Floral easel

Abstract

An erectable and/or collapsible floral easel for holding a floral object is disclosed. Methods of using a floral easel, methods of storing a floral easel, and methods of placing a floral object on a floral easel are also disclosed.

1 . A floral easel for holding a floral object, comprising:
 at least three legs having a first end and a second end, the at least three legs intersected with one another to define a vertex, at least one of the at least three legs having an extended portion extending a distance beyond the vertex, each of the at least three legs moveable with respect to one another about the vertex such that the at least three legs are moveable from a collapsed position to an opened position and from an opened position to a collapsed position, at least a portion of each of the at least three legs disposed substantially adjacent one another in the opened position and wherein a greater portion of each of the at least three legs are disposed substantially adjacent one another in the collapsed position than in the opened position, in the opened position at least a portion of each of the at least three legs spaced a distance from each other, and wherein the extended portion of at least one of the at least three legs is capable of holding the floral grouping on the floral easel;   a bracing assembly capable of holding the at least three legs in the opened position;   a reinforcing member capable of holding at least two of the at least three legs in the opened position; and   a retaining member capable of holding the at least three legs in the collapsed position, wherein the retaining member is attached to at least one of the reinforcing member, at least one of the at least three legs, and the bracing assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The floral easel of  claim 1 , wherein the retaining member is selected from the group consisting of a hook, a loop, a wire, a bow, a rope, a magnet, a cord, a chain, a strap, a cable, adhesive, elastic, clip, spring, band, shrink material, stretch material, a carton, a tube, a bend in at least one of the leg members, a groove, a slot, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The floral easel of  claim 1 , further comprising a floral object support member capable of holding the floral object on the floral easel, the floral object support member connected to the extended portion of the at least one of the at least three legs and spatially disposed from the vertex. 
     
     
         4 . The floral easel of  claim 1 , wherein the at least three legs of the floral easel are formed of a material selected from the group consisting of steel rod (tubular, flat, or profile shaped) and/or wire (coated or uncoated), aluminum rod (tubular, flat, or profile shaped) and/or wire (coated, anodized or uncoated), stainless steel rod (flat or profile shaped) and/or wire (coated or uncoated), plastic pieces of material having cylindrical, tubular, triangular, square, rectangular, polygonal, or other profile shapes or cross-sections of profile shapes, hollow, tubular or profile shaped materials made of metals or polymers, solid or hollow wood, synthetic or man-made materials, natural materials, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The floral easel of  claim 1 , wherein the second ends of the at least three legs engage a substrate in the opened position, and wherein in the collapsed position, at least a portion of the second ends of each of the three legs are disposed substantially adjacent one another. 
     
     
         6 . The floral easel of  claim 1 , wherein the extended portion of the at least one of the at least three legs and the second ends of at least two of the at least three legs engage a substrate in the opened position. 
     
     
         7 . The floral easel of  claim 1 , wherein the at least three legs form a substantially pyramidal configuration having the extended portion extending from the pyramidal configuration when the at least three legs are in the opened position. 
     
     
         8 . The floral easel of  claim 1 , wherein the at least three legs and the bracing assembly form a substantially pyramidal configuration when the at least three legs are in the opened position. 
     
     
         9 . A method of using a floral easel, comprising the steps of:
 erecting a floral easel for holding a floral object to the opened position, whereby the floral easel engages a substrate, the floral easel comprising:
 at least three legs having a first end and a second end, the at least three legs intersected with one another to define a vertex, at least one of the at least three legs having an extended portion extending a distance beyond the vertex, each of the at least three legs moveable with respect to one another about the vertex such that the at least three legs are moveable from a collapsed position to an opened position and from an opened position to a collapsed position, at least a portion of each of the at least three legs disposed substantially adjacent one another in the opened position and wherein a greater portion of each of the at least three legs are disposed substantially adjacent one another in the collapsed position than in the opened position, in the opened position at least a portion of each of the at least three legs spaced a distance from each other, and wherein the extended portion of at least one of the at least three legs is capable of holding the floral grouping on the floral easel; 
 a bracing assembly capable of holding the at least three legs in the opened position; 
 a reinforcing member capable of holding at least two of the at least three legs in the opened position; and 
 a retaining member capable of holding the at least three legs in the collapsed position, wherein the retaining member is attached to at least one of the reinforcing member, at least one of the at least three legs, and the bracing assembly; 
   attaching the floral object to the extended portion of the at least one of the at least three legs; and   displaying the floral object on the floral easel.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the retaining member is selected from the group consisting of a hook, a loop, a wire, a bow, a rope, a magnet, a cord, a chain, a strap, a cable, adhesive, elastic, clip, spring, band, shrink material, stretch material, a carton, a tube, a bend in at least one of the leg members, a groove, a slot, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the floral easel further comprises a floral object support member capable of holding the floral object on the floral easel, the floral object support member connected to the extended portion of the at least one of the at least three legs and spatially disposed from the vertex. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the at least three legs of the floral easel are formed of a material selected from the group consisting of steel rod (tubular, flat, or profile shaped) and/or wire (coated or uncoated), aluminum rod (tubular, flat, or profile shaped) and/or wire (coated, anodized or uncoated), stainless steel rod (flat or profile shaped) and/or wire (coated or uncoated), plastic pieces of material having cylindrical, tubular, triangular, square, rectangular, polygonal, or other profile shapes or cross-sections of profile shapes, hollow, tubular or profile shaped materials made of metals or polymers, solid or hollow wood, synthetic or man-made materials, natural materials, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  wherein, in the step of erecting the floral easel to the opened position, the at least three legs form a substantially pyramidal configuration having the extended portion extending from the pyramidal configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  wherein, in the step of erecting the floral easel to the opened position, the at least three legs and the bracing assembly form a substantially pyramidal configuration. 
     
     
         15 . A method of storing a floral easel, comprising the steps of:
 moving a floral easel for holding a floral object from an erected position to a collapsed position, the floral easel comprising:
 at least three legs having a first end and a second end, the at least three legs intersected with one another to define a vertex, at least one of the at least three legs having an extended portion extending a distance beyond the vertex, each of the at least three legs moveable with respect to one another about the vertex such that the at least three legs are moveable from a collapsed position to an opened position and from an opened position to a collapsed position, at least a portion of each of the at least three legs disposed substantially adjacent one another in the opened position and wherein a greater portion of each of the at least three legs are disposed substantially adjacent one another in the collapsed position than in the opened position, in the opened position at least a portion of each of the at least three legs spaced a distance from each other, and wherein the extended portion of at least one of the at least three legs is capable of holding the floral grouping on the floral easel; 
 a bracing assembly capable of holding the at least three legs in the opened position; 
 a reinforcing member capable of holding at least two of the at least three legs in the opened position; and 
 a retaining member capable of holding the at least three legs in the collapsed position, wherein the retaining member is attached to at least one of the reinforcing member, at least one of the at least three legs, and the bracing assembly; 
   placing the floral easel into a storage area; and   storing the floral easel in the storage area for a period of time.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the retaining member is selected from the group consisting of a hook, a loop, a wire, a bow, a rope, a magnet, a cord, a chain, a strap, a cable, adhesive, elastic, clip, spring, band, shrink material, stretch material, a carton, a tube, a bend in at least one of the leg members, a groove, a slot, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the floral easel further comprises a floral object support member capable of holding the floral object on the floral easel, the floral object support member connected to the extended portion of the at least one of the at least three legs and spatially disposed from the vertex. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least three legs of the floral easel are formed of a material selected from the group consisting of steel rod (tubular, flat, or profile shaped) and/or wire (coated or uncoated), aluminum rod (tubular, flat, or profile shaped) and/or wire (coated, anodized or uncoated), stainless steel rod (flat or profile shaped) and/or wire (coated or uncoated), plastic pieces of material having cylindrical, tubular, triangular, square, rectangular, polygonal, or other profile shapes or cross-sections of profile shapes, hollow, tubular or profile shaped materials made of metals or polymers, solid or hollow wood, synthetic or man-made materials, natural materials, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of retaining the at least three legs in the collapsed position by engaging the legs with the retaining member.