Abstract:
A cover/wrap system for flower pots and the like allows the use of any sheet of material to cover a pot and be held in place by a sleeve. A transparent sleeve can be used, and colored or patterned material will decorate the pot; and, if the material is subject to moisture damage, an inner sleeve acts as a moisture barrier. The sleeve can be set down, the sheet of material placed over the sleeve, and the pot simply placed on the sheet of material. The pot will sink into the sleeve and will urge the sheet of material around the pot, then hold the material in place.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 149,002, filed Jan. 27, 1988, entitled, PLANT COVER/WRAP SYSTEM. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to flower pot decorations, and is more particularly concerned with a flower pot cover, or wrapping system, and a method for utilizing the cover or wrap. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0003]    [0003]FIG. 1 is an exploded view illustrating the cover/wrap system of the present invention in conjunction with a generally conventional flower pot.  
         [0004]    [0004]FIG. 2 is an elevational view showing the system of FIG. 1 assembled.  
         [0005]    [0005]FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along a radius of the device shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings.  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an alternate form of sheet of material for use with a system as shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing a modified form of the invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 6 is a partial sectional, partial elevational view illustrating one way to form a flower pot cover using the modified sheet of material shown in FIG. 4.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a flower pot cover formed using the sheet of material shown in FIG. 4. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0010]    Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to those embodiments of the invention here presented by way of illustration, FIG. 1 shows a generally conventional flower pot designated at  10 , the flower pot  10  having a thicker rim  11  and a substantially frustoconical body portion  12 . Those skilled in the art will understand that flower pots such as the pot  10  are frequently formed of terra cotta or other clay materials, and tend to be not particularly attractive for indoor use. It is therefore pots of this type that are normally covered by metal foil, perhaps with ribbons or the like for decoration.  
         [0011]    In accordance with the present invention, a piece of sheet of material designated at  14  is utilized to cover the pot  10 . As here shown, it is contemplated that the sheet of material  14  might be substantially circular, and might include a plurality of stripes or other printed design generally designated at  15 . Furthermore, the sheet of material  14  will generally be a relatively flimsy material, for example a polyethylene film having a thickness in the vicinity of one mil. Polyethylene is mentioned only by way of example, and it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that polypropylenes, polyethers, various vinyls and the like can be used equally well. While printability of the material is desirable, it will also be understood that the sheet of material  14  might be solid white and of a translucent nature, or might be dyed, either as a solid color or a marbleized, moiree or swirled pattern. Both to place the sheet of material  14  and to retain the sheet of material  14 , there is a frustoconial sleeve generally designated at  16 . The sleeve  16  is preferably transparent, and may be made of polystyrene or other inexpensive material. The upper, or larger diameter of the sleeve which is designated at  18  is sized to receive the pot  10  adjacent to the rim  11 , while the lower end, and smaller diameter of the sleeve  16  designated at  19  is designed to receive the lower, or base portion of the pot  10  designated at  13 .  
         [0012]    With the above discussion in mind, attention is directed to FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings. While the sheet of material  14  is illustrated as substantially circular, it will be readily noted that virtually any other shape of material can also be used, the primary equipment being to have the sheet  14  large enough to cover the pot  10  substantially completely. Any additional material will extend beyond the pot  10  to cover the dirt plant roots and stems and the like, and is a matter of individual taste and decorating intent. It will therefore be understood that one can select a particular piece of sheet of material  14  to comport with the decorating scheme, and the sheet of material  14  can be somewhat casually laid across the end  18  of the sleeve  16 . The pot  10  can then be placed over the sheet of material  14  and dropped into the sleeve  16 . Since the sheet of material  14  is quite flexible, the sheet of material will pleat as necessary and fill the space between the sleeve  16  and the pot  10 .  
         [0013]    Once the pot  10  has been received completely within the sleeve  16  as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the sheet of material  14  can be further shaped if desired. By way of example, the material may be pulled upwardly as shown in FIG. 2, or half the material may be pulled up and the other half pulled down to achieve a different appearance. It will be understood, nevertheless, that this “shaping” will be done with little more than the brush of a hand and will not be particularly time consuming.  
         [0014]    With the selected sheet of material  14  in place over the pot  10  as is illustrated in FIG. 2, it will be realized that a very attractive design has been achieved with a total investment of time of no more that a matter of seconds. By selections of inexpensive materials for the sheet of material  14  and the sleeve  16 , the entire assembly can be very inexpensive to provide.  
         [0015]    Shown in FIG. 4 is a modified sheet of material  14   a . The sheet of material  14   a  may be somewhat heavier than discussed in conjunction with FIGS. 1, 2 and  3 . The sheet of material  14   a  may be constructed of paper, foil, metalized paper, plastic material or virtually any other sheet of material desired for use as a flower pot cover.  
         [0016]    The sheet of material  14   a  has a generally circularly shaped base  20  which corresponds to the size and shape of the flower pot  10  shown in FIG. 1. It should be noted that, although the base  20  has been shown as being generally circularly shaped in FIG. 4, the base could be any other shape such as square, rectangle, polygon or any other shape to conform to the shape of the bottom of the flower pot on which the cover made from the sheet of material  14   a  is to be used.  
         [0017]    The sheet of material  14   a  has four segments  21 , the four segments being designated in FIG. 4 by the respective numerals  21   a ,  21   b ,  21   c  and  21   d . Each of the segments  21  is generally trapezoidal shaped and has opposite ends  22  and  24  and opposite sides  26  and  28 . The opposite ends and the opposite sides of the segments  21  are designated with identical reference numerals, except the reference numerals as shown in FIG. 4 are followed by the respective letter designations “a”, “b”, “c” and “d” for the respective segments  21   a ,  21   b ,  21   c  and  21   d . A generally triangularly shaped notch  30  is formed between each pair of segments  21  so that the side  28  of one of the segments  21  is spaced a distance from the side  26  of the adjacent segment  21 . The respective notches are designated in FIG. 4 with the reference numeral  30   a ,  30   b  and  30   c  and  30   d . The segments  21  are shaped and sized so that when the segments are folded upwardly from the base  20 , a portion of the side  28  of each of the segments generally overlap a portion of the adjacent segment  21  generally along the side  26  thereof.  
         [0018]    Using the sheet of material  14   a , the sheet of material is positioned over the upper end  18  of the sleeve  16  (shown in FIG. 1) with the base  20  being disposed generally over and encompassing the upper end  18  of the sleeve  16 . In this position of the sheet of material, the flower pot  10  is lowered into the sleeve  16 . As the pot  10  is lowered in the sleeve  16 , the segments  21  are folded upwardly about the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot  10  in a manner similar to that described before with respect to the sheet of material  14 . However, rather than requiring the pleating as discussed above in conjunction with FIGS. 1 and 2, the notches  30  provide sufficient relief so that the sheet of material will not be appreciably pleated. As the flower pot  10  is covered by the sleeve  16 , the segments  21  will be urged upwardly and the adjacent edges  28  and  26  of adjacent segments  21  will be slightly overlapped and the entire outer peripheral surface of the flower pot  10  will be covered by the sheet of material  14   a  with the base  20  covering the lower end or bottom  13  of the flower pot  10  and the segments  21  each extending upwardly over a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot  10 .  
         [0019]    It will therefore be understood by those skilled in the art that a quite different appearance can be achieved on the flower pot  10  since various papers, heavy plastics, metalized papers, or plastics can be utilized, and even a heavy foil can be utilized, the speed of assembly of the plant cover/wrap system renders the system much more economical than the conventional, prior art systems.  
         [0020]    In the system discussed hereinabove, it is contemplated that the sheet of material  14  or  14   a  will be resistant to moisture. It will be understood, however, that one might occasionally wish to utilize a sheet of material that cannot tolerate the moisture that will be present on the outside surface of the flower pot  10 . by way of example, one might use painted or printed material on which the colors are not fast, or might utilize very fine fabrics or the like for an exceptionally luxurious appearance. For such an arrangement, the apparatus shown in FIG. 5 will be utilized. In FIG. 5, the pot is again designated at  10  with the rim  11 , pot portion  12  and bottom  13 . In FIG. 5 it will be seen that there is an inner sleeve  32  covering the pot portion  12  of the flower pot  10 . Next to the inner sleeve  32  is the sheet of material designated at  24 ; and, to hold the sheet of material  24  in place, there is an outer sleeve  25 .  
         [0021]    As shown in FIG. 5, it will be seen that the bottom  36  of the flower pot  10  is also covered by a bottom portion  38  of the inner sleeve  32 . Thus, the entire pot portion  12  of the flower pot  10  is covered by the inner sleeve  32  to prevent the passage of moisture from the pot  10  to the fabric  24 . Similarly, as here shown the sleeve  35  includes a bottom portion  38 . It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the bottom portion  39  can be omitted, but the flower pot  10  would then be resting on the fabric  24 . This may not be objectionable since the inner sleeve  32  includes the bottom portion  38  to protect the fabric  24  from moisture.  
         [0022]    In using the system shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, it will be understood that the system will be substantially the same as that discussed above. The outer sleeve  35  will have the sleeve material  34  placed thereover. One will then place the flower pot  10  into the inner sleeve  32 ; and, the covered flower pot can then be set into the outer sleeve  35 , allowing the sheet of material  34  to be pleated as necessary to fill the space between the inner sleeve  32  and the outer sleeve  35 . It will further be understood that a substantially circular piece of sheet of material such as the material  14  can be utilized, or a heavier, notched piece of sheet of material such as the sheet of material  14   a  can be utilized in the arrangement in FIG. 5 of the drawings.  
         [0023]    It will therefore be seen that the present invention provides a very quick and easy flower pot cover/wrap system that can be used with inexpensive sheet of materials for decoration, and the sheet of material can be printed with various designs, or be a solid color, and can even be transparent if such an effect is desired. Through the use of the sleeve  15 , installation of the sheet of material such as the material  14  will be very quick, taking only a few seconds for complete covering of the pot such as the flower pot  10 . Heavy sheet of materials can be used by utilizing the arrangement shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, and delicate fabrics and the like can be utilized by using the inner sleeve  32  in conjunction with the outer sleeve  16  or  35 .  
         [0024]    Shown in FIG. 6 is one system which may be used for forming a flower pot cover using the segmented sheet of material shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 6, the sheet of material  14   a  is positioned generally above a female mold  40  having a mold opening  42  in a position wherein the base  20  of the sheet of material  14   a  is positioned generally over the female mold opening  42  and the segments  21  each extend outwardly therefrom. A male mold  44  is connected to a cylinder rod of a hydraulic cylinder  46 . The male mold  44  is shaped to be matingly disposed in the female mold  40 .  
         [0025]    In operation, the hydraulic cylinder  46  is actuated to moved the male die  44  in the downward direction  48  to a position wherein the lower end of the male die engages the base  20  of the sheet of material  14   a . The male die  44  further is moved in the downward direction pushing the base  20  and the segments  21  connected thereto into the female mold  40 . As the sheet of material  14   a  is pushed into the female mold the segments are formed in an upward direction extending generally upwardly from the base  20 . As mentioned before, the segments  21  are shaped so that, when the segments have been moved in the upward direction and the male mold  44  is matingly disposed in the female mold  40 , a portion of the side  28  of each of the segments  21  overlap an adjacent portion of the side  26  of the adjacent segment. The sides  28  and  26  of each of the segments  21  are connected to form the decorative cover  50  as shown in FIG. 7. The overlapping edges  26  and  28  may be sealingly connected by heat sealing when the cover is formed from a heat sealable material such as polypropylene for example. In other instances, it may be necessary to connect the overlapping sides  26  and  28  by adhesively connecting the overlapping portion of the sides  26  and  28  of each of the segments  21 .  
         [0026]    Changes may be made in the construction of the various part, elements and assemblies described herein and changes may be made in the steps or the sequence of steps of the methods described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.