Flower bloom protective device

Abstract

A bloom support device for protecting a cut flower during shipping, the bloom support device having a concave body providing a substantially closed proximal end clearingly disposed about a stem of the flower and a substantially open distal end compressingly folding a bloom of the flower into a folded arrangement and retaining the folded arrangement in a secure shipping arrangement. The concave body has a stress intensification feature for tearing the bloom support device off of the bloom.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A bloom support device for protecting a flower during shipment, the flower having a stem and a bloom, the bloom support device comprising: 
 a concave body defining a cavity, the concave body having a substantially closed proximal end and a substantially open distal end, the closed proximal end having an aperture adapted to provide an opening to receive the stem of the flower which passes therethrough as the substantially open end is moved to a position adjacent the bloom, the cavity adaptable for a receiving engagement of the bloom wherein the concave body urges the bloom into a folded arrangement and compressingly retains the folded arrangement; and    a stress intensification member supported by the concave body for tearing the bloom support device along a tear line in the concave body from the distal end to the aperture in order to remove the bloom support device from the flower.    
     
     
         2 . The bloom support device of  claim 1  wherein the stress intensification member comprises an edge in the distal end forming a notch.  
     
     
         3 . The bloom support device of  claim 2  wherein the notch forms a substantially triangular aperture in the distal end with an apex directed toward the proximal end of the concave body, the apex positioned on a desired axial plane between the proximal and distal ends and the notch formed of a pair of opposing angular edges that extend from the apex toward the distal end substantially equilaterally relative to the axial plane.  
     
     
         4 . The bloom support device of  claim 1  wherein the stress intensification member comprises an edge in the distal end forming a plurality of notches.  
     
     
         5 . The bloom support device of  claim 4  wherein each notch forms a substantially triangular aperture in the distal end with an apex directed toward the proximal end of the concave body, each apex positioned on a desired axial plane between the proximal and distal ends and each notch formed of a pair of opposing angular edges that extend from the apex toward the distal end substantially equilaterally relative to the respective axial plane.  
     
     
         6 . The bloom support device of  claim 1  wherein the stress intensification member comprises a plurality of longitudinally extended perforations in the concave body connecting the distal end and the aperture in the proximal end of the concave body.  
     
     
         7 . The bloom support device of  claim 6  in combination with a notch in the distal end formed of angled edges connected at an apex that is contiguous with the perforations.  
     
     
         8 . The bloom support device of  claim 3  wherein the notch provides a stress intensification characteristic in the concave body in response to a pulling force applied in substantially opposite directions across the notch, the stress intensification characteristic reducing the pulling force necessary to initiate a tear in the concave body at the apex of the notch.  
     
     
         9 . The bloom support device of  claim 8  wherein the stress intensification characteristic provides for a pulling force necessary to initiate a tear in the concave body that is substantially the same as a pulling force necessary to continue the tear after the tear has been initiated.  
     
     
         10 . The bloom support device of  claim 1  wherein the concave body is formed of a polymeric material that is thermoformed to provide the concave characteristic.  
     
     
         11 . The bloom support device of  claim 1  wherein the concave body is formed of a pair of polymeric sheets that are seamed together to provide the concave characteristic.  
     
     
         12 . The bloom support device of  claim 3  wherein a selected pulling force applied substantially in opposite directions across the notch initiates a tear in the concave body that propagates from the apex of the notch to the aperture in the proximal end.  
     
     
         13 . A method for packaging a floral grouping at a shipping location to protect from shipping damage, the flower having a stem portion and a bloom portion, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a floral grouping containing at least one flower having a bloom portion and a stem portion;    (b) providing a bloom support device with a concave body defining a cavity, the concave body having a substantially closed end with an aperture for passing of the stem portion and an open distal end, the concave body having a selected stress intensification member;    (c) disposing the stem through the hole and moving the bloom support device toward the bloom portion;    (d) placing the concave body about the bloom portion to urge the bloom portion into a folded arrangement; and    (e) transporting the flower in the folded arrangement and the bloom support device to the destination location.    
     
     
         14 . The method for packaging of  claim 13  further comprising the step of unpackaging the bloom support device at the destination location by initiating a tear in the bloom support device from the stress intensification member on the bloom support.  
     
     
         15 . A packaged and subsequently unpackaged flower in accordance with the method of  claim 14  wherein the bloom support device is torn from a distal end adjacent the bloom toward a proximal end adjacent the stem portion.  
     
     
         16 . The packaged and subsequently unpackaged flower of  claim 15  wherein in the step of providing the bloom support, the stress intensification member comprises a notch formed in the distal end of the bloom support.  
     
     
         17 . The packaged and subsequently unpackaged flower of  claim 15  wherein in the step of providing the bloom support, the stress intensification member comprises a plurality of perforations connecting the distal end and the proximal end.  
     
     
         18 . The packaged and subsequently unpackaged flower of  claim 16  wherein in the step of providing the bloom support, the stress intensification member further comprises a plurality of perforations connecting the notch and the proximal end.  
     
     
         19 . The packaged and subsequently unpackaged flower of chain  15  wherein in the step of providing the bloom support, the stress intensification member is selected from a group consisting of a notch, crease, seam, plurality of perforations, and combination thereof.