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).

  • Apparatus and method for automatically forming an article
    Patent number: 6419617
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically forming at least two sheets of material into an article, such as a flower pot cover, is provided. The apparatus includes a first roll of sheet material, a second roll of sheet material, a female die and a male die. A first sheet of material and a second sheet of material are automatically formed from the first and second rolls of sheet material, respectively, and the first and second sheets of material are positioned between the male die and the female die. The male and female dies are shaped such that at least a portion of the male die is receivable in the opening of the female die to form the article. The formed articles are automatically stacked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, William F. Straeter, Frank Craig, Michael J. King, William C. Funk
  • Method of wrapping a pot with a conformable sleeve
    Patent number: 6418698
    Abstract: A sleeve used to wrap items such as potted plants or comestibles. The sleeve has a closed curved bottom. The sleeve 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 sleeve optionally has a detachable upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Paul Fantz
  • Floral grouping with handle incorporated therein
    Patent number: 6415546
    Abstract: A wrapper for wrapping about a floral grouping and a method for wrapping the floral grouping, the wrapper having a handle formed from a portion of the sheet of material for carrying the wrapper with the floral grouping disposed therein. The wrapper may comprise one or more sheets of material. The sheet may have more than one handle portion formed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, John Bergstrand
  • Flexible vase
    Publication number: 20020078626
    Abstract: A decorative assembly for a floral grouping comprising a floral holding material and a sheet of material. The floral holding material is constructed of a material capable of receiving a portion of a floral grouping and supporting the floral grouping. The sheet of material is extended about a portion of the floral holding material and a crimped portion is formed in the sheet of material with the crimped portion cooperating to hold the sheet of material about the floral holding material to provide a decorative covering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, William F. Straeter, Joseph G. Straeter, Michael J. King, Franklin J. Craig, Michael R. Klemme
  • Method of forming a cover
    Publication number: 20020068672
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for covering a flower pot by automatically providing a sheet of material in a vertical or semi-vertical orientation and automatically wrapping the sheet about the flower pot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Publication date: June 6, 2002
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter
  • Method of wrapping a flower pot
    Patent number: 6393801
    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 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Southpac Trust Int'l. Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, William F. Straeter
  • Method of covering a pot or floral grouping with a sleeve having a trapezoidal lower end
    Patent number: 6389749
    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 trapezoidal 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 trapezoidal lower end of the sleeve may have a gusset therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Paul Fantz
  • Method of covering a flower pot with a sleeve
    Patent number: 6385907
    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 optionally has a detachable upper portion. The sleeve has a bonding material disposed upon an inner and/or outer portion of the sleeve for securing the sleeve adjacent the pot to hold the sleeve about the pot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Southpac Trust Int'l. Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, William F. Straeter
  • Article packaging system
    Publication number: 20020050121
    Abstract: The present invention is a modular system for packaging articles for shipment. In particular, a potted plant is sorted according to a grade, placed in a decorative 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: May 25, 2001
    Publication date: May 2, 2002
    Inventors: Frank Craig, Joseph G. Straeter, Donald E. Weder
  • Decorative assembly for a floral grouping
    Publication number: 20020046490
    Abstract: A decorative assembly for a floral grouping comprising a floral holding material and a sheet of material. The floral holding material is constructed of a material capable of receiving a portion of a floral grouping and supporting the floral grouping. The sheet of material is extended about a portion of the floral holding material and a crimped portion is formed in the sheet of material with the crimped portion cooperating to hold the sheet of material about the floral holding material to provide a decorative covering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, William F. Straeter, Joseph G. Straeter, Michael J. King, Franklin J. Craig, Michael R. Klemme
  • Flat sleeve convertible to a decorative container
    Publication number: 20020046489
    Abstract: A sleeve used to wrap items such as potted plants or comestibles. The sleeve has a closed curved bottom. The sleeve 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 sleeve optionally has a detachable upper portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Paul Fantz
  • Single station covering and fastening system
    Patent number: 6370840
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a cover about an article and for automatically fastening the cover to the article, and optionally for automatically placing a label on the covered article. The article may be an article such as a potted plant and the cover may be a decorative cover. The invention satisfies the need for a means for rapidly covering and fastening the cover about an article with a minimal amount of manual effort and in a location having a limited amount of available space. The apparatus comprises a platform having at least one opening sized to receive the article. The apparatus comprises a tying device for automatically applying a band or fastener about a portion of the outer surface of the covered article for fastening the cover about the article after the sheet is formed into a cover about the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Paul Fantz
  • Covering for a floral grouping or flower pot
    Publication number: 20020040547
    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: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Publication date: April 11, 2002
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, William F. Straeter
  • Single station covering and fastening system
    Publication number: 20020040562
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a cover about an article and for automatically fastening the cover to the article, and optionally for automatically placing a label on the covered article. The article may be an article such as a potted plant and the cover may be a decorative cover. The invention satisfies the need for a means for rapidly covering and fastening the cover about an article with a minimal amount of manual effort and in a location having a limited amount of available space. The apparatus comprises a platform having at least one opening sized to receive the article. The apparatus comprises a tying device for automatically applying a band or fastener about a portion of the outer surface of the covered article for fastening the cover about the article after the sheet is formed into a cover about the article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Publication date: April 11, 2002
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Paul Fantz
  • Decorative flower pot sleeve
    Patent number: 6360485
    Abstract: A sleeve used to wrap items such as potted plants or comestibles. The sleeve has a closed curved bottom. The sleeve 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 sleeve optionally has a detachable upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Southpac Trust Int'l. Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Paul Fantz
  • Method for providing a flower pot cover with crimped portion
    Patent number: 6349462
    Abstract: A flower pot cover having a base and preferably a skirt. The base has an upper end, a lower end and a pot receiving space. The skirt is connected to the upper end of the base and the skirt extends a distance outwardly from the base. A bonding material is disposed on the skirt. A flower pot is disposed in the pot receiving space and the portion of the skirt having the bonding material thereon is crimped to provide a bonded crimped portion in the skirt. The crimped portion may be formed after the pot is disposed within the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, William F. Straeter
  • Material and adhesive strip dispenser
    Publication number: 20020020485
    Abstract: A material dispenser for dispensing single sheets of material from stacks of sheets of material or from rolls of material and applying an adhesive strip to the sheet. The adhesive strip is applied by contacting the adhesive portion of an adhesive transfer tape to the sheet. The sheet of material with the adhesive strip applied thereto can be used to wrap floral arrangements or flower pots or other articles. The apparatus 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: March 28, 2001
    Publication date: February 21, 2002
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter
  • Floral covering
    Patent number: 6345469
    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 optionally has a detachable upper portion. The sleeve has a bonding material disposed upon an inner and/or outer portion of the sleeve for securing the sleeve adjacent the pot to hold the sleeve about the pot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, William F. Straeter
  • Flat sleeve convertible to a decorative container
    Patent number: 6341446
    Abstract: A sleeve used to wrap items such as potted plants or comestibles. The sleeve has a closed curved bottom. The sleeve 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 sleeve optionally has a detachable upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Paul Fantz
  • Method of covering a flower pot with a sleeve
    Publication number: 20010054255
    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: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2001
    Publication date: December 27, 2001
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, William F. Straeter