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein at least some of said plurality of tubular holders individually define a substantially circular area on said bottom surface.  
     
     
         8 . The display assembly in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein some of the plurality of tubular holders respectively define substantially oval areas on the bottom surface having said first major dimension and first minor dimension, and some of the plurality of tubular holders respectively define substantially oval areas on the bottom surface having a second major dimension and second minor dimension, said second major dimension being substantially less than the first major dimension.  
     
     
         9 . The display assembly in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the tubular holders defining areas on the bottom surface having a second major dimension and a second minor dimension include a single vertical internal constriction, said single vertical internal restriction reducing said second minor dimension.  
     
     
         10 . The display assembly in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein said second minor dimension is equal to said first minor dimension.  
     
     
         11 . The display assembly in accordance with  claim 1  including at least a second tubular holder mounted to said interior bottom surface, said second tubular holder having walls extending substantially perpendicularly to the bottom surface and defining an area on the bottom surface having a second major dimension and a second minor dimension, said second major dimension being substantially less than said first major dimension.  
     
     
         12 . The display assembly in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein said second tubular holder includes disposed along said second major dimension at least one substantially vertical internal constriction of said walls of said second tubular holder, said constriction adjacently reducing said second minor dimension, the constriction adapted so that said support member is movable between a first and second position to change the orientation of the support member from vertical to a predetermined angle with the vertical.  
     
     
         13 . A method of displaying edible and inedible objects comprising: 
 a) providing a substantially horizontal base having a plurality of substantially vertical tubular holders adapted for substantially vertical insertion of extended support members, at least one of said holders further adapted for holding one of said support members in a first angled detent position and a second angled detent position;    b) providing a plurality of extended support members for the mounting of edible or inedible objects for display;    c) inserting said plurality of extended support members into said holders respectively in generally vertical orientations; and    d) after insertion rotating at least one of said extended support members out of a vertical orientation through said first angled detent orientation and into said second angled detent orientation.    
     
     
         14 . The method in accordance with  claim 13  including the step of mounting at least some of said edible or inedible objects on said extended support members.  
     
     
         15 . The method in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein said extended support members are cylindrical.  
     
     
         16 . The method in accordance with  claim 14  further comprising a step of rotating at least some of said support members about a longitudinal axis of the support members to vary a final orientation of the displayed objects.  
     
     
         17 . A method of assembling displays of edible and inedible objects, comprising: 
 a) providing a set of substantially identical base moldings having respectively a plurality of integrally formed and substantially vertical rod holders;    b) providing a group of predetermined designs for displays assembled with said moldings, said group of predetermined designs including rod-mounted objects secured in said rod holders; the set of predetermined designs including at least a first design in which essentially all displayed objects in a single design are substantially visible in a front presentation from a particular observer perspective, and a second design in which at least some displayed objects are visible from every observer perspective in a complete circular arc;    c) assembling a set of displays according to said group of designs, including the steps of: 
 (i) inserting mounting rods of said rod-mounted objects in initially substantially vertical orientations in said rod holders;  
 (ii) rotating at least some of the rods of step (i) about horizontal axes to a first secure detent angle in said substantially vertical rod holders; and  
 (iii) further rotating at least some of the rods of step (ii) about said horizontal axes to a second secure detent angle in said substantially vertical rod holders;  
   d) assembling at least some displays according to said first design and at least some displays according to said second design on a set of substantially identical base moldings.    
     
     
         18 . The method of in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the objects have faces, including a step of rotating some of the rods about a longitudinal rod axis in coordination with said inserting in order to adjust an orientation of the faces of the displayed objects in accordance with said first design and said second design respectively.  
     
     
         19 . The method in accordance with  claim 17  including a pre-selection of rod lengths in accordance with said first design and said second design respectively.  
     
     
         20 . The method in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein the objects have faces, including a step of rotating some of the rods about a longitudinal rod axis in coordination with said inserting in order to adjust an orientation of the faces of the displayed objects.  
     
     
         21 . The method in accordance with  claim 20  including steps of for at least one integrally molded and substantially vertical rod holder having a series of three in-line vertical slots, 
 (i) for displays assembled according to said first design inserting a mounting rod of a said rod-mounted object in a single vertical slot so that a face of said object is visible from said particular observer perspective, and  
 (ii) for displays assembled according to said second design inserting mounting rods of a pair of said rod-mounted objects so that said pair of rod-mounted objects are back-to-back, with faces visible from observer perspectives varying by 180 degrees.  
 
     
     
         22 . A display for edible and inedible objects, comprising: 
 a) a molded container base;    b) a plurality of substantially vertical rod holders integrally formed with said molded container base;    c) a plurality of rod-mounted edible and inedible objects;    d) a first sub-set of said plurality of substantially vertical rod holders adapted to securely hold a rod in a single substantially vertical orientation;    e) a second sub-set of said plurality of substantially vertical rod holders adapted to securely hold a rod in an angled detent orientation departing significantly from the vertical; and    f) a third sub-set of said plurality of substantially vertical rod holder adapted to securely hold a rod in a first angled detent orientation departing significantly from the vertical and a second angled detent orientation departing more significantly from the vertical.    
     
     
         23 . The display in accordance with  claim 22 , wherein said angled detent orientation of said second sub-set includes a plurality of angled detent orientations for respective members of the sub-set.  
     
     
         24 . The display in accordance with  claim 22 , wherein said molded container base has a substantially circular bottom, and at least some of said third sub-set of substantially vertical rod holders are adapted so that a rod in said first angled detent position lines up along a concentric arc with a rod inserted into some element of said second sub-set in a respective angled detent position of the second sub-set.  
     
     
         25 . The display in accordance with  claim 22  including at least one element of said first sub-set with a triple vertical slot, wherein three rod-holding positions are disposed in-line.