Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Dunlap Codding & Rogers
  • Patent number: 6613409
    Abstract: A substantially flexible, shape-sustaining article having an appearance simulating paper made by forming a flexible, laminated material having a paper-like texture or appearance into a substantially flexible article for receiving an object. The substantially flexible article includes a base having a lower end, an open upper end with an object opening extending therethrough and a decorative border extending outwardly from the open upper end of the base. The lower end of the base of the article may be closed and may also contain a gusset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald E. Weder
  • Patent number: 6606838
    Abstract: A method for containing a botanical item and a growing medium without a pot. A tubular sleeve is provided and the growing medium and botanical item are disposed therein. The tubular sleeve is secured thereabout by using a bonding material to crimp the tubular sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald E. Weder
  • Patent number: 6605170
    Abstract: Curled decorative grasses and methods for producing same are disclosed wherein the curled decorative grasses have improved bulk and simulate Spanish moss in color and appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald E. Weder
  • Patent number: 6604632
    Abstract: A shipping package for a floral grouping including a sheet of material bonded to a support member and wrapped upwardly and gathered at a portion above the floral grouping to enclose the floral grouping. A bonding material joins the gathered portion, and a plurality of perforations in the sheet of material provides for the detachment of a detachable portion above the floral grouping. The support member can be provided as a foldable member to form an outer enclosure about the floral grouping with the sheet of material forming a substantially water tight enclosure between the floral grouping and the outer enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: Southpac Trust Int'l. Inc.
    Inventor: Donald E. Weder
  • Patent number: 6604341
    Abstract: A method of wrapping a potted plant in a decorative cover wherein the cover is a flattened sleeve. Upon opening of the sleeve, the sleeve has a bottom which may be closed, and the sleeve is sized to cover a pot. The potted plant is disposed within the inner retaining space of the open sleeve, and the pot is positioned on the bottom of the sleeve such that the sleeve covers at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the pot to provide the decorative cover for the potted plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald E. Weder
  • Patent number: 6601343
    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: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, William F. Straeter, Joseph G. Straeter, Michael J. King, Franklin J. Craig, Michael R. Klemme
  • Patent number: 6604063
    Abstract: An oilfield equipment identifying apparatus for tracking selected parameters for each of a plurality of pieces of oilfield equipment adapted to be inserted into a drill string supported by a drilling rig. The drilling rig also supports a drilling device for selectively rotating portions of the drill string to form a well bore. The apparatus comprises a computer loaded with an oilfield equipment database. A reader is provided for inputting into the computer a unique identification code for each piece of oilfield equipment added to the drill string so as to build a grid including a reference to each piece of oilfield equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Denny, Edward E. Patterson
  • Patent number: 6601367
    Abstract: A floral sleeve initially having a flattened state 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 concave lower end having an inwardly curved lower edge, 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 concave lower end of the sleeve may have a gusset therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Paul Fantz
  • Patent number: 6602173
    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: May 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Southpac Trust Int'l. Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, William F. Straeter, Frank Craig, Michael J. King, William C. Funk
  • Patent number: 6601344
    Abstract: A plant packaging method providing a tubular sleeve having excess material therein and attaching the sleeve to a potted plant via a bonding material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald E. Weder
  • Patent number: 6598291
    Abstract: An insulator substrate or printed circuit board (PCB) having a filled and plated via. A sidewall of the via and preferably opposite sides of the insulator substrate are first plated with a conductive material. The plated via is then filled with an electrically conductive fill composition. A conductive cap layer is preferably formed over both ends of the conductive fill composition and the opposite surfaces of the insulator substrate, and can be bonded to a surface mount contact as a land or a pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Viasystems, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Parker, Jr., Pamela L. Miscikowski
  • Patent number: 6598340
    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: January 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter
  • Patent number: 6598343
    Abstract: A plant packaging method providing a tubular sleeve having excess material therein and attaching the sleeve to a potted plant via a bonding material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald E. Weder
  • Patent number: 6598341
    Abstract: A cover for covering a floral container such as a flower pot, the cover having a lower portion constructed from an elastic material which can be stretched about the bottom of a floral container, to secure the cover about the floral container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald E. Weder
  • Patent number: 6598342
    Abstract: A decorative assembly for supporting a floral grouping utilizes a shape sustaining floral holding material, a sheet of material and a band. The decorative assembly is formed by a method which includes the steps of forming the sheet of material about at least a portion of the floral holding material with a forming device such that an upper end of the floral holding material remains substantially uncovered, and thereafter securing the sheet of material about the floral holding material with a band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald E. Weder
  • Patent number: 6598372
    Abstract: Flexible polymeric materials having a cloth-like appearance suitable for use in the formation of flower pot covers, floral wrappings and ribbon materials are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald E. Weder
  • Patent number: 6598344
    Abstract: A plant packaging method providing a tubular sleeve having excess material therein and attaching the sleeve to a potted plant via a bonding material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald E. Weder
  • Patent number: 6594952
    Abstract: A plant packaging method providing a tubular sleeve having excess material therein and attaching the sleeve to a potted plant via a bonding material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald E. Weder
  • Patent number: 6596352
    Abstract: A method for making decorative grass having a three-dimensional pattern which constitutes at least a portion of the decor of the decorative grass. Printed designs or materials and/or embossed materials can also constitute a portion of the decor of the decorative grass. The method includes slitting a material having a three-dimensional pattern on at least a portion of at least one surface thereof and then cutting the slit material into segments of a predetermined length to provide the decorative grass having a three-dimensional pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald E. Weder
  • Patent number: 6597283
    Abstract: A protective cover assembly for use as a convertible top is provided. The protective cover assembly includes a flexible cover and an alarm assembly. The flexible cover includes an outer layer of flexible material, an inner layer of flexible material, and at least one layer of tear resistant material interposed between the outer and inner layers. The alarm assembly includes a pair of conductor plates interposed between the outer layer of flexible material and the inner layer of flexible material, a power source, and an alarm system electrically connected to the power source and at least one of the first and second conductor plates such that upon an electrical conducting implement piercing the first conductor plate and contacting the second conductor plate an electrical connection is established between the first conductor plate and the second conductor plate thereby causing the alarm system to emit an alerting signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Hard 2 Top Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Roy Ramirez, Jr.