GB2144015A - Horticultural holders - Google Patents

Abstract

A horticultural holder, such as a plastic plant pot, is made from a flat sheet moulding of plastics material (10) having weakened fold lines (11). The edges of adjacent walls of the pot have mutually engaging and locking means so that when the flat sheet is appropriately folded at the fold lines the walls engage and lock at the instant of coming together. A suitable engaging means is a channel (20) at the edge of one wall (13A) into which the edge of an adjacent wall (13B) can engage and a suitable locking means is a protuberance (24) on one wall (13B) which can engage in a slit lying in the channel (20) of the other wall (13A). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Horticultural holders This invention relates to horiticultural holders such as plant pots.

The round clay plant pot has now been extensively replaced with plastic plant pots. At the same time the round-shaped pot is being replaced by flat-sided pots made by injection moulding or vacuum forming. The moulds are costly and stacking of the pots (even allowing for the fact that one pot can fit into another) is sometimes space consuming and the stacked pots can jam together.

Hoiders according to the invention, whilst reducing mould costs and improving stacking arrangements, also have other advantages which will be referred to below.

A horticultural holder according to the present invention is formed from a lamina of plastics material weakened along fold lines so that by appropriate folding at those lines a pot, tray, or box shape comprising a base and upstanding walls can be created, and means are provided on the edges of the walls so that adjacent walls support and lock with each other at the instant of creating the holder shape.

The support means preferably comprises a channel along the nominally vertical edge of one wall of a width which will accept the nominally vertical plain edge of an adjacent wall into engagement and the locking means preferably comprises one or more slit openings in the channel and a protuberance on said plain edge which can click into the slit.

One form of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a lamina suitable for making into a pot; Figure 1A is an enlarged fragment of a part of Fig. 1; Figure 18 is a section on the line B-B of Fig. 1 A; Figure 2 shows in perspective outline the pot made from the lamina of Fig. 1; Figures 2A and 2B show enlarged fragments of parts of Fig. 2; and Figure 3 shows in perspective a fragment of a modified wall.

In Fig. 1 a lamina of plastics material and of cross shape has weakening to define fold lines 11, a base 12 and walls 1 3A and 1 3B.

Base drain holes 14 are provided. These could take up various locations on the base.

The two opposed walls 1 3A each have channels 20 (in detail in Figs. 1 A and 1 B) formed along their edges 21 (these edges will become nominally vertical when the pot is made). The channels 20 have a width slightly greater than the thickness of the lamina 1 0.

Near the nominally upper end of each channel 20 there is a slit 23. The two opposed walls 1 3B have plain edges 22 with a protuberance 24 of a size and nature such that is can click into a respective slit 23 at the instant of creating the pot shape and lock walls 1 3A to 1 3B. The lock made is capable of being broken and remade as would be required if the pot is to be stored flat (i.e. in the lamina state), sterilised and reused.

Fig. 2 shows the pot 30 formed by first folding the plain-edges walls 1 3B upwardly at fold lines 11 and then folding the channelled walls 1 3A upwardly so that edges 22 engage in channels 20 and the protuberances 24 lock into slits 23. The pot so formed could be described loosely as a square pot with an upward divergency.

Other shapes become possible, many with advantages. For example, a square pot without a taper could be formed. This would not previously have been an acceptable shape as it would not stack inside another pot (and could not readily be made by moulding as some degree of taper is usually required) but it provides a very stable shape for transport with other similar pots arranged side-by-side.

A square pot with upward convergency could be formed. This is a very stable form of pot when standing on its own and is moisture retaining. Such a shape has not been considered practicable in the past as it cannot easily be formed, it is not stackable, and its contents cannot be released.

Pots having other than four side walls can be made although this may require special consideration of the angle of the protuberance 24 and the slits 23. Pots having a decorative or functional outer surface may be easily made. The edges need not be straight. The upstanding walls need not be identical. The walls may have an external emboss, decorative effect and include an embossed or recessed name (such as a trading name or descriptive name), care instructions, or other features not readily obtainable at low cost using prior art pot forms. For example, the pots could have external grooving or keying or strengthening ribbing.

Whilst pots according to the invention are expected to be made by moulding techniques, the mould costs are much lower than hitherto as basically only a flat plate has to be formed with only minor deviations from pure flatness.

With a remakeable locking means plants can be removed from pots according to the invention by simply opening the walls. Root damage is unlikely to occur. Sterilisation can be performed on the pots whilst in the laminar state. Storage in the laminar state involves very low voidage with strong mutual support and no sticking together as can arise with stacked tapered pots. Pots with a flat base can easily be made. Such pots are suitable for propogation purposes where a heat and water input (such as by capilliary matting) is needed. It is also possible to make contoured bases and this only involves a small addition to the moulding costs.

Other support and locking means could be provided. For example the inner walls of the channels 20 could be dispensed with if some loss in rigidity is acceptable. The protuberance 24 could be replaced with a button protuberance 24A (Fig. 3) with a locking head 24B having a leading taper and an interference fit in the slit 23. Tow or more such protuberances could be provided along any one edge with corresponding slits 23 being provided.

Such an arrangement would help to suppress bowing tendencies in the walls of the pot.

Whilst the invention has been specifically described in the context of plant pots it could also be applied to other horticultural holders such as seed trays. It is optional whether to provide outward flanges at the tops of the holders. They are not needed to aid stacking and destacking. When not provided the plant pots can be assembled together in side-byside relation such as for the neat display at a point of sale of plants.

Internal rims or projections could be provided such as may be advantageous for handling the holders or labelling.

Claims (4)

1. A horticultural holder formed from a lamina (10) of plastics material weakened along fold lines (11) so that, by appropriate folding at those lines, a pot, tray, or box shape comprising a base (12) and upstanding walls (1 3A, 1 3B) can be created, and means are provided on the edges of the walls so that adjacent walls support and lock with each other at the instant of creating the holder shape.

2. A holder as claimed in claim 1 in which said means comprises a channel (20) along the nominally vertical edge (21) of one wall (1 3A) which will accept the nominally vertical plain edge (22) of an adjacent wall (1 3B) into engagement and the locking means comprises one or more slit openings (23) near the top of the channel (20) and a protuberance (24 or 24A) on said plain edge.

3. A holder as claimed in claim 2 in which the locking means is capable of being broken to release the contents of the holder and being remade so that the holder can be reused.

4. A plant pot substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 2A and 2B or as modified by Fig. 3.