Patents by Inventor Joseph G. Straeter

Joseph G. Straeter has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7073290
    Abstract: A decorative assembly for a floral grouping wherein the decorative assembly includes a floral holding material and a sheet of fluid impermeable material. The floral holding material is a preformed shape-sustaining support member movable between a flattened condition and an expanded condition. A stabilizing member or assembly is connected to the preformed shape-sustaining support member for stabilizing and maintaining the preformed shape-sustaining member in the expanded condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Wanda M. Weder and William F. Straetor
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, William F. Straeter, Joseph G. Straeter, Michael J. King, Franklin J. Craig, Michael R. Klemme
  • Publication number: 20060032135
    Abstract: A floral sleeve and method of using the floral sleeve to cover a pot. The floral sleeve may have an inwardly folded bottom gusset for forming a bottom in the sleeve which is concealed by the lower sidewall of the sleeve when the sleeve is opened and the pot is disposed therein. The sleeve may have a detachable upper portion for enclosing a floral grouping disposed within the pot, in particular a central upper support element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Michael R. Klemme
  • Patent number: 6996933
    Abstract: A sleeve used to wrap items such as potted plants. The sleeve may have an open or closed bottom. When closed, the bottom may have a gusset for allowing expansion upon the depositing of the pot into the sleeve. The sleeve has a detachable upper portion. The sleeve has a bonding material disposed upon an inner and/or outer portion of the sleeve for crimping the sleeve adjacent the pot to hold the sleeve about the pot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Wanda M. Weder and William F. Straeter, not individually but solely as Trustees of The Family Trust U/T/A dated 12/8/1995
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, William F. Straeter
  • Patent number: 6991697
    Abstract: A method for covering a flower pot with a sheet of material or a pot cover. At least a portion of a sheet of material, or the inner surface of the pot cover and/or the outer surface of the flower pot is provided with a bonding material such that upon wrapping the sheet of material about the outer surface of the flower pot or placing the flower pot in an interior space of the pot cover, the flower pot is secured to the sheet of material wrapped thereabout or the pot cover via the bonding material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Wanda M. Weder and William F. Straeter
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter
  • Patent number: 6986235
    Abstract: A band applicator for applying a band about a sheet of material disposed about a pot to provide a decorative cover for the pot. The band applicator includes a pot frame having a pot opening and a band holder configured to releasably hold a plurality of bands. The sheet of material is extended about the outer peripheral surface of the pot, and the pot with the sheet of material disposed thereabout is disposed in a pot receiving space in the pot frame. The pot frame holds the sheet of material positioned about the pot. A band is removed from the band holder and disposed about the sheet of material and pot for cooperating to hold the sheet of material positioned about the pot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Wanda M. Weder and William F. Straeter, not individually but solely as Trustees of The Family Trust U/T/A dated December 8, 1995
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, William F. Straeter
  • Patent number: 6946045
    Abstract: An adhesive and material dispenser for dispensing single sheets of material from stacks of sheets of material or from rolls of material and applying an adhesive to the sheet. The adhesive is applied by contacting the adhesive portion of an adhesive transfer tape to the sheet. The sheet of material with the adhesive applied thereto can be used to wrap floral arrangements or flower pots or other articles. The dispenser may be combined with an automatic pot wrapping apparatus so the adhesive application and decorative pot wrapping sequence can be combined into one continuous operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Wanda M. Weder and William F. Straeler
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter
  • Patent number: 6904716
    Abstract: A decorative assembly for a floral grouping which includes a floral holding material and a sheet of fluid impermeable material disposed about the floral holding material. The floral holding material is a preformed shape-sustaining support member which is moveable between an expanded condition and a flattened condition. In the expanded condition the preformed shape-sustaining support member as an open upper end, an open lower end, a peripheral sidewall defining an internal chamber extending between the open upper end and the open lower end thereof and a groove disposed circumferentially about the peripheral sidewall. The peripheral sidewall is provided with creases to facilitate movement of the preformed shape-sustaining support member between the expanding condition and the flattened condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, William F. Straeter, Joseph G. Straeter, Michael J. King, Franklin J. Craig, Michael R. Klemme
  • Patent number: 6871447
    Abstract: A floral container used to wrap items such as potted plants or comestibles. The floral container has a closed curved bottom. The floral container may also have an expansion element such as a gusset, pleats, random folds or elastic material for enabling the lower portion of the sleeve to conform to the outer and bottom surfaces of the pot to provide a decorative cover about the pot. The floral container optionally has a detachable upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Wanda M. Weder and William F. Straeter
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Paul Fantz
  • Patent number: 6868636
    Abstract: A decorative assembly for supporting a floral grouping which includes a floral holding material and a sheet of fluid impermeable material. The floral holding material is a preformed shape-sustaining support member, which is selectively movable between an expanded condition and a flattened condition, is provided with a stabilizing assembly for stabilizing the preformed shape-sustaining support member in the expanded condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, William F. Straeter, Joseph G. Straeter, Michael J. King, Franklin J. Craig, Michael R. Klemme
  • Patent number: 6860085
    Abstract: A band applicator for applying a band about a sheet of material disposed about a pot to provide a decorative cover for the pot. The band applicator includes a pot frame having a pot opening and a band holder configured to releasably hold a plurality of bands. The sheet of material is extended about the outer peripheral surface of the pot, and the pot with the sheet of material disposed thereabout is disposed in a pot receiving space in the pot frame. The pot frame holds the sheet of material positioned about the pot. A band is removed from the band holder and disposed about the sheet of material and pot for cooperating to hold the sheet of material positioned about the pot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: The Family Trust U/T/A 12/8/1995
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, William F. Straeter
  • Patent number: 6857226
    Abstract: A sleeve used to wrap items such as potted plants. The sleeve may have an open or closed bottom. When closed, the bottom may have a gusset for allowing expansion upon the depositing of the pot into the sleeve. The sleeve has a detachable upper portion. The sleeve has a bonding material disposed upon an inner and/or outer portion of the sleeve for crimping the sleeve adjacent the pot to hold the sleeve about the pot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, William F. Straeter
  • Publication number: 20040237401
    Abstract: A plant packaging and covering system including a flexible floral sleeve having a base portion and a skirt portion, and optionally an upper detachable portion which may be sized to surround a plant disposed in a flower pot. The base portion is generally made from two flat panels substantially free of overlapping portions and the skirt portion has a plurality of overlapping portions which allow the skirt portion to expand outwardly from the upper end of the base portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter
  • Patent number: 6807771
    Abstract: A floral sleeve initially having a flattened condition and openable therefrom for use in covering, containing or wrapping a floral grouping, botanical item, pot, or pot having a floral grouping or botanical item therein. The sleeve has a curvilinear lower end, and may have a detachable upper portion. The sleeve may have a non-linear or linear upper edge. When having a detachable upper portion, the sleeve has a detaching element which when employed to detach the upper portion, leaves a linear, or non-linear upper edge on the lower portion of the sleeve, the curvilinear lower end of the sleeve may have a gusset therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: The Family Trust
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Paul Fantz
  • Publication number: 20040194380
    Abstract: An adhesive and material dispenser for dispensing single sheets of material from stacks of sheets of material or from rolls of material and applying an adhesive to the sheet. The adhesive is applied by contacting the adhesive portion of an adhesive transfer tape to the sheet. The sheet of material with the adhesive applied thereto can be used to wrap floral arrangements or flower pots or other articles. The dispenser may be combined with an automatic pot wrapping apparatus so the adhesive application and decorative pot wrapping sequence can be combined into one continuous operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter
  • Patent number: 6775949
    Abstract: A plant packaging and covering system including a flexible floral sleeve having a base portion and a skirt portion, and optionally an upper detachable portion which may be sized to surround a plant disposed in a flower pot. The base portion is generally made from two flat panels substantially free of overlapping portions and the skirt portion has a plurality of overlapping portions which allow the skirt portion to expand outwardly from the upper end of the base portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter
  • Publication number: 20040128910
    Abstract: A floral sleeve and method of using the floral sleeve to cover a pot. The floral sleeve has an inwardly folded bottom gusset for forming a bottom in the sleeve which is concealed by the lower sidewall of the sleeve when the sleeve is opened and a pot is disposed therein. The sleeve may have a detachable upper portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Michael R. Klemme
  • Publication number: 20040128950
    Abstract: A method for forming a decorative cover about a flower pot wherein a customer forms a sheet of material about the flower pot utilizing a cover forming apparatus to provide the decorative cover for the flower pot. The method may include automatically fastening the decorative cover to the flower pot, and optionally automatically placing a label on the covered flower pot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Paul Fantz
  • Publication number: 20040118729
    Abstract: The present invention is a modular system for packaging articles for shipment. In particular, a potted plant is placed in a cover, then automatically deposited into a protective sleeve. The potted plant thus packaged is ready for containment within a shipping carton. Various components of the system may be adapted for various packaging needs and circumstances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Inventors: Frank Craig, Joseph G. Straeter, Donald E. Weder
  • Publication number: 20040112009
    Abstract: A floral sleeve and method of using the floral sleeve to cover a pot. The floral sleeve has an inwardly folded bottom gusset for forming a bottom in the sleeve which is concealed by the lower sidewall of the sleeve when the sleeve is opened and the pot is disposed therein. The sleeve may have a detachable upper portion for enclosing a floral grouping disposed within the pot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2003
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Michael R. Klemme
  • Patent number: 6735925
    Abstract: A decorative cover or container for holding a flower pot, floral grouping or botanical item, and constructed from a sheet of material having a plurality of folded portions, wherein the decorative cover or container is initially constructed in a flattened condition, and having a base portion which is opened to expose an interior space into which a pot or floral grouping can be disposed, and having a bottom having bottom folds secured by a bottom fold securing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter