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(11) | EP 1 410 748 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Packaging for plants and the like |
| (57) Packaging for plants and the like, characterised in that it mainly consists of a
casing (1) of flexible material which is provided over a plant or the like when the
latter is being removed, and which continues around the base of the plant or the like. |
[0001] The present invention concerns a packaging for plants and the like, in particular plants and the like which drop leaves, needles or the like while being removed.
[0002] In particular, the invention concerns such a packaging designed to be applied around a Christmas tree when it is removed.
[0003] It is known that when a Christmas tree is removed after the Christmas period, a trace of pine needles, angel's hair, confetti and other remnants of Christmas decoration is left behind in the house, and that clearing this trace is usually quite a job.
[0004] It is known that the aforesaid evil can be remedied somewhat by first putting a bag or the like over the plant or Christmas tree before carrying said plant or Christmas tree outside or to a waste bin.
[0005] Usually, there is no appropriate bag on hand in this case, and also wrapping and manipulating the plant or Christmas tree causes the necessary dirt and inconveniences, so that packing and cleaning is still quite a job in this case as well.
[0006] The present invention aims to remedy the aforesaid problem by providing a packaging for plants and the like, which mainly consists of a casing of flexible material which is provided over a plant or the like when the latter is being removed, and which continues around the base of the plant or the like.
[0007] An advantage of such a packaging according to the invention is that there is always a suitable packaging available for a plant or the like concerned and that, as a consequence, when the plant needs to be removed or shifted, one does not have to go looking for a suitable packaging, which moreover is not always on hand.
[0008] Another advantage is that the plant or the like as a whole can be very easily and quickly packed, without any manipulations of the plant itself being required, by simply pulling the casing over the plant and by sealing this casing in any way whatsoever, for example by buttoning, binding, gluing, etc. the casing at the top, and possibly also at the bottom.
[0009] An advantage of the fact that the plant itself does not need to be manipulated during the packing, is that on the spot where the plant is situated, after the plant has been packed, far less leaves, pine needles or the like will remain on the floor or furniture.
[0010] Another advantage is that the plant or the like can be entirely packed in the packaging and that, as a consequence, when the plant is shifted, falling leaves, pine needles or the like will remain in the packaging and thus are not left straying in the house.
[0011] Another advantage is that the casing is provided on the base of the plant or the like so that, when the casing is pulled up around the plant, falling leaves, needles or the like will drop in the casing.
[0012] The unused casing is preferably folded up and put away neatly in a ring-shaped holder which can be either or not sealed and which can be provided around the stem of the plant or around the flowerpot in which the plant has been placed.
[0013] A particularly practical embodiment consists in that the aforesaid holder in which the casing has been provided is integrated in a flowerpot or in a stand dish for a flowerpot or, more in particular, in a support for a Christmas tree having no root.
[0014] In order to better explain the characteristics of the invention, the following preferred embodiments of a packaging for plants or the like according to the invention are described as an example only without being limitative in any way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
figure 1 schematically represents a packaging according to the invention in perspective;
figure 2 represents a section according to line II-II in figure 1;
figure 3 schematically represents a packaging according to figure 1 in perspective, used as a packaging for a Christmas tree;
figure 4 represents a variant of figure 1;
figure 5 represents a section according to line V-V in figure 4;
figure 6 represents the part indicated by F6 in figure 5 to a larger scale;
figure 7 schematically represents a packaging according to figure 4 in perspective, used as a packaging for a Christmas tree;
figure 8 represents a second variant of a packaging according to the invention;
figure 9 represents a section according to line IX-IX in figure 8;
figure 10 represents a variant of figure 8;
figure 11 represents a section according to line XI-XI in figure 10;
figure 12 represents a bottom view according to arrow F12 in figure 10.
[0015] Figures 1 to 3 represent a packaging according to the invention, whereby this packaging for a plant or the like in this case mainly consists of a tubular casing 1 made of flexible material such as foil, textile or the like, whereby this casing 1, when it is not in use, as represented in figure 2, has been folded and put away in a holder 2 made of plastic or the like.
[0016] In the given example, the above-mentioned holder 2 is an open ring-shaped holder with an inner wall 3 and an outer wall 4 which are mutually connected by means of a cross wall 5 forming a bottom.
[0017] The casing 1 is fixed to the inner side of the holder 2 with an edge 6, for example by means of gluing, welding or the like, and it is folded in the shape of bellows in this case, such that the casing 1 is entirely situated in the holder 2 and that the free edge 7 is preferably accessible as of the opening of the holder 2.
[0018] The opening of the holder 2 is in this case covered by means of a ring-shaped lid 8 which preferably consists of two parts.
[0019] The use of the packaging according to the invention is very simple and is schematically represented as an example in figure 3 for the use with a Christmas tree 9 having no root.
[0020] When such a Christmas tree 9 is bought, a packaging according to the invention is first pushed with the ring-shaped holder 2 over the stub of the sawn-off stem 10 and then, as usual, the Christmas tree 9 is fixed to a support 11, for example to a support in the shape of a wooden cross or the like.
[0021] When the Christmas tree 9 has to be removed after the Christmas period, one only has to lift the lid 8 from the holder 2, pull the casing 1 out of the holder 2 and pull the casing 1 up with its free edge 7 over the Christmas tree 9.
[0022] When the casing 1 has been pulled up sufficiently high, the top end of the casing is sealed in any way whatsoever, for example by making a knot in it or, as represented in figure 3, by tying up this far end with a cord 12 or the like.
[0023] The Christmas tree 9 is now entirely wrapped up and can be carried outside without the risk of any pine needles or remnants of Christmas decoration staying behind in the house.
[0024] The holder 2 can be made with different diameters, such that a suitable holder 2 can be selected which fits in a more or less fitting manner around the stem 10 of the Christmas tree 9 concerned.
[0025] Another possibility to make the holder 2 fit around the stem 10 is by making use of a ring-shaped elastic seal, which is not represented in the figures, provided in the central opening of the ring-shaped holder 2 by means of gluing or the like.
[0026] The ring-shaped holder 2 of the packaging can be either or not fixed to the above-mentioned support 11.
[0027] Although the casing 1 has been provided in a holder 2 in the figures, it is not excluded for the casing 1 to be provided directly around the stem 10 of the Christmas tree 9, without any holder, and to be fixed to it by means of a rope or the like, whereby, in order to remove the Christmas tree 9, the lower end of the casing 1 is tied around the stem 10, while the other far end, as mentioned above, is fastened or the like above the top of the Christmas tree 9.
[0028] Figures 4 to 7 represent a variant of a packaging according to the invention, whereby the holder 2 is in this case integrated in a dish 13 whose bottom 14 forms the aforesaid cross wall 5 of the holder 2.
[0029] In this case, also the free edge 7 of the casing 1 has been hemmed, and a rope 16 has been provided in the formed hem 15.
[0030] The dish 13 can be used as a support for a Christmas tree 9 without a root, for example in the place of the above-mentioned wooden cross, or, as represented in figure 7, it can also be used as a stand dish for a Christmas tree 9 with roots or for another plant in a pot 17.
[0031] In both cases, the use of the packaging is identical and just as simple as described above, un the understanding that when the dish 13, as in figure 7, is used as a stand dish, the pot 17 in which the Christmas tree 9 or plant is standing will be removed as well.
[0032] Thanks to the rope 16, the top end of the casing 1, after it has been pulled over the Christmas tree 9 or the like, can be easily tied up in order to wrap up the Christmas tree 9 or the like.
[0034] Figures 8 and 9 represent another variant of a packaging according to the invention, whereby the ring-shaped holder 2 is in this case integrated in the top edge of a flower pot 20, whereby a part of the side wall 21 of the flower pot 20 forms the inner wall 3 of the holder 2.
[0035] In this case, a plant or the like is placed in a flower pot from the outset which is provided with a packaging according to the invention and, when the plant or the like has to be removed, the lid 18-19 is removed and the casing 1, as described above, is provided over the plant or the like and tied up.
[0036] Although the holder 2 in the figures 8 and 9 has a restricted height and the outer wall 4 is made circular, it is not excluded that the holder 2 extends over the entire height of the flower pot 20 and that the outer wall 4 can have any other shape whatsoever in order to promote the decorative effect of the flower pot 20 concerned.
[0037] Figures 10, 11 and 12 represent another variant of a packaging according to the invention, whereby in this case also, the ring-shaped holder 2 has been integrated in the top edge of a flower pot 20, and whereby the walls 2-3-4 of the holder 2 are in this case formed thanks to the fact that the top edge of the flower pot 20 has been folded double.
[0038] The opening of the holder 2 is in this case, as represented in figure 12, sealed by means of a lace 22 which is provided in a zigzag pattern through the eyes 23 which are provided in a slanting manner in relation to each other on the inner wall 3 and on the outer wall 4 of the holder 2.
[0040] The far ends of the lace 22 protrude through two holes 24 in the outer wall 4 and are tied into a bow 25.
[0041] The use of the latter embodiment is analogous to the use of the above-described variants, with this distinction that, in order to be able to take the casing 1 out of the holder 2 and to be able to pull it over the plant or the like, the lace 22 has to be loosened and removed first.
[0042] It is clear that the eyes 23 on the outer wall 4 and/or on the inner wall 3 can also be made in the shape of holes in these walls 3-4 and that the lace 22, thanks to its colour, texture, shape, lace pattern, manner of tying a knot or the like, can also have a decorative function.
[0043] Further, the outer wall 4 can extend over the entire height of the flower pot 20 and it can have any shape whatsoever.
[0044] The invention is by no means limited to the above-described embodiments given as an example and represented in the accompanying drawings; on the contrary, such a packaging according to the invention can be made in all sorts of shapes and dimensions while still remaining within the scope of the invention.
1. Packaging for plants and the like, characterised in that it mainly consists of a casing (1) of flexible material which is provided over a
plant or the like when the latter is being removed, and which continues around the
base of the plant or the like.
2. Packaging according to claim 1, characterised in that the aforesaid casing (1) is tubular.
3. Packaging according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the casing (1) is provided around the base or around the pot of the plant or the
like.
4. Packaging according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the aforesaid casing (1) is provided in a holder (2) and in that this casing (1) is fixed to said holder (2) with one edge (6).
5. Packaging according to claim 4, characterised in that the aforesaid holder (2) is ring-shaped.
6. Packaging according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the holder (2) is integrated in a dish (13).
7. Packaging according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the holder (2) is integrated in a support (11) for a Christmas tree (9).
8. Packaging according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the holder (5) is integrated in a flower pot (20) .
9. Packaging according to claim 8, characterised in that the holder (2) is integrated in the top edge of a flower pot (20) .
10. Packaging according to any of claims 4 to 9, characterised in that the aforesaid holder (2) can be sealed.
11. Packaging according to claim 10, characterised in that the holder (2) can be sealed by means of a lid (8, 18-19).
12. Packaging according to claim 11, characterised in that the lid consists of at least two parts (18-19).
13. Packaging according to claim 11, characterised in that the holder (2) can be sealed by means of a lace (22) provided in a zigzag manner
over the opening of the holder (2) .
14. Packaging according to claim 13, characterised in that the lace (22) is provided through eyes (23) provided in a slanting manner in relation
to each other on two walls (3-4) of the holder (2).
15. Packaging according to claim 14, characterised in that the aforesaid eyes (23) are formed of holes.
16. Packaging according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the casing (1) is hemmed at its free edge (7) and in that a rope (16) is provided in the formed hem (15).