# US 5,706,629 A · Floral grouping wrapper and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,706,629 A - Document ID: US5706629A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/783,353 - Filed: 1997-01-06 - Granted: 1998-01-13 - Earliest claimed: 1993-07-21 - Assignees: Southpac Trust International, Inc. - Inventors: Donald E. Weder - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5706629A ## CPC - G09F 3/10: by an adhesive layer - A01G 5/06: Devices for preserving flowers - A47F 5/16: Platform-type show stands with flat, inclined, or curved upper surface - A47F 7/0078: {for plants or flowers} - A47G 7/085: {made of flexible sheets of non-resilient material} - B29C 61/02: Thermal shrinking - B29C 61/0608: {characterised by the configuration or structure of the preforms} - B31F 1/0045: {Bending or folding combined with joining (folding edges combined with joining B31F1/0016, B31F1/0029)} - B44C 5/06: Natural ornaments; Imitations thereof (artificial flowers, fruit, leaves A41G1/00; artificial feathers A41G11/00) - B44F 1/10: Changing, amusing, or secret pictures - B65B 25/023: {Packaging flower bouquets} - B65B 61/025: {for applying, e.g. printing, code or date marks on material prior to packaging} - B65B 67/08: Wrapping of articles - B65D 33/20: using pressure-sensitive adhesive - B65D 33/22: using heat-activatable adhesive - B65D 65/14: with areas coated with adhesive - B65D 65/22: Details - B65D 75/54: Cards, coupons or other inserts or accessories - B65D 85/505: {for cut flowers} - B65D 85/52: for living plants; for growing bulbs - G09F: DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS - A01G: HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING (picking of fruits, vegetables, hops or the like A01D46/00; propagating unicellular algae C12N1/12) - A47F: SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS - A47G: HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT (book-ends A47B5/00; knives B26B) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B31F: MECHANICAL WORKING OR DEFORMATION OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER (making layered products not composed wholly of paper or cardboard B32B) - B44C: PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS (processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general B05D; shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; printing processes to produce transfer pictures B41M3/12; thermographic duplication or marking methods B41M5/00); MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK (imitation of mosaic or tarsia work patterns B44F11/04); PAPERHANGING {(labels G09F; multi-step processes for making paper labels or tags B31D1/02)} - B44F: SPECIAL DESIGNS OR PICTURES - 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) - 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 ## Abstract A wrapper, comprising a floral grouping having a bloom portion and a stem portion and a flexible sleeve having a bonding material thereon, the sleeve being positioned about the floral grouping and the sleeve substantially surrounding and encompassing the floral grouping, forming a wrapper, and methods of using the wrapper. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for wrapping a floral grouping, comprising the steps of: disposing the floral grouping in a flexible sleeve having a first end, a second end, an outer surface, an inner surface defining a floral grouping retaining space, and a bonding material on at least one of the outer and inner surfaces such that the sleeve is disposed about at least a portion of the floral grouping and such that the floral grouping is disposed in the retaining space of the sleeve; and crimping the sleeve about a stem portion of the floral grouping along the bonding material of the sleeve such that portions of the sleeve are bondingly connected so as to secure the crimped portion of the sleeve in a crimped condition about the floral grouping wherein at least a portion of the stem portion is disposed within the crimped portion of the sleeve. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the bonding material is a strip of bonding material extending circumferentially along the sleeve. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein the floral grouping has a bloom portion and a stem portion, wherein the strip of bonding material is disposed near the second end of the sleeve, and wherein the step of disposing the floral grouping in the sleeve further comprises disposing the floral grouping in the floral grouping retaining space of the sleeve so that the stem portion is adjacent the second end of the sleeve and the sleeve is crimped about the stem portion of the floral grouping. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the bonding material is a pressure sensitive adhesive. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the sleeve is dimensioned to substantially encompass the floral grouping when the floral grouping is disposed in the floral grouping retaining space. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the sleeve has a cylindrical shape in an uncrimped condition. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the sleeve has a frusto-conical shape in an uncrimped condition. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing a flexible sleeve, the sleeve is constructed from a material selected from the group consisting of paper (untreated or treated in any manner), cellophane, foil, polymer film, fabric (woven or nonwoven or synthetic or natural), burlap, cloth, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 9 A method for wrapping a floral grouping, comprising the steps of: disposing the floral grouping in a flexible sleeve having a first end, a second end, an outer surface, an inner surface defining a floral grouping retaining space, and an adhesive or cohesive bonding material on at least one of the outer and inner surfaces such that the sleeve is disposed about at least a portion of the floral grouping and such that the floral grouping is disposed in the retaining space of the sleeve; and crimping the sleeve about a stem portion of the floral grouping along the adhesive or cohesive bonding material of the sleeve such that portions of the sleeve are adhesively or cohesively connected so as to secure the crimped portion of the sleeve in a crimped condition about the floral grouping wherein at least a portion of the stem portion is disposed within the crimped portion of the sleeve. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein in the step of providing a flexible sleeve, the sleeve is constructed from a material selected from the group consisting of paper (untreated or treated in any manner), cellophane, foil, polymer film, fabric (woven or nonwoven or synthetic or natural), burlap, cloth, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the bonding material is a strip of bonding material extending circumferentially along the sleeve. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the floral grouping has a bloom portion and a stem portion, wherein the strip of bonding material is disposed near the second end of the sleeve, and wherein the step of disposing the floral grouping in the sleeve further comprises disposing the floral grouping in the floral grouping retaining space of the sleeve so that the stem portion is adjacent the second end of the sleeve and the sleeve is crimped about the stem portion of the floral grouping. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the sleeve is dimensioned to substantially encompass the floral grouping when the floral grouping is disposed in the floral grouping retaining space. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the sleeve has a cylindrical shape in an uncrimped condition. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the sleeve has a frusto-conical shape in an uncrimped condition. ### Claim 16 A method for wrapping a floral grouping, comprising the steps of: disposing the floral grouping in a flexible sleeve having a first end, a closed second end, an outer surface, an inner surface defining a floral grouping retaining space, and a bonding material on at least one of the outer and inner surfaces such that the sleeve is disposed about at least a portion of the floral grouping and such that the floral grouping is disposed in the retaining space of the sleeve; and crimping the sleeve about a stem portion of the floral grouping along the bonding material of the sleeve such that portions of the sleeve are bondingly connected so as to secure the crimped portion of the sleeve in a crimped condition about the floral grouping wherein at least a portion of the stem portion is disposed within the crimped portion of the sleeve. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein in the step of providing a flexible sleeve, the sleeve is constructed from a material selected from the group consisting of paper (untreated or treated in any manner), cellophane, foil, polymer film, fabric (woven or nonwoven or synthetic or natural), burlap, cloth, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the bonding material is a strip of bonding material extending circumferentially along the sleeve. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the floral grouping has a bloom portion and a stem portion, wherein the strip of bonding material is disposed near the second end of the sleeve, and wherein the step of disposing the floral grouping in the sleeve further comprises disposing the floral grouping in the floral grouping retaining space of the sleeve so that the stem portion is adjacent the second end of the sleeve and the sleeve is crimped about the stem portion of the floral grouping. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the sleeve is dimensioned to substantially encompass the floral grouping when the floral grouping is disposed in the floral grouping retaining space. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the sleeve has a cylindrical shape in an uncrimped condition. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the sleeve has a frusto-conical shape in an uncrimped condition. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the bonding material is an adhesive or cohesive.