# US 2014/0196413 A1 · Decorative grass and packaging material formed of renewable or biodegradable polymer materials and methods of producing same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196413 A1 - Document ID: US20140196413A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/202,452 - Filed: 2014-03-10 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2001-08-21 - Assignees: Wanda M. Weder and William F. Straeter, not individually but solely as Trustees of The Family - Applicants: Wanda M. Weder and William F. Straeter, not individually but solely as Trustees of The Family - Inventors: Donald E. Weder - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196413A1 ## CPC - B65B 5/04: Packaging single articles - A41G 1/009: {Artificial grass (surfaces simulating grass E01C13/08)} - B65B 5/00: Packaging individual articles in containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, jars - B65B 55/20: Embedding contents in shock-absorbing media, e.g. plastic foam, granular material - B65D 65/466: {Bio- or photodegradable packaging materials} - B65D 81/02: specially adapted to protect contents from mechanical damage {(containers of polygonal cross-section provided with internal protecting elements for contents B65D5/50; devices to locate articles in containers B65D25/10)} - B65D 81/09: using flowable discrete elements of shock-absorbing material, e.g. pellets or popcorn - Y02W 90/10: Bio-packaging, e.g. packing containers made from renewable resources or bio-plastics - Y10T 83/04: Processes - Y10T 428/1352: Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic] - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - A41G: ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS; WIGS; MASKS; FEATHERS - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Decorative grass and/or packaging materials formed from renewable and/or biodegradable polymer materials, along with methods or production and use thereof, are disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of packaging an article, the method comprising the step of: positioning an article within a container having decorative grass or packaging material disposed therein so that the decorative grass or packaging material cushions the article, the decorative grass or packaging material comprising a plurality of flexible segments of polymer material, wherein the decorative grass or packaging material is produced from a renewable and/or biodegradable polymer material selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, cellulose, polyhydroxyalkanoates, and copolymers thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method of packaging the article is performed in the absence of heat for shrinkage of the decorative grass or packaging material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the segments of decorative grass or packaging material are provided with at least one of a color, a design, and a decorative pattern disposed on at least a portion thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the segments have a bonding material disposed on at least a portion thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of bondingly connecting at least a portion of the segments to the container. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of bondingly connecting at least a portion of the segments to the article. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of flexible segments of polymer material has a first end and a second end. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of disposing the decorative grass or packaging material within the container. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the decorative grass or packaging material further comprises a border portion along which at least a portion of the segments are integrally interconnected to one another along one end thereof. ### Claim 10 A method of packaging an article, the method comprising the step of: positioning an article within a container having decorative grass or packaging material disposed therein so that the decorative grass or packaging material cushions the article, the decorative grass or packaging material comprising a plurality of flexible segments of polymer material, and the decorative grass or packaging material further comprising a border portion along which at least a portion of the segments are integrally interconnected to one another along one end thereof, and wherein the decorative grass or packaging material is produced from a renewable and/or biodegradable polymer material selected from the group consisting of starch-based polymers, polylactic acid, cellulose, polyhydroxyalkanoates, and copolymers thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein at least a first portion of the segments extend from a first end of the border portion, and wherein the decorative grass or packaging material further comprises a second portion of segments that extend from a second end of the border portion in a direction opposite the first portion of segments such that the first and second portions of segments extending from the first and second ends of the border portion are integrally interconnected to one another. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the segments of decorative grass or packaging material are provided with at least one of a color, a design, and a decorative pattern disposed on at least a portion thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the segments have a bonding material disposed on at least a portion thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of bondingly connecting at least a portion of the segments to the container. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of bondingly connecting at least a portion of the segments to the article. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of flexible segments of polymer material has a first end and a second end. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of disposing the decorative grass or packaging material within the container.