AU2006101024A4 - Flower Pot Adaptor Kit - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION PATENT

SPECIFICATION

APPLICANT:

ADDRESS:

INVENTOR:

ADDRESS:

WILSON, Kathryn Margaret 7 Comport Street, Beaumaris, Vic, 3169 WILSON, Robert Michael 7 Comport Street, Beaumaris, Vic, 3169 ADDRESS FOR

SERVICE:

INVENTION TITLE: Paul A Grant and Associates PO Box 7460, Fisher, ACT, 2611 Flower Pot Adaptor Kit ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL: Application No. 2005907113 Application Date: 19 December 2005 The invention is described in the following statement: I TITLE: Flower Pot Adaptor Kit

O

U TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to adaptor kits for converting a variety of ordinary flower pots into the self-watering type; that is, those that contain a separate water reservoir from which moisture is fed to the potting mix or soil. It is also concerned with self-watering pots suitable for use in growing plants.

In this specification, 'ordinary flower pots' comprise pots having tapered sides and IN 10 one or more drainage holes, the pots being intended or sold for the purpose of growing plants.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION A self-watering flower pot is one that has a separate water storage compartment, usually at the bottom of the pot, so that the plant soil is located above the compartment. Various means for getting the water from the compartment to the plant may be employed, for example the use of wicks made from fibrous material that have one end extending downward into the compartment and another end which is in contact with the soil, or the use of a column of soil that extends downwards into the compartment and itself serves as a wick that supplies moisture to the rest of the soil.

In the prior Innovation patent 2004100293 to Moss Products Pty Ltd, I disclosed a special disc-like plastic separator that could be use to convert a ceramic flower pot (that has no drainage hole or that has the hole plugged) into a self-watering pot. The soil and the plant were supported on the separator so that a water compartment was created below the separator. The separator had a number of open-topped, hollow perforated legs by which it was supported from the bottom of the pot and which contained soil that acted as a wick to draw water from the compartment upwards into the bulk of the soil. However, the ceramic pot needed to have a side opening located below the level of the separator to provide an overflow in the event of over-filling (to avoid water-logging), allow water to be added directly into the storage compartment and to make the water-level within the compartment visible. Reference should be made to the above-identified prior patent for a discussion of the prior art relevant to the present invention.

O

U Not only was the need for a specially formed ceramic pot (ie, one with a side water-inlet and no drainage hole) limiting in terms of the market, but some terracotta an cement-based flower pots are unglazed and therefore quite porous so that water is lost from the compartment by capillary action and evaporation, also causing the growth of unsightly mould on the outside of the pot.

OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION IN 10 From one aspect, the invention includes an adaptor kit or assembly for converting an ordinary flower pot into a self-watering pot, the adaptor kit including a waterimpervious cup-like water bowl having an open top, a moulded plastic disc-like separator adapted for support by the bowl, at least one open-topped perforated support tube extending between the bottom of the bowl and the separator (when the separator is supported by the bowl) and a flexible peripheral skirt formed integrally with and extending laterally from either the rim of the bowl or the peripheral edge of the separator. The separator preferably has at least one hole formed therein which is large enough to allow pot soil to fall therethrough, the kit being assembled so that the support tube is aligned with the hole and supports the separator from the bottom of the bowl. The skirt is adapted to flexibly contact the inner wall of the pot so as to support soil within the pot over the bowl and over the space between the bowl and pot wall. Such a space is desirable as it provides a drainage path for excess water and an air space in contact with the soil.

The support tube is preferably formed integrally with either the separator or the bowl so that it functions as a hollow load-supporting leg or post (respectively) that supports the separator from the bottom of the bowl. It should have sufficient lateral dimension to allow pot soil to collect or be packed therein through the aligned hole in the separator. The tube preferably has slots or holes in its bottom or foot to permit the ingress of water from the bowl into the interior. Thus, when the bowl (containing water) is placed in a pot, the separator is placed on the bowl and soil is loaded into the pot onto the separator, soil will fill the hollow support tube and serve as a wick to draw water from the bowl into the bulk of the soil supported by the separator. While a single central support tube will often be IN sufficient to support the separator in pots of relatively small diameter, it will

O

generally be desirable to have three and sometimes four support tubes evenly o distributed around the separator to provide optimal support in larger pots.

As already indicated, the skirt can be formed integrally with the separator so as to extend laterally from its peripheral edge or, less preferably, it can be formed integrally with the bowl so as to extend laterally from its rim. We have found it convenient to form radial slots within the skirt so as to enhance its ability to deflect _upwards in contact with the inner walls of pots of various diameters. The skirt then I 10 has the appearance of a flower-like slotted disc in which the segments might be regarded as petals. Thus, with pots having relatively small diameters, the skirt will be deflected upwards at a relatively acute angle so that its segments or petals overlap but, with a relatively large diameter pot, the skirt will be close to horizontal and its segments will be open or splayed. As noted, an important function of the skirt is to prevent potting mix or plant soil from packing down between the sides of the bowl and the sides of the pot. This permits ready drainage of excess water from the pot and allows air circulation within the pot below the soil level.

Where the skirt is formed integrally with the rim of the bowl, the separator can be a flat disc having an edge that fits within and is located by an annular recess or shoulder in the rim of the bowl. Where the skirt is formed integrally with the peripheral edge of the separator, it may be stepped up from the edge so that the separator is again located and supported by the rim of the bowl. In other words, the separator-disc combination is dished to fit snugly within the rim of the bowl leaving the skirt to extend laterally from the rim. Additional steps in the separator may be formed to stiffen it against collapse under the weight of soil in the pot. The separator is preferably perforated to permit the passage of water vapor therethrough and to permit the growth of plant roots there-through.

It will be appreciated that, by providing a water bowl as part of the kit, any pot within a suitable size range can be converted into a self-watering pot by simply putting the bowl into the empty pot, placing the support tubes in place (if not formed integrally with the separator or bowl), placing the separator on top of the bowl, filling the pot with soil ensuring that soil fills the support tubes, and planting IND plants within the soil. [It is understood, of course, that the support tube(s) and skirt 0 Swill normally be formed integrally with the bowl or the separator.] If the bowl was o not filled with water when it was put into place, the soil can be well watered so that excess water runs into the bowl, from which it can be wicked up the support tubes N 5 later when the upper portion of the soil dries out.

SAs an optional feature, socket means can be formed in the separator to take an Cupwardly extending riser tube, which is preferably long enough for its top to be 0above the level of the soil. The socket means can be a tubular socket that extends IN 10 upwardly or downwardly from the plane of the separator, or it may simply comprise an aperture in the separator adapted to take the bottom end of the riser tube. The riser tube can serve a variety of functions. First, it may serve as a filler tube to allow water to be added directly into the bowl from above the level of the soil in the pot. For this purpose, the upper end of the riser tube may be outwardly flared so as to form a funnel to facilitate the pouring of water therein. Of course, a separate funnel like end could be fitted on to the end of a plain riser tube if desired. Second, the riser tube can allow a dip-stick to be used to determine the level of water in the bowl. Third, water-level indicator rod may be located in and guided by the riser tube so as to visually indicate the level of water within the bowl. For this purpose, float means may be associated with the bottom end of the indicator rod, the float means normally being either buoyant material of the rod or a float connected to the bottom end of the rod. The float means is, of course, adapted to be located within the bowl where it can come into contact with water contained in the bowl. Fourth, the riser tube may form part of valve means adapted to inhibit over-filling of the bowl via the riser tube.

The valve means of which the riser tube forms part may take a variety of forms.

For example, float (perhaps that carrying the indicator rod indicated above), may be located in the bowl so that, when the water level reaches a predetermined maximum level, the float blocks the bottom of the riser tube. This will cause the riser tube to overflow, if water is still being added, signifying a full bowl.

Alternatively, the top of the riser tube and the top of the level indicator rod can be shaped so that the open top of the riser tube is blocked (preferably visibly so) when the bowl is full. Or, more simply and without the need of a float, the bottom IND of the riser tube (and/or the socket for the tube in the separator) can extend

O

0 downwards into the bowl below the level of the rim (and below the separator) so U that, when the water level in the bowl rises to the bottom of the riser tube (and/or socket), the riser tube will readily fill up and overflow if the user keeps pouring N 5 water therein. As already indicated, the socket in the separator may be tubular and extend downwards below the level of the separator, thus effectively and functionally forming the bottom of the riser tube, when the tube is fitted therein.

_It will be appreciated that over-watering will lead to bowl over-flow between the IN 10 sides of the bowl and the sides of the pot and that to prevent water-logging it will normally be desirable to utilize the drain-hole(s) in the ordinary pot. To assist this, it is preferable to shape the bowl to ensure that drainage is not blocked should the bowl be a tight fit in the pot. For example, the bowl may be of a different geometric section to that of the pot, or external protrusions (ribs, grooves or bumps) may be formed on the sides and/or bottom of the bowl. Where the pot is to be used indoors and does not have drain holes (or where they have been deliberately blocked) to avoid carpet or floor damage from leakage, the spacing between the bowl and the inside faces of the pot will be of particular importance, along with the use of a level indicator and/or valve means indicated above, to avoid waterlogging.

It is convenient to produce the plastic separator and bowl by injection moulding from thermoplastic materials such as HDPE [high density polyethylene] or PP [polypropylene], because complex forms can be readily produced at low cost. One advantageous configuration is to integrate both the skirt and the support tubes with the separator. If the support tubes are suitably tapered, the separator assemblies and the bowls (which can also be tapered) can be separately stacked before being packaged for shipping. An alternative configuration is to integrate the skirt with the separator but to integrate the supporting tube(s) with the bowl. This will allow more (cheap) separators of different sizes and fewer (expensive) bowls of different sizes to be produced for a given range of pot sizes.

The number, size and placement of the supporting tubes will depend upon the diameter and volume of the separator, a separator for use with a small diameter O pot may need only a single central support tube; one for a medium diameter pot 0 0 may have three or four support tubes, while one for a large pot may have five or Umore support tubes. As already noted, it is preferable that all support tubes are Shollow and all have side openings or castellations at their lower ends to permit the ingress of water.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES 0 Having outlined the nature of the present invention, examples of flower pot adaptor kits formed in accordance with the principles of the present invention will INO 10 now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1A is a plan view and Figure 1 B is a sectional elevation of the bowl of the adaptor kit or assembly of the chosen example.

Figure 2A is a plan view and Figure 2B is a sectional elevation of the separator of the adaptor kit or assembly of the chosen example.

Figure 3A is a plan view and Figure 3B is a sectional elevation of the separator of Figures 2A and 2B fitted to the bowl of Figures 1A and 1 B.

Figure 4A is a plan view and Figure 4B is a sectional elevation of the separator and bowl of the second example of the invention.

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of the adaptor kit of the second example within a flower pot.

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of portion of a modified adaptor kit of the second example with a riser tube and water-level indicator fitted.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and their reference numerals, the flower pot adaptor kit 10 of the first example basically comprises a moulded plastic bowl 12, shown in Figures 1A and 1B, and a moulded plastic separator 14, shown in Figures 2A and 2B. Bowl 12 and separator 14 are shown assembled in Figures 3A and 3B to form adaptor kit

\O

O In this example, bowl 12 has a cylindrical basin-like body 16 with a substantially Uflat bottom 18 and a frustoconical wall 20 that tapers outwardly and upwardly toward an upper out-turned rim 22. In this example, rim 22 is extended radially to D 5 form the skirt 24 of the device, which is radially and diametrically divided by a plurality of slots 26 so as to form a plurality of flexible petal-like segments 28. Skirt 24 is thin in section and tapers so as to be at its thinnest near its outer periphery 30. This allows periphery 30 to bend up and closely conform to the sides of a _flower pot (not shown) within which adaptor kit 10 is fitted. In this way, bowl 12 will ID 10 fit pots having a range of different diameters.

Four opposing rectilinear recesses 32 are formed in rim 22 of bowl 12 to take corresponding locating lugs (to be described) formed on separator 14. Bottom 18 has a central upwardly extending dimple 34, which is the injection point for the plastic during the moulding process. If desired, dimple 34 can be extended in diameter so that bottom 18 becomes domed to ensure that water will pool near the periphery of bottom 18 rather than in the center. Six arcuate protrusions or pads 36 are formed on the underside of bottom 18. These protrusions serve to support bowl 12 from the base of the pot (not shown) and to permit overflow water to escape if (as is normal) the pot has a drain hole or drain holes. They also permit air access to the pot via the drain holes.

Separator 14 (Figures 2A and 2B) is also injection-molded from plastic material and, in this example, has a flat circular platform 40 from which three hollow frustroconical support tubes 42 extend downwards. Each support tube 42 has a wall 44 a bottom 46 arranged a little above the lower extremity 48 of wall 44, bottom 46 having a central hole 50. Extremity 48 is castellated at 52 to permit ready access of water into and out of support tube 42. Separator 14 has holes 54 aligned with each support tube 42 so that support tubes 42 have open tops of a size sufficient to ensure that the support tube can fill with soil placed on top of platform 40. In addition, platform 40 has a number of short radial slits 56 that allow water from soil supported by platform 40 to pass and that enable roots of plants to penetrate into bowl 12.

IPlatform 40 of separator 14 includes a short downwardly projecting tubular socket that has a push-out top closure 62 and an open bottom 64. Socket 60 provides Ua socket for an optional riser tube (not shown) that can be inserted after closure 62 is pushed out. As indicated earlier, the top of the riser tube should project above the level of soil in the pot (not shown) so that it can function as a filler tube and/or as part of a float indicator/valve.

_Finally, platform 40 of separator 14 has four rectilinear lugs or projections 66 _extending radially from its periphery which are proportioned so as to snugly I 10 engage recesses 32. These lugs 66 ensure that separator element 14 is coaxially ialigned with the bowl element 12 when the kit is assembled, as misalignment could result in one edge of platform 40 slipping into bowl 12 and/or one side of the bowl bulging outwards or otherwise being distorted. Two further features are preferred to militate against such possibilities: first rim 22 of bowl 12 is moulded with a circumferential recess 68 into which platform 14 fits snugly; second, recesses 32 can be formed with perforations or holes and lugs 66 can have hooklike downwardly extending ends that fit into the holes of recesses 32. Such hooked ends of lugs 66 positively hold the sides of bowl 12 against distortion or buckling under the weight of soil in a large pot.

Figures 3A and 3B show the main components 12 and 14 of the adaptor kit assembled ready for insertion into a pot (not shown). Figure 3A is a plan view in which some parts of the bowl 12 show through the platform 40 of the separator 14. Figure 3B is a sectional elevation of the assembled kit 10. It is to be noted that support tube 42 is located behind dimple 34 and is not located by it, support tube 42 being located behind the central dimple 34.

The second example of a flower pot adaptor kit formed in accordance with the principles of this invention is illustrated by Figures 4A and 4B. In this case, the adaptor kit 70 comprises a deep bowl 72 and a separator 74 that carries the skirt 76 instead of the bowl. Bowl 72 has slightly tapering sides 77, a flat bottom 78 and a narrow out-turned upper rim 79. While it will be generally desirable for bottom 78 to have protrusions or ribs on its underside to allow drainage through a central hole, they are not provided in this example because adaptor kit 70 is intended for IND use with relatively large pots that have drain holes around their bottom edges

O

0 instead of a single central drain hole.

Separator 74 has support tubes 80 of essentially the same form as those of the first example, being moulded integrally with the rest of the separator so as to open out at the top via a holes 82 in separator 74 and having perforated bottom portions 84 that stand off bottom 78 so as to allow water in bowl 72 to freely enter Sthe support tubes. In this case, this is achieved by central access holes 85 and _dimples or bumps 87 in the bottoms of tubes 80. Preferably, separator 74 is I 10 dished downwardly at 86 so as to fit snugly into rim 79 of bowl 82. Instead of radial slots or perforations (56) of the first example, short arcuate slots 88 are formed in the dished portion of separator 74 to allow water from soil in a pot (not shown) to drain into bowl 72.

An aperture 89 is formed in the dished portion of separator 74 and, in this example, is extended downwards as a hollow integrally-moulded tubular socket that is adapted to take the bottom end of an optional riser tube 91. Riser tube is pressed into socket 90 so that it effectively extends downwards below the level of separator 74 into bowl 72. Thus, the riser tube 91, in association with aperture 89 and socket 90, form valve means whereby the bottom of riser tube 91 is closed when the water level in bowl 72 reaches the bottom of socket 90. The pouring of water into tube 91 from above the level of the soil in the pot (not shown) will then result in overflow of water from tube 91, thus indicating to the user that the bowl is full.

As already noted, in this second example, skirt 76 is formed integrally with separator 74 so as to extend radially from its edge or periphery 96, skirt 76 being divided into petal-like segments 94 in a similar manner to the skirt of the first example. Each segment 94 joins with separator 74 at a linear fold line or integral hinge defining edge 96. This facilitates conformation of the skirt 76 with the sides of the flower pot, even though segments 94 are themselves thin and flexible.

Figure 5 illustrates an adaptor kit 100 fitted within a flower pot 102, adaptor kit 100 being substantially identical with that of the second example except that no riser 11 IND tube is shown the bowl 104 of adaptor kit 100 is moulded with external rib-like Sprotrusions 106 running down its sides 108 and rib-like protrusions 110 running (Ni U along its bottom 112. The ribs 106 serve to ensure that there will always be an Sair/drainage gap between the exterior of sides 108 of bowl 104 and the inside IND 5 surface 113 of wall 114 of pot 102, even where bowl 104 is a tight fit in pot 102.

The bottom ribs or protrusions 110 similarly ensure that there will always be a drainage/airway under bowl 100 to a central drain hole indicated at 116 in the Sbottom 118 of pot 102.

IND 10 In use, assembled adaptor kit 100 is placed into pot 102 so that bottom 112 of Sbowl 104 rests on bottom 118 of pot 102 and segments 119 of skirt 120 of (Ni separator 122 are folded up uniformly against the inside surface 113 of pot wall 114, as illustrated. Potting mix 124 is placed into pot 102 on top of separator 122 and the plant (not shown) is planted, after which it is thoroughly watered so that water will flow through the potting mix and into bowl 104, the water being indicated at 126 in bowl 104. Watering can continue until excess water is seen to flow out of the bottom of pot 102, at which time bowl 104 will be full.

A riser tube and water level indicator can be fitted to adaptor kits of the type illustrated in the above described examples. This is illustrated by Figure 6 where adaptor kit 150 is fitted into a flower pot 152, the bowl, separator and skirt of adaptor kit 150 being indicated at 154,156 and 158, respectively, and the potting mix and water being indicated at 160 and 162, respectively. Prior to placing separator 156 into pot 152, a riser tube 164, having a bottom locating flange 166, is pressed into a preformed aperture/socket 168 in separator 156 and an indicator rod 170 with a float 172 fitted to its bottom end 174 is slid into tube 164 so that its top end 176 protrudes from the open top 178 of tube 164. An indicator card 180 is snapped onto top 178 of tube 164 and a T-shape indicator 182 is pressed onto top 176 of rod 170. This sub-assembly is then placed into pot 152 and potting mix1 60 and water added to the level indicated at 162.

It will be appreciated that the adaptor kit 150 of Figure 6 embodies valve means, either because the bottom end 188 of riser tube 164 extends into bowl 154 below the level of separator 156 (and therefore functions as described with respect to O Figures 4A and 4B), or because float 172 can act abut tube end 188 and close it Soff when the water rises sufficiently in bowl 154.

SAccording to a variant of the adaptor kit of Figure 6, card 180 can be formed as a O 5 funnel that assists in guiding water into riser tube 164 so that it also serves as a filler tube. In addition, indicator 182 and top 178 of riser tube 164 can be formed 7- so that, when the water level 162 in bowl 154 has reached the maxium indicator 182 effects the closure of the top 178 of tube 164 so that more water cannot be Sadded to the bowl through the tube. In this way, additional valve means is formed O 10 whereby over-filling of bowl 154 is inhibited.

Another variant feature of the adaptor kit of Figure 6 is the manner in which drainage access to the central hole 190 in the bottom 200 of pot 152 is provided.

It is by way of grooves or longitudinal indentations 202 in the bottom 204 of bowl 154. These, in effect, create narrow channels between large supporting protrusions 206 in bottom 204 of bowl 154.

It will be appreciated that, although the illustrated examples of adaptor kits for use in converting a ordinary pot into a self-watering pot have many advantages over the prior art, many alterations and additions can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as outlined above.

Kathryn Margaret Wilson By her Attorney Paul A Grant 6 December 2006