AU2007100624A4 - Plant container - Google Patents

Description

11/07 2007 17.-20 FAX COLLISON CO 1 IP AUST CANBERRA 1009/071 582851P JOM:LL P/00/009 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

INNOVATION PATENT SPECIFICATION FOR AN INVENTION

ENTITLED

Invention Title: Name of Applicant: Address for Service: PLANT CONTAINER STREAMLINE CARTONS PTY LTD COLLISON CO. 117 King William Street, Adelaide, S.A. 5000 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: COMS ID No: ARCS-152457 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:05 Date 2007-07-11 11/07 2007 17:20 FAX COLLISON CO IP AUST CANBERRA a010/071 2 PLANT CONTAINER

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This Innovation Patent relates to an innovative, biodegradable plant container, which can be conveniently manufactured and assembled for the supporting, storing, transportation and planting of a live plant into the ground.

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For a considerable time now, commercially grown plants have been cultivated 0in some type of container that provides ease of management and o transportation. -he container grown plant was immediately recognised as 0 being beneficial over the traditional field grown plant, because the root systems were neither cut nor damaged when transported to a landscaping site.

Throughout the years, various growers or nursery traders have worked on ways of creating improved plant production, which has seen the introduction of solid plastic containers.

These solid plastic containers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, not the least the well known cylindrically defined container, the kind one associates with a single plant supported and contained therein.

For commercialry grown plants, a single plastic container is often amalgamated into a tray type arrangement where the mold of the tray provides for a series of separated enclosures or chambers to which a single plant can be cultivated there from.

Also popular in recent times is the use of a plastic bag to contain the plant that needs to be initially commercially cultivated before it is transported for plantation into the ground.

COMS ID No: ARCS-152457 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:05 Date 2007-07-11 11/07 2007 17:21 FAX COLLISON CO IP AUST CANBERRA R3011/071 1- 3 0 o Although these plastic containers and bags have grown rapidly in popularity and are now used consistently amongst nursery owners, there are several 4Z drawbacks that have been noted and supported by many of those in the field.

One of the biggest problems with plastics is their disposal once the plant has been planted ino the ground. While a plastic container or bag could be s considered uselul in supporting, storing and transporting of a plant to a l0 location where it will then be grown in a more traditional field or garden, once the plant has lett the container the problem arises as to what to do with such Splastic containe-s and plastic bags.

This problem is exacerbated when a landscaping site would include the receipt of scores, hundreds, if not thousands of commercially grown plants.

For example, if a certain defined area of land was to be appropriately cleared and then landscaped using the provided for commercially grown plants within the plastic containers, while it is possible for the planting of such plants from the containers to be carried out without too much trouble, the problem remains that once the plants have been taken from the container, what then to do with such plastic containers or bags.

The landscapinc site with all the trees planted is then left with scores, hundreds, if not thousands of empty plastic containers and/or bags.

While most of today's plastics are biodegradable, there is a timescale for any such decomposition, and such a period of time is an extended timeframe and hence to those responsible for landscaping the particular area, these plastic containers and tags will need to be removed, whether they are biodegradable or otherwise.

Still further, it is known that these plastic containers and bags do conduct heat that can intensify root temperatures to cause unfavourable conditions, especially for nurseries located in warmer climates.

COMS ID No: ARCS-152457 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:05 Date 2007-07-11 11/07 2007 17:21 FAX COLLISON CO 1 IP AUST CANBERRA I012/071 4 8 It has been shown that this phenomenon increases evapotranspiration and in turn creates an unfavourable environment for the plant leading to wilting. To S combat this problem, nurseries have to increase watering times and water Susage, which is undesirable in this period of water conservation, particularly in Australia now wiere most states have placed stringent water restriction control on commercial nurseries.

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o Still further, the traditional plastic container, plastic tray and plastic bag, as they have very little ventilation or holes included within their structure, means S that the root systems within the plastic container produce what is known as a C 10 girdling effect, as they cannot escape the enclosure, and consequently reduces the effectiveness of growth before and after transplanting.

As the person skilled in the art will appreciate, stunted growth and slow adaptation at a rewly plant landscaped site are recognisable results of such unmanaged root systems being placed in these kinds of plastic containers.

Accordingly therefore, there is the requirement in the field of commercially grown plants, to Jevise a plant container that is still able to support, store, transport and plant a live plant into the ground, which in the end does not leave the planter with the problems of deciding then what to do with the container that provided the plant now.being cultivated in the field or garden.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide members of the purchasing public here in Australia with a unique biodegradable plant container, which is convenient to manufacture and assemble, which allows for supporting, storing, transportation and planting of live plants into the ground without the need to then dispose or reuse the original plant container once the plant has been planted into the ground.

Accordingly, in one form of the invention there is provided a biodegradable plant container for supporting, storing, transportation and planting of live plants into the ground, the said container including: COMS ID No: ARCS-152457 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:05 Date 2007-07-11 11/07 2007 17:21 FAX COLLISON CO IP AUST CANBERRA a 013/071 0 0 a series of folds pressed from a blank sheet of substantially cellulose- Sbased material rreated on both sides with a biodegradable protective film or sheet to define a generally tetrahedral plant container that when extended said folds provide symmetrically opposed and adjacent side walls, said side walls shoulder a base platform along the respective edges of Ssaid sides walls S 10 such that when the plant is ready to be planted into the ground, said tc base platform may be at least partially torn or dislodged from at least two of the side edges to present an opening to which the plant root system may then extend there from.

An advantage of such an arrangement is that as the plant container forms part of the planting p-ocess into the ground, once the plant is secured and placed within the ground, so too is the actual plant container.

No more is the planter required to first pull the plant from the container, separating both zlant and container, to then place the plant into the ground.

Advantageously in this invention, by simply providing the opening at the base of the container, the root system is still allowed to enter the ground to extend thereinto so as to be able to grow and cultivate within that piece of land to which it has been planted.

Advantageously, as the plant container remains with the plant and is not separated, there is no residual problem of then having to decide what to do with the discarded plant container.

Advantageously, as the plant container is biodegradable, provided for through the use of firstly the substantially cellulosed based material, which has been treated on both sides with a biodegradable protective film or sheet, this means COMS ID No: ARCS-152457 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:05 Date 2007-07-11 11/07 2007 17:21 FAX COLLISON CO IP AUST CANBERRA 1014/071 6 0 that once placed within the ground, this container can then decompose at the same time as the plant is obtaining a foothold or growth within the soil Sstructure of the ground.

While it has been possible in the past, as discussed above, for the plastic containers and aags to biodegrade, the fact that they are discarded from the i plant during the planting process still left the planter with the problem of 2 deciding what to do with the residual plant containers, as any biodegradation takes considerable time.

C This problem does not arise utilising this particular plant container because the biodegradat on is actually taking place within the soil and such containers are not left on the surface to be subsequently disposed of thereafter.

A further advantage of such an arrangement is that as the person skilled in the art will appreciate, there is a certain amount of technique, if not trouble, in separating the plant to be planted from its plant container.

In commercially grown plant operations, there is a period of time in which the plant must be stared and maintained within the container before it is transported for planting at the particular landscaping site.

During this time the root system is also establishing itself and therefore tends to inadvertently -:asten or secure itself within the plant container.

In the case of using the traditional plastic container and bag, often when the plant is removec or ripped from the container, the root system could be damaged or separated.

Advantageously for this invention, there is no requirement for the planter to separate the pla-t from the container and therefore less skill and effort is required in havirg the plant positioned within the ground to commence growth in the selected field or yard.

COMS ID No: ARCS-152457 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:05 Date 2007-07-11 11/07 2007 17:22 FAX COLLISON CO IP AUST CANBERRA I015/071 7

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o In preference, the side walls also include a series of perforated holes or slits to which the root system can interact with, or at least provide favourable circulation, to a certain extent, to the plant contained within the plant container.

Preferably these perforated or punched holes are such that when assembled or unfolded piart containers are arranged in a series of rows and columns, 2which one would expect in nurseries where commercially grown plants are seeded and cultivated in large lots, such that the abutting sides of adjacent plant containers are such that the holes or slits do no overlap, thereby reducing the possibility of the separate plants having their root systems intertwining.

Hence, advantageously, when the plant containers are separated, independent plant do not need to be plied or pulled apart by virtue of the fact that they may have had their independent root systems actually extending into an adjacent plant container.

Advantageously, through the use of a substantially cellulose-based material in conjunction with the treatment of this cellulose material with a biodegradable protective film or sheet, means that even though the main support for the plant container and transportation thereof is essentially cardboard, the use of the biodegradable protective film or sheet then means that unlike cardboard, which would quickly deteriorate if exposed to regular watering and the like that is required when commercially growing plant, this unwanted decomposition at the early cultivation stage at the nursery does not eventuate as the cellulosebased material I-as been protected.

In preference, the base platform is a pull-off tab that at least extends along two edges of the side wall, so that it can easily be removed, or at least partially extracted, so that at the time of planting the base of the plant container allows the root system to extend there fromn.

COMS ID No: ARCS-152457 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:05 Date 2007-07-11 11/07 2007 17:22 FAX COLLISON CO 1 IP AUST CANBERRA R016/071 8 0 o In order to obtain a greater appreciation of this invention, it will now be described by the following text and accompanying illustrations. Nonetheless, Sas the person skilled in the art will appreciate, this presented preferred embodiment is just one arrangement of the plant container that can be provided for, as introduced above.

The person skilled in the art will appreciate that there are a variety of ways of 2 actually manufacturing and preparing the container and not all will necessarily Sbe of tetrahedral appearance.

i Still further, the tab arrangement can be achieved by a variety of construction, but generally there is the use of a substantially based cellulose material, which has been treated by a biodegradable protective film or sheet, which when assembled as the plant container, is robust and useable enough by a nursery or the like for supporting, storing, transportation and the ultimate planting of live plants into the ground.

The characterising feature which then enables the actual plant container to enter into the ground is the fact that the bottom platform can be at least partially removed to allow the root system to extend there from.

Figures 1A, 1 B and 1C show schematic representation of the traditionally provided for plastic containers and bags for the supporting, storing and transportation of plants to be planted.

Figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of the biodegradable plant container of this invention.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of two biodegradable plant containers currently storing a plant.

Figures 4A, 48, 4C, 4D, 4E and 4F provide a schematic representation of the assembly of the biodegradable plant container, the storage of the plant COMS ID No: ARCS-152457 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:05 Date 2007-07-11 11/07 2007 17:22 FAX COLLISON CO IP AUST CANBERRA I017/071 9 0 o therein, related planting thereof, and the subsequent effect of the plant _container once positioned in the ground with the planted plant.

Referring to the drawings now in greater detail. Figure 1A shows currently available plant containers used for commercially growing plants and their associated storage, transportation and the like.

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SFigure 1A shows a plastic container 10. Figure 1B shows a plastic bag 12 and SFigure 1C shows a plastic tray.

0As introduced aoove, these kinds of plastic containers and bags have become very popular and while a plastic container has an ability for re-use in a nursery, when it is transported to a landscaping site for scores, hundred, if not thousands of plants to be planted therein, the problem remains as to what to do with such plant containers once the plant has been placed into the ground and is no longer stored or required to be associated with the plant container.

Accordingly, the remaining Figures 2 to 4 illustrate in one embodiment the plant container of this invention where there is provided such a biodegradable plant container 1 6, which is made or formed from substantially cellulose based material, which has been treated on both sides with a biodegradable protective film or sheet.

Although not shown in the illustrations and not of importance per se to this invention, the actual plant container can be formed from a blank sheet with folds symmetrically positioned, which can provide for the side walls of the container shown as 18, 20, 22 and 24.

These side walls include a series of holes 26, which can provide ventilation, drainage and if need be access both externally and internally from the confines of the plant container.

COMS ID No: ARCS-152457 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:05 Date 2007-07-11 11/07 2007 17:23 FAX COLLISON CO IP AUST CANBERRA l018/071 o As seen in Figure 3, when these plant containers 16 are aligned side by side, the holes 26 are positioned such that the root systems 36 of the independent Splants 34 do not become entwined.

Figure 4 shows how the biodegradable plant containers can come as a flat package which can be folded out and presented as shown in Figure 4B.

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o The plant 34 can then be nestled and cultivated within the plant container 16 and its root system 36 can develop as required.

SAdvantageously, as the biodegradable plant container is not only made of cellulose-based material, but also protected with the biodegradable film or sheet, the plant 34 can be regularly watered without any deterioration of the cellulose-based structure.

As shown in Fig'ure 4D, when the planter 38 is in the field to be landscaped by the planting of the plant 34, the ground can be toiled and the plant container, which includes the plant 34, can then be inserted into the ground as shown in 42. The root system 36 is able to freely expand and take a foothold within the ground by the fact that the plant container has the base platform 30 cut away from the respective side edges along perforated edge 32.

As shown in Figure 4F, through time the plant is able to grow and the root system is also able to expand out, while at the same time the biodegradable plant container simply decays and biodegrades into the ground COMS ID No: ARCS-152457 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:05 Date 2007-07-11

Claims (4)

1. A biodeg-adable plant container for supporting, storing, transportation and planting of live plants into the ground, the said container including: c( 5 a series of folds pressed from a blank sheet of substantially cellulose- O Sbased material treated on both sides with a biodegradable protective film or sheet to define a generally tetrahedral plant container that when extended 0 said folds provide symmetrically opposed and adjacent side waifs, said side walls shoulder a base platform along the respective edges of said sides walls, such that when the plant is ready to be planted into the ground, said base platform may be at least partially torn or dislodged from at least two of the side edges to present an opening to which the plant root system may then extend there from.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the side walls also include a series of perforated holes or slits to which the root system can interact with, or at least provide favourable circulation, to a certain extent, to the plant contained within the plant container.

3. The container of claim 2 wherein these perforated or punched holes are such that when assembled the abutting sides of adjacent plant containers are such that the holes or slits do no overlap, thereby reducing the possibility of the separate plants having their root systems intertwining.

4. The container of any one the preceding claims wherein the base platform is a pull-off tab so that it can easily be removed, or at least partially COMS ID No: ARCS-152457 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:05 Date 2007-07-11 11/07 2007 17:23 FAX COLLISON 8 CO IP AUST CANBERRA t020/071 12 removed, so that at the time of planting the base of the plant container allows c the root system to extend there from when placed in the ground. COMS ID No: ARCS-152457 Received by IP Australia: Time 17:05 Date 2007-07-11