Patent Publication Number: US-6221000-B1

Title: Folded corrugated material

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/259,204 filed Mar. 1, 1999. This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional application U.S. Serial No. 60/052,361, filed Jul. 11, 1997. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to corrugated materials and methods for producing same, and more particularly but not by way of limitation, to decorative grass, flower pot covers, floral wrappings and ribbon materials made from such folded corrugated materials. In one aspect, the present invention relates to methods for producing decorative grass and flower pot covers and to methods of wrapping floral groupings and flower pots with a sheet of folded corrugated material to provide a decorative cover for such floral groupings and flower pots. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1A is a perspective view side of a sheet of folded corrugated material constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 1B is a fragmental perspective view of a sheet of folded corrugated material constructed in accordance with the present invention having a bonding material disposed on at least a portion of lower side thereof. 
     FIG. 2A is a schematic representation of a system for producing the folded corrugated material of FIGS. 1A and 1B having a cutting assembly associated therewith for cutting the folded corrugated material into decorative segments. 
     FIG. 2B is an enlarged fragmental view of a corrugating and folding assembly of the system of FIG. 2A for producing the folded corrugated material of FIGS. 1A and 1B. 
     FIG. 2C is an enlarged fragmental view of another embodiment of a corrugating assembly for use in the system of FIG.  2 A. 
     FIG. 2D is an enlarged fragmental view of yet another embodiment of a corrugating assembly for use in the system of FIG.  2 A. 
     FIG. 2E is an enlarged fragmental view of yet another embodiment of a corrugating assembly for use in the system of FIG.  2 A. 
     FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a decorative segment produced from the folded corrugated sheet of FIG. 1A when the sheet of folded corrugated material is cut at an angle to the line of folds. 
     FIG. 3B is a top plan view of a decorative segment produced from the folded corrugated sheet of FIG. 1A when the sheet of folded corrugated material is cut transversely to the line of folds. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a sheet of folded corrugated material constructed in accordance with the present invention having a floral grouping disposed thereon. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the floral grouping of FIG. 4 being wrapped with a sheet of folded corrugated material of the present invention by one method of wrapping. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a decorative cover for the floral grouping formed from a sheet of folded corrugated material of the present invention wherein the decorative cover formed from the sheet of folded corrugated material has a conical configuration. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a decorative cover formed from a sheet of folded corrugated material of the present invention wherein a floral grouping is wrapped with a sheet of folded corrugated material by a second method of wrapping so that the decorative cover formed from the sheet of folded corrugated material has a substantially cylindrical configuration. 
     FIG. 8 is perspective view of a decorative cover positioned about a flower pot wherein the decorative cover is formed from a sheet of the folded corrugated material constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a flower pot cover former and band applicator apparatus having a sheet of the folded corrugated material constructed in accordance with the present invention disposed above an opening of the flower pot cover former and band applicator and having a flower pot disposed above the sheet of folded corrugated material. 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a preformed pot cover formed from a sheet of the folded corrugated material constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the preformed pot cover of FIG. 10 having a flower pot disposed therein. 
     FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional view of a male and female mold having a sheet of folded corrugated material constructed in accordance with the present invention disposed therebetween for forming the preformed pot cover of FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a floral sleeve formed from a sheet of the folded corrugated material constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the floral sleeve of FIG. 13 disposed about a floral grouping. 
     FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a floral sleeve having a cinching member wherein the floral sleeve is formed from a sheet of folded corrugated material constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the floral sleeve of FIG. 15 disposed about a floral grouping. 
     FIG. 17 is a side view of a sleeve having a detachable portion wherein the sleeve is formed from a sheet of folded corrugated material constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the sleeve of FIG. 17 having a flower pot disposed therein. 
     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. 
     FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a folded corrugated ribbon material. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, designated generally by the reference numeral  10  is a sheet of folded corrugated material. The sheet of folded corrugated material  10  has a plurality of folds  12  substantially as shown. As will be more fully described in detail hereinafter, each of the folds  12  has a first leg or segment  14  and a second leg or segment  16  which extend from a crease or fold line  18 . The first leg or segment  14  has a length  20  (FIG.  2 B); and the second leg or segment  16  has a length  22  (FIG. 2B) which is either greater than or less than the length  20  of the first leg or segment  14  of the folds  12 . That is, if the length  20  of the first leg or segment  14  is greater than the length  22  of the second leg or segment  16  of the folds  12 , the folds  12  tend to overlay a portion of an adjacent fold  12  such that the folds  12  extend in the direction of a first end  24  of the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  as shown in FIG.  1 A. On the other hand, if the length  20  of the first leg or segment  14  is less than the length  22  of the second leg or segment  16  of the folds  12 , the folds  12  tend to overlay a portion of an adjacent fold  12  such that the folds  12  extend in the direction of a second end  26  of the sheet of folded corrugated material  12 . 
     The length of the first and second legs or segments  14  and  16  of the folds  12  can vary widely and will generally depend on the shingle effect and appearance desired in the sheet of folded corrugated material  12 . Generally, however, it is desirable that the length of the first and second legs or segments  14  and  16  be such so that when the folds  12  are formed, the overlaying folds  12  cover at least about 55 percent of the surface area of the adjacent underlying folds  12 , and more desirably at least about 90 percent of the surface area of the adjacent underlying folds  12 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 1B, designated generally by the reference numeral  10   a  is a portion of a sheet of folded corrugated material. The sheet of folded corrugated material  10   a  has a plurality of folds  12   a  and the sheet of folded corrugated material  10   a  is substantially identical in construction as the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  herein before described except that a bonding material  28  is disposed on at least a portion of one or both surfaces of the sheet of folded corrugated material  10   a , such as the lower surface  30  thereof. 
     The bonding material  28  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  28  after it is disposed on a surface of the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  prior to its use as a wrapping material, to protect the bonding qualities of the bonding material  28 . The bonding material  28  can be disposed on a sheet of material used in the production of the folded corrugated material  10   a  (FIG. 1B) to substantially cover one or both of the upper and lower surfaces of the sheet of material, or in a continuous strip. Further, the bonding material  28  may be discontinuous, or disposed in any of a variety of patterns such as spots, circles, dots or any other geometric or biomorphic shape, including decorative designs, as long as the bonding material  28  is positioned to function in accordance with the present invention. 
     The term “bonding material” when used herein can mean 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 folded corrugated material  10   a  to itself, to a floral grouping, or to a flower pot. 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 sonic sealable and vibratory sealable. The term “bonding material” when used herein also means 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. 
     The term “bonding material” when used herein also means 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 folded corrugated material  10   a  to effect the connection or bonding described herein. The term “bonding material or bonding means” 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 material may bind the circumference of a wrapper, 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 wrapping 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. 
     Alternatively, a cold seal adhesive may be utilized as the bonding material  28 . 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. 
     The term “bonding material” when used herein also means any heat or chemically shrinkable material, and static electrical or other electrical means, chemical welding means, magnetic means, mechanical or barb-type fastening means or clamps, 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. 
     The folded corrugated sheets of material  10  and  10   a  can be produced from a sheet or web of material  32  (See FIG. 2A) that is capable of being creased, which is capable of being folded to form the folded corrugated material  10  or  10   a , and which can be employed to provide a decorative segment for use as Easter grass or a packing material (FIGS.  3 A and  3 B), or to form a cover for a floral grouping (FIGS.  4  and  7 ), or a decorative cover for a flower pot (FIG.  8 ), or a preformed flower pot cover for covering a flower pot (FIGS.  10  and  11 ), or a sleeve for wrapping or covering a floral grouping (FIGS. 14 and 16) or a flower pot (FIGS.  18  and  19 ), or a ribbon (FIG.  20 ). Examples of such material are paper (untreated or treated in any manner), cellophane, foil, polymeric film or any combination thereof, including laminates such as paper and polymeric film laminates, polymeric film laminates, foil and paper laminates, foil and polymeric film laminates and the like. 
     The sheet or web of material  32  may also vary in color. Further, the sheet or web of material  32  may consist of designs which are printed, etched, and/or embossed; and in addition, the sheet or web of material  32  may have various colorings, coatings, flockings, and/or metallic finishes, or be characterized totally or partially by pearlescent, translucent, transparent, iridescent, or the like characteristics. Each of the above-named characteristics may occur alone or in combination. 
     At least one surface of the sheet or web of material  32  may be modified to provide the sheet or web of material  32  with a matt or textured finish assimilating the appearance of cloth. The modification of the sheet or web of material  32  to provide the same with a matt or textured finish can be accomplished in several ways. For example, a matt finish can be provided by printing a desired pattern on the sheet or web of material  32  and thereafter laminating a matt material, such as a translucent polymeric film over the printed pattern. To further enhance the cloth-like appearance of the sheet or web of material  32 , the matt material may or may not have a plurality of spatially disposed holes extending therethrough. A matt or textured finish can also be produced by printing the sheet or web of material  32  with a matted (i.e. dull finish) ink, by lacquering at least one surface of the sheet or web of material  32  with a dull finish lacquer or a matting lacquer, by embossing the sheet or web of material  32  to provide an embossed pattern simulating the weave or texture of cloth, or by embossing and printing the sheet or web of material  32  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 matt or textured finish capable a providing the sheet or web of material  32  with a cloth-like appearance can be achieved by extruding a resin onto a matted or textured chill roll or by laminating a second sheet of material to the sheet or web of material  32 . 
     The sheet of folded corrugated material  10  or  10   a  used to form a flower pot cover can be of any shape, configuration or size as long as the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  is sufficiently sized and shaped to wrap and encompass a floral grouping or a flower pot. That is, the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  or  10   a  may have a square, rectangular, round, oval, octagonal or asymmetrical shape. Further, multiple sheets of the folded corrugated material  10  or  10   a  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 material are used to form the folded corrugated material  10  or  10   a , the sheets of material need not be uniform in size or shape. 
     The thickness or stiffness of the sheet or web of material  32  employed in the production of the folded corrugated material  10  and  10   a  can vary widely as long as the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  or  10   a  can be wrapped about at least a portion of a floral grouping or a flower pot, as described herein. Generally, the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  or  10   a  will have a thickness of from about 0.1 mil to about 30 mils, and more desirably a thickness of from about 0.5 mils to about 2.5 mils. 
     As noted above, the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  or  10   a  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. 
     “Floral grouping” as used herein means 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 (not shown), 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.” 
     The term “growing medium” when used herein means 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, perlite, vermiculite, sand, water, and including the nutrients, fertilizers or hormones or combinations thereof required by the plants or propagules for growth. 
     The term “botanical item” when used herein means a natural or artificial herbaceous or woody plant, taken singularly or in combination. The term “botanical item” also means 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 bouquet or floral grouping. 
     The term “propagule” when used herein means any structure capable of being propagated or acting as an agent of reproduction including seeds, shoots, stems, runners, tubers, plants, leaves, roots or spores. 
     A system for producing the folded corrugated material  10  and  10   a  and the use of the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  to produce the strips or segments  48  and  50  (FIGS. 3A and 3B) or the use of the folded corrugated material  10  and  10   a  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 to provide a ribbon material will be described in more complete detail herein. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2A-2C, designated generally by the reference numeral  40  is a system for producing the folded corrugated material  10  and  10   a  of FIGS. 1A and 1B from the sheet or web of substantially flat material  32 . The system  40 , which includes a corrugating assembly  42 , is shown as including a shredding assembly  44  for cutting the folded corrugated material  10  produced by passage of the sheet or web of material  32  through the corrugating assembly  42  into segments or strips of material, such as the segments or strips of material  46  and  48 , having a desired width and length as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, respectively. The segments or strips of material  46  and  48  can be used as a decorative grass (i.e. Easter grass) or as an animal bedding material, cat litter, a mulch or a media for plants. 
     It should be noted that when using the folded corrugated material  10  produced from a sheet of the substantially flat material  32 , the shredding assembly  14  may only be required to cut the folded corrugated material  10  into strips of material which have a length determined by the dimensions of the folded corrugated material  10 . However, when the folded corrugated material  10  is produced from a web of material  32 , the shredding assembly  44  comprises a slitting unit for slitting the folded corrugated material  10  and a cutting or chopper unit for cutting the slit folded corrugated material into segments. 
     Referring more specifically to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the corrugating assembly  42  comprises a first corrugation forming member  50  rotatably mounted on a shaft  52  and a second corrugation forming member  54  rotatably mounted on a shaft  56 . The first corrugation forming member  50  is provided with a body member  58  having a substantially circular cross-sectional configuration and a plurality of outwardly extending, equally spaced finger members or teeth  60  extending therefrom so as to be disposed about the periphery of the body member  58  substantially as shown. The second corrugation forming member  54  is likewise provided with a body member  62  having a substantially circular cross-sectional configuration and a plurality of outwardly extending, equally spaced finger members or teeth  64  disposed about the periphery of the body member  62  substantially as shown. The first and second corrugation forming members  50  and  54  are mounted such that, upon rotation of the first corrugation forming member  50  in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrow  66  and rotation of the second corrugation forming member  54  in a clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow  68 , the finger members or teeth  60  of the first corrugation forming member  50  are positionable in recess  70  formed between the finger members or teeth  64  of the second corrugation forming member  54 , and the finger members or teeth  64  of the second corrugation forming member  54  are positionable within recess  72  formed between the finger members or teeth  60  of the first corrugation forming member  50  substantially as shown. The rotation of the first and second corrugation forming members  50  and  54  on the shafts  52  and  56 , respectively, is such that the finger members or teeth  60  of the first corrugation forming member  50  are offset relative to the recesses  70  formed between the finger members or teeth  64  of the second corrugation forming member  54  and the finger members or teeth  64  of the second corrugation forming member  54  are offset relative to a central point of the recess  72  formed between the finger members or teeth of the first corrugation forming member  50 . Further, the first and second corrugation forming members  50  and  54  are spatially disposed sufficient to permit passage of the sheet or web of material  32  therebetween during the formation of corrugations therein. By changing the timing, i.e., the position of the finger members or teeth  60  of the first corrugation forming member  50  relative to the recesses  70  of the second corrugation forming member  54 , the finger members or teeth  60  of the first corrugation forming member  50  are positioned closer to one side of the finger members or teeth  64  of the second corrugation forming member  54  such that upon passage of the sheet or web of material  32  therebetween the crease  18  is formed in the sheet or web of material  32  and the finger members or teeth  60  and  64  of the first and second corrugation forming members  50  and  54  together with movement of the sheet or web of material  32  through the recesses  70  and  72  of the first and second corrugation forming members  50  and  54  create a substantially 90 degree bend in the sheet or web of material  32  and thereby produces a corrugated sheet or web of material  74 . As previously state, passages of the sheet or web of material  32  between the first and second corrugation forming members  50  and  54  produces the corrugated sheet or web of material  74  wherein one leg of each corrugation is provided with a length greater than the length of the second leg of each corrugation substantially as shown in FIG.  2 B. 
     Any suitable means can be employed as the first and second corrugation assemblies  50  and  54  which is capable of forming a crease in the sheet or web of material  32  and forming a bend in the sheet or web of material  32  as same passes between the first and second corrugation assemblies  50  and  54 . For instance, the first and second corrugation forming members  50  and  54  can be spur gears which are modified such that the distal end of each of the teeth of the spur gears forms a single crease in the sheet or web of material when same is passed between the first and second corrugation forming members  50  and  54 , and such gears can be driven by the shafts  52  and  56  which are connected to two helical gears which are capable of changing the timing of the spur gears in order to obtain the desired relationship between the first and second corrugation forming members  50 ,  54  so as to produce the corrugated sheet or web  74  wherein one leg of each corrugation is longer than the other leg of each corrugation. 
     To enhance folding of the corrugations of the corrugated sheet or web  74  to provide the folded corrugated material  10  or  10   a  (as shown in FIGS.  1  and  1 A), wherein each of the folds overlays an adjacently disposed fold, the system  40  further includes a folding assembly  76 . The folding assembly  76  comprises a pair of spatially disposed arm members  78  and  80  defining a passageway  82  therebetween. Thus, as the corrugated sheet or web  74  is drawn between the first and second corrugation assemblies  50  and  54  and fed into the passageway formed between the first and second arm members  78 ,  80  of the folding assembly  76 , the corrugations of the corrugated sheet or web  74  are caused to fold over one another so that each of the folds overlays an adjacently disposed fold and produces the folded corrugated material  10  or  10   a  illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B. 
     The folded corrugated material  10  and  10   a  can then be cut into sheets for use in the formation of decorative covers for floral groupings or flower pots, or the folded corrugated material  10  can be fed through the shredding assembly  44  wherein the folded corrugated material  10  is cut into strips or segments of material  46 ,  48  having a predetermined width and length to produce decorative grass segments  46  (FIGS. 2A and 3A) or decorative grass segments  48  (FIG.  3 B). 
     To produce the strip of material  46  depicted in FIG. 3A which has a three-dimensional configuration, the folded corrugated material  10  is cut in an angular direction (i.e. obliquely to the machine direction) as indicated by the arrow  84  in FIG.  1 A. The degree of angle at which the folded corrugated material  10  is cut to produce the strips of material  46  can vary widely but generally will be about 45 degrees. On the other hand, to produce the strip of material  48  illustrated in FIG. 3B, the folded corrugated material  10  is cut transversely to the line of folds, i.e., in the machine direction as indicated by the arrow  86 . 
     Any conventional device and method can be employed as the shredding assembly  44  for slitting the folded corrugated material  10  into a plurality of strips of predetermined width and/or for cutting the strips of the folded corrugated material  10  to form the corrugated decorative grass in accordance with the present invention. Examples of conventional devices which can be used as the shredding assembly  44 , including a device for slitting the folded corrugated material  10  and thereafter, if required, cutting the slit material into segments are rotary knives, reciprocating knives, die cutting, laser cutting, water jet cutting, air jet cutting and the like. 
     Another embodiment of a corrugation assembly  42   a  is illustrated in FIG. 2C for producing a corrugated sheet or web of material  74   a  which, upon subsequent passage through the folding assembly  76  produces a folded corrugated material similar to the folded corrugated materials  10  and  10   a.  In this embodiment, the corrugation assembly  42   a  comprises a first corrugation forming member  50   a  and a second corrugation forming member  54   a  which are substantially identical in configuration and function as the first and second corrugation forming members  50  and  54  hereinbefore described except for the configuration of the finger members or teeth  60   a  and the recesses  72   a  of the first corrugation member  50   a  and the finger members or teeth  64   a  and recesses  70   a  of the second corrugation forming member  54   a.  With such exceptions, the corrugation assembly  42   a  is substantially identical to the corrugation assembly  42  hereinbefore described, as is its operation. 
     Another embodiment of a corrugation assembly  42   b  is illustrated in FIG. 2D for producing a corrugated sheet or web of material (not shown) which, upon subsequent passage through the folding assembly  76  produces a folded corrugated material similar to the folded corrugated materials  10  and  10   a.  In this embodiment, the corrugation assembly  42   b  comprises a first corrugation forming member  50   b  and a second corrugation forming member  54   b  which are substantially identical in configuration and function as the first and second corrugation forming members  50  and  54  hereinbefore described except for the configuration of the finger members or teeth  60   b  and the recesses  72   b  of the first corrugation member  50   b  and the finger members or teeth  64   b  and recesses  70   b  of the second corrugation forming member  54   b.  With such exceptions, the corrugation assembly  42   b  is substantially identical to the corrugation assembly  42  hereinbefore described, as is its operation. 
     Another embodiment of a corrugation assembly  42   c  is illustrated in FIG. 2E for producing a corrugated sheet or web of material (not shown) which, upon subsequent passage through the folding assembly  76  produces a folded corrugated material similar to the folded corrugated materials  10  and  10   a.  In this embodiment, the corrugation assembly  42   c  comprises a first corrugation forming member  50   c  and a second corrugation forming member  54   c  which are substantially identical in configuration and function as the first and second corrugation forming members  50  and  54  hereinbefore described except for the configuration of the finger members or teeth  60   c  and the recesses  72   c  of the first corrugation member  50   c  and the finger members or teeth  64   c  and recesses  70   c  of the second corrugation forming member  54   c.  With such exceptions, the corrugation assembly  42   c  is substantially identical to the corrugation assembly  42  hereinbefore described, as is its operation. 
     FIGS. 4-6 illustrate the use of the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  having a strip of bonding material  90  disposed substantially adjacent one edge thereof for wrapping a floral grouping  92  to provide a decorative cover  94  (FIG. 6) for the floral grouping  92 . Further, the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  can be provided either as an individual sheet or from a pad or as a roll of material. 
     In operation, an operator may dispose the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  on a support surface (not shown). The floral grouping  92  is placed upon the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  in a diagonal orientation. The floral grouping  92  has an upper bloom or foliage portion  96  and a lower stem portion  98 . The sheet of folded corrugated material  10  is then wrapped about the floral grouping  34  (FIGS. 5 and 6) by overlapping a portion of the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  over another portion of the sheet of folded corrugated material  10 . That is, for example, an operator places one side of the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  over the floral grouping  92 , as shown in FIG.  5 . The operator continues to roll the floral grouping  92  and the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  in the direction toward an opposite side of the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  until the floral grouping  92  is substantially encompassed by the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  wherein the bonding material  90  contacts the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  to provide the decorative cover  94  which substantially encompasses and surrounds a substantial portion of the floral grouping  92 . FIG. 6 shows the floral grouping  92  wrapped in a conical fashion to provide the decorative cover  94  for the floral grouping  92 . When the floral grouping  92  is wrapped in a conical fashion, the bloom end  96  of the floral grouping  92  is exposed near the open upper end of the decorative cover  94  and the stem end  98  exposed near the lower end of the decorative cover  94 . 
     In another embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 6, the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  is utilized to wrap the floral grouping  92  in a cylindrical fashion. The floral grouping  92  is disposed upon the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  approximately parallel to one side of the sheet of folded corrugated material  10 . The sheet of folded corrugated material  10  is then wrapped generally about the stem portion  98  of the floral grouping  92  to a position wherein the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  generally overlaps the opposite side of the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  in a cylindrical fashion. It should be noted that the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  may be wrapped a plurality of times about the stem portion  98  of the floral grouping  92 . As before, one portion of the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  near the one side thereof 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 folded corrugated material  10  generally about the floral grouping  92  so as to provide a decorative cover  99  for the floral grouping  92 . 
     In another version of the invention the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  may be used to wrap a flower pot or pot-type container, as noted above. It should be understood that the sheet of folded corrugated material  10   a  hereinbefore described can also be employed to form the decorative covers  94  and  99 . Shown in FIG. 8 is a flower pot designated by the reference numeral  100  and which has an open upper end  102 , a bottom end  104 , an outer peripheral surface  106 , an inner retaining space  108  within which may be disposed a growing medium. The flower pot  100  may contain a botanical item, such as a plant  110 , which has an upper portion  112  comprising blooms or foliage or both. 
     The sheet of folded corrugated material  10  may be wrapped about the flower pot  100  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  113  disposed about the flower pot  100  as illustrated in FIG.  8 . The sheet of folded corrugated material  10  may, for example, be formed by hand about the outer peripheral surface  106  of the flower pot  100  to produce the decorative cover  113 . The decorative cover  113  can then be secured about the flower pot  100  by a bonding means or by an elastic band  114  such that the open upper end  102  of the flower pot  100  remains substantially uncovered by the decorative cover  113  substantially as shown in FIG.  8 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 9, a flower pot cover former and band applicator apparatus  120  for forming the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  into the decorative cover  113  for the flower pot  100  of FIG. 8 is illustrated. The flower pot cover former and band applicator apparatus  120  comprises a band applicator  122  and a flower pot cover former  124 . The flower pot cover former and band applicator apparatus  120  has a support platform  126  with an opening  128  formed therein. A band, such as elastic band  114 , is disposed circumferentially about the opening  128  in the support platform  126 . 
     The sheet of folded corrugated material  10  is positioned on an upper surface  130  on the support platform  126  such that the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  is positioned over the opening  128  in the support platform  126 . The flower pot  100  is positioned above the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  and is moved in a direction  132  into the opening  128  of the flower pot cover former and band applicator apparatus  120 . As the flower pot  100  is moved into the opening  128 , the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  is pressed about the outer peripheral surface  106  of the flower pot  100  thereby forming the decorative cover  113  about the flower pot  100 . The decorative cover  113  is then secured about the flower pot  100  by the elastic band  114 . The flower pot  100  having the decorative cover  113  secured thereto is then moved in a direction  134  out of the opening  128  in the support platform  126 . 
     The elastic band  114  can be applied manually or automatically such as by the method shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,599 which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. The band  114  can also be applied as a tie using a method such as described in “Single Station Covering and Fastening System”, U.S. Ser. No. 08/252,876, the specification of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. The sheet of folded corrugated material  10  can also be applied automatically about the pot  100 , for example, by methods shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,733,521 and 5,291,721, both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     Instead of securing the decorative cover  113  about the flower pot  100  via the band  114 , the decorative cover  113  formed from the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  may be secured to the flower pot  100  by the use of one or more bonding materials. For example, the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  may have a bonding material disposed upon a portion thereof. When the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  is disposed about the flower pot  100 , at least a portion of the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  contacts the outer peripheral surface  106  of the flower pot  100  and is thereby bonded and held about the flower pot  100  via the bonding material. 
     The bonding material may cover a portion of one surface of the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  or the bonding material may entirely cover one surface of the sheet of folded corrugated material  10 . The bonding material may be disposed on the surface of the sheet of folded corrugated 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 folded corrugated material  10  is described in U.S. Pat. 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. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 11, a decorative preformed flower pot cover  140  is illustrated constructed from a sheet of the flexible folded corrugated material  10 . It should be understood that the sheet of folded corrugated material  10   a  hereinbefore described can also be employed to form the decorative preformed pot cover  140 . In one embodiment, the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  used in the construction of the preformed flower pot cover  140  is formed from an expanded core polymeric film  142  having a thickness in the range of from about 0.6 to about 10 mils, more desirably in the range of from about 0.6 to about 1.25 mils, and a coating of an acrylic heat sealable lacquer  144  disposed on at least one surface of the expanded core polymeric film  142 . Thus, when the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  is formed into the preformed flower pot cover  140 , a plurality of overlapping folds  146  are formed and at least portion of the overlapping folds  146  are connected to adjacently disposed portions of the preformed flower pot cover  140  via the acrylic heat sealable lacquer  144 . It should be also understood that the folded corrugated material  10  used in the construction of the preformed flower pot cover  140  may be formed from paper (untreated or treated in any manner), cellophane, foil, polymer film or any combination thereof. 
     The decorative preformed pot cover  140  has an upper end  148 , a lower end  150 , and an outer peripheral surface  152 . An opening  154  intersects the upper end  148 , forming an inner peripheral surface  156  which defines and encompasses a retaining space  157  within which a flower pot  100  containing a floral grouping  92  may be disposed in a manner well known in the art and which is shown in FIG.  11 . 
     As previously stated, the preformed flower pot cover  140  may be constructed of a sheet of the folded corrugated material  10 , or from a sheet of the folded corrugated material  10   a  and a bonding material may be disposed on at least a portion of one of the surfaces thereof which is capable of connecting at least portion of the overlapping folds formed in the preformed flower pot cover  140 . If desired, the preformed flower pot cover  140  can be formed of a plurality of sheets of the same and/or different types of material. The method and apparatus employed to form the preformed flower pot cover  140  is substantially identical whether one uses one or more sheets of the folded corrugated material  10 , or one or more sheets of the folded corrugated material  10   a , or one or more sheets of a substantially flat material in combination with one or more sheets of the folded corrugated material  10  or  10   a , or one or more sheets of the folded corrugated material  10  which have a bonding material disposed on at least a portion of one of the surfaces thereof or a combination of such sheets of material. Thus, only the formation of the preformed flower pot cover  140  using a sheet of the folded corrugated material  10  will be described in detail hereinafter. 
     The decorative preformed flower pot cover  140  may be formed using a conventional mold system  160  comprising a male mold  162  and a female mold  164  having a mold cavity  166  for matingly receiving the male mold  162 . The sheet of folded corrugated material  10  is positioned between the male and female molds  162  and  164 , respectively. Movement of the male mold  162  in the direction  168  and into the mold cavity  166  forces the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  to be disposed about the portion of the male mold  162  disposed in the mold cavity  166  of the female mold  164  and thereby forms the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  into the preformed decorative flower pot cover  140 . Further, in accordance with the present invention, the preformed flower pot cover  140  constructed from the materials described hereinabove may have a bonding means or material disposed upon a portion thereof. 
     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. Pat. Nos. 4,773,182 and 5,291,721, each of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
     Shown in FIG. 13 is a decorative cover designated therein by the general reference numeral  170  which comprises a flexible bag or sleeve  172  of unitary construction in accordance with the present invention. The sleeve  172  may be used as a decorative cover for a floral grouping or a flower pot. The sleeve  172  initially comprises a flexible flat collapsed piece of folded corrugated material  10  which is openable in the form of a tube or sleeve. Such sleeves are well known in the floral industry. The sleeve  172  has an upper end  174 , a lower end  176  and an outer peripheral surface  178 . The sleeve  172  may be tapered outwardly from the lower end  176  toward a larger diameter at its upper end  174 . In its flattened state the sleeve  172  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  172  may comprise variations on the aforementioned shapes or may comprise other significantly altered shapes such as square or rectangular, wherein the sleeve  172  when opened has a cylindrical form, as long as the sleeve  172  functions in accordance with the present invention in the manner described herein. The sleeve  172  (or any other sleeve disclosed herein) may have an angular or contoured shape. 
     The sleeve  172  has an opening  180  at the upper end  174  and may be open at the lower end  176 , or closed with a bottom at the lower end  176 . The sleeve  172  also has an inner peripheral surface  181  which, when the sleeve  172  is opened, defines and encompasses an inner retaining space  182 . When the lower end  176  of the sleeve  172  has a closed lower end  176 , a portion of the lower end  176  may be inwardly folded to form one or more gussets (not shown) for allowing the lower portion of the inner retaining space  182  to be expandable, for example, for receiving the circular bottom of a pot or growing medium. 
     The sleeve  172  is generally frusto-conically shaped, but the sleeve  172  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  172  functions as described herein as noted above. Further, the sleeve  172  may comprise any shape, whether geometric, non-geometric, asymmetrical and/or fanciful as long as it functions in accordance with the present invention. The sleeve  172  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. 
     The material from which the sleeve  172  is constructed is the same as previously described above for the sheet of folded corrugated material  10  or  10   a.  Any thickness of material may be utilized in accordance with the present invention as long as the sleeve  172  may be formed as described herein, and as long as the formed sleeve  172  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, preferably as one of two or more layers, can be utilized in order to provide additional protection for the item, such as the floral grouping, contained therein. 
     In FIG. 14 the sleeve  172  is illustrated as having a floral grouping  186  disposed within the inner retaining space  182  of the sleeve  172 . Generally, an upper or bloom portion  188  of the floral grouping  186  is exposed near the opening  180  of the sleeve  172  and a lower or stem portion  190  of the floral grouping  186  is exposed near the lower end  176  of the sleeve  172 . Either end of the sleeve  172  may be closed about the floral grouping  186 . Generally, a portion of the sleeve  172  is tightened about a portion of the stem portion  190  of the floral grouping  186  for holding the decorative cover  170  about the floral grouping  186 . For example, the sleeve  172  may be held by a tie  192  tied about the sleeve  172  such as is shown in FIG.  14 . Other means for binding the sleeve  172  may be employed, such as the bonding means and materials described elsewhere herein. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, a decorative cover  170   a  is shown which comprises a sleeve  172   a  and a cinching tab  194  having a bonding material  196  disposed upon a surface thereof. The cinching tab  194  can be used to gather portions of the sleeve  172   a  together about the stem portion  190  of the floral grouping  186  as shown in FIG. 16 for holding the sleeve  172   a  tightly about the floral grouping  186 . 
     Similarly, it may generally be desired to use the sleeve  172  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  172  in a manner well known in the art, such as manually wherein the sleeve  172  is opened by hand and the flower pot deposited therein. 
     As noted above, a bonding material may be disposed on a portion of the sleeve  172  or any sleeve described herein to assist in holding the sleeve  172  to the flower pot when the flower pot is disposed within the sleeve  172  or to assist in closing the upper end  174  of the sleeve  172  or adhering the sleeve  172  to the flower pot after the flower pot has been disposed therein, as will be discussed in further detail below. 
     It will be understood that the bonding material, if present, may be disposed as a strip or block on a surface of the sleeve  172 . The bonding material may also be disposed upon either the outer peripheral surface  178  or the inner peripheral surface  182  of the sleeve  172 , 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  182  and/or outer peripheral surface  178  of the sleeve  172  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  172  or flower pot. The bonding material can be applied by means known to those of ordinary skill in the art. One method for disposing a bonding material, in this case an adhesive, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,637, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     As noted above, a bonding material may be disposed on at least a portion of the inner peripheral surface  182  of the sleeve  172  (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  172 , while the sleeve  172  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  182  of the sleeve  172 . In addition, a portion of the bonding material may also be disposed on the outer peripheral surface  178  of the sleeve  172  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  172  and/or flower pot by any means known in the art. 
     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 be formed from the folded corrugated material  10 . Examples of sleeves which may be used in this invention are shown in the specification of U.S. Ser. No. 08/237,078 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. 
     Shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 is another embodiment of a decorative cover  170   b  comprising a sleeve constructed in accordance with the present invention and designated by the general reference numeral  172   b.  The sleeve  172   b  has a “detaching” element in predetermined areas for detaching a portion of the sleeve  172   b.  The sleeve  172   b  generally initially comprises a flexible flat collapsed piece of folded corrugated material which is openable in the form of a tube or sleeve. The sleeve  172   b  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. 
     The sleeve  172   b  has an upper end  174   b , a lower end  176   b , and an outer peripheral surface  178   b.  The sleeve  172   b  has an opening  180   b  at the upper end  174   b  thereof, and the sleeve  172   b  may be open at the lower end  176   b  or closed with a bottom at the lower end  176   b.  In a flattened state, the sleeve  172   b  has a first side  198  and a second side  200 . The sleeve  172   b  also has an inner peripheral surface  181   b  which, when the sleeve  172   b  is opened, defines and encompasses an inner retaining space  182   b  as shown in FIG.  18 . When the lower end  176   b  of the sleeve  172   b  has a closed bottom, a portion of the lower end  176   b  may be inwardly folded to form one or more gussets (not shown) for permitting a circular bottom of an object such as a flower pot  202  to be disposed in the inner retaining space  182   b  of the lower end  176   b  of the sleeve  172   b.    
     As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the sleeve  172   b  is demarcated into an upper portion  204  and a lower portion  206 . The lower portion  206  of the sleeve  172   b  is generally sized to contain the flower pot  202 . The upper portion  204  of the sleeve  172   b  is sized to substantially surround and encompass a plant  208  contained in the flower pot  202  disposed within the lower portion  206  of the sleeve  172   b.  The sleeve  172   b  is demarcated into the upper portion  204  and the lower portion  206  by a detaching element  210  for enabling the detachment of the upper portion  204  of the sleeve  172   b  from the lower portion  206  of the sleeve  172   b.  In the present version, the detaching element  210  is a plurality of generally laterally-oriented or alternatingly diagonally-oriented perforations which extend circumferentially across the outer peripheral surface  178   b  of the sleeve  172   b  from the first side  198  to the second side  200 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the lower portion  206  of the sleeve  172   b  further comprises a base portion  212  and a skirt portion  214 . The base portion  212  comprises that part of the lower portion  206  which, when the flower pot  202  containing the plant  208  is placed into the lower portion  206 , has an inner peripheral surface which is substantially adjacent to and surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot  202 . The skirt portion  214  comprises that part of the lower portion  206  which extends beyond an open upper end of the flower pot  202  and adjacent at least a portion of the plant  208  contained within the flower pot  208  and which is left to freely extend at an angle, inwardly or outwardly, from the base portion  212  when the upper portion  204  of the sleeve  172   b  is detached from the lower portion  206  of the sleeve  172   b  by actuation of the detaching element  210 . 
     In the intact sleeve  172   b , the skirt portion  214  comprises an upper peripheral edge congruent with the detaching element  210  which is connected to a lower peripheral edge, also congruent with the detaching element  210 , of the upper portion  204  of the sleeve  172   b.  In FIGS. 17 and 18, the upper peripheral edge of the skirt portion  214  is congruent with a series of alternatingly diagonally-oriented lines of perforations which together form a zig-zag and comprise the detaching element  210 . The upper portion  204  of the sleeve  172   b  may also have an additional detaching element  220  indicated as a plurality of vertical perforations for facilitating removal of the upper portion  204  and which are disposed more or less vertically therein extending between the detaching element  210  of the sleeve  172   b.    
     The upper portion  204  of the sleeve  172   b  is thereby separable from the lower portion  206  of the sleeve  172   b  by tearing the upper portion  204  along both the vertical perforations  220  and the detaching element  210 , thereby separating the upper portion  204  from the lower portion  206  of the sleeve  172   b.  The lower portion  206  of the sleeve  172   b  remains disposed as the base portion  212  about the flower pot  202  and as the skirt portion  214  about the plant  208  forming a decorative cover  170   b  as shown in FIG. 19 which substantially surrounds and encompasses the flower pot  202  and the plant  208  contained therein. When the upper portion  204  is detached, the lower portion  206  of the sleeve  172   b  remains about the flower pot  202  and thereby forms the decorative cover  170   b  about the flower pot  202 . 
     “Detaching element” or “detaching means” as used herein, means 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. 
     In a general method of use of sleeves  172 - 172   b  as a decorative cover for a flower pot, an operator provides a sleeve  172 - 172   b , and the flower pot  202  having a plant  208  disposed in a growing medium contained within the flower pot  202 . The operator then disposes the flower pot  202  having the plant  208  contained therein into the sleeve  172 - 172   b  by opening the sleeve  172 - 172   b  at its first end and assuring both that the opening therein is in an open condition, and that the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve is somewhat expanded outward as well, as shown in FIG.  18 . The operator then manually or automatically disposes the flower pot  202  into the opening in the sleeve, the flower pot  202  being disposed generally through the upper portion of the sleeve into generally the lower portion of the sleeve, the flower pot  202  remaining in the lower portion of the sleeve, permitting the sleeve to substantially surround and tightly encompass the pot. It will be understood that alternatively, the sleeve with an extension (not shown), may be utilized, the sleeve being disposed on rods, or wickets and the flower pot then being disposed in the sleeve either before or after the sleeve has been removed from the wickets. 
     Referring now to FIG. 20, designated generally by the reference numeral  230  is a ribbon material formed from the folded corrugated material  10 . 
     Any material capable of being corrugated and folded to provide a folded corrugated material  10  can be employed in the formulation of the ribbon material  230 . For example, the polymeric film  232  employed to produce the ribbon material  230  can be polypropylene film having a thickness of from about 0.1 mil to about 30 mils, and more desirably of from about 0.5 mils to about 2.5 mils, or an expanded core polymeric film having a thickness of from about 0.6 to about 10 mils. 
     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 spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.