Decorative cover for flower pot formed of cloth and polymeric film

Abstract

Wrappers and sleeves for flower pots and floral groupings, ribbon material and decorative grasses formed from a material constructed of a layer of cloth and a layer of polymeric film wherein at least a portion of the layer of polymeric film is attached or laminated to the layer of cloth, as well as methods for forming same, are disclosed herein.

1 . A decorative cover for a flower pot having an open upper end, an outer peripheral surface and a floral grouping disposed therein, the decorative cover comprising: 
 a sleeve having a lower end, an upper end, an outer peripheral surface, an inner peripheral surface and an inner retaining space, at least a portion of the sleeve being formed of a layer of cloth and a layer of polymeric film, the sleeve comprising: 
 a lower portion generally sized to contain the flower pot, the lower portion comprising a base portion and a skirt portion, the base portion having an inner peripheral surface which surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot and the skirt portion extending at an angle from the base portion; and  
 an upper portion sized to substantially encompass the floral grouping contained in the flower pot disposed within the lower portion of the sleeve, the upper portion detachable from the lower portion via a detaching element whereby, upon detachment of the upper portion, the base portion of the lower portion of the sleeve remains in a position surrounding the flower pot.  
   
   
   
       2 . The decorative cover of  claim 1  wherein the layer of cloth has a thickness in a range of from about 0.5 mil to about 30 mil, and the layer of polymeric film has a thickness in a range of from about 0.5 mil to about 30 mil.  
   
   
       3 . The decorative cover of  claim 1  wherein the layer of polymeric film is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, cellophane, expanded core polymeric film, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       4 . The decorative cover of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the layer of polymeric film is laminated to the layer of cloth.  
   
   
       5 . The decorative cover of  claim 1  wherein the layer of cloth is selected from the group consisting of woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, welded fabric, spun-bonded fabric, knitted fabric, pressed fabric and combinations and blends thereof.  
   
   
       6 . The decorative cover of  claim 1  wherein the inner peripheral surface of the base portion is substantially adjacent to and surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot.  
   
   
       7 . The decorative cover of  claim 1  wherein the skirt portion extends beyond the open upper end of the flower pot and is substantially adjacent at least a portion of the floral grouping disposed in the flower pot when the flower pot is disposed in the sleeve.  
   
   
       8 . A plant package, comprising: 
 a flower pot having an open upper end, an outer peripheral surface and a floral grouping disposed therein; and    a sleeve having a lower end, an upper end, an outer peripheral surface, an inner peripheral surface and an inner retaining space in which the flower pot is disposed, at least a portion of the sleeve comprising a layer of cloth and a layer of polymeric film, the sleeve comprising: 
 a lower portion generally sized to contain the flower pot, the lower portion comprising a base portion and a skirt portion, the base portion having an inner peripheral surface which surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot and the skirt portion extending at an angle from the lower portion; and  
 an upper portion sized to substantially encompass the floral grouping contained in the flower pot disposed within the lower portion of the sleeve, the upper portion detachable from the lower portion via a detaching element whereby, upon detachment of the upper portion, the base portion of the lower portion of the sleeve remains in a position surrounding the flower pot.  
   
   
   
       9 . The plant package of  claim 8  wherein the layer of cloth of the material from which the sleeve is constructed has a thickness in a range of from about 0.5 mil to about 30 mil, and the layer of polymeric film of the material has a thickness in a range of from about 0.5 mil to about 30 mil.  
   
   
       10 . The plant package of  claim 8  wherein the layer of polymeric film is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, cellophane, expanded core polymeric film, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       11 . The plant package of  claim 8  wherein at least a portion of the layer of polymeric film of the sleeve is laminated to the layer of cloth.  
   
   
       12 . The plant package of  claim 8  wherein the layer of cloth of the sleeve is selected from the group consisting of woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, welded fabric, spun-bonded fabric, knitted fabric, pressed fabric and combinations and blends thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The plant package of  claim 8  wherein the inner peripheral surface of the base portion of the sleeve is substantially adjacent to and surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot.  
   
   
       14 . The plant package of  claim 8  wherein the skirt portion of the sleeve extends beyond the open upper end of the flower pot and is substantially adjacent at least a portion of the floral grouping disposed in the flower pot when the flower pot is disposed in the sleeve.  
   
   
       15 . A decorative sleeve positionable about at least a portion of a flower pot, at least a portion of the decorative sleeve comprising a layer of cloth connected to a layer of polymeric film.  
   
   
       16 . The decorative sleeve of  claim 15  wherein the layer of cloth has a thickness in a range of from about 0.5 mil to about 10 mil, and the layer of polymeric film has a thickness in a range of from about 0.5 mil to about 10 mil.  
   
   
       17 . The decorative sleeve of  claim 15  wherein at least a portion of the layer of polymeric film is laminated to the layer of cloth.  
   
   
       18 . The decorative sleeve of  claim 15  wherein the layer of cloth of the sleeve is selected from the group consisting of woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, welded fabric, spun-bonded fabric, knitted fabric, pressed fabric and combinations and blends thereof.  
   
   
       19 . The decorative sleeve of  claim 15  wherein the layer of polymeric film is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, cellophane, expanded core polymeric film, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       20 . A method for packaging a floral grouping contained in a flower pot, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a flower pot having an open upper end, an outer peripheral surface and a plant disposed therein; and    providing a sleeve having a lower end, an upper end, an outer peripheral surface, an inner peripheral surface and an inner retaining space in which the flower pot is disposed, at least a portion of the sleeve comprising a layer of cloth and a layer of polymeric film, the sleeve comprising a lower portion and an upper portion wherein the lower portion is generally sized to contain the flower pot and comprises a base portion and a skirt portion, and the upper portion is sized to substantially encompass the floral grouping contained in the flower pot and is detachable from the lower portion via a detaching element; and    disposing the flower pot within the sleeve such that the base portion of the lower portion of the sleeve surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot and the skirt portion of the lower portion of the sleeve extends at an angle from the lower portion so that when the upper portion of the sleeve is detached from the lower portion of the sleeve along the detaching element, the base portion of the lower portion of the sleeve remains in a position surrounding the flower pot.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein, in the step of providing the sleeve, the layer of cloth of the material from which the sleeve is constructed has a thickness in a range of from about 0.5 mil to about 30 mil, and the layer of polymeric film of the material has a thickness in a range of from about 0.5 mil to about 30 mil.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein, in the step of providing the sleeve, the layer of polymeric film is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, cellophane, expanded core polymeric film, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20  comprising the additional step of removing the upper portion of the sleeve by tearing the upper portion away from the lower portion of the sleeve along the detaching element.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 20  wherein, in the step of providing a sleeve, at least a portion of the layer of cloth is laminated to the layer of polymeric film.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 20  wherein, in the step of providing the sleeve, the layer of cloth of the sleeve is selected from the group consisting of woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, welded fabric, spun-bonded fabric, knitted fabric, pressed fabric and combinations and blends thereof.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 20  wherein, in the step disposing the flower pot in the sleeve, the skirt portion of the sleeve extends beyond the open upper end of the flower pot and is substantially adjacent at least a portion of the floral grouping disposed in the flower pot when the flower pot is disposed in the sleeve.