GB2494943A - An insert for plant containers to reduce the volume of soil required - Google Patents

Abstract

The insert 10 comprises a body having a peripheral edge 17 shaped to contact an internal surface of an upstanding side wall of a plant container such that the body is spaced from the base of the plant container. The body is shaped to support a volume of soil thereon in use such that the soil is suspended above the base. The insert may create a void in use between the insert and the base of the container, thereby reducing the overall weight of the filled container. A peripheral portion of the insert body may be obliquely angled relative to both the upstanding side wall and also a plane of the base of the container and the insert maybe concave. The insert may comprise a raised formation 18 in the centre of the concave side 14 and a plurality of drainage holes 22 maybe provided around the periphery of the formation.

Description

Plant Containers The present invention relates to containers for plants, such as plant pots, and more specifically to accessories for such containers.

Plant pots generally comprise a base, which may be circular in plan, and an upstanding annular wall, which is conventionally tapered, such that the diameter of the plan pot increases with distance from the base. The upper end of the plant pot is open to receive soil, in which a plant can root.

A problem exists that the combined weight of the plant pot and the soil therein can render the pot difficult to move. This problem is heightened for larger plant pots in particular, but it has been found that smaller plant pots can also pose a problem, for example when the soil has been watered. There are numerous reasons to move plant pots, for example to ensure that the plants receive a desired amount of sunlight/shade or else for display purposes. Accordingly it is not uncommon for gardeners to over-exert themselves when attempting to move plant pots, thereby causing injury, such as back pain or the like.

It is known that the base of the plant pot may comprise one or more drainage hole to allow excess water which is not held by the soil to drain from the plant pot.

Despite being provided primarily for the purpose of drainage, such holes can help to reduce the weight of the filled plant pot by ensuring that excess water is not retained. However, for deeper plant pots, the soil in the region of the base can become compressed and/or water logged in a manner that inhibits correct drainage.

One method used by gardeners to help facilitate correct drainage is to place stones, gravel or other fragmented solids at the base of the plant pot before tilling the remaining upper portion of the plant pot with soil for planting. The stones are incompressible and the voids between adjacent stones provide suitable pathways for the drainage of excess water from the soil above. However it will be appreciated that the weight of the stones themselves can be considerable and thus does little to alleviate the problems associated with the unwieldy nature of filled plant pots.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide means for reducing the weight of filled plant pots in use. It may be considered an additional or alternative aim to improve the drainage properties of a plant pot.

According to the present invention there is provided an insert for a plant container having a base and one or more upstanding walls depending from the base, the insert comprising a body having a peripheral edge shaped to contact an internal surface of the one or more upstanding wall of the plant container such that the body is spaced from the base, wherein the body is shaped to support a volume of soil thereon in use such that the soil is suspended above the base and the weight of the soil is transmitted to the plant container via the contact between the peripheral edge of the body and the upstanding wall.

The insert may be suspended above the base of the plant pot by virtue of its contact with the inner surface of the upstanding wall. A friction fit may be achieved between the insert edge and the upstanding wall of the plant pot.

The insert may thus create a void in use between the insert and the base of the container. This void therefore reduces the overall weight of the filled container since the entire container is not required to be filled with soil or other fragmented or particulate material in use. The insert also reduces the volume of soil, such as compost, needed. The inventor has determined that, particularly for deep plant pots or tubs, the lower portion is in fact not required to sustain plants growing therein in a majority of cases. Accordingly the insert can reduce wastage and cost for the gardener. In particular, the insert may avoid the need to fill and water regions of the plant pot to which plant roots do not extend in use. Thus, in addition to saving compost and reducing weight, the insert may also reduce the amount of water required.

Also the insert allows the height of plants within a container to be elevated such that the plants are better displayed, without the need for additional soil or other filler materials.

The present invention is advantageous in that the insert can be located in a conventional plant container such as a plant pot, which may have a substantially smooth wall surface. That is to say the plant container need not be modified or tailored to accommodate the insert. Instead the insert is configured to be self supporting by virtue of its resilience and its frictional contact with the side wall(s) of the container. Thus the insert need not be accommodated by any particular bespoke pot design, thereby saving cost to the end user and increasing the range

of applicability of the invention.

The body may comprise a thin walled structure. The material thickness of the body may be between 0.5 and 5 mm and typically between 0.5 and 2 mm. The material thickness of the body may be approximately 1mm.

The body may comprise, or consist of, a plastic material, such as a thermoplastic material. The body may comprise or consist of polyethylene, such as High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) or polystyrene such as compressed or High Impact Polystyrene (HIP), although other suitable plastic materials may be used.

The use of a thin-walled plastic insert is particularly beneficial since the material can bow of flex slightly in response to the weight of soil thereon. Thus a component of the force applied to the container wall(s) by the peripheral edge of the insert is in a radially outward direction from the centre (e.g. the central axis) of the pot. This helps to ensure a reliable contact and good frictional fitment between the insert and the pot.

The present invention may offer the advantage that no additional support between the insert and the base of the pot is required, such as for example a pedestal or leg formation to support the weight applied to the insert in use. Accordingly the insert can be of simple construction, such as for example a single piece, which enables efficient storage and/or distribution since the inserts can be stacked or otherwise stored with minimal volume. The avoidance of any other upstanding supporting formation aHows the inserts to be used in pots of varying depth.

The body may be formed by a moulding process, such as. for example, therrnoforming (e.g. vacuum forming) or injection moulding. The body may comprise a different material to that of the container.

The body, or at least a peripheral portion thereof, may be arranged to depend inwardly from the wall of container in a direction which is obliquely angled relative to the wall. The upstanding wall of the container may be tapered or angled in a conventional manner. The body, or at least a peripheral portion thereof, may be shaped such that it is deflected with respect to a horizontal plane or else a plane which is parallel to the base of the container in use.

The insert body may be angled about a central portion or axis. The body may be obliquely angled relative to a central axis. That is to say the body may extend outwardly in a non-perpendicular direction from its central axis. The body may be angled or deflected relative to its axis by between 65° and 85°. Accordingly, in use the body may be deflected relative to the horizontal plane, or else the plane of the base of the container, by between 50 and 25°. More preferably, that angle may be between 5°and boris0.

The body may thus be concave in shape such that it is arranged to open in an upward direction in use. The body may be arranged to receive soil therein in use.

The body may be generally disc-like, plate-like or dish-like in form. The body may comprise a central portion and one or more peripheral walls, which may be angled towards the central portion. The body, when viewed in section, may have opposing peripheral wall portions, which may depend outwardly from the central portion, and which may be opposingly angled. When viewed in section, each wall portion may be a mirror of the opposing wall portion.

The body may be a body of revolution and may be generally frusto-conical in shape.

The insert body and!or peripheral wall thereof may be substantially circular in form.

The insert may comprise one or more upstanding formations, such as a projection.

The upstanding formation may be located substantially at the centre of the insert.

The upstanding formation may comprise an upstanding node or hub formation formed in the material of the body. The upstanding formation may provide a grip portion, which may be upstanding from a concave side of the body.

The provision of an upstanding formation within the insert allows a user to grip the insert from above. This formation may be used to grip the body during insertion and positioning within a plant pot. The formation is particularly beneficial for removal of the insert when it is considered that the insert will be filled with soil.

Accordingly formation can be gripped to pull the insert and any residual soil out of the pot.

The removable nature of the insert allows the planting scheme to be readily and easily changed by a user, for example to accommodate the removal of bulbs after flowering, or else for otherwise changing the plants in the pot according to the season.

The insert body may have one or more openings therein. The opening(s) may be located towards a central region of the body. The openings allow drainage of water through the insert. The angular form of the body described above, in conjunction with the central opening(s) may provide for improved drainage such that any excess water is urged under gravity along the sloping wall portions of the body towards the opening(s).

The insert body may comprise one or more cut lines arranged about the centre of the body. The cut lines may comprise lines of weakness, such as lines of reduced material thickness, andlor may comprise one or more linear indentations or depressions, such as troughs, within the body. A plurality of substantially concentric cut lines of weakness may be provided. The cut line(s) may be arranged at a predetermined width, spacing or diameter dimension.

Thus a single container insert may be provided with a plurality of cut lines to allow the end user to cut the insert to a required size for insertion into a correspondingly sized container. The cut lines may comprise, or be accompanied by, visual indicia at the corresponding dimension, such as the container size or diameter for which it

is suitable.

The insert body typically has a width or diameter dimension which is larger than the width or diameter of the container base.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a plant container assembly comprising a plant container and an insert according to the first aspect.

Practicable embodiments of the invention are described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a three dimensional view from above of an insert for a plant container according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a three dimensional view from below of the insert of Figure 1; and, Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of an insert according to one embodiment of the present invention when in use within a plant container.

Turning firstly to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown an insert 10 for a plant container.

The insert 10 comprises a single body or member which is generally concave or dish-shaped. The insert comprises a body of revolution which is generally symmetrical about a central axis 12.

The insert has a concave side or surface 14, shown in Figure 1, and an opposing convex side or surface 16, shown in Figure 2. The concave shape of the insert is formed in that the body comprises an annular wall arranged about its central axis.

That wall extends generally outward in a radial direction from the axis 12. However the wall is deflected or obliquely angled relative to the axis 12 such that it is not perpendicular thereto. The interior angle formed between the annular wall and the axis 12 is between 60° and 85°. In this example, the angle is between 75° and 85° such that the angle of offset from a perpendicular alignment is between 5 and 15°, and typically approximately 100. This angular arrangement of the annular wall is substantially constant about the axis 12 such that the insert is generally frusto-conical in shape.

The annular wall and the insert body terminate at a peripheral edge 17, which is generally circular.

The insert 10 comprises a raised formation or protrusion 18 on its concave side 14. In this embodiment, the raised formation is formed as a protrusion within the material of the insert body. Accordingly the protrusion 18 is generally hollow and forms a corresponding recess 20 within the opposing side 16 of the insert. The protrusion 1 B and/or corresponding recess 20 may be generally circular in plan.

In this embodiment the protrusion is located at the centre of the insert. The protrusion takes the form of a domed formation although other forms are achievable according to the different manufacturing techniques discussed below, such as for example a generally cylindrical protrusion or else a protrusion having an overhang, flange or head formation thereon so as to further enhance the manner in which the protrusion can be gripped by a user.

A plurality of drainage holes 22 are arranged about the centre of the insert 10. The drainage holes in this embodiment are provided in an annular array about the centre of the insert. More particularly, the drainage holes are provided about the periphery of the protrusion 18. The drainage holes 22 may be substantially evenly spaced about and/or from the axis 12. The drainage holes in this embodiment are formed in the waU immediately adjacent the protrusion 18 although in other embodiments the holes could be formed at least in part in the side of the protrusion or else at a location spaced there-from.

The drainage holes are provided at approximately the lower-most region of the insert when viewed from the concave side 14. That is to say, the angled annular wall slopes generally in a direction towards the drainage holes 22.

An array of three or four or more drainage holes may be provided and in this example between six and ten holes are preferred. The drainage holes are generally quadrilateral (i.e. rectangular in plan) although other shapes, such as circular holes, may be provided.

Wahin the concave side 14, there are provided a plurality of cut lines 24. The cut lines 24 are arranged in an annular manner about the central axis 12 or protrusion 18 at predetermined diameters. Thus the cut lines comprise a plurality of concentric rings about the centre of the insert. The cut lines provide an indicator to the end user of varying different diameter or circumference measurements such that the end user can cut or otherwise sever the insert around or along the cut lines in order to provide an insert of reduced dimensions.

In this manner the end user can customise the insert to fit within a desired size of plant pot. Accordingly a single insert 10 can be manufactured according to the largest plant pot diameter or circumference for which it is intended but can also accommodate a range of plant pots of smaller size.

The cut lines 24 could in one example comprise a simple visual indicia or markings arranged as described above on the surface of the insert. However the cut lines in the example of Figure 1 preferably comprise lines of indentation or annular grooves or troughs within the material of the insert body. This helps the end user to accurately cut along or follow the lines when customising the insert to suit a pot of smaller diameter. The material thickness in the region of the cut lines may be substantially the same as in other portions of the annular wall of the insert such that the droves in one side of the insert have corresponding raised formations (e.g. rings) in the opposing side of the insert.

S

In an alternative example, as shown in Figure 1 and 2, the material thickness along the cut lines may be thinner than the wall thickness of the remainder of the annular wall. Accordingly the cut lines may represent lines of weakness, which may help to further ease the customisation of the insert by the end user. In such an example, it can be seen that the opposing side 16 of the insert may be substantially smooth andlor free from grooves or ridges of the type described above.

In further examples of the invention, the cut lines as described above could be provided in the convex side or else in both sides of the insert.

Each cut line is accompanied by indicia 26 of the size of plant pot to be accommodated by an insert of that size. In this example the indicia is provided as a measurement of the circumference of the cut line to which it corresponds. In alternative embodiments, the indicia could be a radius or diameter measurement.

The indicia 26 are preferably moulded into the insert body, although in other embodiments, they could be applied thereto, for example using adhesive labels or other marking means.

The insert described above is preferably a relatively thin-walled structured, typically having a wall thickness in the region of I to 5 mm and more typically in the range of 1 to 2 or 3mm. Plastic materials are preferred for the construction of the insert so as to provide the desired strength characteristics, whilst also allowing the insert to be cut as desired by the end user without special tools. Suitable polymer materials may comprise thermo plastic polymers. Conventional materials of suitable density such polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, ABS, acrylic or similar mouldable materials having the desired strength properties may be used.

The resilient properties of plastic materials are also preferred to allow a degree of flex upon insertion into a plant pot and thereby provide a good contact with the internal perimeter of the plant pot wall.

The insert may be manufactured using conventional moulding processes such as injection moulding or vacuum moulding. The cut lines may be formed by suitably arranged ridges in the mould tool. Similarly the indicia 26 may be formed by corresponding features in the mould tool.

The drainage holes may be formed by correspondingly shaped positive features which span the void filled by the plastic within the mould. Alternatively the drainage holes could be cut out after formation of the insert body as requited.

Turning now to Figure 3, there is shown a schematic cross section through a plant pot 28 having the insert 10 located therein for use. The plant pot 28 has a base 30, which is arranged to support the plant pot 28 and its contents on a generally horizontal support surface 32 or structure such that the plant pot 28 is upstanding in use.

The plant pot comprises an upstanding wall 34 which depends from the base and which is annular in form so as to define a hollow interior of the plant pot. The upstanding wall is angled relative to the base from a minimum diameter at the base to a maximum diameter at the open end 36 of the plant pot, which faces away from the base (i.e. upwardly in use). In this regard, the pot may be considered to be tapered towards its base. The pant pot also has a drainage hole 38 in its base! although this feature may not be present for other plant pots with which the insert 10 can be used.

The insert is sized such that its peripheral edge 17 engages the annular wall 34 about its inner periphery at a height which is part way between the base 30 and the open end 36. This contact is ensured by providing the insert with a diameter/circumference dimension which is greater than the corresponding pot dimension of the base 30 but smaller than the dimension at the open end 36.

Preferably the insert contacts the wall 34 at a height which is between one third and two-thirds or three-quarters of the height of the pot 28, although this may be varied according to the particular soil requirements to be accommodated. For example, the height of the insert may be adapted to accommodate shallower or deeper rooted plants. In one use, the insert could be positioned closer to the top of the pot, for example between 5 and 10cm from the open end of the pot, to accommodate plants being grown from seed, such as for example lettuces, or else for growing seeds from germination to be later transplanted.

The cut lines 24 and indicia 26 enable an end user to tailor the insert to fit the desired plant pot at a suitable height.

Once located as described above, the insert provides a raised or false bottom to the plant pot. Accordingly the volume beneath the insert 10 comprises an internal void. The region above the insert can be filled with soil to the desired depth for planting.

The insert may be oriented such that the axis 12 of the insert is substantially aUgned with a central axis of the plant pot.

The insert is designed to have strength characteristics such that it can withstand the weight of soil above it in use by virtue of its contact with the annular wall 34 of the plant pot 28 only and without requiring additional support from below.

Accordingly the insert 10 and soil thereon are suspended above the base 30.

In this regard the insert is sized to accommodate a maximum circumference of 130 cm. At this circumference, the plastic used to construct the insert can support the weight of approximately 30-50 cm of wet soil thereon. A slight increase in material thickness could allow larger circumferences, for example up to 200 cm or greater to be acconirnodated.

It is to be noted in Figure 3 that the annular wall of the insert 10 is angled with respect to both horizontal (i.e. a plane parallel with base 32 and/or support surface 32) and also the tapered walls 34 of the plant pot. The angle with respect to horizontal provides the insert with a depth dimension such that a body of soil is retained within the concave shape of the insert in use. The oblique contact angle with respect to the plant pot walls 34 helps to bias the peripheral edge of the insert against the wall and thereby retain the insert at the desired height under the internal stress forces caused by the weight of the soil thereon.

The insert can maintain the desired condition for prolonged periods of time with minimal sagging or degradation. When the soil is excessively watered, and water seeping through the soil can run down the inclined annular wall of the insert and through the drainage holes 22 to thereby prevent over-saturation of the soil.

When it is desired to remove or reposition the insert, the user can grip the protrusion 18 from above and pull the insert towards the open end 36 of the plant pot. This is particularly beneficial in that it does not require the pot to be completely emptied of soil or tipped on its side to retrieve the insert. The drainage holes 22 may provide formations which can be readily gripped about the periphery of the protrusion 18.

Whilst the embodiments described above concern an insert for a plant pot which is generally circular in plan, it will be appreciated that the principle of the present invention could be applied to other non-circular pots, such as those that are generally ovoid or elliptical or else polygonal, such as quadrilateral, in plan. In such embodiments, the annular wall and peripheral edge of the insert would be shaped accordingly. In embodiments in which cut lines are provided, those too would be shaped according to the desired contour of the plant pot. Accordingly the present invention could be tailored to suit a number of different styles or ranges of plant pot as necessary.

In a polygonal embodiment, the insert wall and peripheral edge would typically comprise a plurality of adjoining wall portions and corresponding adjoining edges.

In further embodiments, the nsert can be formed as a plurality of components, such as, for example, comprising both a thin walled structure similar to that described above that could be used in conjunction with one or more supporting rod or bar members arranged to strengthen the insert, Such supports could be arranged beneath the thin walled body structure and could comprise a frame-like support.