Conveyable cover former and fastening system

Abstract

An apparatus and method for forming a cover about an article and for automatically fastening the cover to the article, and optionally for automatically placing a label on the covered article. The article may be an article such as a potted plant and the cover may be a decorative cover. The apparatus includes a platform having at least one opening sized to allow passage therethrough of an article a conveyable cover forming assembly having contacting portions for contacting the sheet of material, and a tying device for automatically applying a band or fastener about a portion of the outer surface of a covered article for fastening a cover about the article.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An article having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process comprising the steps of: 
 providing an article having an outer peripheral surface;    providing a sheet of material;    forming the sheet of material about the article at a forming station;    providing a fastener applicating device having a fastener applicating position remote from the forming station for automatically applying a fastener about the sheet of material formed about the article;    moving the article having the sheet of material formed thereabout from the forming station to the fastener applicating position of the fastener applicating device;    automatically applying a fastener via the fastener applicating device about a portion of the sheet of material formed about the article; and    removing the article having the sheet of material fastened thereabout from the fastener applicating device.    
     
     
         2 . The article having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 1 , wherein in the step of providing the sheet of material, the sheet of material is selected from the group consisting of paper, metal foil, cloth, denim, burlap, polymer film and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The article having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 1 , wherein in the step of forming the sheet of material about the article, the sheet of material is automatically formed about the article.  
     
     
         4 . The article having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 1 , wherein in the step of providing the article, the article is further defined as a pot.  
     
     
         5 . The article having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 1 , wherein in the step of forming the sheet of material about the article, the article is automatically moved to the forming station where the sheet of material is automatically formed about the article.  
     
     
         6 . The article having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 1 , wherein in the step of automatically applying a fastener about the sheet of material formed about the article, the fastener is selected from the group consisting of elastic or non-elastic string, thread, bands, ribbon, wire and tape.  
     
     
         7 . The article having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises the steps of: 
 providing a labeling device for applying a label to the sheet of material formed about the article; and    automatically applying a label to the sheet of material formed about the article.    
     
     
         8 . The article having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener applicating device is a tying device.  
     
     
         9 . The article having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 4 , wherein the pot is further characterized as having an upper end and wherein the fastener is applied about a portion of the sheet of material formed about the pot which extends above the upper end of the pot.  
     
     
         10 . The article having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 4 , wherein the pot is further characterized as having an upper end and wherein the fastener is applied about a portion of the sheet of material formed about the pot which is disposed below the upper end of the pot.  
     
     
         11 . A pot having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process comprising the steps of: 
 providing a pot having an outer peripheral surface;    providing a sheet of material;    forming the sheet of material about at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the pot at a forming station;    providing a fastener applicating device having a fastening position remote from the forming station for automatically applying a fastener about the sheet of material formed about at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the pot;    moving the pot having the sheet of material formed about at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the pot from the forming station to the fastening position of the fastener applicating device; and    automatically applying a fastener via the fastener applicating device about the sheet of material formed about at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the pot for fastening the sheet of material about the pot.    
     
     
         12 . The pot having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 11 , wherein the pot is further characterized as having an upper end and wherein the fastener is applied to a portion of the sheet of material formed about the outer peripheral surface of the pot which extends above the upper end of the pot.  
     
     
         13 . The pot having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 11 , wherein in the step of providing the sheet of material, the sheet of material is selected from the group consisting of paper, metal foil, cloth, denim, burlap, polymer film and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         14 . The pot having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 11 , wherein the pot is further characterized as having an upper end and wherein the fastener is applied to a portion of the sheet of material formed about the outer peripheral surface of the pot at a position below the upper end of the pot.  
     
     
         15 . The pot having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 11 , wherein the pot is further defined as a flower pot having a botanical item disposed therein.  
     
     
         16 . The pot having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 11 , wherein the fastener applicating device is a tying device.  
     
     
         17 . The pot having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 11 , wherein in the step of automatically applying a fastener about the sheet of material formed about at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the pot, the fastener is selected from the group consisting of elastic or non-elastic string, thread, bands, ribbon, wire and tape.  
     
     
         18 . The pot having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 providing a labeling device for automatically applying a label; and    automatically applying a label to the sheet of material formed about at least a portion of the pot.    
     
     
         19 . A pot having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process comprising the steps of: 
 providing a pot having an outer peripheral surface;    providing a sheet of material;    forming the sheet of material about at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the pot at a forming station;    providing a fastener applicating device at a fastening position for automatically applying a fastener about the sheet of material formed about at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the pot;    moving the pot having the sheet of material formed about at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the pot from the forming station to the fastening position of the fastener applicating device, wherein the pot is moved in a lateral direction; and    automatically applying a fastener via the fastener applicating device about the sheet of material formed about at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the pot for fastening the sheet of material about the pot after the pot has been moved laterally to the fastening position.    
     
     
         20 . The pot having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 19 , wherein in the step of providing the sheet of material, the sheet of material is selected from the group consisting of paper, metal foil, cloth, denim, burlap, polymer film and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         21 . The pot having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 19 , wherein the pot is further defined as a flower pot having a botanical item disposed therein.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein in the step of automatically applying a fastener about the sheet of material formed about at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the pot, the fastener is selected from the group consisting of elastic or non-elastic string, thread, bands, ribbon, wire and tape.  
     
     
         23 . The pot having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 19 , wherein the process further comprising: 
 providing a labeling device for automatically applying a label; and    automatically applying a label to the sheet of material formed about at least a portion of the pot.    
     
     
         24 . The pot having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 19 , wherein the pot is further characterized as having an upper end and wherein the fastener is applied to a portion of the sheet of material formed about the pot which extends above the upper end of the pot.  
     
     
         25 . The pot having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 19 , wherein the pot is further characterized as having an upper end and wherein the fastener is applied to a portion of the sheet of material formed about the outer peripheral surface of the pot at a position below the upper end of the pot.  
     
     
         26 . The pot having a cover fastened thereabout produced according to the process of  claim 19 , wherein the fastener applicating device is a tying device.