Method of containing a pot or floral grouping in a sleeve having expandable sidewalls

Abstract

A floral sleeve sized to fit about a flower pot or floral grouping. The sleeve has a base with side gussets and optionally bottom gussets for allowing expansion from a flattened position to an opened position. The sleeve may comprise a detachable upper portion, and a skirt portion. The sleeve is preferably secured about a pot or floral grouping via a banding element.

1 . A method of containing a pot, comprising: 
 providing a preformed sleeve having a flattened condition prior to being opened for use, and having an upper end, a lower end, a first side, a second side, a first panel and a second panel, the preformed sleeve having a tapered shape, and having at least one expansion element in at least one of the first side and the second side;    opening the preformed sleeve from the flattened condition by expanding the expansion element in the preformed sleeve forming an opened sleeve; and    disposing a pot or a floral grouping within the opened sleeve.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein in the step of providing a preformed sleeve, the at least one expansion element has an inner fold.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein in the step of providing a preformed sleeve, the preformed sleeve further comprises a skirt portion which extends above the upper end of the pot when the pot is disposed within the opened sleeve.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein in the step of providing a preformed sleeve the skirt portion has an upper end having a non-linear pattern.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein in the step of providing a preformed sleeve, the preformed sleeve further comprises a detachable upper portion.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve has at least one expansion element in at least one of a first side and a second side thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve is detachable via a detaching element selected from the group consisting of perforations, tear strips and zippers.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve is detachable via perforations having a non-linear pattern.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein in the step of providing a preformed sleeve the lower end of the preformed sleeve is curved.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein in the step of providing a preformed sleeve the preformed sleeve comprises an adhesive or cohesive bonding material disposed upon a portion thereof.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein in the step of opening the preformed sleeve the opened sleeve substantially conforms to an overall shape of the pot when said pot is disposed within the opened sleeve.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve has an upper end which has an adhesive or cohesive bonding material thereon for sealing the upper end of the upper portion.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  comprising the additional step of securing the opened sleeve about the pot with a banding element, a string, a tie, a wire, a ribbon, an elastic band, a plastic strip or tube, a heat shrink material, a rigid collar, an adhesive or cohesive bonding material, a heat sealable material, a sonic sealable material, a vibratory sealable material, a heat sealing lacquer, or a heat sealable material.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 5  wherein in the step of providing the preformed sleeve, the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve is adapted to enable the preformed sleeve to be supported on a support assembly.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 5  wherein in the step of providing the preformed sleeve, the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve is sized to substantially enclose a floral grouping or plant disposed within the pot.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein in the step of providing a preformed sleeve, the preformed sleeve is constructed from paper, metal foil, polymeric film, non-polymeric film, fabric, cardboard, fiber, cloth, burlap, or laminations or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         17 . A method of containing a pot, comprising: 
 providing a preformed sleeve having a flattened condition prior to being opened for use, and having an upper end, a lower end, a first side, a second side, a first panel and a second panel, the preformed sleeve having a tapered shape, and having at least one expansion element in at least one of the first side and the second side;    opening the preformed sleeve from the flattened condition by expanding the expansion element in the preformed sleeve forming an opened sleeve; and    disposing a pot or a floral grouping within the opened sleeve.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein in the step of providing a preformed sleeve at least a portion of the preformed sleeve is tapered.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein in the step of providing a preformed sleeve the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve is detachable via perforations.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein in the step of providing a preformed sleeve, the preformed sleeve further comprises a skirt portion and wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve is detachable from the skirt portion.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein in the step of providing a preformed sleeve the skirt portion has an upper end having a non-linear pattern.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17  wherein in the step of providing a preformed sleeve, the at least one expansion element has an inner fold.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17  wherein in the step of providing a preformed sleeve the lower end of the preformed sleeve is curved.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve has at least one expansion element in at least one of a first side and a second side thereof.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17  wherein in the step of opening a preformed sleeve the opened sleeve substantially conforms to an overall shape of the pot when said pot is disposed within the opened sleeve.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19  wherein in the step of providing a preformed sleeve the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve is detachable via perforations having a non-linear pattern.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 17  wherein in the step of providing a preformed sleeve the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve has an upper end which has an adhesive or cohesive bonding material thereon for sealing the upper end of the detachable upper portion.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 17  comprising the additional step of securing the opened sleeve about the pot with a banding element, a string, a tie, a wire, a ribbon, an elastic band, a plastic strip or tube, a heat shrink material, a rigid collar, an adhesive or cohesive bonding material, a heat sealable material, a sonic sealable material, a vibratory sealable material, a heat sealing lacquer, or a heat sealable material.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 17  of the preformed sleeve wherein in the step of providing the preformed sleeve, the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve is adapted to enable the preformed sleeve to be supported on a support assembly.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 17  wherein in the step of providing the preformed sleeve, the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve is sized to substantially enclose a floral grouping or plant disposed within the pot.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 17  wherein in the step of providing a preformed sleeve, the preformed sleeve is constructed from paper, metal foil, polymeric film, non-polymeric film, fabric, cardboard, fiber, cloth, burlap, or laminations or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         32 . A plant package comprising a preformed sleeve and a pot, the plant package produced by the method comprising: 
 providing a preformed sleeve having a flattened condition prior to being opened for use, and having an upper end, a lower end, a first side, a second side, a first panel and a second panel, the preformed sleeve having a tapered shape, and having at least one expansion element in at least one of the first side and the second side;    opening the preformed sleeve from the flattened condition by expanding the expansion element in the preformed sleeve forming an opened sleeve; and    disposing a pot or a floral grouping within the opened sleeve.    
     
     
         33 . The plant package of  claim 32  wherein the at least one expansion element of the preformed sleeve has an inner fold.  
     
     
         34 . The plant package of  claim 32  wherein the preformed sleeve further comprises a skirt portion which extends above the upper end of the pot when the pot is disposed within the opened sleeve.  
     
     
         35 . The plant package of  claim 34  wherein the skirt portion has an upper end having a non-linear pattern.  
     
     
         36 . The plant package of  claim 32  wherein the preformed sleeve further comprises a detachable upper portion.  
     
     
         37 . The plant package of  claim 36  wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve has at least one expansion element in at least one of a first side and a second side thereof.  
     
     
         38 . The plant package of  claim 36  wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve is detachable via a detaching element selected from the group consisting of perforations, tear strips and zippers.  
     
     
         39 . The plant package of  claim 36  wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve is detachable via perforations having a non-linear pattern.  
     
     
         40 . The plant package of  claim 32  wherein the lower end of the preformed sleeve is curved.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the preformed sleeve comprises an adhesive or cohesive bonding material disposed upon a portion thereof.  
     
     
         42 . The plant package of  claim 32  wherein the opened sleeve substantially conforms to an overall shape of the pot when said pot is disposed within the opened sleeve.  
     
     
         43 . The plant package of  claim 36  wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve has an upper end which has an adhesive or cohesive bonding material thereon for sealing the upper end of the upper portion.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 32  comprising the additional step of securing the opened sleeve about the pot with a banding element, a string, a tie, a wire, a ribbon, an elastic band, a plastic strip or tube, a heat shrink material, a rigid collar, an adhesive or cohesive bonding material, a heat sealable material, a sonic sealable material, a vibratory sealable material, a heat sealing lacquer, or a heat sealable material.  
     
     
         45 . The plant package of  claim 36  wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve is adapted to enable the preformed sleeve to be supported on a support assembly.  
     
     
         46 . The plant package of  claim 36  wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve is sized to substantially enclose a floral grouping or plant disposed within the pot.  
     
     
         47 . The plant package of  claim 32  wherein the preformed sleeve is constructed from paper, metal foil, polymeric film, non-polymeric film, fabric, cardboard, fiber, cloth, burlap, or laminations or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         48 . A plant package comprising a preformed sleeve and a pot, the plant package produced by the method comprising: 
 providing a preformed sleeve having a flattened condition prior to being opened for use, and having an upper end, a lower end, a first side, a second side, a first panel and a second panel, the preformed sleeve having a tapered shape, and having at least one expansion element in at least one of the first side and the second side;    opening the preformed sleeve from the flattened condition by expanding the expansion element in the preformed sleeve forming an opened sleeve; and    disposing a pot or a floral grouping within the opened sleeve.    
     
     
         49 . The plant package of  claim 48  wherein at least a portion of the preformed sleeve is tapered.  
     
     
         50 . The plant package of  claim 48  wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve is detachable via perforations.  
     
     
         51 . The plant package of  claim 48  wherein the preformed sleeve further comprises a skirt portion and wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve is detachable from the skirt portion.  
     
     
         52 . The plant package of  claim 51  wherein the skirt portion of the preformed sleeve has an upper end having a non-linear pattern.  
     
     
         53 . The plant package of  claim 48  wherein the at least one expansion element of the preformed sleeve has an inner fold.  
     
     
         54 . The plant package of  claim 48  wherein the lower end of the preformed sleeve is curved.  
     
     
         55 . The plant package of  claim 48  wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve has at least one expansion element in at least one of a first side and a second side thereof.  
     
     
         56 . The plant package of  claim 48  wherein the opened sleeve substantially conforms to an overall shape of the pot when said pot is disposed within the opened sleeve.  
     
     
         57 . The plant package of  claim 48  wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve is detachable via perforations having a non-linear pattern.  
     
     
         58 . The plant package of  claim 48  wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve has an upper end which has an adhesive or cohesive bonding material thereon for sealing the upper end of the detachable upper portion.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 48  comprising the additional step of securing the opened sleeve about the pot with a banding element, a string, a tie, a wire, a ribbon, an elastic band, a plastic strip or tube, a heat shrink material, a rigid collar, an adhesive or cohesive bonding material, a heat sealable material, a sonic sealable material, a vibratory sealable material, a heat sealing lacquer, or a heat sealable material.  
     
     
         60 . The plant package of  claim 48  wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve is adapted to enable the preformed sleeve to be supported on a support assembly.  
     
     
         61 . The plant package of  claim 48  wherein the detachable upper portion of the preformed sleeve is sized to substantially enclose a floral grouping or plant disposed within the pot.  
     
     
         62 . The plant package of  claim 48  wherein the preformed sleeve is constructed from paper, metal foil, polymeric film, non-polymeric film, fabric, cardboard, fiber, cloth, burlap, or laminations or combinations thereof.