GB2294623A - Packaging and planting of seeds - Google Patents

Abstract

A seed dispenser (46) has a hollow body 48 for containing seed and a release means 56, which may be a reciprocating or rotary or other suitable mechanism, which is adapted to dispense one or more seeds in a single manual operation. The dispenser is hand held and is adapted to include a gauge (63) which allows the user to determine how deep in the soil a seed is planted. The gauge (63) may be adjustable to allow seeds to be planted at a preselected depth or may be preset for a fixed depth. A ring 70 is provided to allow the dispenser to be pulled from the ground. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO PACKAGING AND PLANTING OF SEEDS This invention relates to the packaging and planting of seeds.

Conventionally seeds are packed in opaque paper packets similar to sealed envelopes. The packets are usually provided with an attractive picture on their outside surface. A packet is ripped open and the seeds are poured out. It can be difficult to control the number of seeds dispensed at any one time. This is particularly the case for small seeds. Once a packet has been emptied it is discarded.

According to a first aspect of the invention I provide a seed dispenser comprising release means which is adapted to dispense one or more seeds in one dispensing operation.

Preferably the dispenser dispenses one seed in one dispensing operation. Alternatively the dispenser may dispense two, three, four, five or more seeds in one operation.

Preferably the number of seeds dispensed in one operation is repeatable from one dispensing operation to the next. It may be possible to adjust the dispenser to change the number of seeds which the dispenser may be adapted to dispense. The dispensing operation is preferably a manual operation of the dispenser. The dispenser may have a reciprocating or rotary mechanism to dispense seeds, which mechanism is preferably manually powered.

Preferably the dispenser is hand held. The dispenser may have trigger means or switch means which controls the dispensing operation. The dispensing operation may occur in response to a user pressing the trigger means or switch means.

Preferably the dispenser is elongate in shape.

Preferably the trigger means or switch means may be provided at or towards one end of the elongate dispenser. Alternatively the trigger means or switch means may be provided on the side of the dispenser.

Preferably the dispenser comprises an aperture through which a seed can be pushed or can fall.

Dispensers with different sized apertures may be provided to dispense different sized seeds.

Alternatively a dispenser may be provided having a uniform aperture size for different seeds. Seeds of different types may be coated with appropriate thicknesses of material to standardise their outside diameter. Seeds may be coated with a coating of organic material. The organic material may be peat based. The organic material may be fibrous. The organic material may comprise one or more of the following types of chemical agent: fertiliser, herbicide, fungicide, nutrient, or growth promoting agent.

Preferably the dispenser is refillable. The dispenser may comprise a body. The body may be rigid.

The body may be made of plastic or polymeric material.

The body may be made of cardboard.

Preferably the dispenser comprises gauge means adapted to enable the user to determine how deep into the soil a seed is dispensed. The gauge means may be provided on or adjacent to the side of the dispenser.

Preferably the gauge means comprises one or more markings on the side of the dispenser. The gauge means may comprise a gauge and an indicator. The indicator may be moveable relative to the gauge means.

In operation an end of the dispenser is pushed into the ground. The dispenser is activated to dispense a seed from the dispenser into the ground.

Alternatively, the dispenser may be activated to dispense a seed onto the surface of the soil.

The dispenser may have a replaceable cartridge which contains seeds when newly introduced into the dispenser. Cartridge receiving means will also, of course, then be provided.

The replaceable cartridge may have an aperture through which a seed or seeds may fall or be pushed.

The aperture provided in a cartridge may be appropriate for one particular size of seed. Different cartridges, each for a different type of seed may each be provided with an aperture appropriate for the size of seed in the cartridge. The aperture of the seed dispenser may be the aperture of the cartridge.

Preferably the gauge means indicates the correct depth in the soil at which a seed should be dispensed.

On inserting the dispenser into the soil, an indicator on the gauge means is aligned with the surface of the soil to ensure that the dispenser is driven a correct depth into the soil.

The gauge means may be adjustable.

According to a second aspect of the invention I provide a seed dispenser comprising seed release means in which activation of the seed release means releases one or more seeds.

Preferably the seed release means comprises a mechanical mechanism.

Preferably the seed release means may be activated by a user of the dispenser.

According to a third aspect of the invention I provide a method of sowing seeds comprising the steps of pushing a dispenser according to a foregoing aspect of the invention into soil and dispensing one or more seeds.

Preferably the method comprises a step of gauging the depth of the dispenser in the soil.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention I provide a package for seeds comprising a rigid container body and a cover.

The cover may be removable from the body. The cover may be replaceable on the body.

Preferably the body is transparent or translucent.

The body may be coloured or may have a design on its surface. The cover or the body or both may be made of cardboard or plastics material.

The package may be elongate.

Seed dispensers or packages according to the foregoing aspects of invention may be in the form of elongate rigid units. Such units have advantages over the prior art in that they have a relatively uniform shape and thus are easy to pack for display or storage. They can be packed in displays used, conventionally, for packing other items for sale.

Of course, in the foregoing and in the description which follows, the term seed is to be interpreted to mean material from which plant material, vegetation or the like may grow and thus encompasses bulbs and rhizome.

Embodiments of the invention will be described below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a dispenser; Figure 2 shows another embodiment of a dispenser; Figure 3 shows a further embodiment of a dispenser; and Figure 4 shows an embodiment of yet a further dispenser.

Figure 1 shows a dispenser 2 adapted to hold seeds. The dispenser 2 has a body 4 and a cover 6.

The body is transparent and made from a plastics material. The cover 6 is a screw fit onto the body 4, complementary screw threads are present on the body 4 and the cover 6. In an alternative embodiment the body 4 and the cover 6 may be friction or interference fits. The dispenser is substantially cylindrical in shape.

Figure 2 shows another dispenser 8. The dispenser 8 is elongate in shape. The dispenser comprises a body 10 having an upper end 12 and a lower end 14. The lower end of the body is tapered towards its tip 16. The body 10 is filled with seeds. The upper end 12 is provided with a button or trigger 18.

The lower end 10 has an aperture 20 at its tip.

In operation, a user presses the button 18.

Pressing of the button activates a release mechanism which releases a seed which falls through the aperture 20. The release mechanism may be activated to dispense individual seeds, for example into a hand or onto the ground. Alternatively the dispenser 8 may be pushed into the ground or soil (for example in a plant pot) and the release mechanism released to deliver a seed directly into the soil. The dispenser 8 may be removed after this operation leaving a planted seed.

Figure 3 shows a further embodiment of a dispenser 22. The dispenser 22 comprises seed release means 24 and seed guide means 26. The seed release means has a body 28 and a button or trigger 30. A first aperture 32 is present in a lower region 34 of the body 28. The seed guide means 26 is conical in shape and has a second aperture 38 present in its lower end 40. The seed release means 24 is fixed within an upper region 42 of the seed guide means 26.

In operation, a user presses the button 30 and activates a release mechanism within the seed release means 24. This allows a seed to fall through the first aperture 32 into a space 44 bounded by the seed guide means 36. The seed falls through the space 44 and is guided by the seed guide means 36 to leave the guide means 36 through the second aperture 38. The dispenser 22 may dispense seeds into a hand of the user or directly or indirectly onto soil. Alternatively the dispenser 22 may be operated in accordance with the operation described above in relation to the dispenser 8 of Figure 2 to dispense a seed directly into the ground or soil.

Figure 4 shows an embodiment of yet a further dispenser 46. The dispenser 46 is similar to the dispenser 8 of Figure 2 although it comprises several refinements. The dispenser 46 is elongate in shape and comprises a hollow body 48 having an upper end 50 and a lower end 52. The lower end 52 is tapered towards its tip 54. The body 48 is filled with seeds. The upper end 50 is provided with a button or trigger 56. The lower end has an aperture at its tip 54.

The body is split into two parts, an upper part 58 and a lower part 60. The two parts 58 and 60 are separable and are connected by a releasable coupling, for example by a screw thread. The two parts are connected at a junction 62. Separation of the two parts 58 and 60 enables the lower part 60 to be filled with seeds or to allow seeds to be emptied therefrom.

Connection of the two parts 58 and 60 encloses the seeds in the body 48.

The dispenser is refillable. Of course, one or more of the dispensers of the previous embodiments may also be refillable.

Along the side of the lower part 60 is a gauge 63. Gauge markings 64 are present along the lower part 60. A slide or rail 66 is also present along the body. An indicator 68 is adapted to slide along the slide 66. In another embodiment, the gauge 63 and the slide 66 may extend along both the upper part 58 and the lower part 60.

A ring 70 is attached to the upper part 58 of the body 48. The purpose of the ring 70 will become clear in the explanation of the use of the dispenser 46.

In use, operation of the button 56 releases a seed in accordance with previous embodiments of the invention. In this embodiment it is preferred to deliver a seed directly into the ground although its operation should not be so limited. A user decides the depth in the soil at which a seed will be sown. The indicator 68 on the gauge 63 is set to the appropriate depth at which the seed will be sown. The dispenser 46 is pushed into the soil to a depth at which the indicator 68 is level with the soil surface. The button 56 is operated and a seed is released. Of course, in another embodiment the indicator 68 and slide 66 may be omitted and only the gauge markings 64 may be present along the lower part 60. In this embodiment, a user would decide the depth at which a seed is to be sown, and identify a suitable position along the gauge markings 64 to provide this depth. In pushing the dispenser 46 into the ground the user would align by upper surface of the ground with the chosen position along the gauge markings 64.

Once a seed is sown, a user pulls in the ring 70 to pull the dispenser 46 from out of the ground.

Claims (15)

1. A seed dispenser comprising release means which is adapted to dispense one or more seeds in one dispensing operation.

2. A seed dispenser according to claim 1 which dispenses one seed in one dispensing operation.

3. A seed dispenser according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the dispensing operation is a manual operation of the dispenser.

4. A seed dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims which is hand held.

5. A seed dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims which has a rigid body.

6. A seed dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims which is refillable.

7. A seed dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims which comprises a reciprocating or rotary mechanism to dispense seeds.

8. A seed dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims in which the dispenser is elongate in shape.

9. A seed dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims which comprises gauge means adapted to enable the user to determine how deep into the soil a seed is dispensed.

10. A seed dispenser according to claim 9 in which the gauge means is adjustable.

11. A seal dispenser substantially as described herein with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A seed dispenser substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 2,3 or 4 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A method of sowing seeds comprising the steps of pushing a dispenser according to any preceding claim into soil and dispensing one or more seeds.

14. A method of sowing seeds according to claim 13 which comprises a step of gauging the depth of the dispenser in the soil.

15. A method of sowing seeds substantially as described herein with reference to Figure 1 or Figures 2,3 or 4 of the accompanying drawings.