GB2375756A

GB2375756A - Packaging for plants in flower

Info

Publication number: GB2375756A
Application number: GB0112471A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Morland-Nuttall; Andrew Nicholl-Smith
Original assignee: ASSIDOMON PACKAGING UK Ltd
Current assignee: ASSIDOMON PACKAGING UK Ltd
Priority date: 2001-05-22
Filing date: 2001-05-22
Publication date: 2002-11-27
Also published as: GB0112471D0

Abstract

Packaging for plants in flower, such as orchids, formed from blanks (fig 1 and 2), comprises an inner support (fig 4) secured within an outer box (fig 5), where in the inner support forms protective walls 14, 15, 16 to surround a space for the flowers, a stem rest 17 and a pot holder 21, if the pack is for a plant in a pot. The stem rest 17 is preferably provided by bridges (fig 2, 17, 17a), which are formed from base and side panels, and includes lugs (fig 2, 19) for a rubber band, formed from cuts (fig 2, 18) and fold lines (fig 2, 18a, 18b). Protective fibre may used in the space around the flowers, and lugs (fig 4, 24, 26, 27, 30 and 31) may be provided which project from upper and lower surfaces of the support, to space it from the outer box. The packaging is assembled in use by the support being folded around the plant.

Description

ORCHID BOX The invention relates to transit packs for plants in flower, particularly orchids.

There is a considerable trade in stem orchids in flower and thus a need for protective transit packaging, for mailing especially. The leaves and stems of orchids are often quite tough, but the flowers themselves are not. Nevertheless the plants need to be sent out with at least the lead flower open and it must arrive undamaged. If it is lost, the rest of the flowers do not open.

We have worked on suitable packaging and have concluded that the answer lies in a two part pack with an inner part surrounding and locating the plant and an outer, protective part within which the inner part is secured.

In particular we provide a pack in two parts protecting the flowers of an orchid or other kind of plant in transit, the first part being provided by an outer box and the second by an inner support secured within the outer box and forming :- i) protective walls to surround a space for the flowers ii) a stem rest iii) a pot holder, if the pack is for a plant in a pot.

Conveniently the pack is assembled by the support being folded round the plant, after locating the plant with its stem supported by the stem rest and the pot, where present, in the holder, and subsequently placing the support in the box. However alternative constructions are possible, for example one in which the inner support and outer box are secured together in the flat, the inner support in use being folded up round the plant and the outer box then being folded up round the inner support.

Lugs may be formed in the stem rest for an elastic band retaining the stem, and conveniently the rest itself is a bridge formed by eversion of a strip defined by cuts across the bottom and part way up the sides of a channel-section inner support.

The pack may be used with protective fibre in the space round the flowers, limiting and cushioning any movement.

A pack according to the invention is illustrated by way of example in the drawings, in which :- Figure 1 is a blank of an outer box ; Figure 2 is a blank of an inner support ; Figure 3 shows one end of the inner support, part-erected ; Figure 4 shows the fully erected inner support; and Figure 5 shows the support within the erected outer box before closure.

In the blank of Figure 1, a box base I carries side panels 2 and end panels 3. The side panels carry flaps 4 that in the assembled box lie apposed to and covered by locking flaps 5 extending from the end panels and secured by cooperating tabs and slots 6a and 6b. The box has a top panel 7 with pairs of flaps 9 locating the inner support when the box is in use. These flaps consist of an inner portion 10 and a distal portion I I, of which the distal portion can be left in the plane of the inner portion or be folded at 900. Panel 7 carries a front flap 8 with securing tabs 12 which in use are inserted between the end panels 3 of the box and adjacent flaps 4 at position 12a (Fig. 5).

The inner support, shown in Figure 2, has a base panel 14, side panels 15 and two top panels 16, which overlap in use. The base panel has a diverging shape to provide an enclosure for the flowers at the wide end. Towards the narrow end alternative bridges 17, 17a are formed from the base panel and side panels, to be used according to the position of the flowers on the stem. Each has lugs 19 for a rubber band, and is defined by cuts 18 and fold lines 18a and 18b to be erected by eversion as seen in Figure 3.

Extending from the base panel is the base 20 of a pot holder, generally indicated at 21.

The base carries sides 22 and top flaps 23, of which one is of half width and underlies the other in the erected support.

In the erected support, lugs 24 project downwards from the base panel 14 and pot holder base 20 and space the support from the box, adding to the protection and allowing room for the rim of the pot which projects from cut-outs 25. Similar lugs 26 project from the top of the erected support and space it from the lid of the box. Sideways location and spacing is given at the wide end of the support by lugs 27, and at the narrow end, either side of the pot holder, by the locating flaps 9 described earlier. There are identical sets of flanges 9 at each end of the box but only one set is folded, according to the way the support lies. The other set is simply entered between the end of the support and adjacent locking flap 5, and the point is to have a non'handed'construction so there is no wrong way round to put the support in the box.

Finally to be noted in the construction of the support, are locking tabs 28 and 29 which on erection of the support are folded at 90 and passed through the openings left in the inner top panels by the spacing lugs, to lie internally against the side panels at positions 30 and 31 respectively.

In Figures 3 to 5 no plant is shown, for clarity, but it will be evident how, first, bridge 17 is everted and then the plant and its pot are laid in place on the support. The parts of the pot holder 21 are then folded round to reach the position shown in Figure 3. Further folding, after placing fibre about the flowers, gives the erected support as seen in Figure 4 which is then placed in the previously part-erected outer box as in Figure 5. Finally the lid of the box is closed, with the locating flaps 9 at one end of the box (the light hand end as seen) simply going between the inner end of the box and the wide end of the support but the flaps at the other end being folded, as seen part-done at 12b so that the distal parts ! I lie against and locate the narrow end of the support at positions 12c (Figure 4).

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A pack in two parts for protecting the flowers of an orchid or other kind of plant in transit, the first part being provided by an outer box and the second part by an inner support secured within the outer box and forming :- i) protective walls to surround a space for the flowers ii) a stem rest iii) a pot holder, if the pack is for a plant in a pot.
2. A pack according to claim 1, assembled in use by the support being folded round the plant, after locating the plant with its stem supported by the stem rest and with the pot disposed in the holder where present, and subsequently placing the support in the box.
3. A pack according to claim 1 or 2, where the rest is a bridge formed by eversion of a strip defined by cuts across the bottom and part way up the sides of a channel-section part of the inner support.
4. A pack according to any preceding claim, used with protective fibre in the space round the flowers, limiting and cushioning any movement.
5. A pack according to any preceding claim, wherein lugs project from upper and lower surfaces of the support to space it from the outer box.
6. A pack according to any preceding claim, wherein the support has a wide end for the flowers spaced from the outer box by sideways projecting lugs, and a narrow end for the stem (and pot if any) engaging locating flaps folded in from the material of the lid.