| Transportation and display assembly for floral bouquets and other items -> Monitor Keywords |
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Transportation and display assembly for floral bouquets and other itemsRelated Patent Categories: Plant Husbandry, Flower HolderTransportation and display assembly for floral bouquets and other items description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060026896, Transportation and display assembly for floral bouquets and other items. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of, and incorporates by reference, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/599,322, filed Aug. 6, 2004. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present disclosure relates to transport and display devices for ornamental objects, such as floral bouquets and plants. Certain embodiments provide such devices that may contain sufficient water for flowers or plants, that provide support for objects placed therein during transit and when used to display the objects, and which can be easily folded and unfolded. BACKGROUND [0003] There are a number of shortcomings and limitations in the floral industry with regard to the assembly, presentation, transportation, and display of floral bouquets. "Floral bouquet" as used herein means fresh cut flowers, artificial flowers, a single stem, a plurality of stems, other fresh and/or artificial plants, or other floral materials and may include other secondary plants and/or ornamentation which add to the aesthetics of the overall floral bouquet. [0004] Floral bouquets are commonly purchased in a number of forms, such as a bouquet only, a bouquet wrapped in paper or plastic, and a bouquet placed in a vase. Any of these bouquets may be decorated with ribbon, tissue, raffia, and the like. [0005] When a floral bouquet is sold in a vase, it is usually done so to complete the purchase and remove the burden from the recipient of having to transplant the flowers from a delivery device to a suitable vase. In many instances, the vases in which the bouquets are sold are undesirable to the customer because of their look, bulk, or expense. However, when flowers are delivered to a person without a vase, such as when they are delivered to a place other than the person's home, there is often difficulty in finding a suitable vase or other container for the flowers. [0006] Particularly with the advent of ecommerce, the floral industry is experiencing changes in how flowers are purchased by consumers. For example, rather than buying flowers at a local florist, many consumers are buying bouquets fresh from the farms, directly. These bouquets are typically sent in a standardized flower box, such as a box that is 7.5''.times.7.5''.times.29''. A vase may often be ordered along with the flowers and is typically included in the same box. Such vases are typically heavy and breakable, which may increase the cost of the transaction to the customer and result in an unfavorable transaction if the vase or flowers are damaged when they are received by the recipient. [0007] In addition to potentially causing problems and expense to the customer, vases can also create problems for the florist. For example, the florist must store the vases and bear the expense of any broken vases. In addition, it is often necessary for the florist to make plain vases more attractive, such as through the use of colored films wrapped around the vase or hand painting the vase. However, such decorative efforts can be time consuming and cause additional expense. [0008] Although florists have access to a number of preformed containers, such as ceramic vases, sheet metal objects, plastic vases, and pottery items for use in the floral industry, that offer additional color, storage of such containers is typically an issue, particularly when the florist wishes to offer a range of alternative container. [0009] Domstein, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,061,955, discloses a collapsible vase assembly having a first open end and a second open end. Accordingly, a cork attachment must be placed over one of the ends before the vase can be used. Mauffette, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,634, discloses a collapsible flower vase that uses collars at either end to maintain its shape and rigidity. Other collapsible vases, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,503 to D'Costa, use an aperture stiffening member to provide rigidity to the vase and to help support the bouquet. SUMMARY [0010] In certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides collapsible flower and plant containers formed from a sheet of flexible material. The disclosed containers may include a water impermeable liner. [0011] The sheet of flexible material has a number of side panels defined by a number of folds in the sheet of flexible material. Each side panel has a top portion and bottom portion. The sheet of flexible material also has a first bottom section that is defined by a first bottom fold adjacent the bottom of a first side panel. The first bottom fold extends generally from a first lateral edge of the first side panel to a second lateral edge of the first side panel. A side tab is defined in the sheet of flexible material by a tab fold adjacent a side panel. The side tab extends generally from the bottom to the top of the adjacent side panel. The sheet of flexible material is configured to be manipulated into the collapsible container by joining the side tab to a side panel at the opposing end of the sheet of flexible material, expanding the side folds, and folding under the first bottom section along the first bottom fold. In particular examples, at least one of the side folds is configured to allow adjacent side panels to be bent both inwards and outwards when the sheet of material is manipulated into a collapsible container. In further examples, the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge of the first side panel converge toward each other from the bottom to the top of the first side panel. [0012] In further embodiments, the collapsible container includes at least one upper reinforcement section defined by a reinforcement fold adjacent a top portion of a side panel and extending generally from a first lateral edge of the side panel to a second lateral edge of the side panel. [0013] In additional implementations, the collapsible container includes a locking base. For example, the sheet of flexible material can include a second bottom section defined by a second bottom fold adjacent the bottom of a second side panel. The second bottom fold extends generally from a first lateral edge of the second side panel to a second lateral edge of the second side panel. The first and second bottom sections include mating notches that are adapted to be secured together when the sheet of flexible material is formed into a container. In a particular example, the collapsible container has four side panels and includes second, third, and fourth bottom sections. The first and second bottom sections each have a flap defined by a fold extending across the respective bottom section and have a side defining a notch. When the sheet of flexible material is manipulated into a container, the first and second bottom sections overlap the third and fourth bottom sections, and the notches matingly engage, thereby securing the container. [0014] The present disclosure provides methods for assembling such collapsible containers. For example, when the plurality of sides are folded on top of one another about a middle, inward pointing fold flanking outward pointing folds, the outward pointing folds may be rotated to at least a collinear position. The formerly outward pointing folds are then pushed inward, thus moving the formerly inward pointing fold forward to an outward pointing position. [0015] The disclosure also provides methods for shipping floral arrangements or plants. For example, the method may include placing a flower or plant in a standard shipping container along with a waterproof liner and a disclosed collapsible vase. In particular implementations, the recipient may manipulate the collapsible vase into an operational position by adhering a tab adjacent a first side panel of the collapsible vase located at a first edge of the collapsible vase to a second side panel of the collapsible vase located at a second edge of the collapsible vase. [0016] The present disclosure also provides methods for making a preformed collapsible container. The methods include creating a number of side folds in a sheet of flexible material. The side folds extend from a top portion of the sheet to a bottom portion of the sheet. The side folds define a plurality of side panels, each side panel having a top portion and bottom portion. A first bottom fold is created adjacent the bottom of a first side panel. The first bottom fold extends generally from a first lateral edge of the first side panel to a second lateral edge of the first side panel, the first bottom fold defines a first bottom section. A tab fold is created adjacent a side panel and extends generally from the bottom to the top of the side panel, thus defining a side tab. [0017] In further embodiments, the method includes creating a reinforcement fold adjacent a top portion of a side panel. The reinforcement fold extends generally from a first lateral edge of the side panel to a second lateral edge of the side panel, thereby defining an upper reinforcement section. The upper reinforcement section is bent to contact the upper portion of the side panel and attached thereto. [0018] In particular embodiments, the methods include making a preformed collapsible container with a locking base. A second bottom fold adjacent the bottom of a second side panel is created which extends generally from a first lateral edge of the second side panel to a second lateral edge of the second side panel, thus defining a second bottom section. Mating notches are created in an edge of each of the first and second bottom sections. Third and fourth bottom folds are respectively created adjacent the bottom of third and fourth side panels. The third and fourth bottom folds extend generally from a first lateral edge to a second lateral edge of the respective side panel, this defining third and fourth bottom sections. The first bottom section is attached to the third bottom section. The second bottom section is attached to the fourth bottom section. [0019] There are additional features and advantages of the subject matter described herein. They will become apparent as this specification proceeds. [0020] In this regard, it is to be understood that this is a brief summary of varying aspects of the subject matter described herein. The various features described in this section and below for various embodiments may be used in combination or separately. Any particular embodiment need not provide all features noted above, nor solve all problems or address all issues in the prior art noted above. Continue reading about Transportation and display assembly for floral bouquets and other items... Full patent description for Transportation and display assembly for floral bouquets and other items Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Transportation and display assembly for floral bouquets and other items patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Transportation and display assembly for floral bouquets and other items or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Plant support fixture Next Patent Application: Plant containers Industry Class: Plant husbandry ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Transportation and display assembly for floral bouquets and other items patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.13334 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Electronics: Semiconductor , Audio , Illumination , Connectors , Crypto , 174 |
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