GB2537685A - Supports - Google Patents

Abstract

A support 11 adapted to mount an object 12 on an upright post 13 comprises a holding part 14 to support the object and a post engaging part 15 comprising a single bent rod formation that, in use, takes a turn around the post and extends along the post in helical fashion. The support may be mounted to the post without accessing ether end of the post and is located lengthwise of the post by the frictional engagement effected by a load on the holding part, the holding part extending away from the post engaging part. The post engaging part may an inwardly directed nib that engages with the post. In use, the support may be used with one or more plant pot or plantpots or baskets.

Description

Supports This invention relates to supports, more particularly supports for plant pots, hanging baskets, bird feeders and such other items as might be disposed in or around a garden, patio or other area where there is an upright post or pipe (hereinafter post'), such as a drainpipe, that might be pressed into additional service or, indeed, any area where such a post might he provided.

Plant pot and table holders are known from US8006947B1 comprising coil/helix shaped stands that wrap around upright posts. These can have loops that hold a plant pot or are adapted to hold a table, that might have cup or beer can holders. Essentially, by wrapping around the post, the weight of the artefact holding part, especially when weighted by a filled plant pot, holds the stand frictionally to the post.

The stands of US8006947B1, which can be variously configured, are assembled from a number of components, an essential one of which is a coil member comprising a single complete or substantially complete helical turn of a rigid, though slightly flexible, thick wire or tube material, together with loops of like material as pot holders and other items held to the coil member by elbow and T-shaped couplers. The coil is sufficiently long in relation to its helical diameter -which is about the same as or slightly greater than a standard drainpipe or fence post -that it can be slipped onto the post with no, or little, stretching and held thereon by friction. To assure frictional hold, there is provided a nib that, under load, contacts the pipe or post with a small area, therefore high pressure.

Aside from constituting a manufacturing and inventory nightmare, and posing assembly problems, the principal component, the coil member, has a smallest dimension greater, by at least twice the thickness of the wire or tube from which it is fashioned, than the post for which it is intended. This is problematic for packaging, storage, display and shipping.

The present invention provides supports that are easier and less expensive to manufacture, and easier to deploy, and, in some embodiments, more compact for packaging, storage and transportation.

The invention comprises a support adapted to mount an object on an upright post, comprising a holding part adapted to support the object and a post engaging part comprising a single bent rod formation that, in use, takes a turn around the post and extends along the post in helical fashion whereby it can be mounted to the post without accessing ether end of the post and is located lengthwise of the post by frictional engagement effected by a load on the holding part, the holding part extending away from the post engaging part.

The holding part may comprise a loop, adapted to hold a plant pot, or a hanger for a basket.

The post engaging part may be one turn of a mathematical helix, i.e. uniformly curved around and along an axis. With such a configuration, a nib, as described in US8006947B1, may be provided better to assure good frictional engagement with the post, but the nib may be integrally provided by inturning the end of the post engaging part remote from the holding part and deploying the support with the nib uppermost whereby it is pulled against the post by the weight of whatever is supported. To avoid damage by such high pressure engagement, the nib may be covered, or, indeed, replaced, by a rubber or like high frictional coefficient end cap.

The post engaging part may, however, be square, viewed along its 'helical' axis, with transverse sections joined by an axially-extending section. US7275718 discloses a similar single bent rod formation, but without the helical aspect that allows it to be mounted to a post without accessing either end.

The single bent rod formation may actually be realised as a single bent rod. However, for packaging purposes, the post engaging part may be in two parts joined by a connecting member. The connecting member may comprise a straight sleeve member into which the parts fit securely. The sleeve member may be lengthwise split and opens up on introduction of the parts to grip them elastically, and the grip is enhanced under load. In this way, each component of a kit of parts from which a support may be readily assembled, without the need for tools, can be made to fit into a low profile package, such, in particular, as one that will fit through a standard letter box 268mm wide x 38mm deep, rendering it suitable for mail order. Such a pack will also make good use of retail shelf space, particularly in floor display stands.

US8006947B1 discloses, as mentioned above, stands that fit together using connectors, but these are T-shaped or elbow connectors, that are more costly, and more complex to assemble than straight connectors, and, in any event, does not break down the coil post engaging part, which is the part that requires most space in packaging and storage.

The straight sleeve member can incorporate accommodation for additional holding parts, which may be in the form of added parallel sleeves. Thus two or three loops or hangers may be supported in the same support.

Supports according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a plan view of components of a first embodiment; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the support of Figure 1, assembled and mounted to a post; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the support of Figures 1 and 2, on a post; Figure 4 is an elevation, to a larger scale, of a component of the support of Figures 1 to 3; Figure 5 is a plan view of the component of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a plan view of a component of a second embodiment of support; Figure 7 is a plan view of the second embodiment of support; and Figure 8 is a view of a third embodiment.

The drawings illustrate supports 11 adapted to mount an object 12 on an upright post 13, comprising a holding part 14 adapted to support the object 12 and a post engaging part 15 comprising a single bent rod formation that, in use, takes a turn around the post 13 and extends along the post 13 in helical fashion whereby it can be mounted to the post 13 without accessing ether end of the post 13 and is located lengthwise of the post 13 by frictional engagement effected by a load on the holding part 14, the holding part 14 extending away from the post engaging part 15.

The holding part 14 of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 7 comprises a loop, adapted to hold a plant pot, while that of Figure 8 comprises a straight rod with an upturned end 14a 20 which serves as a hanger for a basket.

The post engaging part 15 is equivalent to one turn of a mathematical helix, i.e. one uniformly curved around and along an axis. It is, however, square, viewed along its helical' axis, with transverse sections 15a joined by an axially-extending section 15b.

US7275718 discloses a similar single bent rod formation, but without the helical aspect that allows it to be mounted to a post without accessing either end.

The single bent rod formation can actually be realised as a single bent rod, as shown in Figure 3. However, for packaging purposes, the post engaging part 15 is in two parts joined by a connecting member 16, as seen in Figures 1 and 2. The connecting member 16 comprises a straight sleeve member into which the parts fit securely. The sleeve member 16 is lengthwise split and opens up on introduction of the parts to grip them elastically. In Figure 1, the parts are shown separated. Figures 4 and 5 show the connecting member 16 to a larger scale.

Configuration of the holding member in two parts, and substituting for a true helix, as shown in US8006947B1, a squared off design, facilitates a pack of components having a low profile for ease of delivery through a letter box, making the design particularly suitable for mail order, and, of course, requiring minimal shelf space for storage/retail display.

The straight sleeve member 16 shown in Figures 6 and 7 incorporates accommodation for additional holding parts, in the form of added parallel sleeves 16a and 16b. Thus two or three loops or hangers 14 can be supported in the same support 11. The sleeve member 16, with or without the additional sleeves 16a, 16b, can be extruded in plastics material or in aluminium.

Figure 8 shows the basket hanger version of holding part 14 to be loaded down by the weight of the basket, and it is seen that the post engaging part 15 is urged against opposite sides of the post 13 to hold the support 11 frictionally against sliding. To relocate the support 11 on the post 13, it is only necessary to lift the holding part 14 to ease off the pressure. The same is true, of course, for the embodiments illustrated in the other Figures, but has not been depicted thereon for clarity's sake.

In each case, the post 13 has been depicted as circular in section, as, for example, a drainpipe. However, the squared off design is also effective on a square section post such as a fencing post. Of course, a circular helix design could also accommodate both square and circular section posts, but is more difficult and costly to make, and, as noted above, does not have the same compact packaging facility as the squared off design.

Whilst described primarily with reference to supports for garden-oriented items such as plant pots and hanging baskets, the support may clearly be adapted to other uses, such as hanging garden or other tools, and, if sufficiently stout, bicycles.

Where posts -fence posts, drainpipes for example -may not be available, a stand post 20 of appropriate dimensions can be provided in a kit of parts from which a hat or coat stand might be fashioned or, perhaps on a smaller scale, supports for kitchen utensils or domestic lighting.

Supports may be adapted to fit on scaffold posts on building sites to hold, at easily adjustable levels, lighting, tools, paint pots and so forth. Easily adjustable retail display units could also be designed around supports according to the invention.

Claims (9)

1. Claims: 1 A support adapted to mount an object on an upright post, comprising a holding part adapted to support the object and a post engaging part comprising a single bent rod formation that, in use, takes a turn around the post and extends along the post in helical fashion whereby it can be mounted to the post without accessing ether end of the post and is located lengthwise of the post by frictional engagement effected by a load on the holding part, the holding part extending away from the post engaging part.
2. 2 A support according to claim 1, in which the holding part comprises a loop, adapted to hold a plant pot.
3. 3 A support according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the holding part comprises a hanger for a basket.
4. 4 A support according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the post engaging part comprises one turn of a mathematical helix, i.e. uniformly curved around and along an axis.
5. 5 A support according to claim 4, of which the end of the post engaging part remote from the holding part, has an integral, inwardly-directed nib that, under load, frictionally engages the post over a small area, therefore with high pressure, affording good frictional location of the support on the post.
6. 6 A support according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the post engaging part is square, viewed along its 'helical' axis, with transverse sections joined by an axially-extending section.
7. 7 A support according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the single bent rod formation is actually realised as a single bent rod.
8. 8 A support according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which, in the single bent rod formation, the post engaging part is in two parts joined by a connecting member.
9. 9 A support according to claim 8, in which the connecting member comprises a straight sleeve member into which the parts fit securely.A support according to claim 8 or claim 9, in which the sleeve member is lengthwise split and opens up on introduction of the parts to grip them elastically I I A support according to claim 8 or claim 10, in which he straight sleeve member can incorporate accommodation for additional holding parts in the form of added parallel sleeves.12 A support according to any one of claims 1 to 11, adapted to support two or three loops or hangers.13 A support according to any one of claims I to 12, configured as two or more components with a straight sleeve connector member, all of which fit into a package 268mm wide x 38mm deep.14 A support according to any one of claims 1 to 13, and a post.