EP1790257B1

EP1790257B1 - Ornamental object comprising a transparant container and a plant accommodated therein

Info

Publication number: EP1790257B1
Application number: EP05077663A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Johan Karel Wilhelm Veldhuijzen Van Zanten
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-11-24
Filing date: 2005-11-24
Publication date: 2009-11-11
Anticipated expiration: 2025-11-24
Also published as: DE602005017644D1; ATE447872T1; EP1790257A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a decorative object, comprising a transparent, sealed container which is filled with a liquid and in which a plant is situated. The plant can be fully immersed in the liquid, and the interior of the container can be sterile. The container can be slender, for instance take the form of a test tube, and can be accommodated in a support member resting on a surface, for instance a rack in which the container is suspended.

Description

The invention relates to a decorative object, comprising at least one sealed container which is at least partly transparent and at least partly filled with a liquid, and in which at least one plant is situated. Such a decorative object is known, e.g. from US 2 601 658 A .
It is generally known to use plants and cut flowers in pots or vases as decorative objects with which an interior can be given more colour. Potted plants have the drawback however that they require regular care in order to stay alive. Not only must the plants be watered regularly, but they must also periodically have vermin removed or be pruned. Cut flowers require hardly any care but, conversely, have a very limited lifespan, in the order of several days to a maximum of two weeks. In addition, plants and flowers cannot be placed just anywhere in an interior, because they are for instance sensitive to direct sunlight, temperature fluctuations or draught. The necessity for regular care or regular replacement of plants and cut flowers also has the result that they can be placed only at readily accessible locations in an interior. Finally, plants and flowers often take up a lot of space, which is a problem particularly in small interiors.
The above-identified prior art document US 2 601 658 A discloses a decorative object or immersed floral display which includes a transparent spherical container, in which source material - i.e. flowers or plants which are at the peak of their natural beauty - is displayed. The flowers or plants are first sealed in a continuous, impermeable and opaque integument. The sealed plants or flowers are than stuck on a block of styrofoam that is connected to a part of the cover of the container. The container is then inverted, filled with liquid and the flowers are inserted through the neck of the container, after which the cuplike cover is screwed onto the neck to close the container. Then the entire assembly is inverted and placed on the cover.
The prior art document US 2 724 213 A discloses a flower holder that is very similar to the device shown and described in US 2 601 658 A . Here again flowers are attached to the inside of a cover, which is arranged on an inverted transparent container, which is filled with water or a nutritient. After the cover has been tightly screwed into the neck of the container, the assembly is inverted and stands on its cover.
In the prior art document KR 2000 049798 A there is disclosed a transparent test tube for plant cultivation and decoration that enables to observe plants growing or blooming therein and that has decoration effect. A holder supporting the test tube can be positioned in a narrow space. The test tube which contains a nutritious liquid is capped by a cover having internal spacers.
The prior art document US 4 328 641 A relates to a method and receptacle for growing plants, rather than to any decorative objects. In this prior art system plants are grown in a container that is partially filled with water and are held in a holding device which may be moved up and down within the container to define the amount of space for the roots of the plant. When the plant has grown sufficiently the container is opened by removing a cap and the plant can continue growing outside the container. It may also be transplanted to another container or planted in the earth.
In the prior art document JP 07 264943 A a method is disclosed for growing plant tissue in which the plant is placed in a container that is partially filled with agar medium. The plant is grown by shading the air-filled part of the container and illuminating the agar medium. This document does not seem to relate to any decorative object.
And finally, in US 4 118 889 A a transparent seedling container is disclosed, which may be worn as an article of jewellery. The container includes a dry mass of material and a sproutable seed. The seed is caused to germinate by adding water, which requires the container to be opened periodically.
The invention now has for its object to provide an improved decorative object on the basis of a plant in a container. According to the invention this is achieved in a decorative object as defined in the preamble, in that the container has a seal permanently connected thereto, and in that there are means for regulating the growth of the at least one plant, the plant growth-regulating means being formed by one or more substances present in the liquid and being adapted to limit the growth of the at least one plant to the height of the container. Accommodating the plant or plants in a sealed container prevents it/them being influenced by the environment, so that it is possible to do without periodic care. Using growth-regulating means to limit the growth of the plant(s) to the height of the container allows the plant(s) to remain in the container indefinitely.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the plant growth regulating means comprise a mixture of growth-stimulating means and growth-inhibiting means.
Advantageously, the growth-stimulating means are chosen from the group consisting of auxin, cytokinin, brassinosteroids and gibberellin, and the growth-inhibiting means are chosen from the group consisting of abscisic acid and ethylene.
The at least one plant is preferably fully immersed in the liquid, whereby ambient influences are excluded still further and optimal conditions can be set for the plant(s). In particular, the plant(s) immersed in the liquid remain(s) clean, while the liquid-filled container with the plant(s) herein has a bright appearance. In order to prevent the plant(s) being affected by bacteria or viruses, it is recommended that the interior of the at least one container is sterile.
A very attractive and modern decoration, which can nevertheless be placed in an interior in stable manner, is achieved when the at least one container is slender and accommodated in a support member resting on a surface. For a "high-tech" appearance the at least one container can take the form of a test tube. Such a test tube can moreover be integrated in many ways into support members of varying form and dimensions. The support member can thus take the form of a rack in which the or each container is suspended. The "high-tech" appearance is hereby enhanced further.
Particularly when use is made of relatively small containers, such as for instance test tubes, it is recommended that the at least one plant is a cutting, meristem, bulb, seed or piece of tissue culture.
The invention is now elucidated on the basis of three exemplary embodiments, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawing in which corresponding components are designated with the same reference numerals, and in which:

figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the decorative object according to the invention, with a single container in the form of a test tube which is situated in a curved support member,
figure 2 is a front view of a second embodiment of the decorative object according to the invention, with a number of identical containers in the form of test tubes which are suspended in a support member embodied as a rack, and
figure 3 is a perspective front view of a third embodiment of the decorative object according to the invention, with a single, relatively large container in a support member embodied as a rack.

A decorative object 1 according to the present invention comprises a container 2, here in the form of a test tube, which is received in a support member 3 which stands on a surface G (figure 1). In the shown embodiment support member 3 is formed by bending a strip of metal, and has a foot 4 resting on surface G and a C-shaped standing part 5 into which two openings 6 are recessed. Container 2 protrudes through these openings 6 and rests with its base on foot 4.
Accommodated in container 2, which is almost wholly filled with liquid 7, is a plant 8 which lies under liquid surface L and is thus fully immersed in liquid 7. The plant hereby remains attractive under all conditions, while the container 2 almost wholly filled with liquid 7 makes a lively impression. Plant 8 can be placed in container 2 in the form of a cutting, meristem, bulb, seed or even a piece of tissue culture, whereafter plant growth-regulating means in liquid 7 ensure that, while plant 8 does grow, the growth thereof nevertheless remains limited such that plant 8 does not grow out of container 2. Use can be made for this purpose of a suitably chosen mixture of growth-stimulating means such as auxin, cytokinin, brassinosteroids and gibberellin, and growth-inhibiting means such as abscisic acid and ethylene. The content of container 2 is otherwise sterilized, for instance in an autoclave, to prevent problems in respect of infection. In order to keep the contents of container 2 sterile, it is hermetically sealed using a cap 9, which can be connected non-releasably, and so permanently, to container 2. Device 1 is therefore prepared once-only, whereafter plant 8 can in principle be kept therein indefinitely. Device 1 is then of course not suitable for re-use.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention the decorative object 1 comprises a number of identical containers 2, here four, which are suspended in a support member 3 embodied as a rack (figure 2). In this case support member 3 has two side walls 10, between which two beams 11, 12 are fixed. Recessed into upper beam 11 is a number of openings 6 in which containers 2 can be suspended. In the shown embodiment containers 2 are each provided for this purpose close to their top side with a peripheral edge or collar 13 which comes to rest on the edge of opening 6. This figure also shows schematically that the plant growth-regulating means collect close to the bottom of each container 2, where the roots R of plants 8 are situated.
Instead of containers 2 in the form of test tubes, which are relatively slender and in which there is therefore only space for small plants, it is also possible to envisage the use of a larger and wider container 2 (figure 3). This could then be accommodated in for instance a support member 3 in the form of a rack, which is distinguished from rack 3 of figure 2 in that an opening 6 for receiving container 2 is now formed not only in upper beam 11 but also in lower beam 12. Rack 3 can herein be manufactured from any suitable material. For a laboratory-like or "high-tech" appearance this could for instance be formed from a transparent plastic such as acrylic plastic. For a more cheerful or homely appearance, use could conversely be made of coloured plastics and/or natural materials.
Although the invention is elucidated above on the basis of a number of embodiments, it will be apparent that it is not limited thereto. Containers of completely different shape, for instance containers of spherical, rectangular or irregular form, could therefore also be used. Nor do the containers have to be wholly transparent, but use could be made of containers which are partially opaque or coloured. In addition, the support member could for instance be provided with lighting directed at the container so as to also cause the plant to stand out well at night. A plurality of plants can further be accommodated in a container. The scope of the invention is therefore defined solely by the appended claims.

Claims

Decorative object (1), comprising at least one sealed container (2) which is at least partly transparent and at least partly filled with a liquid (7), and in which at least one plant (8) is situated, characterized in that the container (2) has a seal (9) permanently connected thereto, and in that there are means for regulating the growth of the at least one plant (8), the plant growth-regulating means being formed by one or more substances present in the liquid and being adapted to limit the growth of the at least one plant (8) to the height of the container (2).
Decorative object (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the plant growth regulating means comprise a mixture of growth-stimulating means and growth-inhibiting means.
Decorative object (1) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the growth-stimulating means are chosen from the group consisting of auxin, cytokinin, brassinosteroids and gibberellin, and the growth-inhibiting means are chosen from the group consisting of abscisic acid and ethylene.
Decorative object (1) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the at least one plant (8) is fully immersed in the liquid (7).
Decorative object (1) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the interior of the at least one container (2) is sterile.
Decorative object (1) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the at least one plant (8) is a cutting, meristem, bulb, seed or piece of tissue culture.
Decorative object (1) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the at least one container (2) is slender and accommodated in a support member (3) resting on a surface (G).
Decorative object (1) as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the at least one container (2) takes the form of a test tube.
Decorative object (1) as claimed in claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the support member (3) takes the form of a rack in which the at least one container (2) is suspended.