Method for producing corrugated decorative grass

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method for producing folded corrugated material segments or strips for use as Easter grass, packing material and the like or for use as flower pot covers, floral wrappings and ribbon materials.

1 . A method for producing corrugated decorative grass for use as Easter grass or packing material, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a sheet of material capable of being folded, wherein the sheet of material is selected from the group consisting of paper, foil, polymeric film, laminations thereof and combinations thereof;    corrugating the sheet of material to provide a corrugated sheet of material;    folding the corrugated sheet of material to provide a folded corrugated sheet of material having a plurality of folds wherein each of the plurality of folds has a first leg, a second leg and a crease defining a fold line from which the first and second legs extend, and wherein one of the first and second legs of each of the plurality of folds is provided with a length greater than the other leg so that the folds overlay a portion of an adjacent fold;    slitting the sheet of folded corrugated material into a plurality of strips of folded corrugated material having a predetermined width; and    cutting the plurality of strips of folded corrugated material to provide corrugated decorative grass for use as Easter grass or packing material, the corrugated decorative grass comprising a plurality of corrugated segments wherein each segment is provided with a plurality of folds and wherein each of the plurality of folds has a first leg, a second leg and a crease defining a fold line from which the first and second legs extend.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in the step of providing a sheet of material capable of being folded, at least a portion of the sheet of material is provided with at least one of a printed design, an etched design and an embossed design thereon.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in the step of providing a sheet of material capable of being folded, at least a portion of the sheet of material is provided with a printed design and an embossed design thereon, and the printed and embossed designs are in registry with one another.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in the step of providing a sheet of material capable of being folded, at least a portion of the sheet of material is provided with a printed design and an embossed design thereon, and the printed and embossed designs are out of registry with one another.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in the step of folding the corrugated sheet of material to provide a folded corrugated sheet of material having a plurality of folds, each overlaying fold covers at least about 55 percent of a surface area of an adjacent underlying fold.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein, in the step of slitting the folded corrugated sheet of material, the folded corrugated sheet of-material having a plurality of folds is slit in an angular direction relative to the fold lines.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in the step of slitting the folded corrugated sheet of material, the folded corrugated sheet of material having a plurality of folds is slit in an angular direction of about 45 degrees relative to the fold lines.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in the step of slitting the folded corrugated sheet of material, the folded corrugated sheet of material having a plurality of folds is slit transversely to the fold lines.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of modifying at least a portion of one surface of the sheet of material capable of being folded by at least one of printing, embossing, laminating, texturing, lacquering, extrusion coating and combinations thereof to provide the sheet of material with a textured or matte finish simulating the appearance of cloth.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the sheet of material having a textured or matte finish simulating the appearance of cloth is further provided with at least one of a printed design, an etched design and an embossed design thereon.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the sheet of material having a textured or matte finish simulating the appearance of cloth is further provided with a printed design and an embossed design thereon, and the printed and embossed designs being in registry with one another.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the sheet of material having a textured or matte finish simulating the appearance of cloth is further provided with a printed design and an embossed design thereon, and the printed and embossed designs being out of registry with one another.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9  wherein, in the step of folding the corrugated sheet of material to provide a folded corrugated sheet of material with a plurality of folds, each overlaying fold covers at least about 55 percent of an adjacent underlying fold.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 9  wherein, in the step of slitting the folded corrugated sheet of material, the folded corrugated sheet of material is slit in an angular direction relative to the fold lines.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein, in the step of slitting the folded corrugated sheet of material in an angular direction relative to the fold lines, the angular direction is about 45 degrees relative to the fold lines.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 9  wherein, in the step of slitting the folded corrugated sheet of material, the folded corrugated sheet of material is slit transversely to the fold lines.  
   
   
       17 . A method for producing a corrugated decorative grass having a textured or matte finish simulating the appearance of cloth for use as Easter grass or packing material, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a sheet of polymeric material having a textured or matte finish simulating the appearance of cloth on at least a portion of one surface thereof;    corrugating the sheet of polymeric material to produce a corrugated sheet of polymeric material;    folding the corrugated sheet of polymeric material at least two times to provide a folded corrugated sheet of polymeric material having a plurality of folds wherein each of the plurality of folds has a first leg, a second leg and a crease defining a fold line from which the first and second legs extend, and wherein one of the first and second legs of each of the plurality of folds is provided with a length greater than the other leg so that the folds overlay a portion of an adjacent fold;    slitting the sheet of folded corrugated polymeric material into a plurality of strips of folded corrugated polymeric material wherein each of the plurality of strips has a predetermined width; and    cutting the plurality of strips of folded corrugated polymeric material to provide corrugated decorative grass having a matte or textured finish simulating the appearance of cloth for use as Easter grass or packing material, the corrugated decorative grass comprising a plurality of corrugated segments wherein each segment is provided with a plurality of folds and wherein each of the plurality of folds has a first leg, a second leg and a crease defining a fold line from which the first and second legs extend.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein, in the step of slitting the folded corrugated sheet of polymeric material, the folded corrugated sheet of polymeric material is slit in an angular direction relative to the fold lines.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein, in the step of slitting the folded corrugated sheet of polymeric material in an angular direction relative to the fold lines, the angular direction is about 45 degrees relative to the fold lines.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein, in the step of slitting the folded corrugated sheet of polymeric material, the folded corrugated sheet of polymeric material is slit transversely to the fold lines.