Background

Currently, items a re displayed in a variety of ways including baskets, plates, trays, tables, boxes, and bins. Objects such as ba ked goods and other food items, golf balls, Easter eggs, toys, snacks, and coffee can be displayed and organ ized while also being attached to another item such as a coffee cup, vase, mason jar, or any other needed vessel. During parties, gatherings or events these displays are typically arranged in a central area for access. In addition to the central area, these events typically have a centerpiece such as flowers, vases, candles for aesthetics located on tables or islands. What is presented is a display system that is easily assembled, compact, and multifunctional. The d isplay combines the function of the centerpiece and multiple items to create a single item capable of being located in multiple locations wh ile providing an aesthetic view. The display could replicate the look of a flora l arrangement or any shape desired by the user.

Summary

What is presented is a holding unit for multiple items comprising a plura lity of item holders and a base onto which the item holders are arranged. The base is mounted onto an adapter that is used to mount the hold ing unit to a support base. The base of the holding unit may have a decorative shape. The item holders may also be a rranged decoratively on the base. The hold ing unit may hold any of baked goods, food items, golf balls, single serve coffee cups, stress ba lls, or any other items that may fit on the item holders. The support base may be a vessel such as a coffee mug, a mason jar, a vase, or other centerpiece. Alternatively, the support base may be a block of wood, a block of foam, a block of metal, or a block of plastic. If the support base is a mason ja r, the adapter is mounted to the support base with the mason jar band interposed between the adapter and the base. In some embod iments, the holding un it may be dissembled and stored in the support base. In some embodiments the item holders comprise at least one prong to support or inset into an item. I n other embodiments, the item holders comprise at least three prongs to support or insert into an item or they may be cups or baskets into which items are held.

The adapter may be mounted to the support base by gravity, threads, snaps, magnets, adhesives, buttons, pins, string, or hook and loop fasteners. The adapter may also conform to the dimensions of the support base. In instances where the adapter is mounted to the support base by gravity, additional lateral support structures may be incorporated to prevent tangential movement of the holding unit relative to the support base. Multiple bases may be connected to each other for creative a nd decorative assemblies.

In some embodiments, the item holders and the base are a single piece. In other embod iments, the item holders are mounted to the base by threads, snaps, magnets, adhesives, buttons, pins, string, or hook and loop fasteners.

Those skilled in the art will realize that this invention is capable of embodiments that a re different from those shown and that details of the apparatus and methods can be changed in various manners without departing from the scope of this invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions a re to be regarded as including such equivalent embodiments as do not depa rt from the spirit a nd scope of this invention.

Brief Description of Drawings

For a more complete understanding and appreciation of this invention, and its many adva ntages, reference will be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 depicts a holding unit for multiple items mounted onto a su pport base that is a mason jar and holding a plurality of items that are cupcakes;

FIG. 2 depicts an expanded view of the holding unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A depicts a base of the holding un it of FIG. 1; FIG. 3B depicts another embodiment of base in which the base is circular in shape onto which item holders are mounted;

FIG. 3C depicts another embodiment of base in which the base is triangular in shape onto which item holders are mounted;

FIG. 4A depicts an adapter of the holding unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4B depicts another embodiment of adapter in which the adapter is square in shape to correspond to a square shaped support base;

FIG. 5A depicts an item holder from FIG. 1;

FIG. 5B depicts a different embodiment of item holder in which the securing portion is a single prong;

FIG. 5C depicts a different embodiment of item holder in which the securing portion is a basket or a cup;

FIG. 5D depicts a different embodiment of item holder in which the bottom portion and the securing portions are different from that of the item holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5E depicts a different embodiment of item holder in which the bottom portion is triangular in shape; and

FIG. 6 shows multiple bases of the embodiment of FIG 1 attached in overlapping fashion to create a decorative display.

Detailed Description

Referring to the drawings, some of the reference numerals are used to designate the same or corresponding parts through several of the embodiments and figures shown and described. Corresponding parts are denoted in different embodiments with the addition of lowercase letters. Variations of corresponding parts in form or function that are depicted in the figures are described. It will be understood that variations in the embodiments can generally be interchanged without deviating from the invention. FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a holding unit 10 for multiple items 12, in this case cupcakes, mounted on a support base 14. FIG. 2 shows that the holding unit 10 comprises a plurality of item holders 16 that are arranged decoratively on a base 18. The base 18 is mounted to an adapter 20 which is used to mount the holding unit 10 onto the support base 14. In the embodiment shown in FIGs. 1 and 2, the support base 14 is a mason jar. Standard mason jars have screw-top bands to seal the mason jar. The adapter 20 in this embodiment is mounted to the support base 14 with the mason jar band interposed between the adapter 20 and the support base 14. A feature of using a support base 14 that is a mason jar is that the various components of the holding unit 10 may be disassembled and stored in the support base 14 for storage, display, shipping, or sale. This may be possible if the support base 14 were any other vessel as well but the mason jar option has the benefit of having standard elements easily available for purchase and distribution.

It will be understood that the support base 14 shown in the figures is a mason jar, but any other vessel that the adapter 20 can mount to can be used such as a coffee mug, a vase, or other centerpiece. The support base 14 doesn't have to be a vessel either; it could be a block of wood, a block of foam, a block of metal, or a block of plastic. In addition, the items 12 shown in FIG. 1 are cupcakes, but any other item that fit in the item holders 16 can be used. It could be any baked goods and other food items, golf balls, single serve coffee cups, stress balls, etc.

The adapter 20 shown in FIGs. 1 and 2 does not require the interposition of the mason jar band and may just be mounted to the support base 14 by gravity. However, it will be understood that the adapter 20 may mount to the support base 14 by threads, snaps, magnets, adhesives, buttons, pins, string, hook and loop fasteners, or other means.

The item holders 16 are shown in FIGs. 1 and 2 as separate from the base 18 in some embodiments, the item holders 16 and the base 18 may be integrated into a single piece. The item holders 16 are also shown as mounted to the base 18 with pins, but any other mounting system may be uses such as threads, snaps, magnets, adhesives, buttons, pins, string, hook and loop fasteners, etc. FIG. 3A shows that the base 18 of the embodiment shown in FIGs. 1 and 2 is formed in the shape of a flower. It should be understood that other shapes and configurations of bases are also possible. FIGs. 3B and 3C show a circular base 18a and a triangular base 18b, but other shapes are also possible to provide for other configurations of items holder arrangements in decorative configurations.

FIG. 4A shows the underside of the adapter 20 of the embodiment shown in FIGs. 1 and 2. In this embodiment, the adapter 20 is circular and sized to fit the top of the support base 14, which in this case is a mason jar. In general, the adapter 20 conforms to the dimensions of the support base 14 to which it is to be mounted. The various dimensions of the adapter 20 may be modified in various embodiments. This may be required in instances in which the support base 14 is something other than a mason jar in which a mason jar band may be used to provide support to hold the holding unit 10 in place. In instances in which the support base 14 does not have such a feature that could be used to support the holding unit 10, various dimensions may be modified. For example, the wall of the adapter identified as element F in FIG 4A may be lengthened into a cylinder to provide a lateral support structure that prevents tangential movement of the holding unit 10 relative to the support base 14. This would be particularly useful for support bases 14 that are, for example, mugs, vases, or other vessels.

FIG. 4B shows that the adapter 20c may be have other shapes than circular. The adapter 20c is sized to fit on a support base that has a square opening. Other shapes and configurations are also possible.

FIG. 5A shows that the item holder 16 of FIGs. 1 and 2 comprises a three-armed shaped bottom portion 22 and a securing portion 24 that are three upward oriented prongs with one prong on each arm of the bottom portion 22 in this embodiment. Items are held in the item holder 16 by placing them between the prongs of the securing portion 24. FIG. 5B shows that different configurations item holders 16d are possible with this embodiment having a securing portion 24d that is a single upward oriented prong onto which an item may be pierced or hung. FIG. 5C shows an embodiment of item holder 16e in which the securing portion 24e is a cup or basket into which items may be held. FIG. 5D shows an embodiment of item holder 16f in which the bottom portion 22f is shaped differently than other embodiments. In addition, the prongs of this embodiment of securing portions 24f are also shaped differently. This illustrates that the shape and number of bottom portions 22f and securing portions 24f may be varied without deviating from the function of the item holder 16f. FIG. 5E shows an embodiment of item holder 16g in which the bottom portion 22g is shaped differently than other embodiments. In addition, the prongs of this embodiment of securing portions 24g are also shaped differently. This illustrates that the shape and number of bottom portions 22g and securing portions 24g may be varied without deviating from the function of the item holder 16g.

The flexibility of the holding unit disclosed herein is that multiple configurations of systems are possible by using multiple instances of the holding unit in conjunction. FIG. 6 shows one instance in which multiple holding unit bases 18 are mounted together using the item holders 16 to create a complex pattern of overlapping bases 18 and item holders 16. This allows the creation of artistic and creative expressions of items by varying the number and configuration of various elements of the holding unit.

This invention has been described with reference to several preferred embodiments. Many modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding specification. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such alterations and modifications in so far as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents of these claims.