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US 5,706,628 AGranted
Article packaging system
AssigneeSouthpac Trust International, Inc.
InventorsFrank Craig, Joseph G. Straeter, Donald E. Weder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is a modular system for packaging articles for shipment. In particular, a potted plant is sorted according to a grade, placed in a decorative cover, then automatically deposited into a protective sleeve. The potted plant thus packaged is ready for containment within a shipping carton. Various components of the system may be adapted for various packaging needs and circumstances.
Claims69
A method of packaging potted plants comprising the steps of:
- providing a covering station having automatic covering means for automatically applying a decorative cover;
- providing a plurality of potted plants, each having an exterior surface;
- sequentially moving each potted plant toward the covering station via conveying means;
- and
- automatically transferring the potted plant from the conveying means to the covering station by gripping the potted plant via gripping means at a position on the conveying means and automatically delivering the gripped potted plant in an upright position to the covering station where a decorative cover is automatically applied about the exterior surface of each potted plant to form a covered potted plant.
2 more elements
A method of packaging a potted plant comprising the steps of:
- providing a sleeving station having automatic sleeve means for automatically applying a preformed sleeve;
- providing a plurality of potted plants, each having an exterior surface;
- automatically opening the preformed sleeve;
- sequentially conveying each potted plant to the sleeving station via conveying means;
- and
- sequentially delivering each potted plant to guiding means arranged at an end of the conveying means through which guiding means each potted plant is automatically passed downwardly and thereby automatically oriented and maintained in an upright orientation for placement into an opened sleeve and placing each such uprightly oriented potted plant into the opened sleeve forming a sleeved potted plant.
3 more elements
A method of packaging a potted plant comprising the steps of:
- providing a covering station having automatic covering means for automatically applying a decorative cover;
- providing a plurality of potted plants, each having an exterior surface;
- automatically sorting each potted plant into one of at least two grades in accordance with a predetermined grading criterion;
- sequentially moving each potted plant thus sorted toward the covering station via conveying means;
- and
- automatically transferring the potted plant from the conveying means to the covering station by gripping the potted plant via the gripping means at a position on the conveying means and automatically delivering the gripped potted plant in an upright position to the covering station where a decorative cover is automatically applied about the exterior surface of a potted plant to form a covered potted plant.
3 more elements
A method of packaging a potted plant comprising the steps of:
- providing a sleeving station having automatic sleeving means for automatically applying a sleeve;
- providing a plurality of potted plants, each having an exterior surface;
- automatically sorting each potted plant into one of at least two grades in accordance with a predetermined grading criterion;
- automatically opening the preformed sleeve;
- sequentially conveying each sorted potted plant to the sleeving station via conveying means;
- and
- sequentially delivering each potted plant to guiding means arranged at an end of the conveying means through which guiding means each potted plant is automatically passed downwardly and thereby automatically oriented and maintained in an upright orientation for placement into an opened sleeve and placing each such uprightly oriented potted plant into the opened sleeve forming a sleeved potted plant.
4 more elements
A method of packaging a potted plant comprising the steps of:
- providing a covering station having automatic covering means for automatically applying a decorative cover;
- providing a plurality of potted plants, each having an exterior surface;
- sequentially moving each potted plant toward the covering station via conveying means;
- automatically delivering the potted plant from the conveying means in an about upright position to the covering station;
- and
- automatically applying the decorative cover about the exterior surface of each potted plant at the covering station to form a covered potted plant.
3 more elements
A method of packaging a potted plant comprising the steps of:
- providing a covering station having automatic covering means for automatically applying a decorative cover;
- providing a plurality of potted plants, each having an exterior surface;
- sequentially moving each potted plant toward the covering station via conveying means;
- sorting each potted plant into one of at least two grades in accordance with a predetermined grading criterion;
- automatically delivering the potted plant from the conveying means in an about upright position to the covering station;
- and
- automatically applying the decorative cover about the exterior surface of each potted plant at the covering station to form a covered potted plant.
4 more elements
A method of packaging a potted plant comprising the steps of:
- providing a sleeving station having automatic sleeving means for automatically applying a preformed sleeve;
- providing a plurality of potted plants, each having an exterior surface;
- automatically opening the preformed sleeve;
- sequentially conveying each potted plant to the sleeving station via the conveying means;
- and
- sequentially delivering each potted plant to the sleeving station oriented and maintained in an about upright orientation for placement into the opened sleeve and placing each such uprightly oriented potted plant into the opened sleeve forming a sleeved potted plant.
3 more elements
A method of packaging a potted plant comprising the steps of:
- providing a sleeving station having automatic sleeving means for automatically applying a preformed sleeve;
- providing a plurality of potted plants, each having an exterior surface;
- sorting each potted plant into one of at least two grades in accordance with a predetermined grading criterion;
- automatically opening the preformed sleeve;
- sequentially conveying each potted plant to the sleeving station via the conveying means;
- and
- sequentially delivering each potted plant to the sleeving station oriented and maintained in an about upright orientation for placement into the opened sleeve and placing each such uprightly oriented potted plant into the opened sleeve forming a sleeved potted plant.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.