Abstract:
The present invention relates generally to a method for shipping flowers that provides moisture and nutrients to the flowers during shipping which significantly increases their life expectancy and provides protection to the fragile stem ends against handling damage.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a Continuation-in-part of parent application Ser. No. 11/397,030 which is hereby abandoned. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for preparing and shipping fresh cut flowers that provides moisture and nutrients to the cut flowers during shipping which significantly increases their life expectancy and a method of using same. 
         [0004]    2. Prior Art 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,059 Moore 1971 disclosed a block of absorbent floral foam enclosed in a cardboard box with a large opening at the top that is covered by a thin, flower stem penetrable plastic film. The foam is soaked in water and flower stems are individually punched through the film and into the water soaked foam. This system is prone to leakage and is limited in that the flowers must be individually inserted, the boxes and film are expensive to make and time consuming to use and the foam dries up over time. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,915 Harris 1992 attempts to resolve these problems by providing a water filled or a water-soaked-foam filled container or vase with flower stems inserted and a rigid non-absorbent plug or cap foamed in place around the flower stems sealing the water in the bottom of the container. This system is also relatively expensive and time consuming. 
         [0007]    200510138862 O&#39;Conner 2005 discloses another approach to solving the problem of moisture leaking from a water well. Flower stems are inserted through openings in a flexible foam block that are slightly larger than the flower stems in question. The flexible foam block is positioned above the water surface. After the flower stems are individually inserted into their assigned channels the ring is radially compressed, sealing each stem in its own passage way. Again this is a very time consuming process and an expensive system to utilize. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,475 Weder 1994 discloses a simpler, less expensive system by providing a sheet of moisture absorbing and releasing material to be soaked in water and wrapped around a group of cut flower stems and secured with a rubber band. This product often allows the flower stems in the center of a bundle to be out of contact with the moisture-carrying sheet of material or crushed by rough handling or packing and allows the onset of stenosis before the flowers reach their destination. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    An object of the AQUAPAC is to provide a leak free apparatus and a method of using same for providing moisture at the cut end of the stems of flower bundles during shipping. 
         [0010]    A further object of the AQUAPAC is to provide a leak free apparatus and a method of using same for providing moisture at the cut end of the stems of flower bundles during shipping that allows a single flower stem or the full bundle to be entered into the moisture carrying medium with just one insertion. 
         [0011]    A further object of the AQUAPAC is to provide a leak free apparatus and a method of using same for providing moisture at the cut end of the stems of flower bundles during shipping wherein the moisture carrying medium is encased on all sides and the perimeter of the bottom with an impervious barrier, leaving the top surface open for floral insertion and the center of the bottom surface open for drainage of excess moisture before bagging. 
         [0012]    A further object of the AQUAPAC is to provide a leak free apparatus and a method of using same for providing moisture at the cut end of the stems of flower bundles during shipping wherein various sizes and shapes of moisture carrying medium apparatus are provided for different sizes and groupings of flowers. 
         [0013]    A further object of the AQUAPAC is to provide a leak free apparatus and a method of using same for providing moisture at the cut end of the stems of flower bundles during shipping wherein the flower stems are inserted into the moisture carrying medium and soaked in water until moisture carrying medium is saturated and flower stems have absorbed all the moisture they can and are packaged for shipping in an economic and efficient process. 
         [0014]    A further object of the AQUAPAC is to provide a leak free apparatus and a method of using same for providing moisture at the cut end of the stems of flower bundles during shipping wherein the moisture carrying medium is highly compressible or crushable, reducing landfill disposal requirements. 
         [0015]    A further object of the AQUAPAC is to provide a leak free apparatus and a method of using same for providing moisture at the cut end of the stems of flower bundles during shipping wherein the cut ends of the flower stems to be shipped are protected from bruising or crushing that would block the flow of fluid into the cut ends of the stems. 
         [0016]    A further object of the AQUAPAC is to provide a leak free apparatus and a method of using same for providing moisture at the cut end of the stems of flower bundles during shipping wherein the moisture carrying medium is not crushed by the insertion of the cut flower stems either by providing clearance wells or by giving the displaced material room to move and floral foam block stability is enhanced by the banding effect of shrink wrapping the perimeter walls or encasing in a plastic box. 
         [0017]    The present invention in its various embodiments, meets the above mentioned objectives. 
         [0018]    Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and accompanying drawings. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof, and in which are shown, by way of illustration, four exemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in these arts to practice this invention, and be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The invention is described with reference to the following drawings: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1A  is a top perspective view of a floral foam cylindrical block; 
           [0021]      FIG. 1B  is a top perspective view of a floral foam cylindrical block with stem clearance wells; 
           [0022]      FIG. 1C  is a top perspective view of a plastic film sleeve shrink wrapped cylindrical floral foam block with stem wells; 
           [0023]      FIG. 1D  is a bottom perspective view of a plastic film sleeve shrink wrapped cylindrical floral foam block; 
           [0024]      FIG. 1E  is a bottom perspective view of a seal and shrink wrapped cylindrical floral foam block without a drain hole in the bottom surface; 
           [0025]      FIG. 1F  is a bottom perspective view of a seal and shrink wrapped cylindrical floral foam block with a drain hole in the bottom surface; 
           [0026]      FIG. 1G  is a top perspective view of cylindrical case and lid with a cylindrical block of floral foam inserted; 
           [0027]      FIG. 1H  is a top perspective view of cylindrical case and lid with a cylindrical block of floral foam with stem wells inserted; 
           [0028]      FIG. 1J  is a bottom perspective view of a cylindrical case and lid assembly without a drain hole; 
           [0029]      FIG. 1K  is a bottom perspective view of a cylindrical case and lid assembly with a block of floral foam inserted with a drain hole; 
           [0030]      FIG. 2A  is a top perspective view of a floral foam cubical block; 
           [0031]      FIG. 2B  is a top perspective view of a floral foam cubical block with stem clearance wells; 
           [0032]      FIG. 2C  is a top perspective view of a seal and shrink wrapped cubical floral foam block with stem clearance wells; 
           [0033]      FIG. 2D  is a bottom perspective view of a seal and shrink wrapped cubical floral foam block; 
           [0034]      FIG. 2E  is a bottom perspective view of a seal and shrink wrapped cubical floral foam block with drain hole; 
           [0035]      FIG. 2F  is a top perspective view of a cubical plastic case with lid and a cubical block of floral foam inserted; 
           [0036]      FIG. 2G  is a top perspective view of a cubical plastic case with lid and a cubical block of floral foam with stem clearance wells inserted; 
           [0037]      FIG. 2H  is a bottom perspective view of a cubical plastic case and lid assembly without a drain hole; 
           [0038]      FIG. 2J  is a bottom perspective view of a cubical plastic case, lid and block of floral foam assembly with a drain hole; 
           [0039]      FIG. 3  is a top perspective view showing a bundle of cut flower stems inserted into a cylindrical floral foam block; 
           [0040]      FIG. 4  is a front view of a foam block with a bundle of flower stems inserted being soaked in a moisture loading tank; and 
           [0041]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a soaked foam cylindrical block with flower stems inserted in a plastic bag with packets of preservative attached to the outside of the top of the bag by fasteners. 
       
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMBERS 
       [0042]    The same reference numbers are used to refer to the same or similar parts in the various views.
     12 —Aquapac System     14 —cylindrical floral foam block     16 —cubical floral foam block stem     18 —plastic film sleeve shrink wrap     20 —plastic film seal and shrink wrap     22 —cut flower stems     24 —plastic bag     26 —bag top fasteners     28 —soak tank     30 —foam block top surface     32 —foam block bottom surface     34 —foam block perimeter wall     36 —flower bundle     38 —preservative packets     40 —preservative solution     42 —lid     44 —can or box     45 —can or box with drain hole     46 —stem wells     48 —can or box encasement     50 —can or box encasement with stem wells     52 —excess fluid drain hole     54 —plastic film sleeve shrink wrap encasement     56 —plastic film seal and shrink wrap without drain hole encasement     57 —plastic film sleeve shrink wrap with stem wells encasement     58 —plastic film seal and shrink wrap with stem wells encasement     59 —plastic film seal and shrink wrap with drain hole     60 —can or box without drain hole encasement     62 —can or box with drain hole encasement     64 —stem clearance opening in lid   
 
       DESCRIPTION 
       [0073]    Four embodiments of Aquapac  12  will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying  FIGS. 1A through 5 . 
         [0074]    The first preferred embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 1A and 2A  and  3 - 5 .  FIGS. 1A and 2A  show floral foam blocks  14  and  16  in cylindrical and cubic shapes respectively. Floral foam blocks  14  and  16  can be cut from an extruded block of fine open cell floral foam such as AQUAFOAM® from Syndicate Sales, Inc. in Kokomo, Ind., in various predetermined diameter or diagonal dimensions. Blocks  14  and  16  are sized to have sufficient cross-sectional areas to receive cut flower stems  22  of the desired size shipping flower bundle  36 . They also are_sized to contain sufficient moisture carrying capabilities to provide the moisture and or nutrients required to allow flower bundles  36  to arrive at their destinations in a hydrated state. Blocks made from this material crush to a powder form, dramatically reducing landfill disposal requirements. 
       Operation: 
       [0075]    Foam blocks  14  or  16 , plastic bags  24 , preservative packets  38  and bag top fasteners  26  are delivered to florist or wholesaler for use in packaging flowers to maximize their life expectancy. 
         [0076]    Cut flower stems  22  are inserted through foam block top surface  30  as shown in  FIG. 3  to a depth of approximately 50 percent of the thickness of floral foam blocks  14  or  16 . 
         [0077]    Flower bundles  36  with their cut stems  22  buried in floral foam blocks  14  and  16 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , are then submersed in soak tank  28 .  FIG. 4  shows a front view of same. Floral foam blocks  14  and  16  with cut stems  22  inserted are left in soak tank  28  a sufficient time for the floral foam blocks  14  or  16  to become saturated and for cut flower stems  22  to become as fully hydrated as possible. Typically this occurs overnight but would vary with different size bundles and different species of flowers. Soak tank  28  is preferably filled with preservative solution  40 . Solution  40  can be of cool water or a mixture of water, nutrients and preservatives. 
         [0078]      FIG. 5  shows saturated block  14  and  16  with cut flower stems  22  inserted, placed into plastic bag  24  with several preservative packets  38  wrapped around the top of bag  24  and secured by bag top fasteners  26 , such as wire ties, string, plastic slip latches or rubber bands. Bag top fasteners  26  also seal the bag top opening of plastic bag  24  tight enough to flower stems  22  to prevent leakage or moisture evaporation, but not so tight as to collapse the moisture carrying capillaries in cut flower stems  22 . The hydrated bouquet in Aquapac  12  package is then placed in a shipping container, not shown or part of this invention. 
         [0079]    The second preferred embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 1D-1F ,  2 D,  2 E and  3 - 5  is processed in the same manner as the first embodiment above except it provides another step in evaporation prevention.  FIG. 1D  shows cylindrical floral foam block  14  encased with plastic film sleeve shrink wrap film  18  and processes.  FIGS. 1E and 2D  show cylindrical and cubical floral foam blocks encased with plastic film seal and shrink wrapping film  20 . This operation leaves foam block bottom surface  32  and foam block perimeter walls  34  impervious to moisture and foam block top surface  30  open for insertion of cut flower stems  22 . Seal and shrink wrap film  20  on the bottom surface  32  and sleeve shrink wrap films  18  or Seal and shrink wrap film  20  on perimeter walls  34  reduce exposed surface area and proportionally reduce evaporation of absorbed moisture.  FIGS. 1F and 2E  show drain hole  52  cut in the bottom of the shrink-wrap material to allow any excess preservative solution  40  to drain from foam before it is placed in plastic bag  24  and sealed with bag top fasteners  26 . 
       Operation: 
       [0080]    _Shrink-wrapped foam encasements  54 ,  56 , and  59 , plastic bags  24 , preservative packets  38  and bag top fasteners  26  are delivered to florist or wholesaler for use in packaging flowers, maximizing their life expectancy. The process of floral insertion, soaking and bagging is then the same as in embodiment 1 above. 
         [0081]    The third embodiment replaces the shrink-wrap films  18  and  20  from the second embodiment above with cans or boxes  44  and cans or boxes  45  with drain holes  52  and lids  42  with stem clearance openings  64  through which to insert cut flower stems  22  as shown in  FIGS. 1G ,  1 J,  1 K and  2 F,  2 H and  2 J. In this embodiment, floral foam blocks  14  or  16  are inserted into cans or boxes  44  or  45  and lids  42  are attached forming can or box encasements  48 ,  60  and  62 . Either cylindrical cans or cubical boxes  44  or  45  can be easily molded with lids  42  attached to case walls  34  by living hinges or with separate lids  42  attached by any of the standard plastic case lid attachment techniques. 
       Operation: 
       [0082]    Can or box encasements  48 ,  60  and  62 , plastic bags  24 , preservative packets  38  and bag top fasteners  26  are delivered to florist or wholesaler for use in packaging flowers, maximizing their life expectancy. 
         [0083]    The additional rigidity of cans or boxes  44  or  45  provides an extra measure of crush or bruise protection to the relatively fragile cut ends of flower stems  22  which must remain open to allow moisture to flow into stems  22  preventing or delaying the onset of stenosis. Bundles of cut flower stems  22  are then inserted through the lid openings  64  and buried into foam blocks  14  or  16 . 
         [0084]    The processes of soaking, bagging and shipping are then the same as in embodiment 1 above. 
         [0085]    The fourth embodiment entails adding stem wells  46  into the floral foam blocks to minimize crushing of the foam material from flower stem insertion as illustrated in  FIGS. 1B ,  1 C,  1 H, and  2 B,  2 C, and  2 G. 
         [0086]    Addition of stem wells  46  in floral foam blocks  14  and  16  is shown in  FIGS. 1B and 2B  respectively. Stem wells  46  provide clearance for stems  22 , maximizing the moisture absorption capacity of foam blocks  14  or  16  by reducing the crushing of floral foam cells caused by forcing stems  22  into foam blocks. This embodiment entails forming stem wells  46  in a pattern to match the size and number of stems in the intended bundle  36  to be shipped. Stem wells  46  are preferably formed starting at the top surface and progressing to a depth of approximately one half the length of perimeter wall  34 . Stem wells  46  preferably have an appropriate diameter such that the stem  22  outside diameters remain in contact with the inside diameter of wells  46  in the moisture bearing floral foam. The pattern of stem wells  46  is such as to keep approximately a 2 cm. clearance to the diameter of lid opening  64  to maintain the stability of foam blocks  14  or  16 . Although stem wells  46  can be sized to provide a light slip fit to individual stems  22 , they also provide for easier insertion of a bundle of flower stems  36  into the dry foam by giving the foam material displaced by flower stems  22  a space into which it can easily move without being crushed. 
         [0087]      FIGS. 1C and 2C  show similar modifications to sleeve type and seal and shrink type encasements  57  and  58 .  FIGS. 1H and 2G  show similar modifications to can or box encasements  50  with stem wells  46  that provide similar crush reduction and moisture absorption improvements. Sufficient clearance between the outboard tangents of the well diameters and the ID of the lid opening  64  are required to keep flower stems  22  from riding on the plastic lid  42  edges. 
       Operation: 
       [0088]    shrink-wrapped foam encasements  57 ,  58  and can or box encasements  50 , plastic bags  24 , preservative packets  38  and bag top fasteners  26  are delivered to florist or wholesaler for use in packaging flowers, maximizing their life expectancy. 
         [0089]    This embodiment with the individual stem well  46  patterns requires a little more care in the insertion of stems  22  into wells  46  but provides more beneficial contact between the stem walls and the moisture bearing floral foam when the individual stems  22  are inserted into stem wells  46 . The ease of insertion of an entire bundle of stems  22  is also enhanced even if the stems  22  do not fit into the well pattern because the foam material displaced by the stems has a space to relocate, provided by the stem wells. After the insertion, the rest of the soaking, bagging and shipping processes are the same as in the previously described embodiments. 
         [0090]    Aquapac  12  is described in the above specification by detailing  4  preferred embodiments with exemplary components. These examples are not intended to limit the size or scope of this invention as material selection and size of components are well within the purview of persons skilled in these arts. It is not intended to be limited to this set of materials and dimensions. Rather, the scope of this invention is defined by the following claims: