US 6,553,741 B2Granted

Method of wrapping a bouquet

AssigneeSouthpac Trust International, Inc.

InventorsPaul Fantz, Donald E. Weder, Franklin J. Craig

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for automatically wrapping a sheet about a bouquet of flowers. The sheet having spaced apart defined first and second portions is placed against a support member, such as a prepared table top, and the bouquet is positioned on the sheet with the first and second portions of the sheet extending on right and left sides, respectively, of the bouquet. The first sheet portion is then moved in a path to at least partially encompass the bouquet, and the second sheet portion is moved in a path to at least partially encompass the bouquet and to extend over part of the first sheet portion. The two sheet portions may be secured together by a bonding material, or the first and second portions of the sheet of wrapping material can themselves act as a bonding material by application of appropriate heat sealing, sonic welding, vibratory welding, and similar methods. A stiff wrap ring form may be positioned suspended over the sheet, and the bouquet inserted in the wrap ring form. The stem portion of the bouquet may be tightly wrapped by a separate wrapping operation.

Claims2

Dependent claims

A method for automatically wrapping a sheet of material about a floral grouping, the floral grouping having a bloom end with one or more blooms and a stem portion comprising one or more stems, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a sheet of material selected from the group of materials consisting of plastic or polymer films, fibers or fabric, metallic and non-metallic foils, paper, cellulose, leather, burlap, waxed sheet material, starched or sugared sheet material, and laminates, or combinations thereof;
placing the sheet of material on a support surface;
providing the floral grouping and positioning the floral grouping on the sheet of material;
automatically gripping a first portion of the sheet of material via a gripping unit;
and
automatically gripping a second portion of the sheet of material;
automatically moving the gripped first portion of the sheet of material over the stem portion of the floral grouping via movement of the first gripping unit to a position adjacent the second portion of the sheet of material;
and
automatically bonding the gripped first portion of the sheet of material to the second portion of the sheet of material wherein a portion of the stem portion of the floral grouping is covered by the sheet of material.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/207,714Filed 25 Jul 2002 · continuation
Priority: 14 Dec 1992
Published: US 2002/0020147 A119 Dec 2002
Granted: 29 Apr 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification2 codes

B65B 25/023
Packaging agricultural or horticultural products: packaging flower bouquets
B65B
Machines, apparatus or devices for, or methods of, packaging articles or materials

Family

Application07/990,226Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Dec 1992
Application08/291,378Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Aug 1994
Application08/694,130Parent of this continuation · filed 8 Aug 1996
Application09/018,386Parent of this continuation · filed 4 Feb 1998
Application09/249,570Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Feb 1999
Application09/747,197Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Dec 2000
Application09/975,679Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Oct 2001
US 2002/0189202 A1Pre-grant publication · published 19 Dec 2002
US 6,425,225 B1Parent of this continuation
US 6,343,457 B2Parent of this continuation
US 5,921,063 AParent of this continuation
US 5,718,099 AParent of this continuation
US 5,564,257 AParent of this continuation
US 2001/0001920 A1Published application
US 2002/0020147 A1Published application
US 6,553,741 B2This patent

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