Award trophies with enhanced recipient assembly characteristics

Abstract

An award trophy assembly and method are provided that include an annular base and a flexible strip or placard which may be engraved after an award is received by a recipient and added to the base in a seamless member. Connector members are provided to secure the flexible strip around the annular base.

1 . An award trophy comprising:
 a first member being a base having a cylindrical and annular side wall capable of supporting a trophy member, said side wall having an external cylindrical circumference, and said side wall has at least two opposing closely spaced holes along said external cylindrical circumference of the side wall of the base;   a second member being a placard that is an elongated and flexible strip having a length approximately identical to the external circumference of said side wall of the base, said length being defined between two end edges of the placard, said placard includes at least two connector holes;   at least two connecting members, each connector hole of the side wall being adapted to receive one of said connecting members for assembly of the placard onto the side wall of the base;   said at least two connector holes are spaced a given distance from said end edges of the placard such that when said placard is wrapped around said cylindrical side wall, each of the connector holes of the placard aligns with said closely spaced holes of the side wall and said two end edges of the placard are not readily visible to the unaided eye after assembly of the placard onto the side wall by the connecting members; and   an award positioned on said first member base at a location on the base other than on said cylindrical side wall.   
   
   
       2 . The award trophy of  claim 1 , wherein said placard, after assembly onto said side wall with the connecting members, has an appearance substantially the same as that of the side wall of the base prior to assembly of the placard thereonto. 
   
   
       3 . The award trophy of  claim 1 , wherein said placard is an engraving plate onto which indicia pertinent to the award are positioned. 
   
   
       4 . The award trophy of  claim 1 , wherein the placard assembled onto the side wall by the connecting members is devoid of a visible gap between said end edges of the placard positioned onto the side wall of the base, said side wall being vertical when the award trophy is displayed upright. 
   
   
       5 . The award trophy of  claim 4 , wherein said end edges of the placard abut one another and are sized and shaped to be complementary with each other so as to meet flush with each other. 
   
   
       6 . The award trophy of  claim 1 , wherein said side wall has a selected height, and said placard has a width that is approximately identical to said selected height of the side wall. 
   
   
       7 . The award trophy of  claim 1 , wherein said placard is comprised of a metal material and has a gauge or thickness of not more than about 2 mm. 
   
   
       8 . The award trophy of  claim 1 , wherein said placard is substantially flat prior to assembly onto said side wall and is cylindrical after assembly onto said side wall. 
   
   
       9 . The award trophy of  claim 1 , wherein said placard exhibits a gradual curved condition along its length. 
   
   
       10 . The award trophy of  claim 1 , wherein said at least two opposing closely spaced holes of the base side wall exhibit a center-to-center spacing therebetween of not greater than about one inch (25.4 mm). 
   
   
       11 . The award trophy of  claim 1 , wherein said first member is an assembly of components including a top part, a bottom part and an intermediate part containing said side wall of the base, further including an elongated bolt connecting together all of said award, said top part, said bottom part and said intermediate part. 
   
   
       12 . The award trophy of  claim 11 , wherein said intermediate part has said external cylindrical circumference of the base that is approximately identical to the length of the placard, said intermediate part has a selected internal circumference, said top part of the base has an downwardly extending annular protrusion having a circumference substantially equal to said selected internal circumference of the intermediate part, and said intermediate part overlies substantially all of said downwardly extending annular protrusion of the top part. 
   
   
       13 . The award trophy of  claim 12 , wherein said bottom part of the base has an annular indent that has a circumference substantially identical to said selected internal circumference of the intermediate part, and said annular indent of the bottom part receives a portion of said intermediate part. 
   
   
       14 . The award trophy of  claim 1 , wherein said connector members are screws, and said connector holes of the side wall are threaded to receive said screws. 
   
   
       15 . An award for recipient final assembly, comprising:
 a base having a cylindrical and annular side wall capable of supporting an award such as a statuette, said side wall having an external cylindrical circumference, and said side wall has at least two opposing closely spaced holes along said external cylindrical circumference of the side wall of the base, said closely spaced holes exhibit a center-to-center spacing therebetween of not greater than about one inch (25.4 mm);   a placard engraving plate that is an elongated and flexible strip having a length approximately identical to the external circumference of said side wall of the base, said length being defined between two end edges of the placard, said placard includes at least two connector holes;   at least two connecting members, each connector hole of the side wall being adapted to receive one of said connecting members for assembly of the placard strip onto the side wall of the base;
 said at least two connector holes are spaced a given distance from said end edges of the placard strip such that when said placard strip is wrapped around said cylindrical side wall, each of the connector holes of the placard strip aligns with said closely spaced holes of the side wall and said two end edges of the placard strip are substantially devoid of a visible gap therebetween after assembly of the placard strip onto the side wall by the connecting members; 
 said side wall has a selected height, and said placard strip has a width that is approximately identical to said selected height of the side wall; and 
   an award positioned on said first member base at a location on the base other than on said cylindrical side wall.   
   
   
       16 . The award of  claim 15 , wherein said placard strip, after assembly onto said side wall with the connecting members, has an appearance substantially the same as that of the side wall of the base prior to assembly of the placard thereonto. 
   
   
       17 . The award trophy of  claim 16 , wherein said placard is an engraving plate onto which indicia pertinent to the award are positioned. 
   
   
       18 . The award trophy of  claim 1 , wherein said first member is an assembly of components including a top part, a bottom part and an intermediate part containing said side wall of the base, further including an elongated bolt connecting together all of said award, said top part, said bottom part and said intermediate part; wherein said intermediate part has said external cylindrical circumference of the base that is approximately identical to the length of the placard strip, said intermediate part has a selected internal circumference, said top part of the base has an downwardly extending annular protrusion having a circumference substantially equal to said selected internal circumference of the intermediate part, and said intermediate part overlies substantially all of said downwardly extending annular protrusion of the top part. 
   
   
       19 . A method for recipient addition of award indicia onto an award trophy comprising:
 providing an award trophy having a base with a cylindrical side wall having an external circumference and an award such as a statuette mounted on the base;   forming at least two opposing closely spaced holes within the side wall of the base to create an incomplete award trophy assembly having the appearance of a finished award trophy;   presenting the incomplete award trophy assembly to a recipient of an award from an organization;   preparing a flexible elongated placard strip having a length substantially equivalent to the external circumference of the cylindrical side wall, making at least two connector holes through the placard strip at a location spaced substantially close to the ends of the placard strip and positioning the connector holes such that they exactly overlay the connector holes when the placard is assembled to the side wall of the base, and adding indicia pertinent to the award that has been presented to the recipient;   providing the indicia-containing placard strip to the recipient, and providing connecting members sized and shaped to pass through the connector holes of the placard strip and fit securely in the closely spaced holes of the side wall;   subsequently wrapping the indicia-containing placard strip onto the side wall of the previously presented incomplete award trophy and aligning the connector holes of the placard strip with the closely spaced holes of the incomplete award trophy, and using the connecting members to secure the indicia-containing placard strip to the side wall to thereby prepare a completed award trophy with award indicia secured thereto.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said wrapping and securing of the indicia-containing placard strip to the side wall includes exhibiting an appearance of the completed award trophy that is substantially the same as that of the incomplete award trophy.