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 plant package, comprising: 
 a thermoformed 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 thermoformed from a thermoformable 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; and    a flower pot disposed in at least a portion of the receiving space of the base portion of the thermoformed flower pot cover.    
   
   
       2 . The plant package of  claim 1 , wherein the base portion of the thermoformed flower pot cover further comprises a closed bottom.  
   
   
       3 . The plant package of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative ornamentation of the base portion of the thermoformed flower pot cover includes a printed pattern.  
   
   
       4 . The plant package of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative ornamentation of the base portion of the thermoformed flower pot cover is selected from a group consisting of printing, etching, embossing and texturing.  
   
   
       5 . The plant package of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoformed flower pot cover further comprises a skirt extending from the sidewall of the base portion thereof.  
   
   
       6 . The plant package as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion of the thermoformed flower pot cover 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 plant package as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion of the thermoformed flower pot cover 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 plant package of  claim 2 , wherein the thermformed flower pot cover further comprises a skirt extending from the sidewall of the base portion thereof.  
   
   
       9 . The plant package as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion of the thermoformed flower pot cover 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 plant package as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion of the thermoformed flower pot cover 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 plant package, comprising: 
 a thermoformed flower pot cover comprising a base portion thermoformed of a thermoformable 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; and    a flower pot disposed in at least a portion of the receiving space of the base portion of the thermoformed flower pot cover.    
   
   
       12 . The plant package of  claim 11 , wherein the thermoformed 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 plant package of  claim 11 , wherein the base portion of the thermoformed flower pot cover further comprises a closed bottom.  
   
   
       14 . The plant package of  claim 11 , wherein the decorative ornamentation of the base portion of the thermoformed flower pot cover is selected from a group consisting of printing, etching, embossing and texturing.  
   
   
       15 . The plant package of  claim 11 , wherein the thermoformed flower pot cover further comprises a skirt extending from the sidewall of the base portion thereof.  
   
   
       16 . The plant package as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion of the thermoformed flower pot cover 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 plant package as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion of the thermoformed flower pot cover 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 plant package of  claim 4 , wherein the thermoformed flower pot cover further comprises a skirt extending from the sidewall of the base portion thereof.  
   
   
       19 . The plant package as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion of the thermoformed flower pot cover 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 plant package as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the sidewall of the base portion of the thermoformed flower pot cover 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.