Conventionally bunches of fresh cut flowers are transported in plastic buckets which are generally provided with a quantity of water in the base. The flowers are conventionally displayed for sale in the buckets in which they have been transported. During transportation the buckets of flowers are stacked using cardboard boxes which enclose the bucket and the flowers therein.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a rigid enclosure assembly and open-topped container arrangement, the enclosure assembly comprising support means and characterised in that said enclosure assembly being so dimensioned that the open-topped container may be arranged to be positioned inside the enclosure assembly and the arrangement being such that in use the enclosure assembly is urged upwardly of the base of the container, and the support means is engaged with the open-topped container so that the enclosure assembly is supported on the container by the support means and in situ the enclosure assembly encloses a region above the container.

Preferably the support means is adapted for displacement in use generally laterally of an upright wall of the assembly.

Preferably the support means is adapted to engage with the mouth of the open-topped container.

Preferably the support means is pivotable and is adapted for movement generally laterally of the enclosure assembly.

Preferably the support means is biased generally laterally inwardly of the assembly and is adapted for displacement generally laterally outwardly of the assembly.

Preferably the support means is an integral downwardly directed tab.

The arrangement may be such that the support means is engageable with the container to enclose a region above said container by way of a relative rotational movement between the container and the enclosure assembly.

The support means preferably comprises a support formation and the container is provided with a seating formation, and in use a relative rotational movement between the enclosure assembly and the container brings the support formation and the seating formation into vertical alignment so that the support formation is located on the seating formation.

Most preferably the support means comprises a plurality of support formations which are angularly spaced around the enclosure assembly, the container comprising a plurality of seating formations which are angularly spaced around the container.

The open-topped container may be provided with a generally upwardly extending guide channel on a side wall of the container which in use acts to guide the support means to a position in which the enclosure assembly is supported on the container and encloses a region above the container.

Preferably the guide channel is provided with an opening which is proximal to the base of the container.

The container may comprise seating means which in use supports the enclosure assembly to enclose a region above the container and the seating means being displaceable generally laterally of the height of the container.

Preferably the enclosure assembly comprises location means which is dimensioned so as to accommodate a second open-topped container such that the second open-topped container may be stacked onto the enclosure assembly.

The upper section of the enclosure assembly may comprise a hinged lid.

Preferably the hinged lid is provided with said location means for locating an open-topped container.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a rigid enclosure assembly comprising support means, and characterised in that the enclosure assembly being so dimensioned that an open-topped container may be arranged to be positioned inside the enclosure assembly, the arrangement being such that in use the enclosure assembly is urged upwardly of the base of the container, and the support means being engaged with the open-topped container so that the enclosure assembly is supported on the container by the support means and in situ the enclosure assembly encloses a region above the container.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of providing an open-topped container with an enclosure assembly characterised in that the method comprises arranging that the enclosure assembly surrounds the container and urging the enclosure assembly

upwardly of the base of the container so that the support means engages with the container such that the enclosure assembly is supported on the container by the support means and the enclosure assembly enclosing a region above the container.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a side elevation of an inventive arrangement in which an enclosure assembly is supported by a first container which supports a second container, Figure 2 is a plan view of the enclosure assembly shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 shows an enlarged view of a support tab on the inventive enclosure assembly shown in Figure 1, Figure 4 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of a support tab and part of a container to which an enclosure assembly is being attached, Figure 5 is a similar view to that shown in Figure 4 in which the support tab is in a condition such that the enclosure assembly is supported on the container, Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of a support tab, Figure 7 is a schematic side view of the support tab shown in Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a schematic side view of a spring-loaded pin which is used to support an enclosure assembly on a container, Figure 9 is a schematic perspective view of a modified embodiment of the support tab shown in Figure 6 and Figure 7, Figure 10 shows a schematic side view of the support tab shown in Figure 9, Figure 11 shows a container of cut flowers being inserted into an inventive enclosure assembly, Figure 12 shows the inventive enclosure assembly being pulled up around the container of cut flowers, Figure 13 shows a schematic perspective view of a container of a further embodiment of the inventive arrangement; Figure 14 shows a schematic sectional view of an enclosure assembly which is adapted to be engaged with the container shown in Figure 13, Figure 15 shows a schematic perspective view of part of the container of Figure 13 and the enclosure assembly of Figure 14 in an engaged condition, Figure 16 shows a schematic perspective view of a container of yet a further embodiment of the inventive arrangement,

Figure 17 shows a schematic sectional view of an enclosure assembly which is adapted to be engaged with the container of Figure 16, Figure 18 is a schematic side view of part of the container shown in Figure 16 and the enclosure assembly shown in Figure 17 in an engaged condition, Figure 19 shows a schematic perspective view of a container of a further embodiment of the invention, Figure 20 shows a schematic perspective view of an enclosure assembly of a further embodiment of the invention adapted to be engaged with the container shown in Figure 19, Figure 21 shows a schematic side elevation of an enclosure assembly and open-topped container of another embodiment of the invention, Figure 22 is a more detailed view of the seating means of the container shown in Figure 21, Figure 23 is a plan view of a container of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 24 is a side elevation of the container shown in Figure 23.

Figure 25 is a plan view of the container shown in Figure 23 and of an enclosure assembly, in a first condition.

Figure 26 is a plan view of the container and the enclosure assembly shown in Figure 25, in a second condition.

Figure 27 is a plan view of the container and the enclosure assembly shown in Figures 25 and 26 in a third condition.

Figure 28 is a side elevation of the container and enclosure assembly in the condition shown in Figure 27.

Figure 29 is another side elevation of the container and enclosure assembly shown in Figure 28.

Figure 30 is a plan view of a container and an enclosure assembly of an embodiment of the invention in a first condition.

Figure 31 is a plan view of the container and the enclosure assembly shown in Figure 30.

Figure 32 is a side elevation of the container and the enclosure assembly shown in Figure 31.

Figure 33 is a plan view of a hinged lid arrangement for an enclosure assembly.

Figure 34 is a side elevation of the lid arrangement shown in Figure 33 on section A-A.

Figure 35 shows a side elevation of a plurality of nested enclosure assemblies.

Figure 36 is a perspective view of the top of the lid of an inventive enclosure assembly,

Figure 37 is a perspective view of the bottom of the lid shown in Figure 36, Figure 38 shows an arrangement of inventive enclosure assemblies and open-topped containers in a point-of-sale arrangement, and Figure 39 shows an inventive enclosure assembly in which the lid thereof is used to provide point-of-sale information.

Figure 1 shows an enclosure assembly 1, a bucket 3 which supports the enclosure assembly 1 and a bucket 4 which sits on the top of the assembly 1.

The assembly comprises an uppermost section lb and a lowermost section la. The lowermost section la is of generally tubular funnel shape. The lower margin of the section la is provided with four integral equi-spaced pivotable support tabs 2. As seen best in Figure 3 each support tab 2 has provided in the centre thereof a circular aperture 6.

Each tab 2 is pivotable about a hinge 24, and the hinge is formed such that in an equilibrium condition each tab projects into the enclosure as best seen in Figure 5. Moreover, the hinge 24 ensures that each tab 2 is biased generally laterally inwardly of the lowermost section la of the enclosure and is capable of displacement generally laterally outwardly of the enclosure.

The lowermost section la further comprises a circumferential basal lip 12 which extends radially inwardly of the section la.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2 the uppermost section lb is of generally oblong rectangular shape and comprises two lids 17 and 18 which are pivotable by means of a hinge 15 and a hinge 16 respectively.

Each lid is provided with a semi-circular recess. The lids when in a closed condition sit on a surface 21 of the uppermost section lb and the two semi-circular recesses form a circular recess which is so dimensioned as to locate the second open-topped container 4. The interface between the two lids when in a closed condition as seen in Figure 1 is of stepped profile.

The enclosure assembly 1 is used as follows. The bucket 3 is provided with bunches of fresh cut flowers and a quantity of water in the base thereof. The enclosure assembly 1 is positioned on a flat surface and the bucket of flowers 3 is placed inside the enclosure assembly 1. That inner surface 23 of each tab 2 engages with the rim 10 and in so doing progressively urges each tab 2 generally radially outwardly of the enclosure assembly 1 by pivoting each tab 2 about respective hinge 24 (see Figure 4). Eventually lowermost surface 20 of each tab 2 will clear the rim 10 as a result of which the biased hinge 24 will urge each tab 2 generally radially inwardly and the lowermost surface 20 of each tab 2 will locate an uppermost surface 13 of the rim 10 (see Figure 5). In this condition the rim 10 is brought against the basal lip 12. The enclosure assembly 1 is thus supported on the mouth of the bucket 3 by the tabs 2.

Figures 11 and 12 show a bucket of cut flowers being lowered into an enclosure assembly and the enclosure assembly subsequently being lifted up around the bucket.

A second bucket of flowers is then placed into a second enclosure assembly (not shown). The second enclosure assembly is pulled up around and the tabs of the second enclosure assembly are urged generally radially outwardly to negotiate the rim of the bucket 4 so that the second enclosure assembly is eventually supported on the rim of the second bucket 4. The second bucket 4 with the second enclosure assembly

supported thereon, is then placed into the circular recess 5 provided in the lids 17 and 18 of the first enclosure assembly 1. The stack of buckets and enclosure assemblies is continued in the same fashion as required.

When it is required to remove a bucket of flowers from the stack, the lids 17 and 18 are opened and a finger is inserted through each aperture 6 and each tab 2 is simply pulled generally radially outwardly of the respective enclosure assembly to the position shown in Figure 4. The enclosure assembly may then be allowed to drop down around the bucket of flowers so that that bucket may be removed. Conveniently the inventive enclosure assemblies may be readily stacked together when not in use.

Advantageously the inventive enclosure can be re-used and the problems associated with the disposal of large quantities of cardboard, which are prevalent with the known single use box enclosures, are eliminated.

Since the process of the de-stacking of a stack of buckets of flowers comprising the inventive enclosure assemblies is facilitated, time is saved and the potential for damaging the flowers during the process is significantly reduced.

Although four support tabs 2 are shown any suitable number of tabs could alternatively be provided.

It will be appreciated that although the enclosure assembly 1 comprises a hinged lid, the assembly may alternatively comprise a wholly removable lid.

It will be appreciated that although the support tabs 2 shown and described above are effectively'spring-loaded', the support tabs of the

inventive assembly could be manually deployable such that a user is required to manually urge the support components laterally inwardly of the enclosure into a deployed condition when stacking buckets and laterally outwardly when de-stacking.

Figures 6 and 7 show a modified support tab 2a which comprises a downwardly directed flange 30 and an associated basal lip portion 29.

When the enclosure assembly is in situ on the bucket 3, support surface 20a is supported on the upper surface 13a of the bucket rim 10.

Conveniently the flange 30 allows a user to pull the tab 2a outwardly and thus allows the enclosure assembly to drop down around the bucket.

Figure 8 shows an alternative to a pivotable support tab in which a pin 40 is attached to an enclosure assembly 2'by way of a spring (not shown).

The spring acts to bias the pin 40 inwardly of the enclosure assembly 2'.

Thus when the enclosure assembly 2'is required to be fitted on top of bucket 3 each of the spring biased pins 40 need to be manually withdrawn so that when released the pin 40 is supported on the rim 10 of the bucket 3.

Figures 9 and 10 show a modified version 2a'of the support tab 2a in which an inwardly facing curved rib 31 is provided between vertical portion 35 and horizontal portion 36. When the enclosure assembly is pulled up and around the bucket the rim 10 of the bucket will engage with the outer surface of the curved rib 31 so as to urge the tab 2a'to pivot outwardly. The rib 31 thus ensures a smooth engagement between the bucket rim 10 and the tab 2a'.

With reference to Figures 23,24 and 26 there is shown a lid 70 which is adapted to be hingeably mounted to an enclosure assembly 80 by way of hinge means 75. As is evident from Figure 23 the lid 70 comprises a

raised circular wall 72 which locates the base of a bucket. The underside of the lid 70 comprises a thickened strengthening portion 73 which serves to ensure that the lid 70 is strong enough to support the weight of several bucket and enclosure assemblies stacked thereon.

Figures 25 and 26 show enclosure assemblies 80 which comprise a single hinged lid 70.

With reference to Figures 33 and 34 there is shown a hinged lid arrangement for an enclosure assembly comprising two lids 130 which are attached to the enclosure assembly by way of hinges 131. The lids 130 are each provided with two straight edge portions 132, between which is interposed a part-circular edged portion 133.

When the lids 130 are in a closed condition as shown in Figure 33 a circular aperture 134 is formed which is adapted to receive a lower section of a container.

Figure 25 shows how enclosure assemblies 80 could be used for a point- of-sale display arrangement 90 in which the buckets of flowers (not shown) sit on the closed lids 70. Figure 26 shows how point-of-sale information 82 could conveniently be affixed to the underside of a lid 70.

Figures 13 and 14 show an alternative embodiment of the invention comprising an enclosure assembly 94 and a container 90. The container 90 comprises four outwardly extending lugs 91 which are angularly spaced around outer rim 93. The enclosure assembly 94 (of which a section is shown in Figure 14) comprises four L-shaped support formations 95 which are provided on basal lip 92. In use, the enclosure assembly 94 is pulled up around the container 90 until the lugs 91 come in to contact with the basal lip 92. The enclosure assembly is then

rotated so that the lugs 91 are located in corresponding curved portion 96 of the support portions 95. The lugs 91 thus seat the respective support formations 95 so that the enclosure assembly encloses a region above the container.

Figures 16,17 and 18 show yet a further embodiment of the invention in which a container 100 is provided with a plurality of angularly spaced L-shaped seating formations 101 under rim 103 and an enclosure assembly 104 comprises a plurality of angularly spaced L-shaped support formations 105. In use the enclosure assembly 104 is pulled up and around the container 101 until the seating formations 105 come in to contact with basal lip 102. The enclosure assembly is then rotated so that the support formations 102 are seated on seating formations 105, as best seen in Figure 18.

Figures 19 and 20 show a further embodiment of the inventive arrangement comprising a bucket 48 and an enclosure assembly 49. The bucket 48 comprises three equally angularly spaced guide channels 51 (one shown) which extend from the lower margin of the bucket and lead to a support surface portion 52. The channel 51 is provided as a recess in the wall of the bucket 3 and comprises a flared opening 53 which progressively narrows with increasing height of the container 48. The channel then comprises a substantially vertical portion 54 of constant width and a substantially horizontal portion 55. The horizontal portion 55 leads to a second vertical portion 56 which extends both above and below the horizontal portion 55. Said second vertical portion is defined in part by a support surface portion 52 which is located below the horizontal portion 55.

The enclosure assembly 49 comprises three inwardly directed and equally angularly spaced lugs 50 which are located towards the lower margin of the assembly 49.

In use the bucket 48 is lowered into the assembly 49 and in so doing each lug 50 is positioned in the respective flared part of the channel 51. The flaring of the guide channels facilitates this initial locating step.

The enclosure assembly 49 is then pulled up and around the bucket 48, the lugs being confined by the respective guide channels. Once the lugs have reached the uppermost part of the vertical portions the assembly is then rotated so that the lugs follow the horizontal portions 55 of the guide channels 51 until eventually the lugs drop into the respective second vertical portions 56 and engage with support surface portions 52.

To detach the enclosure assembly 49 from the bucket 48 it is necessary to lift the assembly 49 until the lugs 50 are at the height corresponding to the horizontal portions 55 and then rotate the enclosure assembly so that the lugs may drop down the vertical portions of the guide channels 51.

Figures 23,24,25,26,27 and 28 show another embodiment of the inventive arrangement comprising an enclosure assembly 113 and a container 110. The container is provided with four seating formations 111 which are equally spaced around rim 112 of the container 110, and extend generally laterally outwardly of the height of the container. The enclosure assembly 113 (as best seen in Figures 28 and 29) comprises a lower section 114 of oblong-rectangular horizontal profile and an upper section 115 of oblong-rectangular horizontal profile (as best seen in Figures 25,26 and 27). The lower section 114 is provided with four arrays of three horizontal apertures 116, the apertures 116 of each array being spaced in the direction of the height of the enclosure assembly 113.

The enclosure assembly 110 comprises a hinged lid 118. (The lid has been omitted from Figures 25,26 and 27 for reasons of clarity).

The arrangement is used as follows. The container 110 is first placed inside the enclosure assembly 113, as shown in plan view in Figure 25.

As is evident from Figure 25 the container is orientated with respect to the enclosure assembly so that the seating formations 111 do not impede the upward movement of the enclosure assembly. Once the enclosure assembly has been lifted so that the lowermost apertures 116 are at the same height as the seating formations, the enclosure assembly 113 is rotated so that the seating formations are received by the apertures.

However, as shown in Figure 26 the container 110 may be rotated. This relative rotation continues until the seating formations 111 are impeded from further rotation by the horizontal extent of the respective apertures 116 as shown in Figures 27 and 28. In this condition an upper surface 117 which partially defines an aperture 116 is supported on a respective seating formation 111.

Advantageously the arrays of apertures 116 allow for the enclosure assembly 113 to be set at different heights above the container 110. As will be seen from Figure 28 the horizontal length of each aperture 116 in each array increases with increasing proximity to the lower margin of the enclosure assembly 113. This is desirable so as to more easily bypass a group of apertures at a particular height in the enclosure assembly as the enclosure assembly is lifted up around the container during attachment.

Figure 35 shows how a plurality of enclosure assemblies 113 may conveniently be stacked when not in use.

Figures 30 and 31 show a similar arrangement to that shown in Figures 23-29 comprising an enclosure assembly 120 and a container 121. The

container 121 is provided with two diametrical seating lips 122 at the rim 123 of the container.

The enclosure assembly 120 is of oblong-rectangular horizontal profile and is provided with two arrays of three vertically spaced apertures 126 in opposite walls of the enclosure assembly.

The enclosure assembly 120 is provided with a hinged lid 127. (For reasons of clarity the lid is not shown in Figures 30 and 31). The arrangement is used as follows. The container 121 is placed into the enclosure assembly 120 as shown in Figure 30. The enclosure assembly 120 is then lifted up relative to the container 110 until a particular pair of apertures 126 are at the same height as the seating lips 122. A relative rotation is then brought about between the container 121 and the enclosure assembly 120 (as shown in Figure 31) so that the seating lips 122 are received by the respective apertures 126. Once in this condition upper surface 127 of each respective aperture 126 is located on the respective seating lip 122. As with the previous embodiment the array of apertures 126 allows for the enclosure assembly to be set at a plurality of heights above the container 121.

Although in the previous two embodiments the enclosure assembly is provided with a plurality of vertically spaced support surfaces, the container may alternatively or in addition be provided with a plurality of vertically spaced seating formations to allow the enclosure assembly to set a number of heights with respect to the container.

Figures 21 and 22 show another possible embodiment of the invention which comprises a bucket 60 and an enclosure 61. The bucket comprises two diametrically located seating formations 62 which partially extend around the outside of the bucket 60. Each seating formation 62

comprises an upper surface 63 which is adapted to support a circular lower margin 64 of the enclosure assembly 61 (as seen in Figure 21).

The assembly 61 may be lowered from the position shown in Figure 21 by urging the seating formations inwardly of the bucket 60 ie generally laterally of the height of said bucket. The assembly 61 can then be lowered down around the bucket so that the contents therein may be removed.

The various aspects of the invention have been described with reference to generally circular buckets, but it will be appreciated that the invention may be applied to enclosure assemblies adapted for use with buckets of any shape.

It will be appreciated that although the invention has been described in particular with reference to the transportation of cut flowers, it also finds utility with regard to the transportation of pot plants.