Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to a decoration comprising two decoration parts and a telescopic stem. The telescopic stem may be adapted for holding the two decoration parts.

The telescopic stem may have a centre axis extending along the telescopic stem.

The telescopic stem may comprise an outer tube with a decoration end, one or more extension stems and locking means comprising a locking pin.

The telescopic stem may comprise an outer tube with a decoration end and one or more extension stems with a decoration end. The outer tube and the one or more ex tension stems may be coaxially arranged on the centre axis and adapted for the exten sion stems to slide inside the outer tube between a collapsed state and an extended state.

In a display state, the locking pin may be adapted to extend beyond a locking edge and to hold the telescopic stem in a locked position

Background of the Disclosure

Decorations are widely used for celebrating festive seasons, where distinct decorations are used for each season. Decorations may also be used on other occasions, for exam ple mascots used at trade fairs or exhibitions.

The decoration may be from a few decimetres up to several metres in height or length in full-size. Most decorations of this size may be reused year after year. This means that the decorations have to be stored, which requires storage space.

The transportation of the decorations from fabrication to the retailer also requires stor age space during transportation, which adds costs to each decoration. Furthermore, depending on the kind of decoration, a tall decoration with heavy deco ration parts arranged in different parts of the decoration may make it difficult to han dle during transportation and may be quite fragile, which may require more time to handle during distribution. The number of broken decorations may also be a consider able expense.

Object of the Disclosure

It is an objective to overcome one or more of the before-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art.

Description of the Disclosure

An object of the invention may be achieved by a decoration comprising two decora tion parts and a telescopic stem. The telescopic stem may be adapted for holding the two decoration parts.

The telescopic stem may have a centre axis extending along the telescopic stem.

The telescopic stem may comprise an outer tube with a decoration end and an inlet end. The inlet end may have a narrowing passage and a locking edge. The locking edge may be adapted for interacting with a locking pin.

The telescopic stem may comprise an extension stem with a lock end. The lock end may have an enlarged end part. The lock end may have a pin aperture edge of a pin aperture. The pin aperture may be adapted for a locking pin to extend through.

The telescopic stem may comprise locking means comprising a locking pin. The lock ing pin may be adapted to extend through the pin aperture. In a display state, the lock ing pin may be adapted to extend beyond the locking edge and to hold the lock end in a position relative to the inlet end, such that the locking pin is arranged between the locking edge and the pin aperture edge. The outer tube and the extension stem may be coaxially arranged on the centre axis and adapted for the extension stem to slide inside the outer tube between a collapsed state and an extended state.

The extended state may be limited in extent by a fit-lock between the enlarged end part of the extension stem and the narrowing passage of the outer tube.

The locking edge may be the end of outer tube at the inlet end. Alternatively, the lock ing edge may be the edge of an aperture comprised in the wall of the outer edge, such that the locking pin extends through that aperture.

The locking means may be adapted to be fixed inside or partly inside the extension stem at the lock end.

The locking means may be a spring activated or a springy unit, e.g. a spring button lock, spring clip, snap button, button clip or comparable units in function and/or in design. However, other types of springy means comprising a lock pin may be used.

Extending beyond the locking edge may include the meaning of extending across the locking edge in a radial direction in a direction away from the centre axis.

The locking means may hold a tension, which may be released or partly released when the pin aperture is unblocked. In the embodiment where the locking edge is the end of the outer tube at the inlet end, the pin aperture may be blocked by the outer tube as long as the part of the extension stem comprising the pin aperture is inside the outer tube. The pin aperture may in this embodiment be unblocked when the entire part of the extension stem comprising the pin aperture is outside the outer tube.

In the embodiment where the locking edge is the edge of an aperture comprised in the wall of the outer tube, the pin aperture may be unblocked when the aperture of the outer tube is coaxially aligned with the pin aperture and the locking pin. The centre axis of the telescopic stem may constitute a collapse direction in which the extension stem slides into the outer tube, and an expand direction in which the exten sion stem slides out from the outer tube.

The locking pin, the pin aperture and/or the aperture in the outer tube may be arranged in a radial transversal direction from the centre axis.

In the display state, the pin aperture, the locking pin and/or the aperture in the outer tube may be coaxially aligned.

The locking pin may not comprise sharp edges including recesses or protrusions in the centre axis direction. Instead, the shape of the locking pin may include a bar with a cone-shaped end, a hemisphere-shaped end, a triangular end, a semi-circular end or comparable shapes.

Distinct recesses or protrusions in the centre axis direction may cause the inlet end and the lock end to be locked in a non-intended position or the locking pin may be hin dered in extending through the pin aperture or through the pin aperture and across the locking edge.

The act of changing the decoration from a collapsed decoration to a full-size decora tion (display state) may in the following be written as operating the decoration or the decoration in operation.

One effect of this embodiment may be that the decoration is collapsible. Hence it may be operated in a collapsed state, a display state and between those two states. This may be advantageous in regard to obtaining a decoration, which is intended to be dis played in the display state, being the full-sized decoration and to be stored and/or transported in the collapsed state, being the collapsed decoration. The required storage room for storing the collapsed decoration may be significantly reduced compared to storing the decoration in full-size. The same applies during transport, where the room required for each decoration may be reduced and hence a larger number of decorations may be comprised in e.g. a shipping container, which may reduce transportation costs and environmental impact. Furthermore, the collapsed decoration may be more robust during handling, than the decoration in full-size, this may apply both during distribution, but also for the indi vidual use of the decoration between storage and display.

Another effect of this embodiment may be that, in the display state, the locking device may be activated by a user applied pressure directly or indirectly to the extension stem and/or the outer tube in the collapse direction for collapsing the decoration, thereby achieving that the decoration may be operated without the use of an activation button.

A comparable effect of the embodiment is achieved when operating the decoration from being a collapsed decoration to a full-size decoration, where the locking device may be in the pre-tension state until the decoration reaches full-size. Here, the decora tion may be operated by applying a pull force in the extend direction and thereby achieving that the decoration may be operated without the use of an activation button.

The locking means may be designed to have a tension suitable for this operation, such that the tension in the display state may be balanced with the weight of one or more decoration parts and the pressure impact of the one or more decoration parts on the locking pin, such that it holds the decoration in the display state until an additional pressure is applied in the collapse direction causing the release of the locking pin.

Another effect of the embodiment may be that the decoration cannot be separated in normal use due to the fit-lock between the enlarged end part of the extension stem and the narrowing passage of the outer tube. This built in fit-lock may be regarded as a limiter in the extend direction. Due to the design of the locking means and the opera tion of the decoration, the locking pin may only be adapted for, in the display state, holding the lock end in a position relative to the inlet when force is applied in one direction, e.g. gravitational force.

The above may also apply for the embodiment, where the locking edge is the edge of an aperture comprised in the wall of the outer tube. Here, a pull force applied to the full-size decoration in the extend direction may cause the locking pin to unlock. For example, if the full size decoration is moved by lifting only one of the decoration parts, another decoration part may exert a pull force to the telescopic stem, thereby releasing the locking pin.

In one embodiment of the decoration, the extension stem at the lock end may com prise a set of pin apertures. The locking means may comprise a corresponding set of locking pins adapted to extend through the pin apertures and to hold the decoration in the display state, where the locking pins are arranged between one or more locking edges and the pin aperture edges.

The locking means may be adapted to be fixed inside or partly inside the extension stem at the lock end.

The locking means may be a single unit comprising the set of locking pins. The lock ing means may be a spring activated or a springy unit, e.g. a double or a triple spring button lock, spring clip, snap button, button clip or comparable units in function and/or in design.

Alternatively, the locking means may comprise multiple items, which in total com prises the set of locking pins. The locking means may be spring activated or springy units, e.g. spring button locks, spring clips, snap buttons, button clips or comparable units in function and/or in design.

However, other types of springy means comprising a lock pin may be used.

One effect of this embodiment may be to increase the total tension of the locking means, such that the weight of the decoration parts and/or the outer tube and/or the extension stem may be increased while obtaining the same operation of the decora tion, as previously described, where it is operated by a user-applied push or pull force. Thereby, it may be achieved to obtain decorations adapted to be operated without the use of an activation button by having a tension of the locking means adjusted to the weight of one or more of the decoration parts.

In one embodiment of the decoration, the telescopic stem may comprise one or more additional extension stems. Each additional extension stem may comprise an inlet end, a lock end and locking means. Each additional extension stem may be arranged adja cent to another extension stem. The extension stems may be coaxially arranged on the centre axis and adapted to slide inside an adjacent extension stem between a collapsed state and an extended state. The extended state may be limited by the fit-lock between the enlarged end part of the extension stem and the narrowing passage of the outer tube or of the adjacent extension stem.

The locking means may be adapted to be fixed inside or partly inside the extension stem at the lock end. The locking means may be adapted for an adjacent extension stem to slide inside the present extension stem. Furthermore, the locking means may be adapted for the adjacent extension stem to be fully or partly contained inside the present extension stem.

One effect of this embodiment may be that the decoration may be extended with a length greater than the length of the outer tube, which is the limiting factor length wise in the embodiment where a single extension stem is comprised in the telescopic stem.

In one embodiment of the decoration, the extension stem arranged farthest from the outer tube may further comprise a decoration end. The decoration end may have a protrusion adapted to fit-lock the extension stem with the inlet end of one or more of the extension stems, the outer tube or both.

The protrusion may only fit-lock with the inlet ends in the collapsible direction.

The protrusion may extend in a radial direction away from the centre axis.

One effect of the protrusion may be that in the operation of the decoration from dis play state to collapsed state, the protrusion may fit-lock with the adjacent extension stems such that they are completely packed inside each other. For the protrusion to fit- lock with all the extension stems comprised in the telescopic stem, the reach of the protrusion may be above the inner diameter of the extension stem being adjacent to the outer tube. One advantage of having the extension stems completely packed inside each other is that the size of the decoration in collapsed state is independent of the number of extension stems.

Using only a single protrusion for fit-locking with the remaining extension stems fur ther supports the above-described effects.

In one aspect, the protrusion may be arranged in a position where an outer part of the extension stem is farther from the adjacent extension stem than the protrusion. One effect of the protrusion may be that the extension stem comprising the protrusion may fit-lock to the outer tube such that the outermost part of the extension stem is outside of the to fit-lock with all the extension stems comprised in the telescopic stem, the reach of the protrusion may be above the inner diameter of the outer tube to achieve this effect. One advantage may be that the outer part may be reachable for extending the telescopic stem.

In one aspect, a decoration part may be arranged at the decoration end of the extension stem. The protrusion may be arranged closer to the locking end than any mounting point of the decoration part at the extension stem. One effect of this embodiment may be that the protrusion may spare the decoration part from the impact of any of the oth er extension stems and/or the outer tube when the decoration is operated in the col lapse direction.

In one embodiment of the decoration, the protrusion is a cone-shaped protrusion hav ing a cone top adapted to be fixed around the extension stem and a cone base extend ing radially outwards from the cone top, wherein the cone-shaped protrusion is ar ranged with the cone base facing the outer tube.

The cone shaped protrusion may comprise a solid base extending inwards to the ex tension stem or an annular base being detached from the extension stem.

The cone-shaped protrusion may have the further effect of distributing the impact of the other extension stems and/or the outer tube around the circumference of the exten sion stem. In one embodiment of the decoration, the telescopic stem may comprise guiding means to guide the sliding of the one or more extension stems inside the adjacent out er tube or extension stem in a predetermined direction.

One effect of this embodiment may be that the extension stems do not rotate, which may be advantageous in regard to having the decoration parts correctly arranged rela tive to each other. A further advantage is that the pin apertures and the locking edges may be aligned as intended to achieve the display state.

In one embodiment, the decoration comprises one or more additional telescopic stems

(20).

One effect may be that decorations with different designs may be achieved. Another effect may be that a more stable construction is achieved. This may be advantageous for decorations comprising decoration parts with volume and/or weight of a certain extent.

In one aspect, the decoration may comprise one or more rigid connecting means con necting at least two telescopic stems adapted to be operated in parallel.

The rigid connecting means may be comprised in one or more decoration parts. The rigid connection means may be arranged at the outer tubes and/or at the outer part of the extension stem if a protrusion is comprised in the extension stem.

The rigid connecting means may add further stability to the decoration.

In one aspect, the telescopic stem may be fixed to a stand. The stand may have a cer tain weight and/or area for an enhanced stability of the decoration, e.g. in windy sur roundings, in crowded areas, installed in a location in motion, for example aboard a ship, on a train, or comparable locations.

In one embodiment of the decoration, one decoration part may comprise a collapsible structure. One effect of this embodiment may be that the decoration parts may extend beyond the one or more extension stems or extend beyond the outer tube end one or more ex tension stems without restricting the decoration in the collapsed state. In a further embodiment of the decoration, the collapsible structure comprises a spiral structure or a ring structure arranged with interconnecting foldable wires.

Description of the Drawing

Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of the lock end and the inlet of adjacent tubes or stems in the display state.

Figure 2 illustrates another embodiment of the lock end and the inlet of adjacent tubes or stems in the display state.

Figure 3 illustrates two embodiments of the telescopic stem comprising multiple ex tension stems.

Figure 4 illustrates one embodiment of a decoration having two connected telescopic stems.

Figure 5 illustrates a further embodiment of a decoration having two connected tele scopic stems.

Figure 6 illustrates a further embodiment of a decoration having two connected tele scopic stems.

Figure 7 illustrates one embodiment of a collapsible structure.

Figure 8 illustrates two embodiments of a collapsible decoration.

Detailed Description of the Disclosure

No Item

1 decoration

2 collapsed state

4 extended state

6 locked extended state

10 decoration part

20 telescopic stem

22 centre axis

30 outer tube [Pipe]

32 decoration end

34 inlet end

36 narrowing passage

38 locking edge

40 extension stem

42 decoration end

44 lock end 46 enlarged end part

48 pin aperture

49 pin aperture edge

50 locking means

52 locking pin

60 protrusion

62 cone-shaped protrusion

64 cone top

66 cone base

70 guiding means

72 connecting means

80 collapsible structure

82 spiral structure

84 ring structure

86 inter-connecting foldable wires

Figure 1A-1C illustrate embodiments of the lock end 44 of an extension stem 40 and the inlet end 34 of an adjacent outer tube 30 or extension stem 40 in the display state 6. The embodiments may be illustrated as seen from different rotation angles in the figures 1A, IB and 1C.

The lock end 44 of the extension stem 40 is illustrated with a dashed frame. The lock end 44 is partly comprised inside the inlet end 34. The enlarged end part 46 comprised in the lock end 44 is therefore not illustrated but only indicated by the dashed frame.

The inlet end 34 of the adjacent outer tube 30 or extension stem 40 is also illustrated with a dashed frame. The inlet end comprises a narrowing passage 36. The area of the narrowing passage in transversal direction to the centre axis 22 is lower than the area of the adjacent part of the outer tube 30 or extension stem 40.

In the transversal direction to the centre axis 22, the enlarged end part 46 in the lock end 44 has an outer circumference that extends beyond the outer circumference of the area of the narrowing passage 36 in the inlet end of the adjacent tube 30 or stem 40. In the illustrated embodiment, the inlet end 34 comprises an aperture with a locking edge 38. The locking pin 52 extends through the pin aperture 48 having a pin aperture edge 49. The pin aperture 48 and the pin aperture edge 49 are indicated, but not shown in the figure. The locking pin 52 is arranged between the locking edge 38 and the pin aperture edge 49 in the display state.

Figure 1C illustrates an embodiment having locking means 50 comprising two locking pins 52, and an inlet end 34 comprising two apertures, each with a locking edge. The embodiment also comprises two pin apertures 48 with pin aperture edges. The two locking pins 52 are each arranged between a locking edge 38 and a pin aperture edge in the display state.

Figure 2 illustrates another embodiment of the lock end 44 of an extension stem 40 and the inlet end 34 of an adjacent outer tube 30 in the display state 6. The embodi- ments may be illustrated as seen from different rotation angles in the figures 2A and 2B.

The lock end 44 is partly comprised inside the inlet end 34. The enlarged end part comprised in the lock end 44 is therefore not illustrated, but only indicated by the dot- ted frame.

The inlet end 34 comprises a narrowing passage 36. The area of the narrowing pas sage in transversal direction to the centre axis 22 is lower than the area of the adjacent part of the outer tube 30. Here, the narrowing passage is achieved by having a cylin- drical part with an inner diameter smaller than the diameter of the adjacent tube part of the outer tube 30.

In the transversal direction to the centre axis 22, the enlarged end part 46 in the lock end 44 has an outer circumference that extends beyond the outer circumference of the area of the narrowing passage 36 in the inlet end 34 of the adjacent outer tube 30.

In the illustrated embodiment, the inlet end 34 comprises a locking edge 38 being identical to the edge of the inlet end 34 of the extension stem 40 or the outer tube 30. The locking end 44 comprises a pin aperture 48 having a pin aperture edge 49.

The locking pins 52 extend through the pin aperture 48 and across the locking edge 38, such that the locking pins 52 are arranged between the locking edge 38 and the pin aperture edge 49 in the display state. Figure 2A illustrates the embodiment with a single locking pin 52 at the locking end and figure 2B illustrates an embodiment using two locking pins 52.

The two telescopic stems 20 in the embodiments are welded together at the inlet end 34 of the outer tube 30. The welding acts as a rigid connection means 72 and provides for a rigid connection between the telescopic stems 20.

Figure 3 illustrates two embodiments of the telescopic stem 20 comprising multiple extension stems 40. The extension stem 40 arranged farthest from the outer tube 30 comprises a decoration end 42.

In figure 3A the multiple extension stems 40 are illustrated in a partly extended state with each extension stem 40 adapted to slide inside an adjacent extension stem 40 or an outer tube. The centre axis of the telescopic stem may constitute a collapse direc- tion, in which the extension stem 40 slides into the outer tube and/or adjacent exten sion stems 40, and an expand direction, in which the extension stem 30 slides out from the outer tube and/or adjacent extension stems 40.

The embodiment illustrated in figure 3B, 3C and 3D comprises a protrusion 60 in the decoration end 42 of the extension stem 40 arranged farthest from the outer tube 30. The protrusion is adapted to fit-lock the extension stem 40 with the inlet end 34 of one or more of the extension stems 40, the outer tube 30 or both. Figure 3B to 3D illus trates the progress from a partly extended state of the telescopic stem 20 to a collapsed state, but with the extension stem comprising the protrusion 60 slightly raised for bet- ter illustration of the protrusion 60. In the collapsed state, the extension stems 40, not comprising the protrusion 60, are fully contained inside the outer tube 30. Figure 4 illustrates one embodiment of a decoration having two connected telescopic stems 20. In figure 4A the embodiment is illustrated assembled and in figure 4B as assembly parts.

The telescopic stems 20 each comprise an outer tube 30 and an extension stem 40. The outer tubes 30 are connected via rigid connecting means 72 at the inlet end 34 and the decoration end 32.

The extension stems 40 are connected via rigid connecting means 72 at the decoration end 42. Each extension stem 40 comprise a cone-shaped protrusion 60,62. The cone- shaped protrusions 60,62 are adapted to fit-lock each extension stem (40) with the inlet end (34) of the outer tubes 30.

The rigid connecting means 72 at the decoration ends 32,42 can be a part of the deco ration parts 10.

Figure 5 illustrates a further embodiment of the decoration, illustrated in figure 4, hav ing two connected telescopic stems. Figure 5A illustrates the embodiment in a per spective top view with a part of one decoration part 10 fixed to the decoration end of the extension stems. The part of the one decoration part 10 also comprises means used as rigid connecting means 72. Figure 5B illustrates the embodiment in a different per spective view with a part of the decoration part 10 removed.

At the decoration end of the outer tubes, the other decoration part comprises a stand. The stand may have a certain weight and/or area for an enhanced stability of the deco ration, e.g. in windy surroundings, in crowded areas, installed in a location in motion, for example aboard a ship, on a train, or comparable locations. The stand may also act as additional rigid connecting means 72.

Figure 6 illustrates a further embodiment of the decorations illustrated in figure 4 or figure 5 having two connected telescopic stems. Figure 6A illustrates an embodiment of the decoration in a collapsed state. This embodiment comprises an additional set of locking pins 52’ and an additional set of pin apertures, such that the decoration has a locked collapsed state similar to the display state. The locked collapsed state is achieved using the same concept as for the display state. Hence, the inlet end comprises a locking edge 38 being identical to the edge of the inlet end 34 of the outer tube 30, but in this embodiment the extension stem 40 also comprises a pin aperture having a pin aperture edge just below the protrusion 60 in the direction of the locking end. The locking pins 52’ extend through the pin aperture and across the locking edge 38, such that the locking pins 52’ are arranged between the locking edge 38 and the pin aperture edge 49 in the locked collapsed state. In figure 6B the embodiment of figure 6A is illustrated implemented in the embodiments illus trated in figure 4 or 5.

The protrusion 60 in figure 6 is a cone-shaped protrusion 62. The cone-shaped protru sions 60,62 are adapted to fit-lock each extension stem 40 with the inlet end of the outer tubes 30. The cone-shaped protrusion 62 has a cone top 64 adapted to be fixed around the extension stem 40 and a cone-base 66 extending radially outwards from the cone top 64. The cone-shaped protrusion 62 is arranged such that the cone-base 66 faces the outer tube 30.

Figure 7 illustrates one embodiment of a collapsible structure. In figure 7A the struc ture is shown in a non-collapsed state, which is the state of the decoration part, when the decoration is displayed in full-size. The collapsible structure comprises a ring structure 84 comprising multiple rings which are connected via interconnecting folda ble wires 86. Alternatively, the illustrated collapsible structure could have been achieved by a spiral structure 82. In the illustrated embodiment, the ring structure 84 or alternatively a spiral structure 82 is comprised in thin sheets of paper which also interconnects the parts of the structure 82,84 with itself. Figure 7B illustrates the structure when collapsed, which is the state of the decoration part, when the decora tion is collapsed.

Figure 8 illustrates two embodiments of a collapsible decoration. Figure 8A illustrates one decoration 1 in a display state 6 comprising two decoration parts 10 separated and connected by a telescopic stem 20. The decoration part 10 resembling a hot air balloon is a collapsible structure 80. The telescopic stem 20 comprises an outer tube and two extension stems. This is not visible from the illustration 1. Figure 8B illustrates the decoration from figure 8A in a collapsed state 2. Both the telescopic stem and decora- tion part 10 with the collapsible structure 80 are collapsed. The height of the collapsed decoration 2 is just above 1/3 of the height of the full-size decoration in display state 6 Figure 8C illustrates another decoration 1 in a display state 6 comprising two decora tion parts 10 separated and connected by a telescopic stem. The telescopic stem is hidden in one of the trouser legs of Santa Claus. The telescopic stem 20 comprises an outer tube and one extension stem. This is not visible from the illustration. Figure 8D illustrates the decoration from figure 8C in a collapsed state 2. Only the telescopic stems 20 are collapsed. The height of the collapsed decoration 2 is just above 1/2 of the height of the full-size decoration in display state 6.