US 6,178,727 B2Granted

Single station covering and fastening system

AssigneeSouthpac Trust International, Inc.

InventorsDonald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Paul Fantz

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An apparatus and method for forming a cover about an article and for automatically fastening the cover to the article, and optionally for automatically placing a label on the covered article. The article may be an article such as a potted plant and the cover may be a decorative cover. The invention satisfies the need for a means for rapidly covering and fastening the cover about an article with a minimal amount of manual effort and in a location having a limited amount of available space. The apparatus comprises a platform having at least one opening sized to receive the article. The apparatus comprises a tying device for automatically applying a band or fastener about a portion of the outer surface of the covered article for fastening the cover about the article after the sheet is formed into a cover about the article.

Claims5

Dependent claims

An apparatus for fastening a cover about a flower pot such that a portion of an upper end of the flower pot remains substantially uncovered, comprising:

cover forming means for forming a sheet of material into a cover extending about the flower pot while the upper end of the flower pot remains substantially uncovered by the cover, the cover forming means having an opening therein adapted to receive the flower pot and the sheet of material such that upon the passage of the flower pot and the sheet of material into the opening of the cover forming means the sheet of material engages the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot and is formed into the cover extending about the flower pot while the upper end of the flower pot remains substantially uncovered;
and
means for automatically applying a fastener about a portion of the cover extending above the upper end of the flower pot so as to secure the cover about the flower pot while maintaining the upper end of the flower pot substantially uncovered by the cover.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/491,003Filed 25 Jan 2000 · division
Priority: 24 Feb 1989
Granted: 30 Jan 2001
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

B65B 11/08
Wrapping articles, or quantities of material, by conveying wrapper and contents in common defined paths: in a single straight path
A01G 5/04
Floral handling: mountings for wreaths, or the like; Racks or holders for flowers
A47G 7/085
Covers for flower-pots , e.g. ornamental pots: made of flexible sheets of non-resilient material
B65B 25/026
Packaging agricultural or horticultural products: packaging flower pots

Family

Application07/315,169Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Feb 1989
Application07/530,491Parent of this continuation · filed 29 May 1990
Application07/765,416Parent of this continuation · filed 26 Sep 1991
Application08/765,416Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 26 Sep 1991
Application07/819,311Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 9 Jan 1992
Application07/832,096Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Feb 1992
Application07/979,389Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 19 Nov 1992
Application08/088,692Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 7 Jul 1993
Application08/088,976Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 8 Jul 1993
Application08/252,876Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Jun 1994
Application08/462,342Parent of this continuation · filed 5 Jun 1995
Application08/796,099Parent of this continuation · filed 5 Feb 1997
Application09/035,473Parent of this division · filed 5 Mar 1998
US 6,112,500 AParent of this division
Application09/035,473Parent of this continuation
US 5,740,656 AParent of this continuation
US 5,636,502 AParent of this continuation
US 5,609,009 AParent of this continuation
Application08/252,876Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,481,850 AParent of this continuation-in-part
Application07/819,311Parent of this continuation
US 5,105,599 AParent of this continuation
US 5,450,707 AParent of this continuation-in-part
Application07/979,389Parent of this continuation
Application07/832,096Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,105,599 AParent of this continuation-in-part
Application08/765,416Parent of this continuation
US 5,796,284 ARelated patent
US 6,178,727 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.