Cover forming apparatus with downward pivoting forming members

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for covering a flower pot with a sheet of material. The apparatus includes a supporting platform, a pot receiving opening formed through the supporting platform, a forming member concentric with the pot receiving opening, a bonding material applicator, and a printing and/or label applicator. The forming member is designed and disposed such that upon insertion of the flower pot and the sheet of material into the pot receiving opening the forming member presses the sheet of material against an outer peripheral surface of the flower pot. The bonding material applicator is designed or disposed so as to apply a bonding material to the sheet of material for bonding the sheet of material to the flower pot. The printing and/or label applicator is designed and disposed so as to apply printing and/or a label to the sheet of material.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A cover forming apparatus for forming a decorative cover about a flower pot, the cover forming apparatus comprising: 
 a support platform for supporting a sheet of material over a pot receiving opening formed through the support platform;    at least one forming member arranged around the pot receiving opening, the at least one forming member being such that the at least one forming member forms the sheet of material about an outer peripheral surface of the flower pot so as upon disposing the sheet of material on the support platform over the pot receiving opening and placing the flower pot on the sheet of material and disposing the flower pot and the sheet of material into the pot receiving opening; and    a printing or label applicator disposed such that the printing or label applicator prints on or applies a label to the sheet of material thereby providing a decorative cover formed about a flower pot.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further including a housing for supporting the support platform.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further including a bonding material dispenser disposed such that the bonding material dispenser coats the sheet of material with bonding material prior to forming the sheet of material about the flower pot.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2  whenever the housing further includes a material holding chamber for storing a roll of material.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3  further including a roll of material disposed within the material holding chamber of the housing.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the roll of material has an axle disposed through a passageway in the roll of material and the roll of material is rolling supported by the axial and the housing.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the forming member is a flexible grommet that presses the sheet of material against the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 3  further comprising a cutting assembly for separating material from the roll of material to produce the sheet of material.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the cutting assembly comprises a slidable cutting edge that slides across the sheet of material dispensed off the roll of material thereby cutting the material, thereby providing a sheet of material from the roll of material.  
     
     
         10 . A method of forming a decorative cover about a flower pot, comprising: 
 providing a support platform having a pot receiving opening formed therethrough and at least one forming member concentric with the pot receiving opening, the at least one forming member being a flexible material which presses a sheet of material against the flower pot as the flower pot and the sheet of material are moved into the pot receiving opening;    placing the sheet of material on the support platform such that the sheet of material is positioned over the pot receiving opening;    placing the flower pot over the sheet of material and the pot receiving opening;    providing a printing and/or label applicator which applies printed material or a label to the sheet of material; and    moving the flower pot and the sheet of material into the pot receiving opening such that the at least one forming member presses the sheet of material against an outer peripheral surface of the flower pot to form a decorative cover about the flower pot.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the sheet of material includes a pressure sensitive adhesive disposed on a surface of the sheet material, and wherein the at least one forming member presses the sheet of material against the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot to cause the pressure sensitive adhesive on the sheet material to adhere to the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot and thereby forms a decorative cover about the flower pot.  
     
     
         12 . A method of forming a decorative cover about a flower pot, comprising: 
 providing a support platform for supporting a sheet of material over a pot receiving opening formed through the support platform;    providing at least one forming member concentric with the pot receiving opening, the at least one forming member being a flexible material for pressing the sheet of material against a flower pot;    providing a roll of material;    providing a bond material dispenser;    unrolling a portion of material from the roll of material such that the bonding material dispenser dispenses a bonding material on the portion of material;    disposing the unrolled portion of material over the pot receiving opening;    cutting the unrolled portion of material having the bonding material thereon from the roll of material to provide the sheet of material;    placing the flower pot over the sheet of material having the bonding material thereon and the pot receiving opening;    moving the flower pot and the sheet of material having the bonding material thereon into the pot receiving opening such that the at least one forming member presses the sheet of material against the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot so as to cause the sheet of material to form a decorative cover about the flower pot; and    removing the flower pot having the decorative cover formed thereabout from the pot receiving opening whereby the at least one forming member cooperates in the removal of the flower pot having the decorative cover formed thereabout from the pot receiving opening.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the bonding material is pressure sensitive adhesive on the material.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further including providing a printing and/or label applicator which applies a printed material and/or label to the sheet of material.  
     
     
         15 . A decorative cover for a flower pot, produced by the process of: 
 providing a support platform having a pot receiving opening formed therethrough and at least one forming member concentric with the pot receiving opening, the at least one forming member being a flexible material which presses a sheet of material against the flower pot as the flower pot and the sheet of material are moved into the pot receiving opening;    placing the sheet of material on the support platform such that the sheet of material is positioned over the pot receiving opening;    placing the flower pot over the sheet of material and the pot receiving opening;    providing a printing and/or label applicator which applies printed material or a label to the sheet of material; and    moving the flower pot and the sheet of material into the pot receiving opening such that the at least one forming member presses the sheet of material against an outer peripheral surface of the flower pot to produce a decorative cover for the flower pot.    
     
     
         16 . The decorative cover produced by the process of  claim 15  wherein the sheet of material includes a pressure sensitive adhesive disposed on a surface of the sheet material, and wherein the at least one forming member presses the sheet of material against the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot to cause the pressure sensitive adhesive on the sheet material to adhere to the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot and thereby forms a decorative cover for the flower pot.  
     
     
         17 . A decorative cover for a flower pot, produced by the process of: 
 providing a support platform for supporting a sheet of material over a pot receiving opening formed through the support platform;    providing at least one forming member concentric with the pot receiving opening, the at least one forming member being a flexible material for pressing the sheet of material against a flower pot;    providing a roll of material;    providing a bond material dispenser;    unrolling a portion of material from the roll of material such that the bonding material dispenser dispenses a bonding material on the portion of material;    disposing the unrolled portion of material over the pot receiving opening;    cutting the unrolled portion of material having the bonding material thereon from the roll of material to provide the sheet of material;    placing the flower pot over the sheet of material having the bonding material thereon and the pot receiving opening;    moving the flower pot and the sheet of material having the bonding material thereon into the pot receiving opening such that the at least one forming member presses the sheet of material against the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot so as to cause the sheet of material to form a decorative cover about the flower pot; and    removing the flower pot having the decorative cover formed thereabout from the pot receiving opening whereby the at least one forming member cooperates in the removal of the flower pot having the decorative cover formed thereabout from the pot receiving opening.    
     
     
         18 . The decorative cover produced by the process of  claim 17  wherein the bonding material is pressure sensitive adhesive on the material.  
     
     
         19 . The decorative cover produced by the process of  claim 17  further including providing a printing and/or label applicator which applies a printed material and/or label to the sheet of material.