Protective cover

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for covering and protecting products, such as containers of produce. The protective cover may comprise a body portion, a base portion, and a skirt portion. The body portion may have an upper panel and side panels. In some embodiments, the side panels substantially block undesirable elements, such as insects, from accessing the products, yet allow ambient air and fumigants to pass through the panels to provide sufficient ventilation and to facilitate a fumigation process. The base portion is configured to be disposed between a pallet and an arrangement of products. In some embodiments, the skirt portion may attach the body portion to the base portion. The disclosed embodiments also contemplate systems employing the protective covers and methods of making and using the protective covers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cover for protecting packaged and palletized produce from insects before and/or during shipment of produce from one location to another location, the cover comprising:
 a body portion comprising a top panel and a plurality of side panels, wherein the body portion is configured to substantially cover the top and sides of a bundle of packaged and palletized produce containers, wherein the plurality of side panels are configured to substantially block insects from accessing the produce, and wherein the side panels are configured to allow ambient air and fumigants to pass therethrough;   a base portion comprising a bottom panel, wherein the base portion is configured to be disposed on a pallet such that the base portion rests between the pallet and the bundle of packaged and palletized produce containers; and   a skirt portion configured to removably attach the body portion to the base portion to enable the cover to substantially cover the bundle of packaged and palletized produce containers and to securely cover and protect the produce from insects before and/or during shipment of the produce from one location to another location;   wherein the base portion comprises a plurality of sleeves extending substantially about a perimeter of the base portion, the plurality of sleeves comprising a plurality of side walls and a plurality of recess such that the side walls and recesses generally alternate along a length of the sleeve, the sleeve having an opening at one end of the sleeve and defining a substantially open channel configured to receive a longitudinal member;   wherein the skirt portion comprises an inner surface, an outer surface, and a plurality of hooks disposed on the inner surface of the skirt portion, wherein the outer surface of the skirt portion is configured to removably attach to the body portion of the cover, and wherein the plurality of hooks generally correspond to the plurality recesses of the skirt portion when the cover is assembled about the bundle of packaged and palletized produce containers so that the plurality of hooks directly engage with the longitudinal member when the longitudinal member is inserted through the opening into the substantially open channel of the sleeve to securely attach the body portion, skirt portion, and base portion of the cover before and/or during shipment of the produce from one location to another location.   
     
     
         2 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of side panels comprises four side panels. 
     
     
         3 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal member comprises a rigid rod. 
     
     
         4 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the skirt portion comprises a seal member that extends generally from an inner side of the skirt portion, the seal member configured to be positioned behind the sleeve to create a seal when the skirt portion is secured to the base portion. 
     
     
         5 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the base portion comprises one or more perforations at or near an interface of the sleeve and a central portion of the base portion, the perforations configured to allow a user to easily remove the sleeves from the base portion by applying a pulling force to the sleeves. 
     
     
         6 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of side panels comprises a first longitudinal seam and a second longitudinal seam, the first and second longitudinal seams each comprising a first portion and a second portion wherein the first portion is configured to engage with and disengage from the second portion to enable the side panel to fold up with respect to the top panel to allow direct access to the produce containers. 
     
     
         7 . A cover for protecting produce, comprising:
 a body portion comprising an upper panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel, wherein the first side panel and second side panel are attached to the upper panel and the body portion is configured to substantially cover a bundle of produce containers;   a base portion, wherein the base portion is configured to be disposed between a pallet and the containers; and   a skirt portion, wherein the skirt portion is configured to removably attach the body portion and the base portion;   wherein the side panels are configured to substantially block insects from accessing the produce, and wherein the side panels are configured to allow ambient air to pass therethrough.   
     
     
         8 . The cover of  claim 7 , wherein the base portion comprises a mesh insert configured to allow air movement through the base portion. 
     
     
         9 . The cover of  claim 7 , wherein the body portion comprises four side panels. 
     
     
         10 . The cover of  claim 7 , wherein the first side panel comprises a substantially transparent mesh material. 
     
     
         11 . The cover of  claim 7 , wherein the body portion comprises an engagement portion disposed near a lower end of the body portion and configured to engage with the skirt portion. 
     
     
         12 . The cover of  claim 7 , wherein the first side panel comprises a longitudinal seam, the longitudinal seam comprising a first portion and a second portion wherein the first portion is configured to engage with and disengage from the second portion. 
     
     
         13 . The cover of  claim 12 , wherein the longitudinal seam is offset from a longitudinal corner of the body portion. 
     
     
         14 . The cover of  claim 12 , wherein the longitudinal seam comprises a closure device. 
     
     
         15 . The cover of  claim 12 , wherein the longitudinal seam comprises a zipper. 
     
     
         16 . The cover of  claim 7 , wherein the base portion comprises a perimeter portion having a track and the skirt portion comprises an attachment portion and a lip. 
     
     
         17 . The cover of  claim 16 , wherein the track is configured to receive the lip to attach the skirt portion to the base portion. 
     
     
         18 . A cover for protecting produce, comprising:
 a body portion comprising an upper panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel, wherein the first side panel and second side panel are attached to the upper panel and the body portion is configured to substantially cover a bundle of produce containers, wherein the first side panel comprises a first longitudinal seam and a second longitudinal seam, the first and second longitudinal seams each comprising a first portion and a second portion wherein the first portion is configured to engage with and disengage from the second portion to enable the first side panel to fold up with respect to the upper panel to allow direct access to the produce containers; and   a base portion, wherein the base portion is configured to be disposed between a pallet and the containers and wherein the base portion is configured to attach to the body portion;   wherein the side panels are configured to substantially block insects from accessing the produce, and wherein the side panels are configured to allow ambient air to pass therethrough.   
     
     
         19 . The cover of  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the longitudinal seams is offset from a longitudinal corner of the body portion. 
     
     
         20 . The cover of  claim 19 , wherein the first longitudinal seam and the second longitudinal seam each are offset at least about two inches from respective longitudinal corners of the body portion.