GB2580286A - Improvements in plant nurturing and potting systems - Google Patents

Abstract

A plant nurturing and potting system comprising a pot 1 with two concave pot halves 7 and 16. The pot has screw securing means, preferably by means of a screw hole 9 and a screw hole in the corresponding half of the pot 18 ,which accept a shallow screw 19. A soil support preferably comprises a semi-circular base 20 on each half of the pot, which may releasably connect with a soil transfer disc 10. Preferably soil is filled around a soil tool (23, fig 8) to leave a planting space when the tool is removed. The pot may comprise minimum and maximum soil level indicators (fig 3B).

Description

PATENT APPLICATION OF

SAMSON NEVILLE SHELDON HINDS

FOR

IMPROVEMENTS IN PLANT NURTURING AND POTTING SYSTEMS

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the nurturing and re-potting of plants as they grow from early stage seedlings or cuttings.

Background

The use of plant pots to grow plants from seeds or cuttings and onto larger specimens is well known and dates back to the Egyptians.

A flowerpot, flower pot, or plant pot is a hollow container in which flowers and other plants are cultivated and displayed. Historically, and still to a significant extent today, they are made from terracotta. Flowerpots are now often also made from plastic, wood, stone, or also sometimes biodegradable material. An example of biodegradable pots are commonly ones made of heavy brown paper, cardboard, or peat moss in which young plants for transplanting are grown.

For seedlings starting in commercial greenhouses or poly tunnels, pots usually take the form of trays with cells, each cell acting as one small pot. These trays are often called flats. There are often holes in the bottom of pots, to allow excess water to flow out, sometimes on to a saucer that is placed under the flowerpot. The plant can use this water with its roots, as needed. Recently, some flowerpots have been made with an automatic watering system, using a reservoir.

Flowerpots have a number of uses such as transporting plants to new locations, starting seeds, patio and indoor cultivation of plants, and the growing of tender plants in colder regions indoors.

Plant containers are often provided in a single piece and due to them commonly being made of plastic the user may squeeze the flexible plastic to release the soil from the inside when wanting to remove the plant to re-pot or plant in the ground.

However, this practice is made far more difficult if the plant has roots extending through the drain holes in the bottom as the soil mass is hard to remove due to the roots attaching themselves to the pot base.

Further to this, if the pot is large and the plant has been in place for some time the thickness of the plastic pot can create a problem of removal and in many cases the user is forced to cut the pot with a sharp knife to break it apart and open it.

Further to this when removing plants or flowers from these types of pots, the roots can easily be damaged due to the excess work in having to try and remove the soil mass from the pot with the plant inside.

Therefore patent applications have been filed to attempt to provide a solution, including the following: This is shown in patent JP2003061474 (HTOMI) wherein a basic solution is shown as a two part plant pot which is held together using a group of rings which descend in size to accommodate the shape of the pot and to hold the two sides together. To open the pot and release the soil mass inside, the three rings are removed and the two halves separated.

Patent US637763 (BURKE) discloses a two halved plant pot with said parts held together comprising of two semi-circular straps of metal, which are hinged together and provided with fastening means at their free ends to unite the same. The strap extends upward from about the middle portion of each half or member of the band and each of such straps are provided at its upper extremity with a clamp, the function of which is to engage the rim of each part of the flower-pot.

Patent US2960799 (SCHNEIDER) discloses an expendable pot for plants, having side walls and a bottom comprising an assembly of two complementary, identical halves of flexible waxed paper split vertically and having interlocking means extending the full length of the split joint, said interlocking means comprising a strip of waxed paper attached to and spaced from one side of each half adjacent the joint forming a groove there between, said strip extending substantially outward.

Patent US07527851 (CASEY) Discloses an apparatus in combination with a conically truncated pot, including spaced shelis mounted within the pot underlying and in surrounding relationship relative to a soil core mounting a plant there within. The shells are defined by arcuate walls complementary to an interior surface of the pot and of a height substantially equal to an interior surface of the pot wall height. The shells each include a lower semi-annular rim to underlie the soil core, wherein the upper ends of the shells include rigid handles mounted to and directed exteriorly of the shells and the associated pot. The shells formed of a memory retentent flexible material are deformable upon downward rotation of the handles to separate the soil core and shells from the interior surface of the associated pot and to accordingly enable removal of the soil core by upwardly grasping the handles and removing the shells relative to the pot.

The prior art therefore shows that a need for a more effective delivery of a transferable planting system is required but which is more effective and less complex than some disclosed previously.

The present invention aims to provide an improved system to enable a person to have a three stage kit which has all required tools to nurture a plant from a cutting or seed and be moved using a tilting system onto larger pots as it grows ready to be planted in the ground or to a final pot.

Summary of the invention

According to the present invention there is provided a three stage plant potting system which begins with the smallest pot into which a seed or cutting may be grown in its earliest stages. This cutting is then transferred to the second stage pot when it has outgrown the first.

The first pot is in two halves, as are all said pots in the three stage system. This enables the soil mass in which the plant is growing to be very easily removed. The two halves of the pot are held together by a combination of an edge to edge slotting together of the pots forming a water tight seal and screw securing fixtures to the outer sides, as shown in the accompanying Figures.

Each half of the pot has a semi-circular base with drainage holes, which form a full round base when the two halves are fitted together. To the bottom of one half of the separated pot halves is a clip system, which is a short vertical column clip member which slots through a corresponding hole in a transfer disc.

The transfer disc is circular and has drainage holes which align and correspond with the holes in the two semi-circular base halves in each side of the pot. The drainage holes are not obstructed when the two said pot halves are together. The movable transfer disc is held by the clipping system and sits underneath the soil mass in the pot. As the two halves of the pot are separated, as shown in Figure 9, by removal of the shallow threaded screw to the sides of the pot which passes through a threaded hole in one side of the pot and the hole in the protruding tab in the other half, as shown, the soil mass to its centre remains seated on the transfer disc which is movably seated onto the base. The half of the pot which holds the soil mass it tilted backward and hand held and the other hand of the user is underneath the transfer disc and soil mass supporting it, as shown in Figure 10. This is then carried at a tilt over to the next pot of stage two. The soil mass and seedling plant is then easily removed from the pot interior by holding the transfer disc, unclipping it and moving it by hand and placing the transfer disc onto the edge of the opening in the soil which has been created in the second larger pot, as will be described hereafter.

The second pot is larger and also separates into two halves. When it is together forming one pot, with the slotting edges engaged together and the screw in place, soil is added to a minimum level of three inches, as shown in the Figures and further description. The levels for soil in pots two and three are marked clearly inside the pot, on both halves. These are shown as bands which indicate a minimum soil level and a maximum soil level, either printed as colour marking within the pots or pressed into the moulded plastic with accompanying wording such as: Min Soil Level, Max Soil Level.

Once the minimum of three inches of soil are placed within the bottom of the second pot, a tool is used to press the soil down lightly and compact it.

As shown with all measurements in Figure 6. This leaves three further inches of space above the minimum soil level in pot two. The tool is then placed into the centre of pot two, and fresh soil or compost is put in around the tool until the said soil fills the space around the tool to the maximum level indicator and pressed down lightly. The tool is then removed from the centre of the pot thus leaving a space which is slightly wider than the size of the soil mass from pot one, the said soil mass from pot one being the size of the interior of pot one.

Therefore, the soil mass and its plant from the first pot are carried in the pot half on a backward tilt, as in all stages, to prevent the soil from moving in transit and then slid toward the hole in the awaiting soil using the transfer disc. The soil mass is then inserted without any or very little hand to soil contact by way of the transfer disc into the now available hole in the center of the soil in pot two and lightly pressed down. This is then watered and kept in pot two to further grow.

Once the plant has grown sufficiently in pot two, soil is added to pot three to the minimum level of four inches, as in the first to second stage as aforementioned.

This minimum soil level is pressed down lightly to compact it and a second tool, which is larger than the first tool and of exacting comparable size to the soil mass in pot two, is used to press down the soil in pot three and is then placed centrally and the soil filling around the tool is repeated as in pot two.

The second tool is then removed leaving the hole in the soil into which the soil mass from pot two is again carried at a tilt, as aforementioned, in the pot half over to the third pot and the unclipped transfer disc is then taken by hand to move the soil mass and plant over to the rim edge of the hole in the soil in pot three and it then tipped and slid into the awaiting hole, with minimal or advantageously no soil to hand contact, once again. Because the pots two and three also have the semi-circular base half which protrudes from the half section, the soil mass can remain seated on the transfer disc which is clipped to the half base on that half of the pot, while it is being transported to the next. The pot half is simply slightly tipped backward and carried by the users hands.

Drainage holes are provided in the both pot halves which form the pot base when fitted together. This allows the water to continue to pass outward for drainage even when both halves of the pot are together as one piece. These holes are repeated in the transfer disc therefore.

Once the final pot, number three, has grown the plant to a size which is suitable for ground planting or further planting of other types, to include into large pots, the two halves of pot three are separated by the screw removal and the soil mass is carried on the transfer disc on the semi-circular base in the pot half, to be finally planted for further growth.

A tool is provided to unscrew the three different screw sizes for each pot and is designed as part of the kit, as shown in Figure 5.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the Patent Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved plant nurturing and potting system which has all the advantages of the prior art plant pots and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide e a new plant nurturing and potting system which may he easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved plant nurturing and potting system which is of durable and reliable construction.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved plant nurturing and potting system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labour, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such a product available to the buying public.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved plant nurturing and potting system which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while still simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and detailed descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention,

Brief description of figures

Figure 1A shows a dimensional view of the plant nurturing and potting system first pot separated.

Figure 1B shows a dimensional vie f the plant nurturing and potti first pot in assembled status.

Figure 2A shows a dimensional view of the plant nurturing and potting system second pot separated.

Figure 2B shows a dimensional view of the plant nurturing and potting system second pot in assembled status.

Figure 3A shows a dimensional view of the plant nurturing nd potting system third pot separated.

Figure 3B shows a dimensional view of the plant nurturing and potting system third pot in assembled status.

Figure 4A shows a plan view of an edge fitting which seals the pot halves together.

Figure 4B shows a plan view of a second optional edge fitting which seals the pot halves together.

Figure 4C shows two options for how the bottom of the pots seal together. Figure 5 shows a screw tool for the three stages of the pots.

Figure 6 shows all main components for the pot system including soil tools and suitable measurements.

Figure 7 shows the plant in as small sprouting seeds in the first pot. Figure 8 shows how to prepare the stage two plant using the tool. Figure 9 shows the stage one pot being separated by hand.

Figure 10 shows the soil mass being transported in the tilted pot half. Figure 11 shows how plant one is transferred into stage two.

Figure 12 shows the stage two completed plant ready to be re-potted. Figure 13 shows how to prepare the stage two plant using the tool. Figure 14 shows the stage 2 plant ready to be transferred.

Figure 15 shows how the tilt system works when transporting stage two to the next stage pot.

Figure 16 shows how plant at stage two is transferred into stage three pot.

Figure 17 shows the completion of the transfer stages with the plant in the final pot of the three stages.

Detailed description of figures

A typical embodiment of the plant nurturing and potting system pot is shown in Figure 1A. It comprises a pot 1 in tubed form, having an upper rim 2 and 5 which forms the two halves of the pot body, with concave pot half 7 and pot half 16. The pot has a tubed form with inner sides 3 and 6 and surfaces 8 and 17 which are planar.

The two halves of the pot slot together with female edge fitting 4 and a male edge fitting 13. A screw hole 9 and a screw hole in the corresponding half of the pot 18 accept a shallow screw 19, which is threaded to hold both halves 7 and 16 tightly together. This hole and screw ensemble may be provided on both sides of the pot.

The half round base 20 with rims 15 on both sides of the pot releasably connects with the transfer disc 10 and it seats down onto a clip member 11 via a clip hole 12. The transfer disc 10 and the half bases 20 have drainage holes 14 which are still enabled when the two halves of the pot are closed and the transfer disc 10 is seated down onto the clip member 11, as they all align when the pot is assembled. As shown in Figure 1A.

Figure 1B shows the first pot in assembled status. Figure 2A shows a dimensional view of the plant nurturing and potting systems second pot separated into two halves.

Figure 2B shows the pot at stage two 1A closed and held by two tightened screws 19A. The two half bases 20A are located together with aligned drainage holes 14A, as shown. The clip member 11A passes through the clip hole 12A in the transfer disc 10A. The minimum soil level 22 and maximum soil level 21 are shown inside the pots convex surface.

Figure 3A shows the third pot in separated status.

Figure 3B shows the higher minimum soil level 22B as found in pot three. There are also three screws 19B tightened, indicating that this is the stage three pot.

Figure 4A shows female fitting 4C and male 13C fitting on rim halves 2C and 5C, which form a tight seal when inserted together and held with said screw fittings (not shown) in Figure 4A.

Figure 4B shows the rim halves of the pot 2D and 5D with fitting edges 4D and 13D. These form a close seal when tightened by said screw fitting (not shown).

Figure 4C shows how the two bottom halves of the pot may seal together, with two examples shown.

Figure 5, C) shows a screw tool 30 which has screw tool ends 32 for the screw in stage one, 31 for stage two and 29 for stage three of the pots. Figure D) shows a side view of the tool.

Figure 6 shows all main components for the pot system including soil tools and suitable measurements.

Figure 7 shows the plant as small sprouting seeds 28 growing in the first pot surrounded by soil 24E.

In Figure 8 a soil tool 23 is used to compact the soil 24F at minimum level in a pot. The soil tool 23 is then placed on top of the minimum soil level as a filling template for further soil which is to be added in the space around the soil tool 25. The top of the soil tool 23 is always level or above the maximum soil level area 26.

Figure 9 shows the stage one pot being separated by hand.

Figure 10 shows how the tilt system works when transporting stage one to the next stage pot. The soil 17 is held in the tilted pot half 16G and the left hand supports the soil 17 on the transfer disc 10G.

Figure 11 shows how plant one is transferred into stage two pot 1H with the soil 17H being slid off the transfer disc 10H into the space inside the soil in the pot 24H Figure 12 shows the stage two completed plant ready to be re-potted.

In Figure 13 a soil tool 231 is used to compact the soil 241 at minimum level in a pot. The soil tool 231 is then placed on top of the minimum soil level as a filling template for further soil which is to be added in the space around the soil tool 251. The top of the soil tool 231 is always level or above the maximum soil level area 261.

Figure 14 shows the stage 2 plant ready to be transferred.

Figure 15 shows how the tilt system works when transporting stage two to the next stage pot. The soil 17J is held in the tilted pot half 16J and the left hand supports the soil 17J on the transfer disc 10J.

Figure 16 shows how plant at stage two is transferred into stage three pot.

Figure 17 shows the completion of the transfer stages with the plant in the final pot of the three stages.

Claims (13)

1. Claims 1) A plant nurturing and potting system arranged in use with three small to lame plant pots, each comprised of two concave halves with soil support and soil transfer, having tools for soil preparation and screw securing means, together defining a staged planting system.
2. 2) A plant nurturing and potting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the plant pots increase in size in three stages to accommodate the plants growth.
3. 3) A plant nurturing and potting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the potting system comprises pots that are in two halves which slot together.
4. 4) A plant nurturing and potting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein, a securing method comprises shallow screws.
5. 5) A plant nurturing and potting system as claimed in claim 1 and 4 wherein, threaded holes provided in both plant pot halves accommodate shallow screws.
6. 6) A plant nurturing and potting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein, soil support comprises a semi-circular base on each half of the pot and a transfer disc.
7. 7) A plant nurturing and potting system as claimed in claim 1 and 6 wherein, soil support uses a semi-circular base on each half of the pot and a transfer disc which have drainage holes.
8. 8) A plant nurturing and potting system as claimed in claim 1 and claim 6 wherein, a transfer disc has a hole for a male clip member.
9. 9) A plant nurturing and potting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein, a semicircular base has a male clip member.
10. 10) A plant nurturing and potting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein, soil preparation is comprised of a soil tool.
11. 11) A plant nurturing and potting system as claimed in claim 10 wherein, soil is filled around the soil tool to leave a planting space when the tool is removed.
12. 12) A plant nurturing and potting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein, soil preparation is comprised of minimum and maximum soil level indicators inside the pots convex surface.
13. 13) A plant nurturing and potting system as substantially herein described with reference to the figures.