Expandable container for floral grouping

Abstract

This invention generally relates to expandable containers, more importantly, to expandable containers having a housing with at least one chamber devoid of a fill material in an unexpanded condition and in an expanded condition the chamber having a fill material disposed therein.

1 . A container for a floral grouping, the container having a collapsed condition and an expanded condition, the container comprising: 
 a housing having a chamber for receiving and retaining a fill material, in the collapsed condition the fill material external to the chamber and in the expanded condition the fill material disposed within the chamber such that the chamber is substantially full of the fill material and thereby expands the chamber and the housing so as to provide the container with a retaining space for containing the floral grouping.    
   
   
       2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the housing further comprises an inlet for permitting selective introduction and removal of the fill material from the chamber.  
   
   
       3 . The container of  claim 2  wherein the fill material is a gas.  
   
   
       4 . The container of  claim 3  wherein the inlet is an air valve.  
   
   
       5 . The container of  claim 2  wherein the fill material is a liquid.  
   
   
       6 . The container of  claim 5  wherein the inlet is a hollow tube and a cap for selectively sealing and unsealing the hollow tube.  
   
   
       7 . The container of  claim 2  wherein the fill material is a granular solid.  
   
   
       8 . The container of  claim 1  wherein in the expanded condition the container has a frusto-conical configuration.  
   
   
       9 . The container of  claim 1  wherein in the expanded condition the container has a conical configuration.  
   
   
       10 . The container of  claim 1  wherein in the expanded condition the container has a cubic configuration.  
   
   
       11 . The container of  claim 1  wherein in the expanded condition the container has a cylindrical configuration.  
   
   
       12 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the housing comprises a plurality of chambers.  
   
   
       13 . A self inflating container for containing a floral grouping, the self inflating container comprising; 
 a housing, the housing having inner chamber impermeable to a first fill material disposed in the inner chamber and an outer chamber impermeable to a second fill material disposed in the outer chamber, the inner chamber disposed within the outer chamber, the inner chamber constructed of a material such that when a force is applied to the housing, the internal chamber is ruptured causing the first fill material to mix with the second fill material causing a chemical reaction producing an expanding material which causes the outer chamber and the housing to expand and provide a retaining space configured for containing the floral grouping.    
   
   
       14 . The self inflating container of  claim 13  wherein the first fill material is manganese dioxide and the second fill material is our aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide.  
   
   
       15 . The self inflating container of  claim 13  wherein the first fill material is a sodium bicarbonate and the second fill material is an acetic acid.  
   
   
       16 . The self inflating container of  claim 13  wherein in the expanded condition the container has a frusto-conical configuration.  
   
   
       17 . The self inflating container of  claim 13  wherein in the expanded condition the container has a conical configuration.  
   
   
       18 . The self inflating container of  claim 13  wherein in the expanded condition the container has a cubic configuration.  
   
   
       19 . The self inflating container of  claim 13  wherein in the expanded condition the container has a cylindrical configuration.