Floral easel constructed of hollow wire and methods of production and use thereof

Abstract

A hollow wire and method of using the hollow wire to wrap or support a flower stem or floral grouping, and/or use in construction, crafts, hobbies, or other uses in need of wire products, is disclosed.

1 . A floral or craft form, comprising:
 a wire netting or mesh capable of being formed into a floral or craft form, wherein at least a portion of the wire netting or mesh is constructed of a hollow wire, wherein the hollow wire has a sidewall having an outer surface, an inner surface, and an inner space.   
     
     
         2 . The floral or craft form of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow wire is further defined as having a first longitudinal edge, a second longitudinal edge, and a longitudinal groove which extends along a length of the hollow wire, and wherein at least one of:
 (a) at least a portion of the first and second longitudinal edges of the hollow wire overlap;   (b) at least a portion of the first and second longitudinal edges of the hollow wire abut one another; and   (c) the hollow wire has a gap between the first and second longitudinal edges.   
     
     
         3 . The floral or craft form of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow wire has a polygonal cross-section selected from the group consisting of square, rectangular, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, and trapezoidal. 
     
     
         4 . The floral or craft form of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the hollow wire is covered with a coating selected from the group consisting of paper, plastic, fabric, ribbon, rubber, polymeric material, metal, enamel, paint, metalized fabric, metalized polymeric film, ceramic material, flocking, bonding material, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The floral or craft form of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow wire is further defined as having an outer diameter and an inner diameter and a circular, oval, elliptical, or parabolic cross-section. 
     
     
         6 . The floral or craft form of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow wire has at least one of a corrugated portion, a scored portion and an interlocking portion. 
     
     
         7 . A floral easel or plaque for supporting a floral arrangement, comprising:
 an easel or plaque on which at least a portion of a floral arrangement may be disposed or attached, wherein at least a portion of the easel or plaque is constructed of a hollow wire, wherein the hollow wire has a sidewall having an outer surface, an inner surface, and an inner space.   
     
     
         8 . The floral easel or plaque of  claim 7 , wherein the hollow wire is further defined as having a first longitudinal edge, a second longitudinal edge, and a longitudinal groove which extends along a length of the hollow wire, and wherein at least one of:
 (a) at least a portion of the first and second longitudinal edges of the hollow wire overlap;   (b) at least a portion of the first and second longitudinal edges of the hollow wire abut one another; and   (c) the hollow wire has a gap between the first and second longitudinal edges.   
     
     
         9 . The floral easel or plaque of  claim 7 , wherein the hollow wire has a polygonal cross-section selected from the group consisting of square, rectangular, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, and trapezoidal. 
     
     
         10 . The floral easel or plaque of  claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the hollow wire is covered with a coating selected from the group consisting of paper, plastic, fabric, ribbon, rubber, polymeric material, metal, enamel, paint, metalized fabric, metalized polymeric film, ceramic material, flocking, bonding material, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The floral easel or plaque of  claim 7 , wherein the hollow wire is further defined as having an outer diameter and an inner diameter and has a circular, oval, elliptical, or parabolic cross-section. 
     
     
         12 . The floral easel or plaque of  claim 7 , wherein the hollow wire has at least one of a corrugated portion, a scored portion, and an interlocking portion. 
     
     
         13 . The floral easel or plaque of  claim 7 , further defined as a collapsible floral easel or plaque. 
     
     
         14 . A method of supporting a floral arrangement, comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one floral arrangement;   providing a floral easel comprising at least one support member, wherein at least a portion of the floral easel is constructed of a hollow wire, wherein the hollow wire has a sidewall having an outer surface, an inner surface, and an inner space; and   disposing the at least one floral arrangement on the support member of the floral easel whereby the floral easel supports the floral arrangement.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of disposing the floral easel and floral arrangement on at least one of a casket, tombstone, headstone, monument and memorial, whereby the floral arrangement is thus supported on the at least one of a casket, tombstone, headstone, monument and memorial. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein, in the step of providing a floral easel, the hollow wire from which at least a portion of the floral easel is constructed is further defined as having a first longitudinal edge, a second longitudinal edge, and a longitudinal groove which extends along a length of the hollow wire, and wherein at least one of:
 (a) at least a portion of the first and second longitudinal edges of the hollow wire overlap; 
 (b) at least a portion of the first and second longitudinal edges of the hollow wire abut one another; and 
 (c) the hollow wire has a gap between the first and second longitudinal edges. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein, in the step of providing a floral easel, the hollow wire from which at least a portion of the floral easel is constructed has a polygonal cross-section selected from the group consisting of square, rectangular, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, and trapezoidal. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  wherein, in the step of providing a floral easel, at least a portion of the hollow wire from which at least a portion of the floral easel is constructed is covered with a coating, wherein the coating is selected from the group consisting of paper, plastic, fabric, ribbon, rubber, polymeric material, metal, enamel, paint, metalized fabric, metalized polymeric film, ceramic material, flocking, bonding material, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14  wherein, in the step of providing a floral easel, the hollow wire from which at least a portion of the floral easel is constructed is further defined as having an outer diameter and an inner diameter and a circular, oval, elliptical, or parabolic cross-section. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14  wherein, in the step of providing a floral easel, the hollow wire from which at least a portion of the floral easel is constructed has at least one of a corrugated portion, a scored portion, and an interlocking portion. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14  wherein, in the step of providing a floral easel, the floral easel is further defined as a collapsible floral easel.