NL1040402C2

NL1040402C2 - An ornamental pot for a plant.

Info

Publication number: NL1040402C2
Application number: NL1040402A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Antonius Johannes Wilhelmus Maria Ven
Original assignee: Antonius Johannes Wilhelmus Maria Ven
Priority date: 2013-09-23
Filing date: 2013-09-23
Publication date: 2015-03-24

Description

AN ORNAMENTAL POT FOR A PLANT

The invention is related to an ornamental pot for a plant, having a wall for surrounding soil containing the roots of the plant. In particular when used outdoor, such ornamental pot may have relative large dimensions, especially in order to be conspicuous. The height of the ornamental pot may be more than 1 meter, even more than 1.5 meter, whereby the transverse dimension is proportionally large. Also the plant in such ornamental pot can be proportionally large.

In case the material of the pot is substantially plastic, such ornamental pot is usually produced by means of a rotational moulding process. In such rotational moulding process, powder of the plastic material is inserted in a hollow mould en subsequently the mould is heated up and rotated in several directions in order to spread the melting pellets over the inner surface of the mould. After cooling down, the mould is opened in order to remove the manufactured product out of the mould.

In case a known ornamental pot containing a plant is placed outdoor, in particular at an unsheltered location, in many cases the plant appears to grow less beautiful than would be expected based on the weather conditions. Therefore, often is said that certain species of plants are less suitable for growing in an outdoor placed ornamental pot.

An object of the invention is an ornamental pot for a plant, having a wall for surrounding soil containing the roots of the plant, in which ornamental pot the grow of the plant is improved, in particular in case the pot is located outdoor in changing weather conditions.

Another object of the invention is an ornamental pot for a plant, having a wall for surrounding soil containing the roots of the plant, which pot is suited for more species of plants.

In order to comply with one or both these objects, the wall of the ornamental pot comprises two layers of different material being adhered to each other, wherein the inner layer is made of heat insulating material. In practice it has appeared that a plant growing in such ornamental pot shows a better condition than a plant growing in a conventional ornamental pot at the same location, in particular in case the pot and plant is subjected to changing weather conditions, for example substantial changing temperatures between night and day.

In case a plant is growing outdoor in the free soil outside a pot, the temperature of the roots of the plant is relative constant, even if the temperature above the surface of the soil is varying. However, if the plant is growing in an ornamental pot, the temperature of the wall of the pot will follow the environmental temperature. In particular when the temperature at day time is much higher than the temperature at night time, a main part of the roots of the plant will be subjected to large temperature changes. In the soil inside the pot most of the roots of the plant are growing in the direction of the wall of the pot. After reaching that wall, the roots will grow further along the wall, resulting in a relative large density of roots near the wall of the ornamental pot. Therefore, temperature changes of the wall will be followed by a main part of the roots of the plant..

Furthermore, if the outside colour of the ornamental pot is dark and the sun is shining on the pot, the outside surface of the wall will be heated up additionally to a higher temperature than the environmental temperature, due to the heat radiation of the sun. At night time, when it is freezing, the wall will cool down and follow the environmental temperature. So, a heat insulating shield at the inner side of the wall of the ornamental pot will protect the roots of the plant against such burdensome influences like freezing.

In a preferred embodiment, the inner layer of the wall comprises foam, whereby pockets of gas are trapped in the solid material of the inner wall of the ornamental pot. The foam has a good heat insulating effect and is light, while the solid outer wall protects the foam against damage. In general a light weight of the empty ornamental pot is an advantage when handling and storing the pot. When using the ornamental pot, the stability is obtained by the weight of the soil inside the pot.

In another preferred embodiment, material of the wall is substantial plastic. The plastic material of the outer layer of the wall may contain small quantities of additional materials in order to obtain a desired outside appearance of the ornamental pot. Small particles of ceramic or other materials can be added to the plastic of the outer wall. However, in another preferred embodiment, both layers of the wall consist of only plastic.

In another preferred embodiment is the average thickness of the outer layer of the wall less than 3 mm, more preferably less than 2 mm. A relative thin outer layer makes the ornamental pot light and it saves material. The strength of the ornamental pot can be obtained by the dimensional stability of the inner layer.

In another preferred embodiment is the average thickness of the inner layer of the wall more than 3 mm, more preferably more than 4 mm. The larger thickness of the inner layer provides for good heat insulation and for dimensional stability of the ornamental pot, because the inner wall is completely adhered to the outer wall.

The ornamental pot can be produced by means of a rotational moulding process, as it is described in publication EP-A-1422059. The moulding process comprises two stages. In the first stage the material for the outer wall is inserted into the mould, and after heating up the material is spread out over the inner surface of the mould by rotating the mould in different directions. After that, the material for the inner wall is inserted in the mould, which material is spread out in the heated mould over the outer layer and creates a foam layer adhered to the outer layer.

The invention will now be further elucidated by means of an example of an ornamental pot for a plant, having a wall for surrounding soil containing the roots of the plant, whereby reference is made to a diagrammatic and schematic drawing, whereby:

Fig. 1 shows an ornamental pot for a plant, partially in sectional view, and Fig. 2 shows a portion of the wall of the ornamental pot in sectional view.

The figures show only portions of the ornamental pot that contribute to the elucidation of the described embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows an example of an ornamental pot for a plant having a height of about 60 cm and a transverse dimension (diameter) of about 40 cm. the ornamental pot is rotational symmetrical around central line 1. At the upper side of the pot is an circular opening 2 for inserting soil and a plant (tree or flower) to grow in the ornamental pot. At the lower side of the pot is a hole 3, so that superfluous liquid can escape out of the pot. A sectional view of the wall 4 of the ornamental pot is shown at the right side of central line 1 in fig. 1. The portion of the sectional view of the wall 4 within circle 5 is shown in enlarged scale in fig. 2.

Fig. 2 shows the wall 4 in detail. Wall 4 is composed of two layers, an inner layer 6 and an outer layer 7. Both layers 6,7 are adhered to each other. The outer layer 7 is a relative thin solid layer of plastic material, having a thickness of about 1 mm. The inner layer 6 is a relative thick layer of about 5 mm. The material of the inner layer 6 is foam, that is to say plastic material containing a high number of gas pockets.

While the invention has been illustrated in the drawing and the foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are: 1. An ornamental pot for a plant, having a wall (4) for surrounding soil containing the roots of the plant, characterized in that the wall (4) comprises two layers (6,7) of different material being adhered to each other, wherein the inner layer (6) is made of heat insulating material. 2. An ornamental pot as described above, characterized in that the inner layer (6) of the wall (4) comprises foam. 3. An ornamental pot as described above, characterized in that the material of the wall (4) is substantial plastic. 4. An ornamental pot as described above, characterized in that the average thickness of the outer layer (7) of the wall (4) is less than 3 mm. 5. An ornamental pot as described above, characterized in that the average thickness of the outer layer (7) of the wall (4) is less than 2 mm. 6. An ornamental pot as described above, characterized in that the average thickness of the inner layer (6) of the wall (4) is more than 3 mm. 7. An ornamental pot as described above, characterized in that the average thickness of the inner layer (6) of the wall (4) is more than 4 mm.

Claims

Ornamental pot for a plant, provided with a wall (4) for enclosing soil containing the roots of the plant, characterized in that the wall (4) has two layers (6, 7) of different material that mutually are adhered to each other, the inner layer (6) consisting of heat insulating material.

Ornamental pot according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner layer (6) of the wall (4) contains foam.

Ornamental pot according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the material of the wall (4) is essentially plastic.

Ornamental pot according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the average thickness of the outer layer (7) of the wall (4) is less than 3 mm.

Ornamental pot according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the average thickness of the outer layer (7) of the wall (4) is less than 2 mm.

Ornamental pot according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the average thickness of the inner layer (6) of the wall (4) is more than 3 mm.

Ornamental pot according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the average thickness of the inner layer (6) of the wall (4) is more than 4 mm.