US20050067315A1

US20050067315A1 - Box-type pot made of fired clay and similar materials for optimized stackings

Info

Publication number: US20050067315A1
Application number: US10/474,466
Authority: US
Inventors: Giovanni Masello
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-04-13
Filing date: 2002-04-12
Publication date: 2005-03-31
Also published as: EP1379121B1; WO2002082885A1; EP1379121A1; DE60205603D1; ATE301922T1; ITVI20010017U1; DE60205603T2

Abstract

Box-type pot made of fired clay and similar materials for optimized stacking, to be use in particular for growing ornamental plants. Said pot comprises a bottom and side walls containing loam, the distinctive feature of which is that it comprises a base that solves the storage space problem found in known pots inasmuch as it enables storage facilities, containers and the loading spaces of vehicles used for shipping to be used as efficiently as possible.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a box-type pot made of fired clay and similar materials for optimized stacking, to be use in particular, but not exclusively, for growing ornamental plants. From prior art traditional box-type pots with an approximately rectangular plan shape are known. These pots comprise a bottom and four side walls containing the loam in which one or more plants are planted. Substantially square pots are also known, called baskets, cubes and squares consisting of a bottom and of four side containing walls. Optimization of the storage and shipping phases is a matter of primary importance for the companies that operate in the sector. In fact, in order to minimize the costs arising from these phases the pots have to be stacked in such a manner as to make the most efficient use of the space available in the storage facilities, in the loading spaces of the vehicles and in the shipping containers.
Today, this problem is partially solved. In fact, only pots having a square plan are stacked one inside the other. This system of stacking is made possible by a foot formed at the bottom and turned towards the mouth of each pot, said foot preventing the stacked pots from getting jammed into one another. Another system of stacking earthen pots one into another is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,971,075. It teaches a frustum of cone pot provided with an inner shoulder adapted to receive and support the bottom of another pot which may be nested within the pot.
Even today, the box-type pots are stacked in superimposed pairs so that the mouths of the pots of each pair face each other. The waste of vertical space using this method of stacking is obvious, and results in greater storage and shipping costs, thereby significantly increasing the price to the public of such pots. Furthermore, stacking one box-type pot in another is not currently practicable because the pots tend to jam into one another, thereby greatly increasing the probability of their being broken by blows and vibrations.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The main aim of this invention is to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above that arise from the stacking of box-type pots in the known manner by making a box-type pot in fired clay and similar materials for optimized stacking in order to exploit as efficiently as possible, for example, storage facilities, containers and loading spaces of transport vehicles.
Within the scope of said aim, an object of the invention is to produce a pot at an overall lower cost than the cost of known pots, thereby significantly lowering the price to the public and simultaneously increasing the profit margin. This aim, and this object and other objects that will be better explained below, are achieved by a box-shaped pot in fired clay and similar materials for optimized stacking comprising a bottom and side walls containing loam, the distinctive feature of which is that it comprises a base that is raised with respect to said bottom and is bounded by said walls on which the bottom of another stacked pot rests.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of the embodiments shown only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying three drawings tables, in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view from above of a first embodiment of the pot according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a section, taken along the plane II-II of FIG. 1, of the embodiment of the pot of the preceding figure;
FIG. 3 is a plan view from above of a second embodiment of the pot according to the invention;
FIG. 4 is a section, taken along the plane IV-IV of FIG. 3, of the embodiment of the pot of the preceding figure;
FIG. 5 is a plan view from above of a second embodiment of the pot according to the invention;
FIG. 6 is a section, taken along the plane VI-VI of FIG. 5, of the embodiment of the pot of the preceding figure; and
FIG. 7 is a sectioned side view of a plurality of pots according to the invention, which are stacked.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the attached drawings the embodiments of the pot 8 comprise, according to the prior art, a bottom 9 and four side walls 10 containing loam for one or more ornamental plants (not shown). The distinctive feature of the pot 8 is a base that is raised with respect to the bottom 9 and is bound by the walls 10, said base acting as a rest for the bottom of another stacked pot. Said base consists of a plurality of supports obtained at the same level that protrude inside the side walls, each of which provides a flat plane facing the mouth of the pot. More specifically, in the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, said base is formed by four supports 11 arranged in the internal corners formed by the walls 10.
With reference to the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, said base is formed by six supports 12, of which four are arranged in the internal corners formed by the walls 10 and two are approximately on the center line of the long walls 10.
With reference to the third embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, this base consists of a pair of supports 13 arranged along the short walls 10. FIG. 7 shows the manner of stacking the pots 8 obtained according to this last embodiment. The bottom 9 of each superimposed pot 8 rests on the base formed by the flat faces of the supports 13 of each pot 8 underneath. This manner of stacking extends to the other two embodiments of the pots 8.
It has in effect been established that the pot achieves the preset aim and the preset objects inasmuch as it enables the stores, containers and loading spaces of the transport vehicles to be exploited as efficiently as possible in a space saving manner. In addition, the pot can be made at overall costs that are lower than the costs of the known pots, which significantly reduces the sales price to the public and simultaneously increases the profit margin. It is understood that the effects of the patent extend to the embodiments described, illustrated and claimed because they achieve the same utility since they use the same innovative concept. Any type of material and various dimensions may be used in the practical embodiment, according to requirements.

Claims

1. Box-type pot in fired clay and similar materials for optimized stacking comprising a bottom and side walls containing loam, a base that is raised with respect to said bottom and is bounded by said walls on which the bottom of another stacked pot rests wherein said base comprises a plurality of supports on the same level.

2. Pot, according to claims 1, wherein said supports protrude from the inner surface of said walls.

3. Pot, according to claim 1, wherein each of said supports comprises at least one flat face facing the mouth of said pot.

4. Pot, according to claims 2, wherein said supports are arranged at the internal edges formed by said walls.

5. Pot, according to claims 2, wherein said supports are arranged at said edges and at the center line of the long walls.

6. Pot, according to claims 2, wherein said supports are arranged along the short walls.