GB2369981A

GB2369981A - Horticultural chamber

Info

Publication number: GB2369981A
Application number: GB0030603A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alexander James Sandall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-12-13
Filing date: 2000-12-13
Publication date: 2002-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 2020-12-13
Also published as: GB0030603D0; GB2369981B; WO2002047468A1

Abstract

The chamber (10) comprises a tray (11), in which can be stood or grown plants (13), a transparent cover (16), which can be removably placed over and secured to the tray (11) to create a growing volume for containing the foliage of the plants being grown,a bracket (17), by which the tray (11) can be positioned relative to a vertical surface; and a mounting means (18) whereby the bracket (17) can be attached to that vertical surface. The cover may have a slot to allow it to pass over the mounting means (18). The mounting means may be in the form of a suction cup. A buffer (25) may be provided to ensure vertical alignment of the chamber.

Description

Horticultural chamber This invention is concerned with a horticultural chamber, and concerns more particularly a relatively small chamber that can be utilised indoors for the growing of plants, and that can be caused to adhere to a vertical surface such as that of a window or a wall adjacent a window.

The aim of any horticultural chamber is to maximise the availability of the specific requirements of the plants, bulbs and seedlings to be grown therein. Such requirements include light, oxygen, space and locality, and in a situation where the plants are growing indoors this has to be achieved without minimising the actual enjoyment of growing the plants in the house. This end is normally attained by using a plant pot or covered seedling tray placed on an interior windowsill, but inevitably this causes unsightly clutter. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a growing chamber that results in a reduction in clutter without hindering plant propagation and horticultural enjoyment. The invention proposes that this be effected by utilising a chamber that can be caused to adhere, using suction cups or the like, to the interior surface either of a window pane or of a wall directly adjacent a window.

In one aspect, therefore, this invention provides a horticultural chamber comprising: tray means, in which can be stood or grown plants; transparent cover means, which can be removably placed over and secured to the tray means to create a growing volume for containing the foliage of the plants being grown; bracket means, by which the tray means can be positioned relative to a vertical surface; and mounting means whereby the bracket means can be attached to that vertical surface.

The tray means in which is to be stood or grown plants may take any form and shape, and be of any appropriate material, so long as it can be used either to grow plants in or, alternatively, to support a separate pot or growing tray in which the plants are cultivated. Thus, it can, for example, be shaped and sized just like a conventional round plant pot, or a conventional rectangular plant growing tray, and it can be made of the materials suitable for that purpose (usually a plastic of some sort). It conveniently has a flat base, so that when the chamber is placed on a horizontal surface the structure remains balanced and upright.

The maximum growth size of the plant, and also the depth of the tray means, determines the space availability for the plant's root development. A plant that develops a large, complex root system requires more space in the tray means than does one that develops only a smaller root system.

The plant (s) to be grown can be so grown directly in the tray means-that is, in some growing medium such as soil or compost carried directly by the tray means.

Alternatively, and often more conveniently, the plant (s) can be grown indirectly in the tray means-that is, the tray means can be used simply as a support for some other container in which the plant (s) grow directly.

Thus, the tray means can, as it were, be either a plant pot itself or it can be a pot in which is placed the plant pot itself. The ability to remove the (inner) actual growing container from the (outer) support tray means also signifies that the plant can be tended to without removing the whole chamber from the surface to which is applied.

Where there is used a tray means that is simply a support for some other container in which the plant (s) grow directly, it is preferred that there be provided a collar means (a holder), having a handle thereon, into which the actual growing container fits fairly securely, such that when the combination of container-in-collar is placed within the support section the handle projects forwardly, and facilitates moving the container in and out of the support. The collar means/holder is conveniently made from the same sort of material as used for the tray means, only preferably thicker and stronger, so as to take the weight safely.

Where the tray means is used for support some other container in which the plants are grown directlywhere, for example, the tray is like a cup or pot into which a smaller cup or pot may be placed-the inner container is desirably free moving, so that, taking its shape into account, it may be rotated to any angle to display the desired plant position. If the plant foliage begins to lean towards the light, then the inner pot can be rotated to compensate for this, and therefore the light requirements of the whole plant can be catered for.

Where there is an inner pot, a pot holder, and an outer pot it is desirable that the components slide in and out of one another with ease but are also securely positioned when transporting the chamber from one location to another. This can be achieved by shaping and dimensioning the inner pot so that it doesn't directly come into contact with the outer pot-and this is facilitated through the use of the pot holder, which reduces the surface contact between the two pot surfaces (due to the pots'similar dimensions, any contact via the pot necks would cause friction, and separation would be difficult). Of course, for the purpose of actual transportation, the inner pot, pot holder and outer pot connect to form an interlinking unit, which remains conjoined when in an upright position. It will be appreciated, therefore, that in such an embodiment it is the pot holder that provides both the fluidity and the security between the two pots.

In the general case of a tray within a tray, the outer tray is very preferably waterproof and watertight, so that, once the inner container has been extracted, there may be removed any excess water that has drained through the container's base into the outer tray. The combination of inner and outer container can also be used as a watering guide; when the water level in the outer tray is above the base of the inner container, due to over-irrigation, the excess water should be extracted, and the watering stopped. This form of irrigation management can be used to define how much water needs to be applied to maintain adequate moisture for the plant.

The transparent cover means to be placed over the tray means creates a growing volume for containing the foliage of the plants being grown. It can be removed to allow the plants to be tended-weeded and watered, say - and it is through this cover that the plants may be seen and enjoyed. Like the tray means, the cover can be of any suitable size and shape-the plant's foliage can be manipulated to grow to the shape of the surrounding cover-and of any appropriate transparent material.

Most usually the cover's size and shape will in some suitable fashion match the size and shape of the tray, so that it can fit to and match the tray means'rim; a round tray (like a plant pot) will have a round-a cylindrical-cover, perhaps with a domed top, reaching to some appropriate height above the tray, while a rectangular tray will have a correspondingly box-shaped cover.

The cover means has to fit down over the bracket and mounting means onto the tray means, and to enable this-and depending on the exact nature of the tray and mounting means-needs to have a narrow slot in its rear surface to permit its movement over these means until it lies securely on the rim of the tray means.

The material for the cover can be any provided it is transparent (and preferably colourless [water white]). It could be glass, though that is rather heavy, and more conveniently it is a relatively light rigid plastic-typically an acrylate polymer such as PERSPEX (Registered Trademark).

The material from which the cover means is made is very preferably one that can be moulded, so as to be seam-free; such a cover is more efficient at holding water and providing a microclimate. Plastics are relatively easy to mould into any shape, and can often look more attractive without obvious seams and sealants.

The transparent cover means is removably placed over and secured to the tray means. The nature of this "securing"may be minimal-just sufficient to retain the cover in place on the tray-or it may be significant (as may be required if the chamber's mounting means is affixed to the cover, which therefore actually has to support the tray underneath it, rather than vice versa). In the former case the cover may simply fit loosely into or around the top of the tray; in the latter it may engage with the tray-for example, means of a screw thread or a bayonet fitting.

Most conveniently, inside the foliage cover humidity is lessened (and condensation reduced), and aeration is provided, through ventilation holes at the top of the cover.

The cover means dimensions can be carefully considered in order to provide enough space for foliage development (the actual dimensions therefore depend on the plant species to be grown); the cover means regulates the height and width of foliage growth.

However, cover means of differing heights could be provided to fit the same base unit, so that further growth is allowed, or so that species of varied heights can be catered for.

While in place (and not removed to allow weeding, watering and so on) the cover means provides the plant with more protection against disease and pests than does a conventional plant pot because in the former there are fewer ports for disease or pests to enter.

Because the plant's foliage can be manipulated to grow to the shape of the surrounding cover, the horticultural chamber of the invention can contain a variety of species (depending on root and foliage space availability), and can regulate foliage growth to a size and shape more aesthetically pleasing, without detrimental effect to the development of the plant.

The horticultural chamber of the invention includes bracket means by which the tray means can be positioned relative to a vertical surface (and the bracket means are actually attachable to that surface using the mounting means). The bracket means can take any convenient form, one such being an elongate strip-like extension upstanding from the rear edge of the tray means and having appropriate mounting means at or near its upper end. A most preferred variety of bracket means, however, is of a transparent, aestheticallypleasing, S-curved tray-shape-matching semi-tubular structure rather like a tube of material cut across generally at an angle but in an S-form. Such a bracket shape is shown in the accompanying Drawings.

The bracket means may be secured to the tray means in any suitable manner, and indeed may preferably be integral therewith. Where it is of a tray-meansmatching shape, having an open bottom end that fits to the tray means, that end is desirably given an inwardlydirected lip such that the tray means can be supported within the bracket and by (and to) the lip, but alternatives would be to fix the bracket to the tray using a screw or bayonet fitting, or even with catches.

The bracket serves to support the foliage cover unit and hold it in position. It is designed to minimise strain on the whole unit. This is achieved by extending the suction cup bracket around the top of the outer cup rim to the front of the chamber, thus redistributing the weight throughout the whole structure. This form of bracket does not inhibit access to the plant in any way, because the bracket's height is reduced towards the front.

The horticultural chamber of the invention includes mounting means whereby the bracket means-and thus the tray means and the cover means-can be attached to and supported on a vertical surface. At its simplest the mounting means can be a hook attached to the bracket means, by which hook the whole chamber can be fastened onto some suitable protuberance-a window latch, for example, or a picture hanging nail or the like. Most preferably, however, the mounting means is a suction cup or the like-either one of the simple rubber cup variety or something more complex, such as the limpet devices, with cammed actuating levers and the like, that are used to make a secure hold on flat objects such as sheets of glass for the purpose of handling and moving them.

Where the mounting means is a suction cup it can be secured to the bracket means in any convenient way; foi example, in one method the mounting means slides from below into a suitably shaped slot in the bracket means, while in the case of a cover-shape-matching bracket the mounting suction cup is securely attached by a screw or the like through a hole in the back of the bracket, so there is no risk of detachment. In this latter case a washer (conveniently made of a translucent material such as an appropriate plastic or hard rubber) is placed in between the bracket and the intermediate part of the suction cup so as to prevent the screw piercing the pad of the suction cup when suction is applied (without this washer, the weight of the chamber would push down on the intermediate part of the suction cup, causing it to distort, and disengage).

The successful use of a suction cup mounting means is naturally dependent on the availability of a smooth flat surface for the cup to adhere to. For this purpose the glass of a window is ideal, and so it is preferred that in use the chamber of the invention be mounted to a window rather than, say, to the wall alongside a window.

Success using a suction cup also involves occasional cleaning of the pad and the surface to which it is to be applied; such cleaning removes any foreign bodies, to provide a more efficient vacuum. Due to the shape of the chamber, and the positioning of the suction cup, removal of the chamber from the surface is facilitated by an added appendage. A gentle pulling and lifting of this appendage will release the vacuum, allowing the chamber to be moved to a new position if desired.

When in use mounted on a surface the horticultural chamber of the invention is desirably kept aligned parallel to that surface, and advantageously is stopped from scratching the surface. To that end there is preferably a suitably dimensioned"bumper"or"buffer" block, conveniently of a translucent rubber, at the base and back of the chamber. This block projects from the rear of the tray means-either from the tray means itself or from the collar/holder is one is employed.

The preferred embodiments of the invention, and its benefits, may usefully be summarised as follows: The problem of propagating and displaying plants attractively, while maximising the availability of the plants requirements and saving space, has been solved by the creation of the adhesive horticultural chamber.

The chamber provides a light but strong display case, which is attached to a vertical surface (for example a window), via a suction cup. It reduces the use of horizontal surface space (e. g. a windowsill), and removes the delicate plants from harms way. Its enclosed structure also provides the plants with a high degree of protection against pests and diseases.

It is moulded from a translucent plastic, and has a series of air holes in the foliage cover unit, which allows maximum light penetration and aeration, to produce a microclimate suited particularly to plant propagation.

Its unique design promotes soil drainage, and helps to indicate watering requirements. This design also facilitates the manipulation of foliage growth, to a height and shape that is more attractive, without damage to the plant.

Therefore the adhesive horticultural chamber solves all spatial, propagation and display problems with one simple unit design.

An embodiment of the invention is now described, though by way of illustration only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic Drawings in which: The Figure shows a vertical section through a horticultural chamber of the invention.

The horticultural chamber (generally 10) can notionally be divided into a number of separate main working parts. These are: the pot-like tray means (generally 11), itself comprised of an inner pot (12) for holding the plant (13) and an outer pot (14) for containing the inner pot 12; a ring-like collar means (15) actually carrying the inner pot 12 and itself resting on the top of the outer pot 14; a transparent cover means (16) removably positionable on the tray means 11 over the plant 13 growing in the soil in the inner pot 12; bracket means (17) supporting the outer pot 14; and suction-cup mounting means (18) by which the bracket means 17, and thus the entire assembly, can be affixed to a window or wall or the like (not shown).

The cover means 16, also referred to as the foliage cover unit, is generally cylindrically shaped, with a dome-like top (19). It has an elongate, strip-like, cut-out portion (20) to the rear (to the right as shown) extending up from the bottom edge, allowing it to be slid into and out of place over the suction cup 18 projecting rearwardly from the bracket 17. The dome 19 has a series of ventilation holes (as 21) around it.

As can be seen, the inner pot 12 and outer pot 14 are just like ordinary flower pots. The inner one 12, which has in its base a number of drainage holes (not shown), rests on the collar/holder 15 which in turn rests on the top of the outer pot 15. In this embodiment the top of the outer pot 14 is actually integral with the in-turned bottom edge of the bracket 17. The collar/holder 15 has a handle portion (22) that projects-through the side of the bracket's bottom edge (through a short gap, not shown)to the front (to the left as shown), by which handle the combination of holder 15 and inner pot 14 can be manipulated when the cover 16 is not in place.

The bracket 17 is, like the cover 16, tubular (but slightly smaller, so that the cover fits over it). It is cut at an angle, and the edge (23) of the cut is given an aesthetically-pleasing S-shape. Towards its top the rear of the bracket-the right as shown-is apertured to receive a screw/washer combination (24) that screws into and thus locates and affixes the suction cup 18. And towards its bottom the rear surface of the bracket has mounted thereon (by means not shown: glue is usually satisfactory) a transparent (or translucent) buffer block (25) which in use contacts the surface to which the chamber is mounted, and so both keeps the chamber vertically aligned and prevents scratching.

Claims

Claims 1. A horticultural chamber comprising: tray means, in which can be stood or grown plants; transparent cover means, which can be removably placed over and secured to the tray means to create a growing volume for containing the foliage of the plants being grown; bracket means, by which the tray means can be positioned relative to a vertical surface ; and mounting means, whereby the bracket means can be attached to that vertical surface.
2. A chamber as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the tray means is shaped and sized like a conventional round plant pot, or like a conventional rectangular plant growing tray.
3. A chamber as claimed in either of the preceding Claims, wherein the tray means is an outer support for some other, inner, container in which the plant (s) are to grow directly.
4. A chamber as claimed in Claim 3, wherein there is a collar means (a holder), having a handle thereon, into which the actual growing container fits securely, such that when the combination of container-in-collar is placed within the support section the handle projects forwardly, and facilitates moving the container in and out of the support.
5. A chamber as claimed in either of Claims 3 and 4, wherein the inner container is free moving, so that, taking its shape into account, it may be rotated within the outer container to any angle to display the desired plant position.
6. A chamber as claimed in any of Claims 3 to 5, wherein the inner and outer components slide in and out of one another with ease but are also securely positioned when transporting the chamber from one location to another, and this is achieved by so shaping and dimensioning the inner container that it doesn't directly come into contact with the outer.
7. A chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the, or the outer, tray is waterproof and watertight, while any inner tray has drainage holes therein.
8. A chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the transparent cover means for a round tray is cylindrical, with a domed top.
9. A chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein to enable the cover means to fit down over the bracket and mounting means onto the tray means, the cover means has a narrow slot in its rear surface to permit its movement over these bracket and mounting means until it lies securely on the rim of the tray means.
10. A chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein ventilation holes are provided near the top of the cover means.
11. A chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the bracket means by which the tray means can be positioned relative to a vertical surface takes the form of a transparent, S-curved tray-shapematching semi-tubular structure.
12. A chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the bracket means is integral with the tray means.
13. A chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the mounting means, whereby the bracket means-and thus the tray means and the cover meanscan be attached to and supported on a vertical surface, is a suction cup or the like.
14. A chamber as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the mounting means suction cup is securely attached to the bracket means by a screw or the like through a hole in the back of the bracket.
15. A chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein, to ensure that when in use mounted on a vertical surface the chamber is kept aligned parallel to that surface, and does not scratch that surface, there is a suitably dimensioned"bumper"or"buffer"block at the base and back of the chamber and projecting from the rear of the tray means.
16. A horticultural chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims and substantially as described hereinbefore. Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows Claims 1. A horticultural chamber comprising: a container, in which can be grown plants ; tray means, in which can be stood the container; transparent cover means, which can be removably placed over and secured to the tray means to create a growing volume for containing the foliage of the plants being grown; bracket means, by which the tray means can be positioned relative to a vertical surface ; and mounting means, whereby the bracket means can be attached to that vertical surface.

2. A chamber as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each of the container and the tray means is shaped and sized like a conventional round plant pot, or like a conventional rectangular plant growing tray.

3. A chamber as claimed in either of the preceding Claims, wherein there is a collar means (a holder), having a handle thereon, into which the actual growing container fits securely, such that when the combination of container-in-collar is placed within the tray means the handle projects forwardly, and facilitates moving the container in and out of the tray means.

4. A chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the container is free moving, so that, taking its shape into account, it may be rotated within the tray means to any angle to display the desired plant position.

5. A chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the container and tray means slide in and out of one another with ease but are also securely positioned when transporting the chamber from one location to another, and this is achieved by so shaping and dimensioning the container that it doesn't directly come into contact with the tray means.

6. A chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the tray means is waterproof and watertight, while the container has drainage holes therein.

7. A chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the transparent cover means for a round container and tray means is cylindrical, with a domed top.

8. A chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein to enable the cover means to fit down over the bracket and mounting means onto the tray means, the cover means has a narrow slot in its rear surface to permit its movement over these bracket and mounting means until it lies securely on the rim of the tray means.

9. A chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein ventilation holes are provided near the top of the cover means.

10. A chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the bracket means by which the tray means can be positioned relative to a vertical surface takes the form of a transparent, S-curved tray-shapematching semi-tubular structure.

11. A chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the bracket means is integral with the tray means.

12. A chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the mounting means, whereby the bracket means-and thus the tray means and the cover means can be attached to and supported on a vertical surface, is a suction cup or the like.

13. A chamber as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the mounting means suction cup is securely attached to the bracket means by a screw or the like through a hole in the back of the bracket.

14. A chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein, to ensure that when in use mounted on a vertical surface the chamber is kept aligned parallel to that surface, and does not scratch that surface, there is a suitably dimensioned"bumper"or"buffer"block at the base and back of the chamber and projecting from the rear of the tray means.
17. A horticultural chamber as claimed in any of the preceding Claims and substantially as described hereinbefore.