Claims
- 1. A method of packaging an arrangement of plates, comprising:
providing a plurality of plates, plates within said plurality of plates having a depiction associated with a common theme, said plurality of plates including a number “n1” of different depictions; selecting from said plurality of plates to form a first group of plates, selecting from said plurality of plates to form a second group of plates, said second group of plates containing plates with different depictions than said first group of plates; packaging said first group of plates for commercial distribution; and packaging said second group of plates for commercial distribution.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second groups of plates each include number “n2” of plates, said number “n1” of different depictions being greater than said number “n2” of plates in said first and second groups.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first group of plates includes depictions that are not present within said second group of plates.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said steps of selecting are automated.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting to form said first group occurs prior to said selecting to form said second group.
- 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said packaging of said first group occurs prior to said packaging of said second group.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein said first group is defined by several subgroups and said second group is defined by several subgroups, at least one subgroup from said first group having the same constituent plates as one subgroup from said second group.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein said steps of selecting include, respectively, selecting a top plate for said first group and selecting a top plate for said second group, said top plate for said first group having a different depiction than said top plate for said second group.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said steps of selecting include, respectively, excluding certain plates of said plurality plates for consideration as said top plate on the basis of a type of depiction thereon.
- 10. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said plates within said plurality of plates has depictions associated with said common theme.
- 11. The method of claim 1, wherein said steps of selecting include selecting from a plurality of subgroups to create said first and second groups of plates, each subgroup of said plurality of subgroups including a repeating pattern of plates.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein said steps of selecting are automated.
- 13. The method of claim 11, wherein said steps of selecting are manual.
- 14. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second groups of plates includes a greater number of different depictions than a number of repeats of the same depiction.
- 15. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing includes creating said plurality of plates from a web of paperboard.
- 16. The method of claim 15, wherein said creating includes printing an array of depictions on said web, and cutting said array of depictions into said plurality of plates.
- 17. The method of claim 16, wherein said cutting said array of depictions includes press-forming said plurality of plates.
- 18. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing includes creating plates from at least two webs of paperboard, a first web of paperboard being passed through a printing cylinder system for producing a first series of color combinations, a second web of paperboard being passed through a different printing cylinder system for producing a second series of color combinations that is different from said first series of color combinations, a portion of said different depictions being created only on said first web.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein a second portion of said different depictions being created only on said second web.
- 20. The method of claim 1, wherein said steps of selecting are at least partially manual.
- 21. A method of packaging an arrangement of containers for foods or beverages, comprising:
providing a plurality of containers, containers within said plurality of containers having a depiction associated with said common theme, said plurality of containers including a number of different depictions; selecting from said plurality of containers to form a first group of containers; selecting from said plurality of containers to form a second group of containers, said second group of containers containing containers with different depictions than said first group of containers; packaging said first group of containers for commercial distribution; and packaging said second group of containers for commercial distribution.
- 22. The method of claim 21, wherein said containers are plates
- 23. The method of claim 21, wherein said containers are cups.
- 24. The method of claim 21, wherein said containers are bowls.
- 25. The method of claim 21, wherein said steps of selecting said containers are automated.
- 26. The method of claim 21, wherein said steps of selecting said containers are at least partially manual.
- 27. The method of claim 21, wherein plurality of containers include a number “n1” of different depictions, said number “n1” being greater than a number “n2” of containers in said first group of containers.
- 28. The method of claim 21, wherein said steps of selecting include selecting from a plurality of subgroups to create said first and second groups of plates, each subgroup of said plurality of subgroups including a repeating pattern of containers.
- 29. The method of claim 21, wherein said steps of selecting include, respectively, selecting a top container for said first group and selecting a top container for said second group, said top container for said first group having a different depiction than said top container for said second group.
- 30. The method of claim 29, wherein said steps of selecting include, respectively, excluding certain plates of said plurality of containers for consideration as said top plate on the basis of a type of depiction thereon.
- 31. The method of claim 21, wherein said common theme is an animal theme.
- 32. A method of packaging an arrangement of plates, comprising:
providing a plurality of plates, plates within said plurality of plates having a different depiction thereon; selecting from said plurality of plates to form a first group of plates; selecting from said plurality of plates to form a second group of plates, said second group of plates having plates in a different order than said first group of plates such that said depictions on said plates are in a different order; packaging said first group of plates for commercial distribution; and packaging said second group of plates for commercial distribution.
- 33. The method of claim 32, wherein each of said plates within said plurality of plates has depictions associated with a common theme.
- 34. The method of claim 32, wherein said steps of selecting include selecting from a plurality of subgroups to create said first and second groups, each subgroup of said plurality of subgroups including a repeating pattern of containers.
- 35. The method of claim 32, wherein said steps of selecting include, respectively, selecting a top container for said first group and selecting a top container for said second group, said top container for said first group having a different depiction than said top container for said second group.
- 36. The method of claim 35, wherein said steps of selecting are at least partially manual.
- 37. The method of claim 32, wherein said different depictions all have a common theme.
- 38. A method of packaging an arrangement of containers, comprising:
producing a plurality of containers on at least first and second manufacturing lines, said first manufacturing line including a print cylinder system capable of providing a first series of color combinations, said second manufacturing line including a second print cylinder system capable of providing a second series of color combinations that is different from said first series of color combinations, said first manufacturing line producing containers with depictions using said first series of color combinations and said second manufacturing line producing containers with depictions using said second series of color combinations, said first manufacturing line and said second manufacturing line producing containers with depictions associated with a common theme; accumulating containers from said first manufacturing line and said second manufacturing line at a common location; at said common location, selecting containers with said first series of color combinations and containers with said second series of color combinations to form a group of containers, and packaging said group of containers for commercial distribution.
- 39. The method of claim 38, wherein said first manufacturing line produces a first plurality of subgroups and said second manufacturing line produces a second plurality of subgroups.
- 40. The method of claim 39, wherein said step of selecting includes selecting from said first plurality of subgroups and selecting from said second plurality of subgroups.
- 41. The method of claim 39, wherein each subgroup within said first and second plurality of subgroups includes a repeating pattern of containers.
- 42. The method of claim 39, wherein said first and second plurality of subgroups have the same number of subgroups.
- 43. The method of claim 42, wherein said same number of subgroups is 3, 4, 5, or 6.
- 44. The method of claim 43, wherein each subgroup within said first and second plurality of subgroups includes a repeating pattern of containers.
- 45. The method of claim 44, wherein said repeating pattern includes 3, 4, 5, or 6 containers.
- 46. The method of claim 44, wherein said repeating patterns of containers are in stacks.
- 47. The method of claim 38, further including selecting containers with said first series of color combinations and containers with said second series of color combinations to form a second group of containers, said second group of containers including containers with different depictions than said first group of containers.
- 48. The method of claim 47, wherein said steps of selecting include, respectively, selecting a top container for said first group of containers and selecting a top container for said second group of containers, said top container for said first group having a different depiction than said top container in said second group.
- 49. The method of claim 38, wherein each container of said plurality of containers includes a depiction associated with said common theme.
- 50. The method of claim 38, further including producing a plurality of containers on a third manufacturing line, said third manufacturing line including a print cylinder set capable of providing a third series of color combinations that is different from said first and second series of color combinations, said third manufacturing line producing containers with depictions using said third series of color combinations, said third manufacturing line producing containers with depictions associated with said common theme.
- 51. The method of claim 38, wherein said containers are plates.
- 52. The method of claim 38, wherein said containers are bowls.
- 53. The method of claim 38, wherein said containers are cups.
- 54. The method of claim 38, wherein said common theme is an animal theme.
- 55. The method of claim 38, wherein said common theme is a commonly known societal holiday.
- 56. The method of claim 38, wherein said common theme is vehicles.
- 57. The method of claim 38, wherein said common theme is a sports theme.
- 58. The method of claim 38, wherein said common location is a location where said containers from said first manufacturing line and said second manufacturing line are stationary.
- 59. The method of claim 58, wherein said selecting is at least partially manual.
- 60. The method of claim 38, wherein said common location is a location where said containers from said first manufacturing line and said second manufacturing line are moving
- 61. The method of claim 60, wherein said selecting is automated.
- 62. A method of packaging an arrangement of containers, comprising:
producing a plurality of containers on at least first and second manufacturing lines, said first manufacturing line including a print cylinder system capable of providing a first array of different depictions for a first set of containers within said plurality of containers, said second manufacturing line including a print cylinder system capable of providing a second array of different depictions for a second set of containers within said plurality of containers, said first array of different depictions including depictions that are different from depictions within said second array of different depictions, accumulating said plurality of containers from said first manufacturing line and said second manufacturing line at a common location; at said common location, selecting containers from said first manufacturing line and said second manufacturing line to form a group of containers; and packaging said group of containers for commercial distribution.
- 63. The method of claim 62, wherein said first manufacturing line produces a first plurality of subgroups and said second manufacturing line produces a second plurality of subgroups and selecting includes selecting from said first plurality of subgroups and selecting from said second plurality of subgroups.
- 64. The method of claim 63, wherein each subgroup within said first and second plurality of subgroups includes a repeating pattern of containers.
- 65. The method of claim 62, wherein said common location is a location where said containers from said first manufacturing line and said second manufacturing line are stationary.
- 66. The method of claim 62, wherein said selecting is automated.
- 67. A method of packaging an arrangement of containers, comprising:
providing a plurality of containers, containers within said plurality of containers having a message associated with a common theme, said plurality of containers including different containers with messages; selecting from said plurality of containers to form a first group of containers; selecting from said plurality of containers to form a second group of containers, said second group of containers having containers with different messages than said first group of containers; packaging said first group of containers; and packaging said second group of containers.
- 68. The method of claim 67, wherein said common theme is a commonly known societal holiday.
- 69. The method of claim 68, wherein said commonly known societal holiday is Valentine's day and said messages include messages suggesting romance
- 70. The method of claim 67, wherein said messages include entertainment trivia.
- 71. The method of claim 67, wherein said messages include educational trivia and said containers include depictions associated with said educational trivia.
- 72. The method of claim 71, wherein said depictions include animals and said educational trivia includes trivia associated with said animals.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of copending U.S. Design Patent Application Serial No. 29/141,202, entitled “Plate Having Condiment Wells,” which was filed on May 1, 2001, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
29141202 |
May 2001 |
US |
Child |
10251745 |
Sep 2002 |
US |