GB2236238A - Plant pot - Google Patents

Abstract

A plant pot is disclosed whose base is of greater area than its top, giving stability to said pot, especially when used for larger plants such as Christmas trees. The pot may comprise an inner container 10 separate from, or integral with, an outer container 14. A collar 18 with screws 20 for gripping the trunk and a stud 19 engaging in a hole in the trunk may be provided in a pot for cut Christmas trees. <IMAGE>

Description

PLANT POT This invention concerns a plant pot, particularly, though by no means exclusively, suitable for larger plants such as felled or rooted Christmas Trees for example.

All conventional plant pots, whether of earthenware, plastics or other material and whether of circular, square or other section taper inwardly from their open tops towards their bottoms for the necessary reason that were they otherwise it would be difficult, if not impossible, to remove a plant with its root from the pot without considerable, if not fatal, damage.

The conventional shape, however, is clearly unstable, and a pot, especially when planted with a tree or shrub with overhanging branches, such as a Christmas Tree, needs only slight tilting as from a knock for example, to cause the centre of gravity of the combination of plant and pot to lie outwardly of the edge of the base of the pot and the pot to fall over.

It is amongst the objects of the present invention to provide a plant pot which overcomes, at least to some extent, the problem aforesaid.

According to the present invention there is provided a plant pot whose base is of greater area than its open top.

The perimeter of the base may lie wholly outside the perimeter of the open top.

The pot may include an inner well which tapers inwardly from top to bottom.

The pot may be an integral moulding.

The pot may be formed by two parts, an outer part in the form of a shell of generally truncated right conical shape and an inner part nested within the outer part of generally truncated inverted conical shape. The inner part may comprise a conventional plant pot, and the outer shell may be an inverted conventional pot of greater size with its base removed.

The conical shapes may be of circular section.

The pot may have a closed base and means for supporting the bottom of the trunk of a felled tree (such as a Christmas tree) therein.

The supporting means may comprise a lid having a central aperture provided with a collar through which securing screws may be extended to grip the trunk.

The pot may include a centrally located protrusion on the upper face of said base adapted to engage a complimentary recess on the flat bottom of the trunk.

The protrusion may be a stud, adapted to engage a drilled hole in the bottom of the trunk.

The pot may have a closed base and means for supporting a rooted tree (such as a rooted Christmas tree) therein.

The supporting means may comprise an inner perforated container adapted to contain the root ball of the tree.

The invention will be further apparent from the following description with reference to the several figures of the accompanying drawings, which show, by way of example only, four forms of plant pot embodying same.

Of the drawings: Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a first form of pot with the two parts thereof separated; Figure 2 shows a cross-section through'the pot of Figure 1 with the parts operatively nested together; Figure 3 shows a cross-section through a second form of the pot; Figure 4 shows a cross-section through a third form of the pot; and Figure 5 shows a cross-section through a fourth form of the pot.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the first form of pot comprises an inner part 10 in the form of an inverted truncated conical shell 11 closed at its bottom by a base 12 (which may be perforated or not - depending upon what is to be grown in the pot and where it is to be located) and having an outwardly directed circumferential flange 13 at its top defining a rim.

The part 10 may in fact be a conventional plant pot.

The pot also comprises an outer part 14 in the form of a right truncated conical shell 15 open at its top and its bottom, which latter is provided with an outwardly directed circumferential flange 16 defining a rim.

The part 14 may in fact be a conventional pot of greater size with its base removed.

The parts 10 and 14 are so sized that the part 10 may be nested within the part 14 as shown in Figure 2 such that the flange 13 seats on the upper circular rim of the part 14 with the base 12 engaging the support surface S.

The parts 10 and 14 are each comrpised by a plastics moulding.

Referring now to Figure 3 wherein like parts are numbered with like reference numerals, it will be seen that the parts 10 and 14 are integrally formed, the outer peripheral edge of flange 13 being joined with the upper end of the outer shell provided by part 14. In this example the base 12 does not extend to the surface S enabling a dish to be positioned beneath a perforate base to collect water draining through the base after watering.

The pot may be specially adapted with supporting means for displaying felled or rooted trees, for example, Christmas trees. In Figure 4, a pot is illustrated adapted to accommodate felled trees. The part 14 in the form of a right truncated conical shell 15, open at its top but sealed at its bottom, has a lid 16. The lid 16 has a central aperture 17 provided with a collar 18, which accommodates the trunk of the felled tree, and through which securing screws 20 may be extended to grip the trunk. The trunk is passed through the collar 18, towards a protrusion 19, centrally located on the upper face of the base of part 14, and adapted to engage a complimentary recess on the bottom of the trunk. The protrusion 19 is a stud, which engages a pre-drilled hole in the bottom of the trunk.

The supporting features, that is the collar 18, securing screw 20 and protrusion 19, together with the dimensions of the pot itself, lend exceptional stability to the pot enabling it to be used as a display stand for trees, for example, Christmas trees. In addition, the pot itself has a sealed bottom, enabling the pot to hold water 21. Thus the felled tree may stand in water to prevent it from drying out. Evidence has been provided suggesting that felled trees allowed to stand in water stay fresh for 4 weeks, whereas those without water dry out after only 4 days. The presence of the water itself acts as a ballast, thus adding to the stabilizing properties of the pot. In addition, the pot, when not in use as a Christmas tree display, may be used as a storage container for goods such as Christmas tree decorations.

In Figure 5, a pot is illustrated adapted to accommodate rooted trees. A removable container 22, having perforations 23, is adapted to contain the root ball of the tree and to fit inside part 14. Part 14, in the form of a right truncated conical shell 15, is open at its top but has a sealed bottom, enabling it to hold water 21. The perforations 23 in the container 22, are submerged below the water level to prevent the rooted tree from drying out. Again, the presence of the water adds to the stability of this pot.

It will be appreciated that it is not intended to limit the invention to the above example only, many variations, such as might readily occur to one skilled in the art, being possible, without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

Thus, for example, the pots may be of square, oval or other section.

Claims (14)

1. A plant pot whose base is of greater area than its top.

2. A plant pot according to claim 1, in which the perimeter of the base lies wholly outside the perimeter of the top.

3. A plant pot according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the pot includes an inner well having a base and which tapers inwardly from top to bottom.

4. A plant pot according to claim 3, in which the pot is an integral moulding.

5. A plant pot according to claim 3, in which the pot is formed by two parts, an outer part in the form of a shell of generally truncated right conical shape and an inner part nested within the oter part of generally truncated inverted conical shape.

6. A plant pot according to claim 5, in which the inner part is a conventional plant pot.

7. A plant pot according to claim 5, in which the outer shell is an inverted conventional pot of greater size with its base removed.

8. A plant pot according to claim 5, in which the conical shapes are of circular section.

9. A plant pot according to claim 1, having a closed base and means for supporting the bottom of the trunk of a felled tree (such as a Christmas tree} therein.

10. A plant pot according to claim 9, in which said supporting means comprises a lid having a central aperture provided with a collar through which securing screws may be extended to grip the trunk.

11. A plant pot according to claim 9 or claim 10, including a centrally located protrusion on the upper face of said base adapted to engage a complimentary recess on the flat bottom of the trunk.

12. A plant pot according to claim 11, in which the protrusion is a stud, adapted to engage a drilled hole in the bottom of the trunk.

13. A plant pot according to claim 1, having a closed base and means for supporting a rooted tree (such as a rooted Christmas tree) therein.

14. A plant pot according to claim 13, in which the supporting means comprises an inner container to contain the root ball of the tree.