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:
June 7, 2002
Date of Patent:
June 3, 2003
Assignee:
Southpac Trust International, Inc.
Inventors:
Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Paul Fantz
Abstract: A plant packaging and covering system comprising a floral sleeve having a base portion having a decorative pattern thereon. The sleeve may have an upper sleeve portion which can surround a plant disposed in a pot and which can be detached once the protective function of the sleeve is complete or which can be used to support the sleeve from a support device prior to use. The decorative pattern has a curved or non-linear upper boundary which gives the sleeve the appearance of having a curved or non-linear upper skirt extending from the base portion.
Abstract: A floral sleeve sized to contain a botanical item and a growing medium and having a base portion with side gussets for allowing expansion from a flattened position and method of using same. The sleeve may comprise a detachable upper portion, and a skirt portion.
Abstract: A decorative wrapper for a floral grouping or flower pot wherein a sheet of material having embossed and printed patterns thereon is wrapped about at least a portion of the floral grouping or flower pot. The printed pattern may be in or out of register with the embossed pattern, or a portion of the printed and embossed patterns may be in register with one another and a portion of the printed and embossed patterns may be out of register with one another. The sheet of material may be provided in the form of a pad containing a plurality of sheets of material or in the form of a roll wherein the sheets of material are separable from the roll of material.
Abstract: A method for wrapping a floral grouping in a sleeve having a texture and/or appearance simulating that of cloth includes the step of placing a floral grouping in the sleeve and binding the sleeve about a stem portion of the floral grouping via a bonding material disposed on the sleeve.
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.
Abstract: A tubular sleeve having a triangular lower end for covering a pot or floral grouping. The sleeve may have a detachable upper portion and may have a non-linear or linear upper edge.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 29, 2001
Date of Patent:
May 13, 2003
Assignee:
Southpac Trust International, Inc.
Inventors:
Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Paul Fantz
Abstract: Decorative grasses having a texture and/or appearance assimilating the texture and/or appearance of paper are disclosed, as are method for making such decorative grasses from materials wherein at least one surface of the materials is modified to assimilate the texture and/or appearance of paper.
Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically wrapping a sheet about a bouquet of flowers. The sheet having spaced apart defined first and second portions is placed against a support member, such as a prepared table top, and the bouquet is positioned on the sheet with the first and second portions of the sheet extending on right and left sides, respectively, of the bouquet. The first sheet portion is then moved in a path to at least partially encompass the bouquet, and the second sheet portion is moved in a path to at least partially encompass the bouquet and to extend over part of the first sheet portion. The two sheet portions may be secured together by a bonding material, or the first and second portions of the sheet of wrapping material can themselves act as a bonding material by application of appropriate heat sealing, sonic welding, vibratory welding, and similar methods. A stiff wrap ring form may be positioned suspended over the sheet, and the bouquet inserted in the wrap ring form.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 25, 2002
Date of Patent:
April 29, 2003
Assignee:
Southpac Trust International, Inc.
Inventors:
Paul Fantz, Donald E. Weder, Franklin J. Craig
Abstract: A tubular sleeve having a triangular lower end for covering a pot or floral grouping. The sleeve may have a detachable upper portion and may have a non-linear or linear upper edge.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 29, 2001
Date of Patent:
April 15, 2003
Assignee:
Southpac Trust International, Inc.
Inventors:
Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Paul Fantz
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:
Grant
Filed:
July 29, 2002
Date of Patent:
April 15, 2003
Assignee:
Southpac Trust International, Inc.
Inventors:
Frank Craig, Joseph G. Straeter, Donald E. Weder
Abstract: A method for wrapping a wrapper about a floral grouping wherein the wrapper is a sleeve or sheet of material having a cinching tab or strip of bonding material, or both, and a detaching element such as perforations for detaching a portion of the sleeve or sheet of material. The floral grouping is placed on the sheet of material which is wrapped thereabout, or the floral grouping is disposed in the interior space of the sleeve. The wrapper may further comprise an additional strip of bonding material for bonding an informational card or label to the wrapper. After the wrapper is wrapped about the floral grouping, a portion of the wrapper may be removed by using the detaching element, thereby leaving a portion of the wrapper wrapped or bound about the floral grouping.
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:
Grant
Filed:
July 19, 2001
Date of Patent:
April 15, 2003
Assignee:
Southpac Trust International, Inc.
Inventors:
Frank Craig, Joseph G. Straeter, Donald E. Weder
Abstract: A packaging material comprising a plurality of cushioning members for cushioning an article in a container is provided. The cushioning members being formed by crumpling a flexible sheet of material having a plurality of slits extending through the sheet of material and into a globular configuration having a plurality of random folds, a plurality of random engaged portions, and a plurality of voids. The sheet of material has an upper surface and a lower surface with at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface having a bonding material disposed thereon such that at least a portion of the engaged portions are bondably connected thereby increasing the resiliency of the folds.
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:
August 27, 2002
Date of Patent:
April 8, 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
Abstract: Decorative grasses formed from a material constructed of a layer of cloth and a layer of polymeric film wherein at least a portion of the layer of polymeric film is laminated to the layer of cloth, as well as methods for forming same, are disclosed herein.
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.
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 nonlinear upper edge on the lower portion of the sleeve, the curvilinear lower end of the sleeve may have a gusset therein.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 3, 2001
Date of Patent:
April 1, 2003
Assignee:
Southpac Trust International, Inc.
Inventors:
Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Paul Fantz
Abstract: A plant packaging and covering system including a floral sleeve having a decorative pattern thereon. The sleeve may have a lower portion sized to cover a pot and an upper portion which can surround a plant disposed in the pot and which can be detached once the protective function of the upper portion is complete or which can be used to support the sleeve from a support device prior to use. The decorative pattern has a non-linear upper boundary which gives the sleeve the appearance of having a non-linear upper edge or skirt extending from the lower portion.
Abstract: A method for providing a decorative covering for a floral grouping. The method includes the, step of providing a decorative covering assembly comprising a header assembly and at least one sheet of material detachably connected to the header assembly. The header assembly is secured to a holder assembly such that the decorative covering assembly is supported by the holder assembly and at least one sheet of material can be detached from the header assembly. At least one sheet of material is detached from the header assembly and is disposed about at least a portion of the floral grouping to provide a decorative covering for the floral grouping.