Aquapac

Abstract

This invention relates generally to an apparatus for shipping flowers that provides moisture and nutrients to the flowers during shipping which significantly increases their life expectancy provides protection to the fragile stem ends.

1 - 6 . (canceled)  
   
   
       7 . A packing apparatus for bundles of flowers with cut stems that provides moisture to cut ends of said cut stems during shipping comprised of: 
 a floral foam block with a top surface, a bottom surface, perimeter walls and a volume of moisture absorbing fine cell floral foam chosen from a group consisting of cubical and cylindrical blocks;    said top surface has sufficient cross sectional area as to receive all said cut flower stems of said bundle of flowers;    said volume of fine cell moisture absorbing foam sufficient to provide the required moisture to allow said predetermined size bundle of flowers to survive its given shipping times and allow said bundle of flowers to arrive at their destination hydrated;    a soak tank wherein said blocks of floral foam with said cut flower stems inserted into said blocks of floral foam are soaked until said floral foam blocks are saturated and said cut flower stems are fully hydrated in a solution chosen from a group of plain water, water with floral nutrients, or water with floral preservatives and nutrients;    a plastic bag to enclose said saturated block of floral foam with said cut ends of said flower stems inserted;    a plurality of packets of floral preservative wrapped around outside of top of said plastic bag; and    a bag top fastener wrapped around top of said bag and preservative packets, securely fastening top of said bag around said bundle of flower stems and attaching said preservative packets selected from a group of wire ties, rubber bands or plastic slip latches,    whereby evaporation of said moisture is minimized and cut flowers arrive fresh, healthy and hydrated.    
   
   
       8 . A packing apparatus for bundles of flowers with cut stems that provides moisture to cut ends of said cut stems during shipping as in  claim 7  further comprising: 
 stem wells in said floral foam blocks where a pattern of said wells is selected from a group of patterns that match the quantity and diameter of flower stems to be packaged or patterns that provide for minimized crushing of said floral foam during insertion when said stems are not aligned with said wells prior to said insertion;    said wells are at an approximate depth from said top surface as approximately one half of the length of said perimeter walls; and    said wells outer wall tangents to be sufficiently inboard of said blocks outer walls as to maintain the stability of said foam blocks.    
   
   
       9 . A packing apparatus for bundles of flowers with cut stems that provides moisture to cut ends of said cut stems during shipping comprised of: 
 a floral foam block with a top surface, a bottom surface, perimeter walls, a volume of moisture absorbing fine cell floral foam chosen from a group consisting of twice-required length rectangular and cylindrical blocks and required length cylindrical blocks;    said twice-length rectangular and cylindrical floral foam blocks are shrink wrapped with typical shrink wrap plastic materials and processes and severed into two approximately equal length shrink-wrapped segments with said severed surface open for flower stem insertion and said bottom surface either having a drainage hole opened in said bottom surface of said shrink-wrap plastic material whereby excess preservative solution is allowed to drain prior to bagging operation or said bottom surface is left sealed whereby evaporation of absorbed preservative solution is minimized and floral foam blocks are protected from breaking and falling away from said flower stems during insertion or shipping by the banding effect of said shrink-wrap;    said required length cylindrical floral foam blocks are sleeve type shrink-wrapped with materials that either shrink to the exact height of said required length cylinder of floral foam or overlap either the top and/or bottom of said cylindrical floral foam block leaving said top surface open for flower stem insertion and said bottom surface open whereby excess preservative solution is allowed to drain prior to bagging operation and evaporation of absorbed preservative solution is reduced, and floral foam blocks are protected from breaking and falling away from said flower stems during insertion or shipping by the banding effect of said shrink-wrap;    said top surface has sufficient cross-sectional area as to receive all said cut flower stems of said bundle of flowers;    said volume of fine cell moisture absorbing foam sufficient to provide the required moisture to allow said bundle of flowers to survive its given shipping times and allow said bundle of flowers to arrive at their destination hydrated;    a soak tank wherein said blocks of floral foam with said cut flower stems inserted into said blocks of floral foam are soaked in a preservative solution until said floral foam blocks are saturated and said cut flower stems are fully hydrated in said preservative solution and any excess moisture is allowed to drain from said saturated blocks of floral foam;    said preservative solution is chosen from a group of plain water, water with floral nutrients, or water with floral preservatives and nutrients;    a plastic bag to enclose said saturated block of floral foam with said cut ends of flower stems inserted;    a plurality of packets of floral preservative wrapped around outside of top of said plastic bag; and    a bag top fastener wrapped around top of said bag and preservative packets, securely fastening top of said bag around said bundle of flower stems and attaching said preservative packets selected from a group of wire ties, rubber bands or plastic slip latches,    whereby evaporation of said moisture is minimized and cut flowers arrive fresh, healthy and hydrated.    
   
   
       10 . A packing apparatus for bundles of flowers with cut stems that provides moisture to cut ends of said cut stems during shipping as in  claim 9  further comprising: 
 stem wells in said floral foam blocks where a pattern of said wells is selected from a group of patterns that match the quantity and diameter of flower stems to be packaged or patterns that provide for minimized crushing of said floral foam during insertion when said stems are not aligned with said wells prior to said insertion;    said wells are at an approximate depth from said top surface as approximately one half of the length of said perimeter walls; and    said wells outer wall tangents to be sufficiently inboard of said blocks outer walls as to maintain the stability of said foam blocks.    
   
   
       11 . A packing apparatus for bundles of flowers with cut stems that provides moisture to cut ends of said cut stems during shipping comprised of: 
 a floral foam block with a top surface, a bottom surface, perimeter walls and a volume of moisture absorbing fine cell floral foam chosen from a group consisting of cubical and cylindrical blocks;    plastic boxes for encasement of said floral foam blocks with snap on lids with openings to allow access to said top surface of said floral foam blocks for said cut stem insertion where said box shapes are selected from the group of cubic or cylindrical boxes, with and without bottom drains, whereby cut stem ends are protected by said boxes against bruising or crushing during shipping;    said lid openings have sufficient cross sectional area as to receive all the cut flower stems of said bundle of flowers;    said volume of fine cell moisture absorbing foam is sufficient to provide the required moisture to allow said bundle of flowers to survive its given shipping times and allow said bundle of flowers to arrive at their destination hydrated;    a soak tank wherein said blocks of floral foam with said cut flower stems inserted into said blocks of floral foam that are inserted in said plastic boxes are soaked until said floral foam blocks are saturated and said cut stems are fully hydrated in a solution chosen from a group of plain water, water with floral nutrients, or water with floral preservatives and nutrients;    a plastic bag to enclose said plastic box with said saturated block of floral foam with said cut ends of flower stems inserted;    a plurality of packets of floral preservative wrapped around outside of top of said plastic bag; and    a bag top fastener wrapped around top of said bag and preservative packets, securely fastening top of said bag around said bundle of flower stems and attaching said preservative packets selected from a group of wire ties, rubber bands or plastic slip latches,    whereby evaporation of said moisture is minimized and cut flowers arrive fresh, healthy and hydrated.    
   
   
       12 . A packing apparatus for bundles of flowers with cut stems that provides moisture to cut ends of said cut stems during shipping as in  claim 11  further comprising: 
 stem wells in said floral foam blocks where a pattern of said wells is selected from a group of patterns that match the quantity and diameter of flower stems to be packaged or patterns that provide for minimized crushing of said floral foam during insertion when said stems are not aligned with said wells prior to said insertion;    said wells are at an approximate depth from said top surface as approximately one half of the length of said perimeter walls; and    said wells outer wall tangents to be sufficiently inboard of said blocks outer walls as to maintain the stability of said foam blocks; and    said wells outer walls to be sufficiently inboard of said blocks outer walls as avoid said cut flower stems abrasion against said openings in said plastic lids.