Decorative sleeve cover formed of a polymeric material having a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of cloth

Abstract

Flexible polymeric materials having a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of cloth suitable for use in the formation of decorative flower pot covers are disclosed.

1 . A decorative preformed flower pot cover having a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of cloth disposed on or visible through at least a portion thereof, the decorative preformed flower pot cover comprising: 
 a preformed base having a lower end, an open upper end, an outer peripheral surface, an inner peripheral surface and a retaining space, wherein the decorative preformed flower pot cover is formed from a polymeric material and wherein at least a portion of at least one surface of the decorative preformed flower pot cover is modified to provide a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of cloth.    
   
   
       2 . The decorative preformed flower pot cover of  claim 1  wherein the polymeric material is an expanded core polymeric film having a thickness in the range of from about 0.6 mil to about 10 mil.  
   
   
       3 . The decorative preformed flower pot cover of  claim 1  wherein the texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of cloth is provided by at least one of printing, embossing, lacquering, texturing, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       4 . The decorative preformed flower pot cover of  claim 3  wherein the texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of cloth is provided by printing and embossing, and the printed and embossed patterns are in registry with one another.  
   
   
       5 . The decorative preformed flower pot cover of  claim 3  wherein the texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of cloth is provided by printing and embossing, and the printed and embossed patterns are out of registry with one another.  
   
   
       6 . The decorative preformed flower pot cover of  claim 3  wherein the texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of cloth is provided by printing with a matted ink or lacquering with a matted lacquer.  
   
   
       7 . The decorative preformed flower pot cover of  claim 3  wherein the texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of cloth is provided by printing with a foamable ink or lacquering with a foamable lacquer.  
   
   
       8 . The decorative preformed flower pot cover of  claim 1  wherein the polymeric material is further defined as a laminated polymeric material comprising a polymeric material and a sheet of material laminated thereto.  
   
   
       9 . The decorative preformed flower pot cover of  claim 8  wherein the polymeric material and the sheet of material are laminated with a colored adhesive.  
   
   
       10 . The decorative preformed flower pot cover of  claim 8  wherein the polymeric material is an expanded core polymeric film and the sheet of material laminated thereto is a substantially water impervious polymeric film.  
   
   
       11 . The decorative preformed flower pot cover of  claim 1  further comprising a decorative border extending outwardly from the open upper end of the preformed base.  
   
   
       12 . The decorative preformed flower pot cover of  claim 11  further comprising an upper portion attached to at least a portion of at least one of the preformed base and the decorative border.  
   
   
       13 . The decorative preformed flower pot cover of  claim 1  wherein the lower end of the preformed base is closed.  
   
   
       14 . The decorative preformed flower pot cover of  claim 1  wherein the lower end of the preformed base is open.  
   
   
       15 . The decorative preformed flower pot cover of  claim 1  further comprising an upper portion.  
   
   
       16 . The decorative preformed flower pot cover of  claim 15  wherein the upper portion is detachable.  
   
   
       17 . The decorative preformed flower pot cover of  claim 1  wherein the decorative preformed flower pot cover may be substantially flattened and then unflattened to assume the original shape of the decorative preformed flower pot cover.  
   
   
       18 . A method of providing a decorative preformed flower pot cover having a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of cloth disposed on or visible through at least a portion thereof, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a polymeric material;    forming the polymeric material into a decorative preformed flower pot cover comprising a preformed base having a lower end, an open upper end, an outer peripheral surface, an inner peripheral surface and a retaining space; and    modifying at least a portion of at least one surface of the polymeric material or the decorative preformed flower pot cover formed therefrom to provide a texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of cloth disposed on or visible through at least a portion of at least one surface of the decorative preformed flower pot cover.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein, in the step of providing a polymeric material, the polymeric material is an expanded core polymeric film having a thickness in the range of from about 0.6 mil to about 10 mil.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein, in the step of modifying at least a portion of at least one surface of the polymeric material or the decorative preformed flower pot cover formed therefrom, the texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of cloth is provided by at least one of printing, embossing, lacquering, texturing, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of cloth is provided by printing and embossing, and the printed and embossed patterns are in registry with one another.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of cloth is provided by printing and embossing, and the printed and embossed patterns are out of registry with one another.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of cloth is provided by printing with a matted ink or lacquering with a matted lacquer.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the texture or appearance simulating the texture or appearance of cloth is provided by printing with a foamable ink or lacquering with a foamable lacquer.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 18  wherein, in the step of providing a polymeric material, the polymeric material is further defined as a laminated polymeric material comprising a polymeric material and a sheet of material laminated thereto.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the polymeric material and the sheet of material are laminated with a colored adhesive.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the polymeric material is an expanded core polymeric film and the sheet of material laminated thereto is a substantially water impervious polymeric film.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 18  wherein, in the step of forming the polymeric material into a decorative preformed flower pot cover, the decorative preformed flower pot cover further comprises a decorative border extending outwardly from the open upper end of the preformed base.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the decorative preformed flower pot cover further comprises an upper portion attached to at least a portion of at least one of the preformed base and the decorative border.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 18  wherein, in the step of forming the polymeric material into a decorative preformed flower pot cover, the lower end of the preformed base is closed.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 18  wherein, in the step of forming the polymeric material into a decorative preformed flower pot cover, the lower end of the preformed base is open.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 18  wherein, in the step of forming the polymeric material into a decorative preformed flower pot cover, the decorative preformed flower pot cover further comprises an upper portion.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the upper portion is detachable.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 18  wherein, in the step of forming the polymeric material into a decorative preformed flower pot cover, the decorative preformed flower pot cover may be substantially flattened and then unflattened to assume the original shape of the decorative preformed flower pot cover.