Thermoplastic flower pot with a thin skirt

Abstract

A flower pot cover constructed of a material for providing a decorative cover for an item, such as a floral grouping. The flower pot cover comprises a base portion and a skirt portion. The base portion has an upper end, a lower end, a bottom having a first thickness and a continuous sidewall extending generally between the upper and lower ends of the base portion. The skirt portion is positioned circumferentially about the upper end of the base portion and extends a distance therefrom. The skirt portion is substantially flexible and has a third thickness which is less than the first thickness of the bottom of the base portion. The base portion and the skirt portion cooperate to provide the flower pot cover with a shape sustaining configuration.

1 . A flower pot cover comprising: 
 a base portion defining a receiving space which is sized and shaped so as to substantially encompass and surround an outer surface of a flower pot, the base portion being constructed of a thermoformed plastic material, the base portion having an upper end, a lower end, and a sidewall extending between the upper end and the lower end, the sidewall being substantially devoid of overlapping folds and having decorative ornamentation associated with at least a portion of the sidewall.    
   
   
       2 . The flower pot cover of  claim 1 , wherein the base portion further comprises a closed bottom.  
   
   
       3 . The flower pot cover of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative ornamentation includes a printed pattern.  
   
   
       4 . The flower pot cover of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative ornamentation is selected from a group consisting of printing, etching, embossing and texturing.  
   
   
       5 . The flower pot cover of  claim 1 , further comprising a skirt extending from the sidewall of the base portion.  
   
   
       6 . The flower pot cover as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion includes: 
 an inner surface, an outer surface, and a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface, and wherein the skirt extends from at least a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface of the sidewall.    
   
   
       7 . The flower pot cover as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion includes: 
 an inner surface, an outer surface, and a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface, and wherein the skirt is connected to at least a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface of the sidewall.    
   
   
       8 . The flower pot cover of  claim 2 , further comprising a skirt extending from the sidewall of the base portion.  
   
   
       9 . The flower pot cover as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion includes: 
 an inner surface, an outer surface, and a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface, and wherein the skirt extends from at least a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface of the sidewall.    
   
   
       10 . The flower pot cover as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion includes: 
 an inner surface, an outer surface, and a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface, and wherein the skirt is connected to at least a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface of the sidewall.    
   
   
       11 . A flower pot cover for receiving a flower pot, comprising: 
 a base portion constructed of a material selected from a group of materials consisting of a thermoplastic material and a thermoset material, the base portion defining a receiving space which is sized to substantially encompass and surround a flower pot, the base portion having an upper end, a lower end, and a-sidewall extending between the upper end and the lower end, the sidewall being flexible and shape-sustaining, the sidewall being devoid of overlapping folds and having decorative ornamentation associated with the sidewall.    
   
   
       12 . The flower pot cover of  claim 11 , wherein the flower pot cover is formed from at least one process selected from a group comprising an injection molding process, a blow molding process, an extrusion process, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The flower pot cover of  claim 11 , wherein the base portion further comprises a closed bottom.  
   
   
       14 . The flower pot cover of  claim 11 , wherein the decorative ornamentation is selected from a group consisting of printing, etching, embossing and texturing.  
   
   
       15 . The flower pot cover of  claim 11 , further comprising a skirt extending from the sidewall of the base portion.  
   
   
       16 . The flower pot cover as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion includes: 
 an inner surface, an outer surface, and a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface, and wherein the skirt extends from at least a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface of the sidewall.    
   
   
       17 . The flower pot cover as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion includes: 
 an inner surface, an outer surface, and a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface, and wherein the skirt is connected to at least a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface of the sidewall.    
   
   
       18 . The flower pot cover of  claim 4 , further comprising a skirt extending from the sidewall of the base portion.  
   
   
       19 . The flower pot cover as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion includes: 
 an inner surface, an outer surface, and a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface, and wherein the skirt extends from at least a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface of the sidewall.    
   
   
       20 . The flower pot cover as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion includes: 
 an inner surface, an outer surface, and a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface, and wherein the skirt is connected to at least a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface of the sidewall.    
   
   
       21 . A flower pot cover comprising: 
 a base portion defining a receiving space which is sized and shaped so as to substantially encompass and surround at least a portion of an outer surface of a flower pot, the base portion being constructed of a thermoformed plastic material, the base portion having an upper end, a lower end, and a sidewall extending between the upper end and the lower end, the sidewall being substantially devoid of overlapping folds and having decorative ornamentation associated with at least a portion of the sidewall.    
   
   
       22 . The flower pot cover of  claim 21 , wherein the base portion further comprises a closed bottom.  
   
   
       23 . The flower pot cover of  claim 21 , further comprising a skirt extending from the sidewall of the base portion.  
   
   
       24 . The flower pot cover as defined in  claim 23 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion includes: 
 an inner surface, an outer surface, and a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface, and wherein the skirt extends from at least a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface of the sidewall.    
   
   
       25 . The flower pot cover as defined in  claim 23 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion includes: 
 an inner surface, an outer surface, and a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface, and wherein the skirt is connected to at least a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface of the sidewall.    
   
   
       26 . The flower pot cover of  claim 22 , further comprising a skirt extending from the sidewall of the base portion.  
   
   
       27 . The flower pot cover as defined in  claim 26 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion includes: 
 an inner surface, an outer surface, and a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface, and wherein the skirt extends from at least a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface of the sidewall.    
   
   
       28 . The flower pot cover as defined in  claim 26 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion includes: 
 an inner surface, an outer surface, and a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface, and wherein the skirt is connected to at least a portion of the sidewall positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface of the sidewall.