EP2085321A1

EP2085321A1 - A structure for holding and protecting potted plants

Info

Publication number: EP2085321A1
Application number: EP08150981A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Brian Warming
Original assignee: Fyens AEskefabrik ApS
Current assignee: Fyens AEskefabrik ApS
Priority date: 2008-02-01
Filing date: 2008-02-01
Publication date: 2009-08-05

Abstract

A structure (100) for holding and protecting potted plants, notably orchides, comprises a lower section (104) forming a cone (110) for circumferentially receiving the pot, and an upper section (106) forming a shield (112), which extends upwardly from the lower section (104) in a longitudinal direction. At least one fastening element (116) is provided for securing a stalk, trunk, stem, branch or twig in relation to the shield (112), wherein a first end (120) of the fastening element (116) is permanently fixed to the shield (112), and a second end (122) of the fastening element (116) is releasably attachable to the shield (112). The upper section (106) forms a sidewardly-facing opening for allowing access to the at least one fastening element (116) in a direction, which is transverse to the longitudinal direction.

Description

Technical field

The present invention relates to a structure for holding and protecting potted plants, in particular potted flowers, which have a relatively long and thin stalk, such as orchides, and which therefore have a tendency to tip over. The structure of the present invention is primarily aimed at holding and protecting potted plants during storage and transportation thereof.

Background of the invention

Potted plants are commonly displayed and stored without any kind of packaging for protecting them, or simply wrapped in a sheet of paper or transparent foil. Trays for supporting a plurality pots may be used for transporting potted plants. Transportation of potted plants, which have a tendency to tip over must be carried out with great care. Orchides, for instance, easily tip over during transportation and risk total damage if not handled carefully. However, even careful handling is not always sufficient to prevent tipping over of potted plants, in particular when the plants are transported together with other items, for example in the arms of a human being or in the trunk of a car.
It is therefore an object of preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a structure for holding and supporting potted plants, which allows for improved support and protection of the plants during storage and transportation thereof, in particular during transportation from a store to the plants' final destination. It is a further object of preferred embodiments of the invention to provide a structure of the aforementioned kind, which can be produced at sufficiently low cost to render the structure feasible as a disposable item.

Summary of the invention

The present invention provides a structure for holding and protecting potted plants, com prising:

a lower section for circumferentially receiving a pot;
an upper section forming a shield, which extends upwardly from the lower section in a longitudinal direction, and which is securely fixed to the lower section;
at least one fastening element for securing a stalk, trunk, stem, branch or twig in relation to the shield, wherein a first end of the at least one fastening element is permanently fixed to the shield, and a second end of the fastening element is releasably attachable to the shield; wherein the upper section forms a sidewardly-facing opening for allowing access to the at least one fastening element in a direction, which is transverse to the longitudinal direction.

Due to the provision of the at least one fastening element, a potted plant may be secured relative to the shield. As the shield is secured to the lower section, which in turn is configured to provide support for the pot, a lateral support is provided between the pot and the stalk, trunk, stem, branch or twig. It will hence be understood that the structure of the present invention provides a firm connection between the potted plant and its pot. This is particularly useful in respect of orchides, whose roots typically do not firmly engage the surrounding soil. The fastening element is preferably in the form of a strap, which may be configured to encircle the stalk, trunk, stem, branch or twig of the potted plant. As one end of the fastening element is releasbly attachable to the shield, the stalk, trunk, stem, branch or twig may be easily secured and released. As the other end of the fastening element is permanently secured to the shield, there is no risk of it being lost. The fastening element, which is preferably in the form of a strap, preferably extends in a transverse direction to the shield, i.e. transversely to the longitudinal direction of the upper section.
The shield provides protection to the potted plant, such as a flower at the upper end of the plant's stalk. Thanks to the provision of the sidewardly-facing opening, the at least one fastening element may be easily accessed from a transverse (i.e. sideward) direction, rather than from a top opening in the upper section. The shield is preferably sufficiently stiff to prevent it from collapsing under the effect of sidewards impacts by the plant. The upper section may for example be arc shaped when seen in cross section to provide lateral stability. As discussed in further detail below, the upper section may be made from a sheet of material, which may be easily folded into an arc-shaped configuration.
The opening in the upper section is preferably formed at the longitudinal position of the at least one fastening element. In a preferred embodiment, the opening is performed as an open space between two edges of the upper section, whereby the opening may extend the entire length (i.e. height) of the upper section. In other embodiments, the opening may be provided as a hole in the upper section, which is useful, for example, in case the shield encircles the space for the potted plant. In the preferred embodiment, the upper section and hence the shield partly encircles the potted plant over an angle of at least 45°, such as over an angle of about 60-270 °.
In a preferred embodiment, the lower section is configured to circumferentially receive the lower section. It will however be understood that the pot may be held in place relative to the lower section in other ways. Generally, the lower section need not be configured to receive or enclose the pot, as long as it comprises some structure or means for securing the lower section to the pot, such as one or more clamps, an adhesive connecting element, or one or more screws or hooks.
The upper section may conveniently be made from a sheet of material with the at least one fastening element being integrally formed from the sheet material.
Likewise, the lower section may be formed from a sheet of material, which is preferably the same sheet as that of the upper section. Hence, the upper and lower sections may be intergrally formed from a single sheet of material, which is foldable or bendable into the desired shape of the structure of the present invention, with the lower section being configured to surround the pot, and with the upper section configured to partly surround the potted plant.
In order to allow for the support of pots of various diameters, the lower section may form a cone for receiving the pot.
The at least one fastening element may comprise a plurality of fastening elements arranged at different locations at the shield. For example, there may be provided two, three, four or more fastening element for fastening different stalk, branches or the like to the shield, or for fastening one stalk or branch at different positions, e.g. at different heights.
As the diameters of stalks, trunks and branches of plants vary, the second end of the fastening element may be attachable to the shield at at least two positions thereof to allow the fastening element to form a looped strap of selectable diameter or shape.
The second end of the fastening element may be attachable to the shield by adhesive or mechanical means. In one embodiment, the fastening element and the shield are configured for their mechanical interengagement. For example, the at least one fastening element may be formed from a piece of the sheet material of the shield, which is punched or cut out of the shield in such a way that the fastening element forms a strap which is integral with the sheet of material. The shield thereby forms a cut-out portion, which conveniently may be used for receiving the strap. For example, the strap may form one or more indentations for engaging one or more indentations in the shield, whereby the indentation in the shield may be formed in the cut out portion. In order to allow the fastening element to form a looped strap of selectable diameter or shape, the cut out portion in the shield may be formed with a plurality of mutually displaced indentations.
The upper section may be provided with a handle at an upper end thereof. In one embodiment, the handle may be formed by a partially cut-out portion of the upper section.
The sheet of material of the upper and/or lower section may be made from plastics and may have a thickness of at least 0.5 mm, such as a thickness of about 0.5 mm to about 0.8 mm. Suitable materials are APET (amorphous polyester terephthalate), polypropylene or PVC (polyvinyl chloride). However, the sheet of material may alternatively be made from a paper or cardboard material, which may siliconized or otherwise surface treated to render it water or moisture resistant.
As it will have become apparent from the above description, the structure of the present invention may be made from a single sheet of material, which may be folded or bent into the final shape of the structure. In order to retain the sheet in the desired final configuration, the lower section may comprise a mechanical closure structure for holding two opposing edges of said sheet of material together.
The present invention also provides a planar sheet of material, which is shaped to be bent or folded into a structure according to the invention.
The invention further provides a combination of a potted plant and a structure according to the present invention, wherein the potted plant comprises at least one stalk, trunk, stem, branch or twig, which is secured to said shield by means of said at least one fastening element. The potted plant may in particular comprise an orchide.

Description of the rawings

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a structure according to the invention;
Fig. 2 shows a detail of Fig. 1.

The structure 100 of Fig. 1 is made from a planar sheet of material 102 which is rolled up to form a conical lower section 104 and an upper section 106 having an arc-shaped cross section. At 108, the lower section comprises flaps and grooves for interlocking opposing edge portions of the sheet material 102 together in the shown configuration. The lower section defines a conical inner space 110 for receiving a pot (not shown). The upper section 106 forms a shield 112, which is arc-shaped to partly surround the potted plant (not shown). An open space between edge sections 114 allows access to fastening elements 116, each com prising a strap 118 formed in the sheet material of the upper section 106. A handle 115 is punched out in the sheet material of the upper section near its upper end, the handle 115 also forming an eye 117, which may be used to hang the structure on a bar or wire.
The fastening elements 116 are shown in detail in Fig. 2. The straps 118 are integrally formed with the sheet material of the upper section 106, with their one end 120 integral with the upper section 106, and the other end 122 releasably attachable to the upper section. Each strap 118 is formed from a strip of material, which is cut or punched out of the sheet material of the upper section 106, thereby providing a cut-out portion 124 in the upper section. The cut or punch is formed such that there is formed two opposing projections 126 as well as two pairs of opposing indentations 128 and 130 in the cut-out portion 124. The projections 126 form respective indentations in the straps 118, which may engage the indentations 128 or 130 in the upper section 106. The distances between opposing projections 126 is adapted to the distances between opposing identations 128 and 130 in such a way that engagement of the second end of the straps 118 with the indentations 128 or 130 results in a firm, but yet releasable interengagement between the straps 118 and the sheet material of the upper section 106. The diameter and/or shape of the loops formed by the straps 118 may be selected according to the selection of indentation 128 or 130.

Claims

A structure (100) for holding and protecting potted plants, comprising:
- a lower section (104) for circumferentially receiving a pot;

- an upper section (106) forming a shield (112), which extends upwardly from the lower section (104) in a longitudinal direction, and which is securely fixed to the lower section (104);

- at least one fastening element (116) for securing a stalk, trunk, stem, branch or twig in relation to the shield (112), wherein a first end (120) of the at least one fastening element (116) is permanently fixed to the shield (112), and a second end (122) of the fastening element (116) is releasably attachable to the shield (112);
wherein the upper section (106) forms a sidewardly-facing opening for allowing access to the at least one fastening element (116) in a direction, which is transverse to the longitudinal direction.
A structure according to claim 1, wherein the shield is (112) arc-shaped when seen in a transverse cross section.
A structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the upper section (106) is made from a sheet of material (102), and wherein the at least one fastening element (116) is integrally formed from the sheet material (102).
A structure according to claim 3, wherein the lower section (104) is integrally formed from said sheet material (102).
A structure according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the lower section (104) forms a cone (110) for receiving the pot.
A structure according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one fastening element (116) comprises a plurality of fastening elements (116) arranged at different locations at the shield (112).
A structure according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said second end (122) of the at least one fastening element (116) is attachable to the shield (112) at at least two positions thereof.
A structure according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said second end (122) of the at least one fastening element (116) is releasably attachable to the shield (112) by mechanical engagement of the fastening element (116) with the shield (112).
A structure according to claim 3 and 8, wherein the at least one fastening element (116) is formed from a piece of said material (102), which is punched or cut out of the shield (112) in such a way that the at least one fastening element (116) forms a strap (118) which is integrally formed with said piece of material (102) at said first end (120) of the fastening element, whereby the shield (112) forms at least one cut-out portion (124) for receiving the strap (118).
A structure according to claim 9, wherein the strap (118) forms at least one indentation for engaging at least one indentation (128;130) in the shield (112), the indentation (128;130) in the shield (112) being formed in said cut out portion (124).
A structure according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the upper section (106) has a handle (115) at an upper end thereof.
A structure according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said sheet of material (102) is made from plastics and has a thickness of at least 0.5 mm.
A structure according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the lower section (104) comprises a mechanical closure structure (108) for holding two opposing edges of said sheet of (102) material together.
A planar sheet of material (102), which is shaped to be bent or folded into a structure (100) according to any of the preceding claims.
A combination of a potted plant and a structure (100) according to any of claims 1-13, wherein the potted plant comprises at least one stalk, trunk, stem, branch or twig, which is secured to said shield by means of said at least one fastening element (116).