GB2444141A

GB2444141A - Plant pot saucer with lid

Info

Publication number: GB2444141A
Application number: GB0721966A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Johnny Johnson Iii
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-11-21
Filing date: 2007-11-08
Publication date: 2008-05-28
Also published as: GB0721966D0

Abstract

A two part saucer 35 that supports a plant pot 12. The saucer has a bowl 20 and a removable lid 24. The lid attaches to the bowl via an interlocking mechanism to form a watertight connection. The lid has a central opening 17 that enables a wick 18 to extend from the interior of the bowl and any water contained therein through the drain hole of the pot and into the soil medium contained in the bowl. A second wick 36 can be employed to evaporate any excess moisture that might accumulate at the bottom of the pot. The wick can be a ceramic clay. The edge portions of the lid and bowl can form a dam to help prevent water spillage.

Description

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

"Potted Plant Pot and Saucer Construction" INVENTOR: Johnny Johnson, III, a U.S. citizen, of 1815 Halsey Avenue, New Orleans, LA, 70114

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 10/848,255, filed May 18, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60,472,523, filed 05/22/2003, incorporated herein by reference, is hereby claimed.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR

1 5 DEVELOPMENT Not applicable REFERENCE TO A "MICROFICHE APPENDIX" Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to pot and saucer constructions for potted plants. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved potted planL pot and saucer that includes an improved saucer having an outer 2 bowl portion and a lid that detachably connects to the periphery of the bowl, the lid having a central opening or openings that enable water transfer from the top of the lid to the inside of the bowl, at least one of the openings accommodating a wick that extends from water in the bowl, through the bottom of a pot supported upon the saucer, and supplying water to the plant.

2. General Background of the Invention

Common potted plants typically use a ceramic or plastic saucer that is usually a single thickness 3 structure.

Some patents have issued that provide a double wall construction of a saucer for holding water. In such a situation, there is a lower section that carries water and an upper section that rests upon the lower section S providing a water reservoir and which also supports the pot. The following table lists examples of such patents:

TABLE 1

Patent Number Title Issue Date 1,342,786 Plant Irrigating Device 06-08-1920 2,802,305 Flowerpot Attachment 08-13-1957 4,219,967 Flower Pot Watering Apparatus 09-02-1980 4,339,891 Plant Supporting and Watering 07-20-1982 Device 4,343,109 Capillary Disc and Support 08-10-1982 lb Therefor 279,175 Water Reservoir For Potted 06-11-1985 Plants 320,588 Flower Pot 06-23-1985 4,965,963 Platform and Watering System 10-30-1990 For Plants One of the problems of prior art saucers is leakage or spillage when a user attempts to carry the saucer and pot or to carry the saucer alone after cleaning/refilling.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an improved construction for a saucer that supports a plant and that supplies water to the plant.

The present invention provides a bowl having an interior for holding water and a peripheral edge that forms an interlocking connection with a lid. The lid detachably affixes to the peripheral edge of the bowl using an interlocking, substantially watertight connection. In this fashion, the pot and the saucer (or saucer alone) can be carrier from place to place within a user's home without fear of spillage such as when transporting the saucer from a water supply to a potted plant or vice versa.

With the present invention, only a central opening in the lid is provided for a wick. Thus, water has little or S no chance of spilling during transport. However, the peripheral attachment and watertight seal enables disassembly for complete cleaning.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a further understanding of the nature, objects, JO and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein; Figure 1 is a sectional exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; Figure 2 is another sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; Figure 2A is a fragmentary sectional view illustration an alternate second wick portion of the preferred embodiment; Figure 3 is a partial perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; Figure 4 is a sectional elevation view of a second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; Figure 5 is an elevation view of the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; and Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of figure 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Pot and saucer device 10 is shown in figures 1-3 supporting a potted plant 11 that has a pot 12 filled with soil 13 for providing a growing medium for plant 14. The pot 12 provides a side wall 15 and bottom wall 16 with 3! drain opening 17. Wick 18 extends from a position next to the surface of soil medium 13 downwardly through drain opening 17 and into interior 19 of bowl 20. At the surface of soil medium 13, wick 18 can be covered with a layer of plastic film or it can be buried just beneath the surface of soil medium 13. Wick 18 can be constructed of an outer plastic tube 33 having inner woven fabric wick material 34 (e.g. cotton, Gore-Tex, wool, woven polymer material, a blend such as polyester and rayon or the like) Saucer 35 includes bowl 20 and lid 24. Bowl 20 has side wall 44, bottom 45 and a peripheral upper edge 21 portion that can be u-shaped in cross-section as shown in figure 1, being comprised of a pair of spaced apart annular flanges 22, 23 connected by curved annular section 30. Lid 21 affixes to bowl 20 at upper edge 21 as shown in figures land2.

The lid 24 has an interlocking peripheral portion 25 that can provide a u-shaped cross-section that includes flanges 26-27. Lid 24 has at least one large opening 28 that enables first wick 18 to extend from pot 12 via opening 28 into interior 19 of bowl 20 and in contact with any water supply 31 contained therein as shown in figure 2.

First wick 18 can include outer tube 33 and an inner woven wick member 34.

A plurality of smaller openings 29 can be provided for enhancing the drain of fluid from pot 12 into bowl 20 should the user over-water the pot 12 and soil medium 13 combination.

Because lid 24 at edge 25 forms a watertight seal with peripheral edge 21 of bowl 20, a user can transport the pot and saucer device 10 even when bowl 20 interior 19 is filled with water 31 and not risk spillage. Tab 32 enables lid 24 to be easily separated from bowl 20. Once lid 24 is separated from bowl 20, the entire interior 19 of bowl 20 is easily cleaned, as no projecting portions are evident on inner surface 43 of bowl 20.

A second wick 36 can be provided that is used to evaporate excess liquid that might accumulate near the bottom 16 of pot 12. Second wick 36 can include an outer tube 37 of plastic or like material that has an open ended flow bore. The flow bore can be occupied by a woven wick material 38. An exposed end portion 39 preferably extends above the soil 13 in pot 12. This exposed end portion 39 allows excess moisture to evaporate. During use, the arrows in figure 2 illustrate the flow of liquid in soil mass 13 and from bowl 20. Arrows 40 schematically illustrate the flow of liquid such as water from interior 19 of bowl 20 traveling upwardly in woven material 34 until the liquid 31 reaches an upper end portion of the first wick 18. Soil medium 13 can be covered with a layer 48 of plastic film, paper mache', or cellulose. This layer 48 helps retain moisture at the surface of soil medium 13.

Moisture reaching the surface of soil medium 13 via first wick 18 then flows downwardly as indicated schematically by arrows 41 in figure 2. In order to ensure that the liquid content of soil 13 is as evenly distributed as possible, a second wick 36 is provided for removing any excess fluid that might accumulate in soil 13 at the lower end portion of pot 12.

Second wick 36 can optionally provide an outer tube 37 of plastic material having an open ended bore. The second wick(s) can be one or more wicks 36 that do not have outer tubes 37. A woven wick material 38 extends through the bore of tube 37 and provides exposed end portion 39.

Arrows 42 in figure 2 schematically illustrate the flow of excess liquid upwardly from soil mass 13 next to bottom 16 of pot 12 upwardly to exposed end portion 39 of woven wick material 38. The exposed end portion 39 of woven wick material 38 is preferably exposed to the outside air so that it enables excess fluid to be evaporated to the atmosphere. As an alternate second wick, wick 47 can extend to the surface of the soil 13 or can extend through opening 46 in the pot 12 as seen in figure 2A. The wick 47 can be placed in a tube or can be without a tube.

In figure 1, it should be seen that the inner surface 43 of bowl 20 is very easy to access for cleaning purposes.

When lid 24 is removed as shown in figure 1, there are no projections, ribs, or protuberances that would interfere with a thorough cleaning of the inner surface 43 of bowl 20. However, when lid 24 is attached to bowl 20, a seal is ii) formed by connecting the flanged portions 26, 27 of sealing edge 25 to the flanged portions 22, 23 of and to the curved annular portion 30 of upper edge 21 of bowl 20. A substantially fluid tight seal can be perfected when lid 24 is connected to bowl 20 as shown in figure 2. This enables the combination of bowl 20, lid 24, and pot 12 with plant 14 and soil 13 to be moved about without fear of spilling the water supply 31.

Figures 4-6 show a second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral 50. Potted plant watering system 50 provides a pot 51 for containing a plant 49 and a soil medium 52 that surrounds the roots 53 of the plant 49.

Saucer 54 contains water 55. A pair of porous ceramic or fired clay or fired brick wicks 56, 57 are provided, each being partially embedded in the soil medium 52. The first wick 56 extends through the soil medium 52, through opening 58 in the bottom 59 of the pot 51 and into water 55 contained in saucer 54 as shown in figure 4. An opening 60 is provided in cover 61 of saucer 54. The saucer 54 can include cover 61 and a bowl 62 portion, the cover 61 and bowl 62 connecting together with a peripheral seal 65 of the type shown in the embodiment of figures 1-3.

The wicks 56, 57 are of a porous fired clay or ceramic material so that water migrates upwardly through wicks 56, 57 as indicated by arrows 63, 64 in figure 4. The wick 56 elevates water 55 from bowl 62 of saucer 54 into soil medium 52. Wick 57 enables excess water to travel upwardly through medium 52 and to the air mass at a level above the top 66 of pot 51. In this fashion, excess water evaporates.

Each of the wicks 56, 57 is of a porous fired clay, ceramic, pottery, brick material. As used herein, the term "clay" should be defined as any earthen material that is used in the manufacture of bricks, pottery or other ceramics. The clay is fired in a kiln or baked in the sun to produce the hardened porous material that comprises the wicks 56, 57.

The following is a list of suitable parts and materials for the various elements of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

PARTS LIST

PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION

pot and saucer device 11 potted plant 12 pot 13 soil pot medium 14 plant side wall 16 bottom wall 17 drain opening 18 first wick 19 interior bowl 21 edge 22 annular flange 23 annular flange 24 lid edge 26 annular flange 27 annular flange 28 opening 29 opening curved annular section 31 water supply 32 tab 33 tube 34 woven wick material member saucer 36 second wick 37 tube 38 woven wick material member 39 exposed end portion arrow 41 arrow 42 arrow 43 inner surface 44 bowl side wall bowl bottom 46 opening 47 wick 48 layer 49 plant potted plant watering system 51 pot 52 soil medium 53 roots 54 saucer water 56 clay wick 57 clay wick 58 opening 59 bottom opening 61 cover 62 bowl 63 arrow 64 arrow seal 66 top All measurements disclosed herein are at standard temperature and pressure, at sea level on Earth, unless indicated otherwise. All materials used or intended to be used in a human being are biocompatible, unless indicated otherwise.

The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.

Claims

1. A pot and saucer device comprising: a) a bowl that has a bottom and a side wall that terminates at an upper peripheral edge, the peripheral edge including a first peripheral connecting portion; b) a lid that connects to the bowl at the peripheral edge of the bowl, the lid providing a second peripheral connecting portion that forms a connection with the first peripheral connecting portion of the bowl to define a substantially watertight connection, the lid having a centrally located opening so that when a user carries the saucer, spillage is minimized because of the peripheral watertight connection and centrally located opening; C) a pot that fits the lid, the pot having a side wall and a bottom wall defining an interior for holding a soil medium and a plant, the bottom wall having a drain opening; and d) a ceramic clay' that extends between the interior of the bowl and the soil medium.

2. The pot and saucer device of claim 1 wherein the ceramic clay includes an outer tube with a bore and an inner porous ceramic clay material.

3. The pot arid saucer device of claim 1 further comprising a second ceramic clay that extends between upper and lower end portions of the pot.

4. The pot and saucer device of claim 1 wherein the bowl interior has a maximum inner diameter that is measured at a position next to the upper peripheral portion.

5. The pot and saucer device of claim 3 wherein fluid contained in the bowl flows from the bowl interior via the first ceramic clay, to a soil mass contained in the pot to the second ceramic clay.

6. The pot and saucer device of claim 5 wherein a portion of the second ceramic clay extends above the soil mass.

7. The pot and saucer device of claim 1 wherein the lid includes a pot holding surface, the second peripheral portion extending above the pot holding surface.

8. The pot and saucer device of claim 1 wherein Lhe bowl is of flexible plastic material.

9. The pot and saucer device of claim 1 wherein the lid is of flexible plastic material.

10. A pot and saucer device comprising: a) a bowl that has a bottom and a side wall that terminates at an upper peripheral edge, the peripheral edge including a first peripheral connecting portion; b) a lid that connects to the bowl at the peripheral edge of the bowl, the lid providing a second peripheral connecting portion that forms a connection with the first peripheral connecting portion of the bowl to define a substantially watertight connection, the lid having a centrally located opening so that when a user carries the saucer, spillage is minimized because of the peripheral watertight connection and centrally located opening; C) a pot that fits the lid, the pot having a side wall and a bottom wall defining an interior for holding a soil medium and a plant, the bottom wall having a drain opening; d) a ceramic clay that extends between the interior of the bowl and the soil medium; and e) the peripheral connecting portions forming a dam that prevents spillage of water that drains from the pot.

11. The pot and saucer device of claim 10 wherein the ceramic clay includes an outer tube with a bore and an inner porous ceramic clay material.

12. The pot and saucer device of claim 10 further comprising a second ceramic clay that extends between upper and lower end portions of the pot.

13. The pot and saucer device of claim 10 wherein the bowl interior has a maximum inner diameter that is measured at a position next to the upper peripheral portion.

14. The pot and saucer device of claim 12 wherein fluid contained in the bowl flows from the bowl interior via the first ceramic clay, to a soil mass contained in the pot to the second ceramic clay.

15. The pot and saucer device of claim 14 wherein a portion of the second ceramic clay extends above the soil mass.

16. The pot and saucer device of claim 10 wherein the JO lid includes a pot holding surface, the second peripheral portion extending above the pot holding surface.

17. The pot and saucer device of claim 10 wherein the bowl is of flexible plastic material.

18. The pot and saucer device of claim 10 wherein the lid is of flexible plastic material.