DECORATIVE SLEEVE COVER FORMED OF A POLYMERIC

MATERIAL HAVING A TEXTURE OR APPEARANCE SIMULATING THE TEXTURE OR APPEARANCE OF CLOTH

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Serial No.

10/698,090, filed October 31, 2003, which is a continuation of U.S. Serial No.

10/202,048, filed July 23, 2002; which is a continuation of U.S. Serial No.

09/638,585, filed August 15, 2000, now U.S. Patent No. 6,463,717, issued

October 15, 2002; which is a divisional of application U.S. Serial No.

09/143,732, filed August 29, 1998, now U.S. Patent No. 6,324,813, issued

December 4, 2001; which is a continuation of U.S. Serial No. 09/098,898, filed

June 17, 1998, now abandoned; which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional

application U.S. Serial No. 60/050,867, filed June 26, 1997; the contents of

each of which are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to material having a cloth-appearing

finish on a surface thereof, and more particularly but not by way of limitation,

to flower pot covers, floral wrappings, ribbon materials made from polymeric

materials, paper and laminates thereof. In one aspect, the present invention

relates to methods for producing decorative flower pot covers and methods of

wrapping floral groupings and flower pots with a sheet of polymeric material,

a sheet of paper and laminates thereof having a cloth-appearing finish on a

surface thereof to provide a decorative cover for such floral groupings and

flower pots. In yet another aspect, the present invention relates to a flower pot

formed of polymeric material, paper and laminates thereof wherein the flower

pot is provided with a cloth appearing finish. In yet another aspect, flexible materials having a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance

of cloth suitable for use in the formation of decorative flower pot covers and

flower pots are disclosed. The flexible materials include polymeric materials,

paper and laminates thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sheet of material having a cloth- appearing finish on a surface thereof constructed in accordance with the present invention.

[0005] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the sheet of material having a cloth-

appearing finish on a surface thereof of Fig. 1, the sheet of material having a

bonding material disposed along one edge thereof.

[0006] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the sheet of material having a cloth-

appearing finish on a surface thereof of Fig. 2, the sheet of material having a

floral grouping disposed thereon.

[0007] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the floral grouping of Fig. 3 being

wrapped with the sheet of material having a cloth-appearing finish on a surface

thereof of Fig. 2 by one method of wrapping.

[0008] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a decorative cover for the floral

grouping formed from the sheet of material of Fig. 2 wherein the decorative

cover formed from the sheet of material has a conical configuration. [0009] Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a decorative cover formed from the sheet of material of Fig. 2 wherein a floral grouping is wrapped with the sheet

of material having a cloth-appearing finish on a surface thereof by a second method of wrapping so that the decorative cover formed from the sheet of

material having a cloth-appearing finish on a surface thereof has a substantially

cylindrical configuration.

[0010] Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a decorative cover positioned about

a flower pot wherein the decorative cover is formed from the sheet of material

having a cloth-appearing finish on a surface thereof of Fig.l.

[0011] Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a flower pot cover former and

band applicator apparatus having the sheet of material having a cloth-appearing

finish on a surface thereof of Fig. 1 disposed above an opening of the flower pot

cover former and band applicator apparatus and having a flower pot disposed

above the sheet of material having a cloth-appearing finish on a surface

thereof.

[0012] Fig. 9A is a perspective view of a sheet of material having a cloth-

appearing finish on a surface thereof wherein an acrylic heat sealable lacquer

is disposed on at least one surface thereof.

[0013] Fig. 9B is a perspective view of a flexible sheet of laminated

material having a cloth-appearing finish on a surface thereof.

[0014] Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a preformed pot cover formed from

the sheet of material of Fig. 9A ₇ or the flexible sheet of laminated material of Fig. 9b.

[0015] Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the preformed pot cover of Fig. 10 having a flower pot disposed therein.

[0016] Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional view of a male and

female mold having the sheet of material of Fig. 9A or the flexible sheet of

laminated material of Fig. 9b disposed therebetween for forming the preformed pot cover of Fig. 10.

[0017] Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a floral sleeve formed from a sheet

of material having a cloth-appearing finish on a surface thereof.

[0018] Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the floral sleeve of Fig. 13 disposed

about a floral grouping.

[0019] Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a floral sleeve having a cinching

member wherein the floral sleeve is formed from a sheet of material having a

cloth-appearing finish on a surface thereof.

[0020] Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the floral sleeve of Fig. 15 disposed

about a floral grouping.

[0021] Fig. 17 is a side view of a sleeve having a detachable portion

wherein the sleeve is formed from a sheet of material having a cloth-appearing finish on a surface thereof.

[0022] Fig. 18 is a perspective view of the sleeve of Fig. 17 having a flower pot disposed therein.

[0023] Fig. 19 is a perspective view of a flower pot disposed in the sleeve of Fig. 17 wherein an upper portion of the sleeve has been removed to provide a decorative cover having a skirt.

[0024] Fig. 2OA is a perspective view of ribbon material having a cloth- appeaririff finish on a surface thereof.

[0025] Fig. 2OB is a perspective view of ribbon material formed of a sheet

of material having an acrylic lacquer on at least one surface thereof.

[0026] Fig. 2OC is a perspective view of a laminated polymeric ribbon

material wherein one layer of the laminate is formed from the sheet of material

of Fig. 1.

[0027] Rg. 2la is a perspective view of a flower pot cover formed from the

sheet of material of Figs. 1, 9a or 9b having a cloth-appearing finish on a

surface thereof, the flower pot having a drain opening formed in the bottom

thereof.

[0028] Hg. 21b is a perspective view of a flower pot formed from the sheet

of material of Figs. 1, 9a or 9b having a cloth-appearing finish on a surface

thereof, the flower pot having a plurality of drain openings formed in a side wall near the corner end thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Description of Figures 1-9

[0029] Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, designated generally by the reference numeral 10 is a sheet of material having a cloth-like finish or appearance. That is, at least one surface of the sheet of material 10 has been modified to provide a matte or textured finish simulating the appearance of

cloth. The terms "cloth-like finish", "cloth-like appearance" or "cloth-appearing

finish" may be used interchangeably with the terms "finish simulating the appearance of cloth" and "cloth-appearing textured or matte finish". The

modification of the sheet of material 10 to provide the sheet of material with

a cloth-appearing textured or matte finish can be accomplished in several ways.

For example, a matte finish can be provided by printing a desired pattern on the

sheet of material and thereafter laminating a matte material, such as a

translucent polymeric film, over the printed pattern. To further enhance the

cloth-like appearance of the sheet of material 10, the matte material may or

may not have a plurality of spatially disposed holes extending therethrough.

A matte or textured finish can also be produced by printing a sheet of material

with a matted (i.e. dull finish) ink, by lacquering at least one surface of the

sheet of material with a dull finish lacquer or a matting lacquer, by embossing

the sheet of material to provide an embossed pattern simulating the weave or texture of cloth, or by embossing and printing the sheet of material to provide

embossed and printed patterns wherein the embossed and printed patterns

may be in registry, out of registry or wherein a portion of the embossed and printed patterns are in registry and a portion of the embossed and printed

patterns are out of registry. In addition, a matte or textured finish capable a providing the sheet of material with a cloth-like appearance can be achieved by extruding a polymeric resin onto a matted or textured chill roll or by laminating a second sheet of material to the sheet of polymeric material.

[0030] The sheet of material 10 having a cloth-like appearance has an

upper surface 14, a lower surface 16, and an outer peripheral edge 18. The lower surface 16 is matted or textured as described above to provide the sheet

of material 10 with a cloth-like appearance. The outer peripheral edge 18 of

the sheet of material 10 includes a first side 20, a second side 22, a third side

24, and a fourth side 26. A bonding material 27 (Fig. 2) may be disposed on

at least a portion of one or both surfaces of the sheet of material 10, such as

the upper surface 14 thereof as shown and as further illustrated in U.S. Patent

No. 5,181,364, entitled "WRAPPING A FLORAL GROUPING WITH SHEETS

HAVING ADHESIVE OR COHESIVE MATERIAL APPLIED THERETO", issued to

Weder on January 26, 1999, the specification of which is hereby expressly

incorporated herein by reference.

[0031] The sheet of material 10 having a cloth-like appearance may be

employed to provide a decorative cover for a floral grouping (Figs. 3 through

6) or a decorative cover for a flower pot (Fig. 7); or it may be employed to form

a preformed flower pot cover for covering a flower pot (Figs. 10 and 11); or it

may be employed to provide a sleeve for wrapping or covering a floral grouping (Figs. 13 through 16) or a flower pot (Figs. 17 through 19); or it may be

employed to provide a ribbon material (Fig. 2OA through 20c); or it may be employed to form a flower pot (Fig. 21). The use of the sheet of material 10

having a cloth-like appearance to form a decorative cover for a floral grouping or a flower pot, or to form a sleeve for a floral grouping or a flower pot, or to

form a preformed flower pot cover, or as a ribbon material, or to form a flower

pot will be described in more complete detail herein.

[0032] As noted above, the sheet of material 10 having a cloth-like

appearance can be utilized to form a decorative cover for a floral grouping or

a flower pot. The term "flower pot" as used herein refers to any type of

container for holding a floral grouping, or a plant, or even another pot-type

container. Examples of flower pots and/or pot type containers include, but are

not limited to, clay pots, wooden pots, plastic pots, pots made from natural

and/or synthetic fibers, or any combination thereof. Such flower pots and/or

pot-type containers are provided with a retaining space for receiving a floral

grouping. The floral grouping may be disposed within the retaining space of the

flower pot with a suitable growing medium described in further detail below, or

other retaining medium, such as a floral foam. It will also be understood that

in some cases the floral grouping, and any appropriate growing medium or

other retaining medium, may be disposed in a sleeve formed from the sheet of

material 10 if the sleeve is adapted to contain a medium.

[0033] "Floral grouping" as used herein will be understood to include cut

fresh flowers, artificial flowers, a single flower or other fresh and/or artificial plants or other floral materials and may include other secondary plants and/or ornamentation or artificial or natural materials which add to the aesthetics of

the overall floral grouping. Further, the floral grouping may comprise a growing potted plant having a root portion as well. However, it will be appreciated that

the floral grouping may consist of only a single bloom or only foliage, or a

botanical item, or a propagule. The term "floral grouping" may be used

interchangeably herein with the term "floral arrangement". The term "floral

grouping" may also be used interchangeably herein with the terms "botanical

item" and/or "propagule."

[0034] The term "growing medium" when used herein will be understood

to include any liquid, solid or gaseous material used for plant growth or for the

cultivation of propagules, including organic and inorganic materials such as soil,

humus, periite, vermiculite, sand, water, and including the nutrients, fertilizers

or hormones or combinations thereof required by the plants or propagules for

growth.

[0035] The term "botanical item" when used herein will be understood to

include a natural or artificial herbaceous or woody plant, taken singularly or in

combination. The term "botanical item" also includes any portion or portions

of natural or artificial herbaceous or woody plants including stems, leaves,

flowers, blossoms, buds, blooms, cones, or roots, taken singly or in

combination, or in groupings of such portions such as bouquets or floral

groupings.

[0036] The term "propagule" when used herein will be understood to include any structure capable of being propagated or acting as an agent of

reproduction including seeds, shoots, stems, runners, tubers, plants, leaves, roots or spores.

[0037] In the embodiments shown in the drawings, the sheet of material

10 having a cloth-like appearance is square. It will be appreciated, however,

that the sheet of material 10 having a cloth-like appearance can be of any

shape, configuration or size as long as the sheet of material 10 is sufficiently

sized and shaped to wrap and encompass a floral grouping or a flower pot. For

example, the sheet of material 10 may have a rectangular, round, oval,

octagonal or asymmetrical shape. Further, multiple sheets of the material 10

may be used in a single circumstance to provide a decorative cover or sleeve

for a floral grouping or a flower pot. Moreover, when multiple sheets of the

material 10 having a cloth-like appearance are used in combination, the sheets

of material 10 need not be uniform in size or shape. Finally, it will be

appreciated that the sheet of material 10 having a cloth-like appearance shown

herein is a substantially flat sheet except for the texturing, matting, embossing,

flocking, application of a foamable lacquer or foamable ink, or other treatments

and techniques employed to provide the sheet of material 10 with the desired

texture or matting so that the sheet of material 10 has the appearance of cloth.

[0038] The term "sheet of material" as used herein is to be understood to include a sheet of polymeric film, a sheet of expanded core polymeric film, a

sheet of paper, combinations and laminations of polymeric films and paper, laminations of expanded core polymeric film and paper, laminations of

polymeric film and expanded core polymeric film, or sheets or laminations of any other types of material which are capable of being modified or treated to

provide such laminations or sheets of material with a cloth-like appearance on

a surface thereof.

[0039] Any thickness or stiffness of the sheet of material 10 may be

utilized in accordance with the present invention as long as the sheet of

material 10 can be modified to provide the sheet of material 10 with a cloth-like

appearance and the sheet of material 10 having a cloth-like appearance can be

wrapped about at least a portion of a floral grouping or a flower pot, as

described herein. Generally, the sheet of material 10 will have a thickness in

a range of from about 0.1 mil to about 30 mil, and more desirably a thickness

in a range of from about 0.5 mil to about 2.5 mil.

[0040] The terms "polymer film", "polymeric film" and "polymeric material"

when used herein will be understood to refer to a synthetic polymer such as a

polypropylene, a naturally occurring polymer such as cellophane, an extruded

polymeric material having an expanded core such as extruded polypropylene

having an expanded core and combinations thereof, including but not limited to, laminated materials. The extruded polymeric material having an expanded

core (which is sometimes referred to herein as an expanded core polymeric

material) will generally have a thickness in the range of from about 0.6 mil to about 10 mil, more desirably in the range of from about 0.6 mil to about 1.25 mil. "Extruded polymeric material having an expanded core" as used herein refers to any extrudable polymeric material in which the core is expanded

during, extrusion, such as by incorporation of a blowing agent in the polymeric

resin which is being extruded.

[0041] The sheet of material 10 may also be constructed, in whole or in

part, from a cling material. "Cling material" when used herein includes any

material which is capable of connecting to the sheet of material and/or itself

upon contacting engagement during the wrapping process and is wrappable

about an item whereby portions of the cling material contactingly engage and

connect to other portions of another material, or, alternatively, itself, for

generally securing the material wrapped about at least a portion of a flower pot.

This connecting engagement is preferably temporary in that the material may

be easily removed, i.e., the cling material "clings" to the flower pot.

[0042] The cling material is constructed, and treated if necessary, from

polyethylene such as Cling Wrap made by Glad®, First Brands Corporation,

Danbury, Connecticut. The thickness of the cling material will, in part, depend

upon the size of sleeve and the size of the flower pot in the sleeve, i.e.,

generally, a larger flower pot may require a thicker and therefore stronger cling

material. The cling material will range in thickness from about 0.1 mil to about 10 mil, and preferably from about 0.5 mil to about 2.5 mil and most preferably

from about 0.6 mil to about 2 mil. However, any thickness of cling material may be utilized in accordance with the present invention which permits the cling

material to be modified as hereinbefore described to provide the cling material with a cloth-like appearance.

[0043] The term "paper" as used herein is to be understood to include, but

not be limited to, a felted sheet of usually vegetable fibers laid down on a fine screen from a water suspension, paper board, papier-mache, cardboard,

wallpaper, newsprint and the like.

[0044] In one embodiment, a sleeve may be constructed from two sheets

of material e.g. two sheets of polypropylene film or a sheet of polypropylene

film and a sheet of paper, wherein at least a lower or outer surface of one of

the sheets of material is modified as hereinbefore described to provide at least

one of the sheets of material with a cloth-like appearance. The sheets of

material employed to produce the sleeve may be connected together or

laminated or may be separate layers. In an alternative embodiment, the sleeve

may be constructed from only one sheet of polypropylene film or paper having

a cloth-like appearance.

[0045] The sheet of material 10 having a cloth-like appearance may vary

in color. Further, the sheet of material 10 may include other decorative

patterns or designs in addition to the matting, texturing, flocking, application of flammable lacquers or foamable inks, or embossing employed to impart the

cloth-like appearance to the sheet of material 10.

[0046] As illustrated in Fig. 3, the sheet of material 10 has a width 30 extending generally between the first side 20 and the second side 22, respectively, sufficiently sized whereby the sheet of material 10 can be wrapped

about and encompass a floral grouping or a flower pot. The sheet of material

10 has a length 32 extending generally between the third side 24 and the

fourth side 26, respectively, sufficiently sized whereby the sheet of material 10 extends over a substantial portion of the floral grouping when the sheet of

material 10 has been wrapped about the floral grouping in accordance with the

present invention, as described in detail herein. The sheet of material 10 may

also be wrapped about a flower pot to substantially wrap and cover the flower

pot in accordance with the present invention.

[0047] A plurality of sheets of material 10 having a cloth-like appearance

may be connected together to form a roll as is shown in U.S. Patent No.

5,459,976, issued to Weder et al. on October 24, 1995, entitled "MATERIAL

AND ADHESIVE STRIP DISPENSER", the specification of which is hereby

expressly incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.

[0048] Figs. 3-5 illustrate the use of the sheet of material 10 having a

cloth-like appearance in wrapping a floral grouping 34 to provide a decorative

cover 36 (Fig. 5) for the floral grouping 34 wherein the decorative cover 36 has

an open upper end 38 and a lower end 40. The sheet of material 10 may optionally have the strip of bonding material 27 disposed upon the upper

surface 14, the lower surface 16 or both, such as the strip of bonding material 27 disposed along at least a portion of the upper surface 14 of the sheet of

material 10 so as to be disposed substantially adjacent the fourth side 26 thereof substantially as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Further, the sheet of material 10 having a cloth-like appearance can be provided either as an individual sheet

or from a pad or roll of material.

[0049] The bonding material 27, if present, may have a backing or release

strip (not shown). The backing or release strip may be left applied for a period

of time to the bonding material 27, after it is disposed on a surface of the sheet

of material 10 prior to its use as a wrapping material, to protect the bonding

qualities of the bonding strip. In operation, an operator may dispose the sheet

of material 10 having a cloth-like appearance on a support surface (not

shown)such that the lower surface 16 of the sheet of material 10 (which has

been modified to provide the sheet of material 10 with a cloth-like appearance)

is in contact with the support surface.

[0050] Referring more specifically to Figs. 3-5, the floral grouping 34 is

placed upon the upper surface 14 of the sheet of material 10 in a diagonal

orientation. The floral grouping 34 has an upper bloom or foliage portion 42

and a lower stem portion 44. The sheet of material 10 is then wrapped about

the floral grouping 34 by the operator (Figs. 4 and 5), the operator overlapping

a portion of the sheet of material 10 over another portion of the sheet of

material 10. That is, for example, the operator places the first side 20 of the

sheet of material 10 over the floral grouping 34, as shown in Fig. 4. The operator continues to roll the floral grouping 34 and the sheet of material 10 in the direction toward the second side 22 of the sheet of material 10 until the upper surface 14 near the second side 22 firmly engages the lower surface 16

of the sheet of material 10, wherein the floral grouping 34 is substantially

encompassed by the sheet of material 10, and wherein the bonding material 27

contacts the sheet of material 10 to provide the decorative cover 36 having a

cloth-like appearance which substantially encompasses and surrounds a

substantial portion of the floral grouping 34. Fig. 5 shows the floral grouping

34 wrapped in a conical fashion to provide the decorative cover 36 for the floral

grouping 34 which has the appearance of being made of a cloth material. When

the floral grouping 34 is wrapped in a conical fashion, the bloom portion 42 of

the floral grouping 34 is exposed near the open upper end 38 of the decorative

cover 36, and the stem portion 44 of the floral grouping 34 is exposed near the

lower end 40 of the decorative cover 36.

[0051] In another embodiment, illustrated in Rg. 6, the sheet of material

10 having a cloth-like appearance is utilized to wrap the floral grouping 34 in

a cylindrical fashion. The floral grouping 34 is disposed upon the sheet of

material 10 approximately parallel to the third side 24 of the sheet of material

10. The sheet of material 10 is wrapped generally about the stem portion 44

of the floral grouping 34 to a position wherein the third side 24 of the sheet of

material 10 generally overlaps the fourth side 26 of the sheet of material 10 in a cylindrical fashion. It should be noted that the sheet of material 10 may be wrapped a plurality of times about the stem portion 44 of the floral grouping 34

before the overlapping of the third side 24 and the fourth side 26 of the sheet of material 10. As before, the portion of the sheet of material 10 near the third

side 24 is disposed generally adjacent another portion of the sheet of material

10 and the two adjacent portions then are brought into contact where they may

be bondingly engaged, thereby securing the sheet of material 10 generally

about the floral grouping 34 so as to provide a decorative cover 36a for the

floral grouping 34 which has the appearance of being fabricated of cloth.

[0052] In another version of the invention, the sheet of material 10 having

a cloth-like appearance may be used to wrap a flower pot or pot-type container,

as noted above. Shown in Rg.7 is a flower pot designated by the reference

numeral 50 having an open upper end 52, a bottom end 54, an outer peripheral

surface 56, an inner retaining space 58 within which may be disposed a growing

medium. The flower pot 50 may contain a botanical item, such as a plant 60,

which has an upper portion 62 comprising blooms or foliage or both.

[0053] The sheet of material 10 having a cloth-like appearance may be

wrapped about the flower pot 50 by any one of numerous methods used to

wrap sheets of material about flower pots to form decorative pot covers for

flower pots, such as a decorative cover 61 having a cloth-like appearance disposed about the flower pot 50 illustrated in Fig. 7. The sheet of material 10

may, for example, be formed by hand about the outer peripheral surface 56 of

the flower pot 50 to produce the decorative cover 61 which has the appearance of being fabricated of cloth. The decorative cover 61 can then be secured about the flower pot 50 by a bonding material or by an elastic band 64 such that the

open upper end 52 of the flower pot 50 remains substantially uncovered by the decorative cover 61 substantially as shown in Fig. 7.

[0054] Referring now to Fig. 8, a flower pot cover former and band

applicator apparatus 66 for forming the sheet of material 10 having a cloth-like

appearance into the decorative cover 61 for the flower pot 50 of Fig. 7 is

illustrated. The flower pot cover former and band applicator apparatus 66

includes a band applicator 68 and a flower pot cover former 70. The flower pot

cover former and band applicator apparatus 66 has a support platform 72 with

an opening 74 formed therein. A band, such as elastic band 64, is disposed

circumferentially about the opening 74 in the support platform 72.

[0055] The lower surface 16 of the sheet of material 10 (which has been

modified to provide the sheet of material 10 with a textured or matted surface

simulating cloth) is positioned on an upper surface 76 on the support platform

72 such that the sheet of material 10 is positioned over the opening 74 in the

support platform 72. The flower pot 50 is positioned above the sheet of

material 10 and is moved in a direction 78 into the opening 74 of the flower pot

cover former and band applicator apparatus 66. As the flower pot 50 is moved

into the opening 74, the sheet of material 10 is pressed about the outer

peripheral surface 56 of the flower pot 50 thereby forming the decorative cover 61 about the flower pot 50. The decorative cover 61 (which has a cloth-like appearance) is then secured about the flower pot 50 by the elastic band 64.

The flower pot 50 having the decorative cover 61 secured thereto is then moved in a direction 80 out of the opening 74 in the support platform 72.

[0056] The elastic band 64 can be applied manually or automatically such

as by the method shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,105,599, entitled "MEANS FOR

SECURING A DECORATIVE COVER ABOUT A FLOWER POT", issued to Weder on

April 21, 1993 which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. The

band 64 can also be applied as a tie using a method such as described in

"Single Station Covering and Fastening System", U.S. Patent No. 5,609,009,

issued to Weder et al. on March 11, 1997, the specification of which is hereby

expressly incorporated herein by reference. The sheet of material 10 having

a cloth-like appearance can also be applied automatically about the flower pot

50, for example, by methods shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,733,521 entitled

"COVER FORMING APPARATUS' ⁷ issued to Weder et al. on March 29, 1988, and

U.S. Patent No. 5,291,721, entitled "COVER FORMING APPARATUS HAVING

PIVOTING FORMING MEMBERS", issued to Weder et al. on March 8, 1994, both

of which are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.

[0057] Instead of securing the decorative cover 61 about the flower pot 50

via the band 64, the decorative cover 61 formed from the sheet of material 10

having a cloth-like appearance may be secured to the flower pot 50 by the use of one or more bonding materials. For example, the upper surface 14 of the

sheet of material 10 may have a bonding material such as the bonding material 27 disposed upon a portion thereof. When the sheet of material 10 is disposed about the flower pot 50, at least a portion of the upper surface 14 of the sheet

of material 10 contacts the outer peripheral surface 56 of the flower pot 50 and

is thereby bonded and held about the flower pot 50 via the bonding material.

[0058] The bonding material may cover a portion of the upper surface 14 of the sheet of material 10, or the bonding material may entirely cover the

upper surface 14 of the sheet of material 10. The bonding material may be

disposed on the upper surface 14 of the sheet of material 10 in the form of a

strip or in the form of spaced-apart spots. One method for disposing a bonding

material on the sheet of material 10 is described in U.S. Patent No. 5,111,637,

entitled "Method For Wrapping A Floral Grouping", issued to Weder, et al. on

May 12, 1992, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.

[0059] The term "bonding material" when used herein refers to an

adhesive, frequently a pressure sensitive adhesive, or a cohesive or any

adhesive/cohesive combination having adhesive qualities (i.e., qualities of

adhesion or adhesion/cohesion, respectively) sufficient to cause the attachment

of a portion of the sheet of material 10 to itself, to a floral grouping 34, or to

a flower pot 50. Since the bonding material may comprise either an adhesive

or an adhesive/cohesive combination, it will be appreciated that both adhesives

and cohesives are known in the art, and both are commercially available. When the bonding material is a cohesive, a similar cohesive material must be placed

on the adjacent surface for bondingly contacting and bondingly engaging with the cohesive material. The term "bonding material" also includes materials which are heat sealable and, in this instance, the adjacent portions of the material must be brought into contact and then heat must be applied to effect

the seal. The term "bonding material" also includes materials which are

sonically sealable and vibratory sealable. The term "bonding material" when used herein also includes a heat sealing lacquer or hot melt material which may

be applied to the material and, in this instance, heat, sound waves, or

vibrations, also must be applied to effect the sealing.

[0060] The term "bonding material" when used herein also includes any

type of material or thing which can be used to effect the bonding or connecting

of the two adjacent portions of the sheet of material 10 to effect the connection

or bonding described herein. The term "bonding material" may also include

ties, labels, bands, ribbons, strings, tapes (including single or double-sided

adhesive tapes), staples or combinations thereof. Some of the bonding

materials would secure the ends of the material while other bonding materials

may bind the circumference of a cover, or a sleeve, or, alternatively and/or in

addition, the bonding materials would secure overlapping folds in the material

and/or sleeve. Another way to secure the cover and/or sleeve is to heat seal

the ends of the material to another portion of the material. One way to do this

is to contact the ends with an iron of sufficient heat to heat seal the material.

[0061] Alternatively, a cold seal adhesive may be utilized as the bonding material. The cold seal adhesive adheres only to a similar substrate, acting similarly as a cohesive, and binds only to itself. The cold seal adhesive, since

it bonds only to a similar substrate, does not cause a residue to build up on equipment, thereby both permitting much more rapid disposition and use of

such equipment to form articles and reducing labor costs. Further, since no

heat is required to effect the seal, the dwell time, that is, the time for the sheet

of material to form and retain the shape of an article, such as a flower pot cover

or flower pot, is reduced. A cold seal adhesive binds quickly and easily with

minimal pressure, and such a seal is not readily releasable. This characteristic

is different from, for example, a pressure sensitive adhesive.

[0062] The term "bonding material" when used herein also includes any

heat or chemically shrinkable material, and static electrical or other electrical

materials, chemical welding materials, magnetic materials, mechanical or barb-

type fastening materials or damps, curl-type characteristics of the film or

materials incorporated in material which can cause the material to take on

certain shapes, cling films, slots, grooves, shrinkable materials and bands, curl

materials, springs, and any type of welding method which may weld portions

of the material to itself or to the pot, or to both the material itself and the pot.

[0063] The sheet of material 10 can also be provided with a coating of

acrylic heat sealable lacquer disposed on at least one surface thereof so that

the sheet of material 10 can be formed into a decorative preformed flower pot cover in the same manner as described herein with reference to Figs. 10 and

11; or into a flower pot as hereinafter described with reference to Fig. 21.

Description of Figs. 9-12

[0064] Referring now to Figs. 10 and 11, shown therein is a decorative preformed flower pot cover 110 constructed from a flexible sheet of material

112 having a cloth-like appearance (Fig. 9A) or a flexible sheet of laminated

material 112a (Fig. 9B). It should be understood that the sheet of flexible

material 112 employed to form the decorative preformed flower pot cover 110

can be any of the materials having a cloth-like appearance hereinbefore defined

with reference to the sheet of material 10. In the embodiment shown in Fig.

9A, the sheet of flexible material 112 used in the construction of the decorative

preformed flower pot cover 110 is a sheet of expanded core polymeric film 114

having an upper surface 116 and a lower surface 118. The thickness of the

sheet of expanded core polymeric film 114 can vary widely and will generally

depend on the characteristics of the articles being formed using the expanded

core polymeric film 114. In most instances, however, the sheet of expanded

core polymeric material 114 will have a thickness in the range of from about 0.6

mil to about 10 mil, more desirably in the range of from about 0.6 mil to about

1.25 mil. A coating of an acrylic heat sealable lacquer 120 can be disposed on

at least one of the upper and lower surfaces 116 and 118, respectively, of the

sheet of expanded core film 114.

[0065] As previously stated, the modification of the sheet of expanded core polymeric film 114 to provide the sheet of flexible material 112 with the desired

matte or textured finish can be accomplished by printing a desired pattern on the sheet of expanded core polymeric film 114. A matte or textured finish can

also be produced by printing a sheet of expanded core polymeric film 114 with a matted (i.e. dull finish) ink, by lacquering at least one surface of the sheet of

expanded core polymeric film 114 with a dull finish lacquer or a matting

lacquer, by embossing the sheet of expanded core polymeric film 114 to

provide an embossed pattern simulating the weave or texture of cloth, or by

embossing and printing the sheet of expanded core polymeric film 114 to

provide embossed and printed patterns wherein the embossed and printed

patterns may be in registry, out of registry or wherein a portion of the

embossed and printed patterns are in registry and a portion of the embossed

and printed patterns are out of registry. In addition, a matte or textured finish

capable a providing the sheet of flexible polymeric film 114 with a cloth-like

appearance can be achieved by extruding a polymeric resin onto a matted or

textured chill roll to produce the sheet of expanded core polymeric film 114.

When the sheet of flexible material 112 is formed into the decorative preformed

flower pot cover 110, a plurality of overlapping folds 122 are formed and at

least a portion of the overlapping folds 122 are connected to adjacently

disposed portions of the decorative preformed flower pot cover 110 via the

acrylic heat sealable lacquer 120.

[0066] As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the decorative preformed pot cover

110 has an upper end 125, a lower end 126, and an outer peripheral surface 128. An opening 130 intersects the upper end 125, forming an inner peripheral surface 132 which defines and encompasses a retaining space 133 within which

a flower pot 134 containing a floral grouping 136 may be disposed in a manner well known in the art.

[0067] In another embodiment, a flexible sheet of laminated material 112a (Fig. 9B) is used in the construction of the decorative preformed flower pot

cover 110. It should be understood that the decorative preformed pot cover

110 can also be formed of a laminate of the sheet of material 10 and a sheet

of expanded core polymeric film 114a or a laminate of the sheet of material 10

and/or a laminate of a sheet of expanded core polymeric film 114a and a sheet

of substantially water impervious polymeric film 120a. In the embodiment

shown, the flexible sheet of laminated material 112a includes a sheet of

expanded core polymeric film 114a having an upper surface 116a, and a lower

surface 188a, and a sheet of substantially water impervious polymeric film

120a. At least one surface of the sheet of expanded core polymeric film 114a

or substantially water impervious polymeric film 120a is modified to provide the

flexible sheet of laminated material 112a with the desired cloth-like

appearance. To provide the flexible sheet of laminated material 112a with a

matte or textured finish so that the flexible sheet of laminated material 112a

has a cloth-like appearance, a pattern may be printed on the sheet of expanded

core polymeric film 114a and thereafter a matte material such as a sheet of

substantially water impervious polymeric film 120a, which is desirably translucent, is laminated to the sheet of expanded core polymeric film 114a so

as to be disposed over the printed pattern. To further enhance the cloth-like appearance of the flexible sheet of laminated material 112a, the matte material (i.e. the sheet of translucent substantially water impervious polymeric film

120a) may or may not have a plurality of spatially disposed holes extending

therethrough.

[0068] The thickness of the sheet of expanded core polymeric film 114a

and the sheet of substantially water impervious polymeric film 120a can vary

widely, as can the flexible sheet of laminated material 112a as long as same

can used in the construction of the decorative preformed flower pot cover 110.

Generally, however, the sheet of expanded core polymeric film 114a will have

a thickness in the range of from about 0.6 mil to about 10 mil, and more

desirably from about 0.6 mil to about 1.25 mil, and the substantially water

impervious polymeric film 120a will have a thickness in a range of from about

0.6 mil to about 10 mil, and more desirably from about 0.6 mil to about 1.25

mil. The substantially water impervious polymeric film 120a can be laminated

to the sheet of expanded core polymeric material 114a with a colored adhesive

so as to impart a desired color to the flexible sheet of laminated material 112a. While the thickness of the laminated sheet of flexible material 112a can vary

widely,, and will generally depend on the thickness of the sheet of expanded

core polymeric film 114a and the thickness of the substantially water impervious polymeric film 120a, desirable results can be obtained where the flexible sheet of laminated material 112a has a thickness in the range of from

about 1.5 mil to about 2.5 mil.

[0069] As previously stated, the decorative preformed flower pot cover 110 may be constructed of the sheet of flexible material 112 (Fig. 9A), or from the

flexible sheet of laminated material 112a (Fig. 9B), or from the sheet of

material 10 (Fig. 1); and the decorative preformed flower pot cover 110 so

formed will have a plurality of overlapping folds 122 formed therein, at least a

portion thereof being connected. If desired, the decorative preformed flower

pot cover 110 can be formed of a plurality of sheets of the same and/or

different types of material.

[0070] The method and apparatus employed to form the preformed flower

pot cover is substantially identical whether one uses one or more sheets of the

flexible material 112 (Fig. 9A), or one or more flexible sheets of the laminated

material 112a (Fig. 9B), or one or more sheets of material 10 (Fig. 1) or a

combination of such sheets of material. Thus, only the formation of the

preformed flower pot cover 110 using a sheet of the flexible material 112 of Fig.

9 will be described in detail hereinafter.

[0071] The decorative preformed flower pot cover 110 may be formed

using a conventional mold system 140 comprising a male mold 142 and a

female mold 144 having a mold cavity 146 for matingly receiving the male mold

142 (Fig. 12). The sheet of flexible material 112 is positioned between the male and female molds 142 and 144, respectively. Movement of the male mold

142 in the direction 148 and into the mold cavity 146 forces the sheet of flexible material 112 to be disposed about the portion of the male mold 142 disposed in the mold cavity 146 of the female mold 146 and thereby forms the sheet of material 112 into the preformed decorative flower pot cover 110 (Figs.

10 and 11). Further, in accordance with the present invention, the decorative preformed flower pot cover 110 constructed from the materials described

herein above, may have a bonding material disposed upon a portion thereof.

[0072] Methods for forming such preformed decorative pot covers are well

known in the art. Two methods of forming such covers are described in U.S.

Patent No. 4,773,182, entitled "ARTICLE FORMING SYSTEM" issued to Weder

et al. on September 27, 1998, and U.S. Patent No. 5,291,721, entitled "COVER

FORMING APPARATUS HAVING PIVOTING FORMING MEMBERS", issued to

Weder et al. on March 8, 1994, each of which is expressly incorporated herein

by reference.

Description of Figs. 13-19

[0073] Shown in Fig. 13 is a decorative cover designated therein by the

general reference numeral 160 which is a flexible bag or sleeve 162 of unitary

construction having a cloth-like appearance in accordance with the present

invention. The sleeve 162 may be used as a decorative cover 160 for a floral

grouping or a flower pot. The sleeve 162 initially is a flexible flat collapsed

piece of material which is openable in the form of a tube or sleeve. Such sleeves are well known in the floral industry. Further, in accordance with the present invention, at least a portion of one surface, preferably an outer

peripheral surface 164 of the sleeve 162, has been modified to provide the sleeve 162 with a cloth-like appearance, as previously described herein. The

sleeve 162 has an upper end 166, a lower end 168 and the outer peripheral

surface 164. The sleeve 162 may be tapered outwardly from the lower end 168

toward a larger diameter at its upper end 166. In its flattened state the sleeve

162 generally has an overall trapezoidal or modified trapezoidal shape, and

when opened is substantially frusto-conical to coniform. It will be appreciated,

however, that the sleeve 162 may have variations on the aforementioned

shapes or may have significantly altered shapes such as square or rectangular,

wherein the sleeve 162 when opened has a cylindrical form, as long as the

sleeve 162 functions in accordance with the present invention in the manner

described herein. The sleeve 162 (or any other sleeve disclosed herein) may

have an angular or contoured shape.

[0074] The sleeve 162 has an opening 170 at the upper end 166 and may

be open at the lower end 168, or closed with a bottom at the lower end 168.

The sleeve 162 also has an inner peripheral surface 172 which, when the sleeve

162 is opened, defines and encompasses an inner retaining space 174. When

the lower end 168 of the sleeve 162 is closed, a portion of the lower end 168

may be inwardly folded to form one or more gussets (not shown) for allowing the lower portion of the inner retaining space 174 to be expandable, for

example, for receiving a circular bottom of a pot or growing medium. [0075] The sleeve 162 is generally frusto-conically shaped, but the sleeve

162 may be, by way of example but not by way of limitation, cylindrical, frusto- conical, a combination of both frusto-conical and cylindrical, or any other shape,

as long as the sleeve 162 functions as described herein as noted above.

Further, the sleeve 162 may have any shape, whether geometric, non-

geometric, asymmetrical and/or fanciful as long as it functions in accordance

with the present invention. The sleeve 162 may also be equipped with drain

holes (if having a closed bottom) or side ventilation holes (not shown), or can

be made from gas permeable or impermeable materials.

[0076] The material from which the sleeve 162 is constructed is the same

as previously described above for the sheet of polymeric material 10 having a

cloth-like appearance, or the sheet of flexible material 112 or the flexible sheet

of laminated material 112a. Any thickness of material may be utilized in

accordance with the present invention as long as the sleeve 162 may be formed

as described herein, is provided with a cloth-like appearance, and as long as the

formed sleeve 162 may contain at least a portion of a flower pot or a floral

grouping, as described herein. Additionally, an insulating material such as

bubble film, preferable as one of two or more layers, can be utilized in order to

provide additional protection for the item, such as a floral grouping, contained

therein.

[0077] In Hg. 14 the sleeve 162 is illustrated having a cloth like

appearance provided on the outer peripheral surface 164 of the sleeve 162. A floral grouping 176 is disposed within the inner retaining space 174 of the

sleeve 162. Generally, an upper or bloom portion 178 of the floral grouping 176 is exposed near the opening 170 of the sleeve 162 and a lower or stem

portion 180 of the floral grouping 176 is exposed near the lower end 168 of the

sleeve 162. Either end of the sleeve 162 may be closed about the floral

grouping 176. Generally, a portion of the sleeve 162 is tightened about a

portion of the stem portion 180 of the floral grouping 176 for holding the

decorative cover 160 about the floral grouping 176. For example, the sleeve

162 may be held by a tie 182 tied about the sleeve 162 such as is shown in

Fig. 14. Other methods for binding the sleeve 162 may be employed such as

the bonding methods and materials described elsewhere herein. For example,

as shown in Fig. 15, a decorative cover 160a is shown which includes a sleeve

162a having a cloth-like appearance and a cinching tab 184 having a bonding

material 186 disposed upon a surface thereof. The cinching tab 184 can be

used to gather portions of the sleeve 162a together about the stem portion 180

of the floral grouping 176 as shown in Fig. 16 for holding the sleeve 162a

tightly about the floral grouping 176.

[0078] Similarly, it may generally be desired to use the sleeve 162 as a

decorative cover for a flower pot (not shown). The flower pot will generally

contain a botanical item or plant. The flower pot can be deposited into the open sleeve 162 in a manner well known in the art, such as manually wherein the

sleeve 162 is opened by hand and the flower pot deposited therein.

[0079] As noted above, a bonding material may be disposed on a portion of the sleeve 162 or any sleeve described herein to assist in holding the sleeve 162 to the flower pot when the flower pot is disposed within the sleeve 162 or

to assist in closing the upper end 166 of the sleeve 162 or adhering the sleeve

162 to the flower pot after the flower pot has been disposed therein, as will be discussed in further detail below.

[0080] It will be understood that the bonding material, if present, may be

disposed as a strip or block on a surface of the sleeve 162. The bonding

material may also be disposed upon either the outer peripheral surface 164 or

the inner peripheral surface 172 of the sleeve 162, as well as upon the flower

pot. Further, the bonding material may be disposed as spots of bonding

material, or in any other geometric, non-geometric, asymmetric, or fanciful

form, and in any pattern, including covering either the entire inner peripheral

surface 172 and/or outer peripheral surface 164 of the sleeve 162 and/or the

flower pot. The bonding material may be covered by a cover or release strip

which can be removed prior to the use of the sleeve 162 or flower pot. The

bonding material can be applied by methods known to those of ordinary skill in

their art. One method for disposing a bonding material, in this case an

adhesive, is described in U.S. Patent No. 5,111,637, entitled "METHOD FOR

WRAPPING A FLORAL GROUPING", issued to Weder et al. on May 12,

1993, which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.

[0081] As noted above, a bonding material may be disposed on at least a portion of the inner peripheral surface 172 of the sleeve 162 (or any other sleeve described herein), or, alternatively, the bonding material may be

disposed on the outer peripheral surface of a flower pot contained within the

sleeve 162, while the sleeve 162 may be free of the bonding material. In a

further alternative, the bonding material may be disposed both on at least a

portion of the flower pot as well as upon at least a portion of the inner

peripheral surface 172 of the sleeve 162. In addition, a portion of the bonding

material may also be disposed on the outer peripheral surface 164 of the sleeve

162 as well. It will be understood that the bonding material may be disposed

in a solid section of bonding material. The bonding material, when present, is

disposed on the sleeve 162 and/or flower pot by any method known in the art.

[0082] Certain versions of sleeves described herein may be used in

combination with a preformed pot cover. For example, a preformed pot cover

may be applied to the pot, then the covered pot wrapped or disposed within a

sleeve. Either the cover or the sleeve, or both, may have a cloth-like

appearance. Examples of sleeves which may be used in this invention are

shown in the specification of U.S. Patent No. 5,625,979, entitled "SLEEVE

HAVING A DETACHABLE PORTION FORMING A SKIRTAND METHODS", issued

to Weder on May 6, 1997, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference

in its. entirety. Equipment and devices for forming sleeves are commercially available, and well known in the art.

[0083] Shown in Figs. 17 and 18 is another embodiment of a decorative cover 160b which includes a sleeve having a cloth-like appearance constructed in accordance with the present invention and designated by the general

reference numeral 162b. The sleeve 162b has a "detaching" element in predetermined areas for detaching a portion of the sleeve 162b. The sleeve

162b generally initially is a flexible flat collapsed piece of material which is

openable in the form of a tube or sleeve. The sleeve 162b is constructed of the

same material and in the same way as described previously herein and may be

described exactly the same as the other sleeves described herein except for the

additional elements described hereinafter.

[0084] The sleeve 162b has an upper end 166b, a lower end 168b, and an

outer peripheral surface 164b. The sleeve 162b has an opening 170b at the

upper end 166b thereof, and the sleeve 162b may be open at the lower end

168b or closed with a bottom at the lower end 168b. In a flattened state, the

sleeve 162b has a first side 171 and a second side 173. The sleeve 162b also

has an Inner peripheral surface 172b which, when the sleeve 162b is opened,

defines and encompasses an inner retaining space 174b as shown in Fig. 18.

When the lower end 168b of the sleeve 162b has a closed bottom, a portion of

the lower end 168b may be inwardly folded to form one or more gussets (not

shown) for permitting a circular bottom of an object such as a potted plant

176b to be disposed in the inner retaining space 174b of the lower end 168b of the sleeve 162b.

[0085] As shown in Figs. 17 and 18, the sleeve 162b is demarcated into an

upper portion 188 and a lower portion 190. The lower portion 190 of the sleeve 162b is generally sized to contain the flower pot 176b. The upper portion 188

of the sleeve 162b is sized to substantially surround and encompass a plant 192

contained in the flower pot 176b disposed within the lower portion 190 of the

sleeve 162b. The sleeve 162b is demarcated into the upper portion 188 and

the lower portion 190 by a detaching element 194 for enabling the detachment

of the upper portion 188 of the sleeve 162b from the lower portion 190 of the

sleeve 162b. In the present version, the detaching element 194 is a plurality

of generally laterally-oriented or alternatingly diagonally-oriented perforations

which extend circumferentially across the outer peripheral surface 164b of the

sleeve 162b from the first side 171 to the second side 173.

[0086] In a preferred embodiment, as shown in Figs. 17 and 18, the lower

portion 190 of the sleeve 162b further includes a base portion 196 and a skirt

portion 198. The base portion 196 constitutes that part of the lower portion

190 which, when the flower pot 176b is placed into the lower portion 190, has

an inner peripheral surface 172b which is substantially adjacent to and

surrounds an outer peripheral surface 199 of the flower pot 176b. The skirt

portion 198 constitutes that part of the lower portion 190 which extends beyond

an open upper end 201 of the flower pot 176b and adjacent at least a portion of the plant 192 contained within the flower pot 176b and which is left to freely

extend at an angle, inwardly or outwardly, from the base portion 196 when the

upper portion 188 of the sleeve 162b is detached from the lower portion 190 of the sleeve 162b by actuation of the detaching element 194. [0087] In the intact sleeve 162b, the skirt portion 198 has an upper

peripheral edge congruent with the detaching element 194 which is connected

to a lower peripheral edge, also congruent with the detaching element 194, of

the upper portion 188 of the sleeve 162b. In Figs. 17 and 18, the upper

peripheral edge of the skirt portion 198 is congruent with a series of

alternatingly diagonally-oriented lines of perforations which together form a zig¬

zag and constitute the detaching element 194. The upper portion 188 of the

sleeve 162b may also have an additional detaching element 200 indicated as

a plurality of vertical perforations for facilitating removal of the upper portion

188 and which are disposed more or less vertically therein extending between

the detaching element 194 of the sleeve 162b.

[0088] The upper portion 188 of the sleeve 162b is thereby separable from

the lower portion 190 of the sleeve 162b by tearing the upper portion 188 along

both the detaching element 200 and the detaching element 194, thereby

separating the upper portion 188 from the lower portion 190 of the sleeve

162b. The lower portion 190 of the sleeve 162b remains disposed as the base

portion 196 about the flower pot 176b and as the skirt portion 198 about the

plant 192 forming a decorative cover 202 as shown in Fig. 19 which

substantially surrounds and encompasses the flower pot 176b and the plant 192

contained therein. An outer peripheral surface 164b of the lower portion 190 of the sleeve 162b, for example, the base and skirt portions 196 and 198, may be modified to provide the lower portion 190 of the sleeve 162b with a cloth-

like appearance, while the upper portion 188 is left unmodified or is printed with

a design. When the upper portion 188 is detached, the lower portion 190 of the

sleeve 162b remains about the flower pot 176b and thereby forms a decorative

cover 202 about the flower pot 176b which has the appearance of a cloth

decorative cover.

[0089] "Detaching element" as used herein, includes any element, or

combination of elements, or features, such as, but not by way of limitation,

perforations, tear strips, zippers, and any other devices or elements of this

nature known in. the art, or any combination thereof. Therefore, while

perforations are shown and described in detail herein, it will be understood that

tear strips, zippers, or any other "detaching elements" known in the art, or any

combination thereof, could be substituted therefor and/or used therewith.

[0090] In a general method of use of sleeve 162b as a decorative cover for

a flower pot, an operator provides a sleeve 162b, and the flower pot 176b

having a plant 192 disposed in a growing medium contained within the flower

pot 176b. The operator then disposes the flower pot 176b having the plant 192

contained therein into the sleeve 162b by opening the sleeve 162b at its upper

end 166b and assuring both that the opening 170b therein is in an open condition, and that the inner peripheral surface 172b of the sleeve 162b is

somewhat expanded outward as well, as shown in Fig. 18. The operator then

manually or automatically disposes the flower pot 176b into the opening 170b in the sleeve 162b, the flower pot 176b being disposed generally through the

upper portion 188 of the sleeve 162b into generally the lower portion 190 of the

sleeve 162b, the flower pot 176b remaining in the lower portion 190 of the

sleeve 162b, permitting the sleeve 162b to substantially surround and tightly

encompass the flower pot 176b. It will be understood that alternatively, the

sleeve 162b may be provided with an extension (not shown), and the sleeve

162b may be disposed on rods or wickets, and the flower pot 176b may be

disposed in the sleeve 162b either before or after the sleeve 162b has been

removed from the wickets.

Embodiments of Figs. 20A-20C

[0091] Referring now to Fig. 2OA, designated generally by the reference

numeral 210 is a ribbon material having a cloth-like appearance for forming

decorative bows and for wrapping items. That is, at least one surface of a web

of material (not shown) is modified to provide a matte or textured finish 212

simulating the appearance of cloth. The modification of the web of material

(not shown) to provide the ribbon material 210 with a matte or textured finish

212 can be accomplished in several ways. For example, the ribbon material

210 having the matte or textured finish 212 can be produced by printing a web

of material with a matted (i.e. dull finish) ink, by lacquering at least one surface of the sheet of material with a dull finish lacquer or a matting lacquer, by

embossing the sheet of material to provide an embossed pattern simulating the weave or texture of cloth, or by flocking the sheet of material, or by application

of a foamable lacquer or foamable ink to the sheet of material, or by embossing

and printing the sheet of material to provide embossed and printed patterns

wherein the embossed and printed patterns may be in registry, out of registry

or wherein a portion of the embossed and printed patterns are in registry and

a portion of the embossed and printed patterns are out of registry. In addition,

when the ribbon material is a polymeric ribbon material, a matte or textured

finish 212 capable of providing the sheet of polymeric material 210 with a cloth-

like appearance can be achieved by extruding a resin onto a matted or textured

chill roll. Thereafter, the web of material having a cloth-like appearance can be

cut in a conventional manner to provide a polymeric ribbon material having a

cloth-like appearance.

[0092] Any material capable of being textured or otherwise modified to

provide the material with a cloth-like appearance can be employed in the

formulation of the ribbon material 210. For example, the material employed to

produce the ribbon material 210 can be a polymeric film, both synthetic and

naturally occurring, paper, laminations of polymeric film, laminations of

polymeric film and paper, or any other material which is capable of being modified or treated to provide the ribbon material 210 with a cloth-like

appearance on a surface thereof. When the ribbon material is polypropylene

film or paper, or a laminated polypropylene film and paper, the ribbon material 210 often has a thickness in a range of from about 0.1 mil to about 30 mil, and

more desirably in a range of from about 0.5 mil to about 2.5 mil; whereas,

when the ribbon material 210 is formed of an expanded core polymeric film, the

ribbon material 210 has a thickness in a range of from about 0.6 mil to about

10 mil.

[0093] Referring now to Fig. 2OB, designated generally by the reference

numeral 220 is another embodiment of a ribbon material for forming decorative

bows and for wrapping items. The ribbon material 220 is a laminate formed

from an expanded core polymeric film 222 having a thickness in a range of from

about 0.6 mil to about 10 mil and a polymeric film or paper 224 having a

thickness in a range of from about 0.6 mil to about 10 mil. When the polymeric

film 224 is laminated to the expanded core polymeric film 222 it may be

desirable to use a colored adhesive so as to impart a desired color to the ribbon

material 220. If desired, the ribbon material 220 may be treated or otherwise

processed to provide the ribbon material 220 with a matte or textured finish

226 simulating the weave or knit of cloth so that the ribbon material 220 has

a cloth-like appearance similar to the ribbon material 210 hereinbefore

described with reference to Fig. 2OA. That is, a matte or textured finish

226 simulating cloth can be printed on the expanded core poiymeric film 222,

and thereafter the polymeric film or paper 224 (which in this case may be a

matte material of translucent polymeric film) is laminated to the polymeric film

or paper 224 to provide the ribbon material 220 with a cloth-like appearance. To further enhance the cloth-like appearance of the ribbon material 220, the polymeric film or paper 224 may or may not have a plurality of spatially

disposed holes extending therethrough. The matte or textured finish 226 can

be produced by printing the polymeric film or paper 224 laminated to the

expanded core polymeric film 222 with a matted (i.e. dull finish) ink, by

lacquering at least one surface of the polymeric film or paper 224 with a dull

finish lacquer or a matting lacquer, by flocking the polymeric film or paper 224,

by application of a foamable lacquer or foamable ink to the polymeric film or

paper 224, by embossing the polymeric film or paper 224 to provide an

embossed pattern simulating the weave or texture of cloth, or by embossing

and printing the polymeric film or paper 224 to provide embossed and printed

patterns wherein the embossed and printed patterns may be in registry, out of

registry, or wherein a portion of the embossed and printed patterns are in

registry and a portion of the embossed and printed patterns are out of registry.

In addition, a matte or textured finish 226 capable of providing the ribbon

material 220 with a cloth-like appearance can be achieved by extruding the

resin used to produce the expanded core polymeric film 222 and\or the resin

used to produce the polymeric film or paper 224 onto a matted or textured chili

roll.

[0094] Referring now to Fig. 2OC, designated generally by the reference

numeral 230 is another embodiment of a ribbon material for forming decorative bows and for wrapping items. The ribbon material 230 is formed of a polymeric

film or paper 232 having an upper surface 234, a lower surface 236 and a thickness in the range of from about 0.6 mil to about 10 mil. An acrylic heat

sealable lacquer 238 is applied to at least one of the upper and lower surfaces

234 and 236 of the polymeric film or paper 232, such as the lower surface 236 of the polymeric film or paper 232 and the upper surface 234 of the polymeric

film or paper 232 is desirably modified to provide the ribbon material 230 with

a matte or textured finish 240 simulating the appearance of cloth. The

modification of the polymeric film or paper 232 to provide the ribbon material

230 with a cloth-like appearance can be accomplished in several ways. For

example, the ribbon material 230 having the matte or textured finish 240 can

be produced by printing a web of polymeric material or paper with a matted

(i.e. dull finish) ink, by lacquering at least one of the upper surface 234 or the

lower surface 236 of the polymeric film or paper 232 with a dull finish lacquer

or a matting lacquer, by flocking the polymeric film or paper 232, by application

of a foamable lacquer or foamable ink to the polymeric film or paper 232, by

embossing the polymeric film or paper 232 to provide an embossed pattern

simulating the weave or texture of cloth, or by embossing and printing the

polymeric film or paper 232 to provide embossed and printed patterns wherein

the embossed and printed patterns may be in registry, out of registry or wherein a portion of the embossed and printed patterns are in registry and a

portion of the embossed and printed patterns are out of registry. In addition, a matte or textured finish 240 capable of providing the polymeric film 232 with

a cloth-like appearance can be achieved by extruding a polymeric resin onto a matted or textured chill roll. Thereafter, the polymeric film 232 having a

cloth-like appearance can be cut in a conventional manner to provide the ribbon

material 280.

[0095] Any polymeric film or paper capable of being textured or otherwise

modified to provide the polymeric film or paper with a cloth-like appearance can

be employed in the formulation of the ribbon material 230. For example, the

polymeric film or paper 232 employed to produce the ribbon material 230 can

be polypropylene film and the polypropylene film or paper 232 is desirably

provided with a thickness in a range of from about 0.1 mil to about 30 mil, and

more desirably in a range of from about 0.5 mil to about 2.5 mil.

Description of Figs. 21a and 21b

[0096] Referring now to Figs. 21a and 21b, shown therein is a flower pot

250 formed In accordance with the present invention. The flower pot 250 is

constructed of a sheet of material having a cloth-like appearance similar to the

sheet of material 10 or the sheet of laminated material herein before described.

Any suitable material can be employed in the construction of the flower pot 250

as long as the material is capable of being modified and/or textured so that the

flower pot 250 appears to be fabricated of cloth. The thickness of the material

used in the construction of the flower pot 250 can vary widely and will generally

depend on the structural integrity desired in the flower pot. Generally, however, the sheet of material and/or the sheet of laminated material will have a thickness of at least about 5 mil, and more desirably at least about 15 mil.

If desired, a coating of an acrylic heat sealable lacquer can be disposed on at

least one of an upper surface or lower surface of the sheet of material having

a cloth-like appearance or on at least one of an upper surface or lower surface

of a sheet of laminated material having a cloth-like appearance.

[0097] The flower pot 250 has an upper end 252, a lower end 254 and an

outer peripheral surface 256, an opening 258 intersects the upper end 252,

forming an inner peripheral surface 260 which defines a retaining space 262

within which may be disposed a growing medium and a botanical item, such as

a plant. If desired, a floral support medium, such as floral foam, may be used

in place of the growing medium to support a floral grouping within the retaining

space 262 of the flower pot 250.

[0098] The flower pot 250 may include one or more apertures in the lower

the end 254 thereof, such as the aperture 264 as shown in Fig. 21a; or a

plurality of apertures 266 as shown in Fig. 21b. It should be noted that the

flower pot 250 can be constructed without any apertures, or the flower pot 250

can be constructed so as to contain apertures 264 and 266. In addition, the

flower pot 250 may be constructed with or without a rim disposed about the

upper end 252 of the flower pot 250, such as the rim 268 shown in Figs. 21a

and 21b.

[0099] The flower pot 250 can be formed using any conventional method known in the art. For example, the flower pot 250 can be formed using the

method hereinbefore described for forming a preformed flower pot cover; or the

flower pot 250 can be formed using a male mold and forming the sheet of

material about the male mold in such a manner that the flower pot 250

maintains its shape; or the flower pot 250 may be formed by hand.

[0100] When forming the flower pot 250 using a male and a female mold,

the sheet of material employed to form the flower pot 250 is desirably provided

with a bonding material on at least a portion thereof or with a coating of heat

sealable lacquer on at least one surface thereof so that when the sheet of

material is formed into the flower pot 250, the flower 250 so produced retains

it shape without the requirement of bands and the like.

[0101] Changes may be made in the construction and the operation of the

various components, elements and assemblies described herein or in the steps

or the sequence of steps of the methods described herein without departing

from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.