Plant husbandry – Receptacle for growing medium – With shipment package
Reexamination Certificate
2003-02-06
2004-06-08
Poon, Peter M. (Department: 3643)
Plant husbandry
Receptacle for growing medium
With shipment package
Reexamination Certificate
active
06745514
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This document concerns an invention relating generally to methods and apparata for shipping and displaying flora (particularly cut flowers), and more specifically to shipping and display systems made of paperboard which are suitable for mail or common courier shipment, and/or retail display, of one or more bouquets.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As noted, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,799 to De Pager, it is common to ship flora (i.e., flowers or other plants) in water-filled buckets, or in water-filled cardboard boxes treated with wax or plastic for water resistance, wherein a cardboard box is simply fitted over the flora-bearing bucket or box to protect it during shipment. Once the packed flora reaches its destination, the outer box is removed from the inner flora-bearing container so that the flora can be accessed. As noted in De Pager, and as well known in the trade, such arrangements are imperfect because they are expensive (in both material and shipping costs), they result in spillage/leakage, they do not adequately protect the flora from shipping damage, and the unattractive nature of the inner flora-bearing container generally requires that the flora be removed from the container and transferred to a more attractive container for display or marketing purposes. It would therefore be useful to have available methods and apparata for shipping and display of flora wherein the flora may be shipped in a hydrated state (i.e., wherein they have access to water to prevent drying out); wherein water spillage/leakage and plant damage is deterred or avoided entirely; and wherein the shipped flora are instantaneously (or nearly so) ready for display once shipping is completed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention involves a container for shipping and/or display of flora which is intended to at least partially solve the aforementioned problems. To give the reader a basic understanding of some of the advantageous features of the invention, following is a brief summary of certain preferred versions of the invention. As this is merely a summary, it should be understood that more details regarding the preferred versions may be found in the Detailed Description set forth elsewhere in this document. The claims set forth at the end of this document then define the various versions of the invention in which exclusive rights are secured.
As exemplified by the exploded assemblies depicted in
FIGS. 2 and 3
, a container
200
/
300
for shipping and/or display of flora includes an inner receptacle
210
/
310
which is capable of holding liquid without substantial leakage, so that flowers and water may be placed therein; an outer shipping and display sleeve
270
/
370
which protects the flowers and inner receptacle
210
/
310
during shipping and display; and a holding unit
240
/
340
which supports the inner receptacle
210
/
310
within the outer sleeve
270
/
370
during shipping and display. Each of these components—which are preferably formed of paperboard (i.e., paper, cardboard, or other lignocellulosic materials provided in sheet form or formable into thin walls, including lignocellulosic/plastic composites)—will now be discussed in turn.
The liquid-retaining inner receptacle
210
/
310
has a receptacle top
212
/
312
having a top receptacle opening
214
/
314
wherein flowers may be inserted, and an opposing receptacle bottom
216
/
316
. As can be seen from a comparison of
FIGS. 2 and 3
, the inner receptacle
210
/
310
may take a variety of forms, with
FIG. 2
depicting an arrangement which is particularly useful for shipment of bulk cut flowers or flower bouquets for later display and resale, and
FIG. 3
depicting an arrangement which is particularly useful for shipment of arranged flowers in ready-to-display form.
The holding unit
240
/
340
has a holding unit top
242
/
342
, an opposing holding unit bottom
244
/
344
, and circumferential holding unit sides
246
/
346
extending therebetween. A holding unit top
242
/
342
opening sized for insertion of the receptacle bottom
216
/
316
is defined in the holding unit top
242
/
342
, allowing the receptacle bottom
216
/
316
to be fit into the holding unit top
242
/
342
so that flowers situated in the inner receptacle
210
/
310
will be supported within the holding unit
240
/
340
to extend upwardly through the holding unit top opening
214
/
314
. As can be seen from
FIGS. 2 and 3
, the holding unit
240
/
340
may take a variety of forms depending on the configuration of the inner receptacle
210
/
310
and on other factors.
The outer sleeve
270
/
370
has outer sleeve sidewalls
272
/
372
separated by outer sleeve corners
274
/
374
, with the outer sleeve sidewalls
272
/
372
extending between an outer sleeve top
276
/
376
and an opposing outer sleeve bottom
278
/
378
, and surrounding an outer sleeve interior passage
280
/
380
extending therebetween. The outer sleeve interior passage
280
/
380
is sized to closely receive the holding unit
240
/
340
therein with the holding unit sides
246
/
346
resting closely adjacent the outer sleeve sidewalls
272
/
372
. The outer sleeve sidewalls
272
/
372
have engaging tabs
286
/
386
defined therein which are foldable into the outer sleeve interior passage
280
/
380
to support the holding unit
240
/
340
within the outer sleeve interior passage
280
/
380
. The engaging tabs
286
/
386
are preferably defined on the outer sleeve corners
274
/
374
, and extend across at least two adjacent outer sleeve sidewalls
272
/
372
, for durability and strength of support. The outer sleeve top
276
/
376
preferably has foldable closure flaps
282
/
382
extending therefrom so that they may be folded shut to protect flowers situated in the inner receptacle
210
/
310
and holding unit
240
/
340
. In contrast, the outer sleeve
270
/
370
bottom preferably defines a terminal end of the outer sleeve sidewalls
272
/
372
so that the outer sleeve interior passage
280
/
380
remains permanently open at the outer sleeve
270
/
370
bottom, thereby allowing easy insertion and/or removal of the holding unit
240
/
340
within the outer sleeve interior passage
280
/
380
when desired by simply placing the outer sleeve
270
/
370
bottom over the holding unit
240
/
340
, or lifting the outer sleeve
270
/
370
off the holding unit
240
/
340
. However, in cases where it is desirable to band the container
200
/
300
shut (as depicted in FIG.
1
), it can be useful to provide foldable bottom flaps
284
/
384
on portions of the outer sleeve
270
/
370
bottom, with the bottom flaps
284
/
384
preferably being spaced from the outer sleeve corners
274
/
374
.
In use, the inner receptacle
210
/
310
can be fully or partially filled with water, and flower stems can be inserted into the top receptacle opening
214
/
314
so that the flowers are situated upright. The inner receptacle
210
/
310
can then be inserted within the holding unit
240
/
340
(if not already installed therein) by placing it into the holding unit top
242
/
342
opening (with the inner receptacle
210
/
310
and flowers oriented upright). The holding unit
240
/
340
can then be installed within the outer sleeve
270
/
370
by placing the outer sleeve
270
/
370
over the holding unit
240
/
340
from the outer sleeve
270
/
370
bottom, or by placing the holding unit
240
/
340
into the outer sleeve top
276
/
376
, so that the holding unit
240
/
340
is situated within the outer sleeve interior passage
280
/
380
adjacent the outer sleeve
270
/
370
bottom. If desired, the engagement tabs
286
/
386
might then be folded into the outer sleeve interior passage
280
/
380
so that the holding unit
240
/
340
is supported at its holding unit top
242
/
342
from moving upwardly within the outer sleeve interior passage
280
/
380
. The outer sleeve
270
/
370
can be banded about its height (as illustrated in
FIG. 1
) by a plastic or metal strip, tape, string, or some other form of band
102
so that the holding unit
240
/
340
is also supported at its holding uni
DeWitt Ross & Stevens S.C.
Fieschko, Esq. Craig A.
Griles Bethany L
Poon Peter M.
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