WO1993017412A1

WO1993017412A1 - Label and plant pot

Info

Publication number: WO1993017412A1
Application number: PCT/AU1993/000073
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kenneth Henry Davis
Original assignee: Macbird Floraprint Pty. Ltd.
Priority date: 1992-02-21
Filing date: 1993-02-19
Publication date: 1993-09-02
Also published as: DE9320637U1

Abstract

A label mounting assembly (10) comprising a punnet or plant pot having a wall that includes a laterally extending flange (35), the flange having an elongate narrow slot (37) formed therein, and a label formed of resiliently flexible sheet material having a body which terminates in a tapered head (13), the body being formed with a slit (20) profiled to define a barb (25) which is capable of outward projection relative to the plane of the body so that, in use, the head of the label can be inserted into the slot until the barb passes through the slot whereby the barb engages the flange adjacent the slot to prevent retraction of the label.

Description

LABEL AND PLANT POT

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the labelling of plant pots and punnets and in particular relates to a label mounting assembly and a label for use with a label mounting device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The marketing and sale of seedlings and small plants in pots and punnets have for many years incorporated the use of labels that are often inserted into the soil or potting mix to illustrate the plant and provide instructions on planting and care of the plant. The problem with this arrangement is that the labels frequently become detached from the punnet or po . There has recently been a suggestion to incorporate a label mounting device in pots and punnets whereby the label can be af ixed to the pot or punnet in a manner that it is not easily dislodged. DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART

Australian Patent Application 616346 and Petty Patent 620016 disclose such a system in which the pot or punnet is provided with a control zone that in essence comprises a pair of closely spaced walls with stop means projecting within the space between the walls. The label is provided with a head, neck and shoulders and is arranged to be inserted into the control zone and locked in position by the shoulders engaging the stop means. This system requires expensive re-tooling of the dies from which the pots and punnets are manufactured and suffers from reliability problems concerned with the complexity of the design of the control zone. The system also dictates that the label can only be inserted into the pot and punnet in one direction. The labels also lack versatility in that they are not designed for use by direct insertion into the soil or potting mix.

It is the above problems that have brought about the present invention. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a label mounting assembly comprising a punnet or plant pot having a wall that includes a laterally extending flange, the flange having an elongate narrow slot formed therein, and a label formed of resiliently flexible sheet material having a body which terminates in a tapered head, the body being formed with a slit profiled to define a barb which is capable of outward projection relative to the plane of the body so that, in use, the head of the label can be inserted into the slot until the barb passes through the slot whereby the barb engages the flange adjacent the slot to prevent retraction of the label.

Preferably the elongate slot is slightly longer than the width of the body of the label adjacent the head. In a preferred embodiment, the slit is of 'H' configuration. Preferably a pair of fold lines are provided equally spaced about the longitudinal axis of the label, the fold lines extending from the tip of the head to the free edge of the barb whereby lateral pressure on the label has the effect of causing the barb to fold about the fold lines to increase the lateral projection of the barb from the plane of the label.

The narrow elongate slot may be provided in more than one position on laterally extending flanges formed on the walls of punnets or pots.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a label formed of resilient flexible sheet material having a body terminating at one end in a tapered head, the label having a slit positioned on the central longitudinal axis of the label profiled to define a barb that is capable of projecting outwardly of the plane of the label, the outward projection of the barb increasing in a direction away from the head. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a label for use with a pot or punnet; Figure 2 is a perspective view of part of a punnet showing a slot into which the label can be inserted; Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the punnet showing the label in position;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines A-A of Figure 3;

Figure 5 illustrates a variety of labels with slits positioned at one end, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a label in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the combination of a label 10 and a plant punnet 30. The label is configured so that it can be readily secured to the punnet, and although removable, it is designed such that it is not removable without certain manipulation. The label 10 is formed from a sheet of flexible plastics material and comprises an elongate rectangular body 11 that tapers towards a pointed end 12 that defines the head 13 of the label. The head 13 has a pointed tip 12 to facilitate location of the label in a punnet or pot but also to allow the label to be used by simple insertion into soil or potting mix. The planar surface defined by the label 10 is provided with a stamped slit 20 that is positioned centrally of the longitudinal axis of the label adjacent the head of the label.

Figure 5 illustrates ten different label designs all of which have a centrally positioned stamped slit 20. In Figures 5B and 5C the slit 20 is an inverted U with squared ends. Figures 5E and 5F illustrate a barb 25 having closed ends or edges. Figures 5A, p_, G, H, 1 and J all show Η' shaped slits 20a where the lower portions of the uprights 21a, 22a define with the cross member 23a, the upwardly standing barb 25. In Figure 5A, creases or score lines 127, shown in dotted profile, are positioned outside the barb 25 extending towards or to the tip 12 of the label. The creases or score lines 127 strengthen the label especially when the label is used through direct insertion into soil or potting mix- As shown in Figure 1 the barb 25 projects outwardly from the plane of the label 10 and the distance between the face of the barb and the face of the label increases in the direction away from the pointed tip 12 of the label. To increase the strength of the label especially adjacent the head 13, one or more creases 27, 28 may be formed in the head of the label as shown in Figures 5C, 5D, 5H, 51 and 5J. In Figures 51_^ and 5J a pair of creases 27, 28 are positioned outside the central 'H' stamp to reinforce the tip of the label. In Figure 5H, a single longitudinal crease 27 extends from the tip 12 of the label along the centre line. The legs 21,22 of the U in association with the end 23 of the U define a rectangular flap or barb 25 that can flex outwardly of the plane of the label. It is understood that the barbs will be produced by a simple stamping exercise that forms the slits of various cross-sections in the predetermined position adjacent the head of the label.

The punnet 30 that is illustrated in Figure 2 is of rectangular cross-section having longer side walls 31 and 32 terminating in shorter end walls 33. The top of the punnet is provided with a laterally outwardly extending flange 35 with a downwardly turned lip 36. It is however understood that the punnet could be designed with an internal laterally extending flange. It is further understood that a variety of other designs of punnet well known to those skilled in this.art are embraced by this invention. The important feature of the punnet 30 is the provision of at least one narrow elongate slot 37 in the laterally extending flange 35. In Figure 3, the slot is provided with an enlarged central aperture 38 for the purpose of assisting the lead-in of the pointed, tip 12 of the head 13 of the label 10. The use of the assembly is demonstrated with reference to Figures 2 to 4. The head 13 of the label 10 is inserted downwardly into the elongate slot 37 by initial location of the point 12 into the enlarged central aperture 38 of the slot 37. The upwardly and outwardly projecting barb 25 initially is pushed into the plane of the label by the walls of the slot 37 but once the barb 25 moves clear of the" slot 37 to the position shown in Figures 3 and 4, the barb 25 flexes outwardly to engage the underside of the laterally projecting flange 36 thus to prevent withdrawal of the label 10 from the slot 37. The width of the slot is designed in cooperation with a taper of the body of the label to ensure that the label cannot be over inserted through the slot. In alternative embodiments shown in Figures 5(3, 5.1 and 5J the label 10 is provided with laterally projecting shoulders 29 that prevent over-insertion of the label into the slot. The label shown in Figure 5J has the shoulders 29 positioned very close to the free edge 23 of the barb 25 to provide a close and tight fit with the slot 37 of the punnet.

The invention is also applicable to plant pots whereby an outwardly extending annular flange would be provided at the top of the pot with one or more elongate arcuate slots provided therein in which a label could be inserted in the same manner as described above. A further advantage of the present invention particularly, when used in conjunction with a plant pot, is that it is possible to insert the label into the slot in the outwardly extending flange from the underside of the slot. This can be particularly advantageous where the label takes the form of a large arcuate illustration of the plant. The arcuate illustration of the plant fits closely against the curved wall of the pot and not only enhances the visual appearance of the pot but provides an excellent advertising medium. The assembly described above has the advantage that the punnets or pots are much easier to produce. The design of the dies to produce the plastics punnets and pots is a considerably less complicated operation than the formation of the control zone and stop means disclosed in Australian Petty Patent 620016 and Australian Patent Application 616346.

For satisfactory operation of the assembly, it is important that the barb 25 can spring outwardly a sufficient distance to engage against the underside of the wall of the slot 37 in the pot or punnet. To assist the capacity for the barb 25 to project outwardly of the plane of the label in one embodiment shown in Figure 6, a pair of score lines 40, 41 are provided equally spaced and parallel on either side of the central axis of the barb 25. The score lines 40, 41 extend from the tip of the barb 25 to the end of the label and allow the barb to flex or bow outwardly to increase the lateral projection of the barb to further enhance location. It is envisaged that other forms of assistance could be used to encourage the barb or barbs to flex outwardly, for instance the score line could extend across the barb instead of longitudinally as shown in Figure 6.

Claims

1. A label mounting assembly comprising a punnet or plant pot having a wall that includes a laterally extending flange, the flange having an elongate narrow slot formed therein, and a label formed of resiliently flexible sheet material having a body which terminates in a tapered head, the body being formed with a slit profiled to define a barb which is capable of outward projection relative to the plane of the body so that, in use, the head of the label can be inserted into the slot until the barb passes through the slot whereby the barb engages the flange adjacent the slot to prevent retraction of the label.

2. The label mounting assembly according to Claim 1 wherein the elongate slot is slightly longer than the width of the body of the label adjacent the head to control the extent to which the label can be inserted into the slot.

3. The label mounting assembly according to either Claim 1 or 2 wherein the barb is positioned on the longitudinal centre line of the label.

4. The label mounting assembly according to Claim 3 wherein the slit is of 'H' configuration, the barb being defined by the portion of label bounded by the lower legs and cross line of the 'H^r, the outward projection of the barb increasing in a direction away from the head.

5. The label mounting assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a pair of fold lines are provided equally spaced about the longitudinal axis of the label, the fold lines extending from the tip of the head to the free edge of the barb whereby lateral pressure on the label has the effect of causing the barb to fold about the fold lines to increase the lateral projection of the barb from the plane of the label.

6. The label mounting assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the centre of the elongate slot is enlarged to facilitate entry of the tapered head of the label into the slot.

7. A label formed of resilient flexible sheet material having a body terminating at one end in a tapered head, the label having a slit positioned on the central longitudinal axis of the label profiled to define a barb that is capable of projecting outwardly of the plane of the label, the outward projection of the barb increasing in a direction away from the head.

8. The label according to Claim 7 wherein the head merges into the body to define a pair of laterally extending shoulders on either side of the label.

9. The label according to either Claim 7 or 8 wherein the slit is formed in the head of the label and is of 'H' configuration.

10. The label according to any one of Claims 7 to 9 wherein at least one longitudinally extending crease is positioned in the head of label to increase the strength of the label.

11. The label according to Claim 10 wherein a pair of longitudinally extending spaced apart creases is positioned extending from the tip of the label to the edge of the barb, the creases defining lateral edges which extend in a different plane to the plane of the label between the creases.