Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
Thls invention relates to packaging
horticultural items in aeneral, and in particular
to packaging horticultural items with a
receptacle which utilizes a container means, and
a sleeve that engages the container for wrapping
the horticultural items and receptacle.
The use of a sleeve for wrapping a potted
plant is disclosed in U.S. Patent Jo. 1,183,458.
In this patent, the use of a sleeve which
directly engages the plant pot is disclosed
While enclosing the plant, the sleeve offers
little mechanical protection for the pot or
thermal insulation of the pot. Current practice
for wrapping floral arrangements and plants in
odd si7e receptacles such as bud vases, cruets or
brandy snifters is to place such items in boxes
and then wrap the box and items with sheet
material, the sheet material being either taped
or stapled to the box. This procedure is both
slow and awkward.
The present advantageous package for
horticultural items with a receptacle includes a
container for receiving the receptacle, and a
flexible sleeve engageable with the container to
support the container. The package can be
utilized with potted plants, floral arrangements
and various different types of receptacles for
providing a convenient, simple and expedient
29 package for horticultural items. Furthermore,
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-this package for horticultural i-tems can be u-tilized with
po-tted plants providing -thermal and shock insulation between
the pot and any surface which the package engages.
The package for horticultural items with a
receptacle includes an erectable container means including
a polygonal shaped base por-tion for supporting the receptacle,
and a plurality of side portions connected to and extending
upwardly from the base portion about the receptacle, the
side portions including a first pair of opposed side portions
extending upwardly and outwardly from the base portion, and a
tapered flexible sleeve having a relatively larger upper open-
ing and a relatively smaller lower opening, the sleeve engage-
able with the container side portions to suppor-t the container
means.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the
sleeve is conically shaped.
In one aspect of the invention, a pair of opposed
side portions ex-tend upwardly and outwardly Erom the base
portion. In another aspect of -the invention, a pair of op-
posed side portlons extend substantially vertically upward-
ly of the base por-tion. The side portions include upper
margins defining an upper container opening for receiving
the receptacle.
In yet ano-ther aspect of the invention, the vertical
side portions include opposed side notches for providing
access to the receptacle within the container.
In another aspect of the invention, a modified
container includes four upwardly and outwardly tapered side
portions. In one aspect
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of the invention, two opposed side portion
include opposed notches.
In still another aspect of the invention,
the container includes an upper wall having an
opening for receiving the receptacle. The upper
wall has a resilient portion defining the opening
for laterally engaging and supporting the
receptacle. The upper resilient portion is
expandable for permitting insertion and
withdrawal of the receptacle into and from the
con-tainer. A horiticultural item and receptacle
disposed within the container can be supported by
a pedestal. Further, the pedestal supports and
retains a supply of flexible sleeves, and
provides means for applying a sleeve to the
container.
In one aspect of the invention, the
sleeve-supporting pedestal includes a base, a
support member having an upper end and a lower
end, with the support member being connected to
the base at its lower end. A platform is
connected to the support member upper end.
Flexible means are located between the base and
the platform for spreading the sleeves.
In one aspect of the invention, the flexible
means includes flexible straps connected to the
support member. The straps include opposed ends
connected to the support member, the straps being
29 bowed lateraIly outwardly of the support member.
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In another aspect of the invention, the
support member is a plastic tube, and the straps
are plastic and are riveted to the tube. The
straps resilient flex for allowing removal of the
sleeves from the pedestal.
In still another aspect of the invention,
the container includes a substantially
rectangular bottom panel having side margins.
Opposed side panels, each include a side portion
providing a container sidewall marginally
connected to the bottom panel, and side flaps
connected to opposite sides of the side panel.
The side flaps form portions of opposed container
sidewalls adjacent to the container sidewall
provided by said side portions.
In one aspect of the invention, the side
flaps include ear portions, and locking means
connected to the bottom panel engaging the side
flap ear portions for supporting and retaining
the side flaps and side portions.
In another aspect of the invention, the
locking means includes opposed marginal slots in
the bottom panel adjacent to the side flap ear
portions and side lock flaps having lips
engageable with the bottom panel slots for
retaining the side flap ear portions. The side
lock flaps fold about the side flap ear portions.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a
29 top flap is marginally connected to one of the
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side portions, and includes a tongue. The other
side portion includes a marginally connected
shoulder portion having a slot. The top Elap
tongue is engageable with the shoulder portion
slot.
In still another aspect of the invention,
the top flap portions are marglnally connected to
each of the side portions. The top flap portions
include opposed side shoulders having marginal
slots. Side flaps include top tabs engageable
with the side shoulder marginal slots for
supporting the top flap portions.
In another aspect of the invention, the top
flap includes a center opening with a plurality
of radial slits about the center opening for
providing flexible fingers.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the package
for horticultural items, and the
sleeve-supporting pedestal;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the
sleeve-supporting pedestal;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a container;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the unassembled
container of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a modified
container;
FIG. 6 is a top plan view oE the unassembled
container of FIG. 5;
29 FIG. 7 is a perspective view of still
another container,
FIG. 8 is a top plan view ox the unassembled
container of FIG. 7, and
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of yet another
container.
Referring now by characters of reference to
the drawings, and first to FIG. 1, it will be
seen that the package for horticultural items
with a receptacle indicated generally by 10,
includes a container 11 constituting a container
means, and a flexible sleeve 12.
As will be more clearly seen in FIG. 3, the
container 11 includes a base portion 13. A first
pair of opposed side portions 14 extend upwardly
and outwardly from the base portion 13. A second
pair ox opposed side portions 15 extend
substantially vertically upwardly from the base
portion 13. The side portions 14 and 15 include
upper margins defining an upper container opening
16. The vertical side portions 15 include
opposed side notches 17.
Referring again to FIG. 1, it will be seen
that a floral arrangement 20 in a receptacle 21
is received by the container 11, with the base
portion 13 supporting the receptacle 21. The
notches 17 provide access to the receptacle 21 in
the container 11.
The container 11, as shown in FIG. 1, is
29 supported by a sleeve-supporting pedestal 22
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which is more clearly seen in E'IG. 2. The
pedestal 22 includes a base 23, a support member
24, which is a plastic tube, having its lower end
connected to the base 23. A platform 25 is
connected to the upper end of the support member
24. Located between the base 23 and platform 25
are flexible straps 26, constituting flexible
means. The flexible straps 26 are utilized for
spreading the sleeves 12 as shown in FIG. 1. rrhe
flexible straps 26 include opposed ends connected
to the support member 24 as by rivets 27. The
flexible straps 26 bow laterally outwardly of the
support member 24. The straps 26 resiliently
flex for allowing removal of the sleeves 12 from
the pedestal 22.
The sleeves 12 are preferably conically
shaped with each having a substantially larger
top opening 18 and a substantially smaller bottom
opening 19. The sleeves 12 are constructed of
flexible sheet material such as paper or plastic
material. Polyethelene or other plastic
materials are particularly advantageous as they
allow viewing of the contents of the package 10
through the sleeve 12.
Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be
seen that the container 11 can be constructed of
sheet material such as cardboard or corrigated
paper. The base portion 13 provides a
29 substantially rectangular bottom panel having
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opposed margins 30 and opposed margins 31.
Opposed side panels 32 include the side portions
14 which are marginally connected to the base
portion 13 at the margin 30. Side 1aps 33 are
connected to opposite side margins of the side
portion 14. The side flaps 33 form portions of
the opposed container sidewalls adjacent to the
container sidewalls provided by the side panels
32. The side flaps 33 each include ear portions
34. The base portion 13 includes opposed slots
35 at the margins 31 adjacent to the ear portions
34. Side lock Elaps 36 are marginally connected
to the base portion 13 at the margins 31. The
side flaps 36 fold about the side flap ear
portions 34 with lips 37 engaging the slots 35
for providing locking means for engaging the side
flap ear portions 34, and supporting and
retaining the side flaps 33 and side portions 14.
Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, a modified
container 41 is disclosed. The container 41 is
similar in construction to the container 11 and
similar parts have been given the same reference
characters. top flap 42 providing an upper
wall, is marginally connected to the upper margin
of one of the side portions 14. The top flap 42
includes opposed side shoulders 43, and a tongue
44 connected to the top wall margin opposite to
the margin connected to the side portion 14. The
29 other side panel 33 includes a shoulder portion
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45 connected at its upper margin. A slot 46 is
provided at said margin for receiving the tongue
44.
The top Elap 42 includes a center open.ing 47
having a plurality of radial slits 50. The
radial slits 50 provide a plurality of flexible
fingers 51 in the flap 42.
Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, an
additional modified container 52 is shown in
which parts that are similar to the containers 11
and 41 are indicated by the same characters of
reference. The container 52 includes a top wall
53 provided by top flap portions 54.
Each top flap portion 54 is connected to an
upper margin of a side flaps 32. The top flap
portions 54 each include opposed side shoulder
portions 55 having marginal slots 56. The slots
56 reeeive top tabs 57 whieh are eonneeted to the
upper margins of th.e side flaps 33.
A eenter opening 60 (FIG. 7) is provided,
when the top flap portions 54 are brought
together, by the semi-circular margin portions 61
of each top -flap portion 54. A plurality of
radial slits 62 extend from each semi-circular
margin portion 61 and provide flexible fingers 63
in each of the top flap portions 54.
Another container 65 is elosed in FIG. 9.
The eontainer 65 has a base portion 66 with four
29 upwardly and outwardly tapered sidewall portions
Ed
including opposed wall portions 67, and opposed
wall portions 68 interconnecting the wall
portions 67. Opposed side marginal notches 70
are included in the wall portions 58. The
container 65 can be constructed of cardboard
material, but in the preferred embodiment is of
molded plastic material.
It is thought that the structural features
and functional advantages of the package for
horticultural items having become fully apparent
from the foregoing description of parts, but for
completeness of disclosure, a brief description
of the operation and use of the package will be
given.
Wren it is desired to package a
horticùltural item, an appropriate container such
as the containers 11, 41, 52 or 65 is placed on
the pedestal 24. The containers 11, 41 and 52
are normally stored flat to conserve storage and
shipping space.
It will be seen that -these containers are
extremely efficient in the use of cardboard when
they are manufactured. As seen in FIGS. 4, 6 and
8, the side lock flaps 36 do not extend
substantially beyond the side flaps 33 of the
side panels 32.
Assembly of the containers 11, 41 and 52 is
substantially the same. The side panels 32 are
29 folded upwardly from the base portion 13 at the
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margins 30, while the side flaps 33 are folded
inwardly on the side portions 14. The side lock
flaps 36 are then folded upwardly from the base
portion 13 at the margins 31, and are folded down
about the ear portions 34, with the lips 37
engaging the slots 35. This completes assembly
of the container 11.
For the container 41 of FIG. 6, the side
shoulders ~3 of the top flap 42 are folded
inwardly, as is the tongue 44. The top wall 42
is then folded down, with the tongue 44 being
received by the slot ~6, and with the side
shoulders 43 being received within the side flap
42.
For the container 52 of FIG. 8, the side
shoulder portions 55 of the top flap portionq 54
are folded inwardly, and the top flap portions 54
are then folded downwardly with the tabs 57
inserted in the slots 56.
It will be understood that the containers 41
and 52 are particularly useful for receiving and
supporting bud vases, cruets, brandy snifters and
the like, as for example the bud vase 72 shown in
FIG. 5. The containers 11 and 65 are
particularly suited to receiving floral
arrangements such as that shown in FIG. 1, or
potted plants and other large horticultural
items. Horticultural items which can utilize
29 this package 10 include both cut and uncut
-Elowers and plants, and dried and plastic plowers
and plants.
When packaging the horticultural item, the
item with its receptacle, such as bud vase 72, is
placed in a container, such as a container 11
shown in FIG. 1. A sleeve 12 is drawn up about
the container 11, with the sleeve 12 engaging the
side portions 14 and 15 of the container 11
adjacent to the lower opening 19 ox the sleeve
12. In withdrawing a sleeve 12 from the pedestal
22, and inner sleeve 12 is manually drawn
upwardly. The straps 26 resiliently flex to
allow removal of the smaller diameter lower
opening 19 over and from the bowed straps 26.
Wren the sleeve 12 has been placed over the
container 11 and floral arrangement 2~, the upper
end 18 of the sleeve 12 can be foled over and
stapled or taped shut.
The containers 41, 52 and 65 are utilized in
a smaller manner. These containers 41, 52 and 65
are placed on a pedestal 22 and the particular
horticultural item and its receptacle to be
wrapped is then placed in the container and an
appropriate sleeve 12 is drawn up about the
container and closed. If desired, the containers
11, 41, 52 and 65 can be used without a sleeve 12
by wrapping them with sheet material in a
conventional manner.
29 The containers 11, gl, 52 and 65 provide
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thermal insulation between the receptacle 21 and
any surfaces on which the container is placed.
Some mechanical shock protection is also provided
to the receptacle 21 should the package be bumped
or knocked during transportation.
To remove the floral arrangement 20 from the
package 10, the sleeve 12 can be removed as by
tearing, and the receptacle 21 can be grasped
through the notches 17 for removal from the
container 11.
The bud vase 72 can be removed from the
container 41 by pulling the vase vertically from
the container 41, the fingers 51 flexing to allow
the vase 72 tc pass through the opening 47.
