WO1995031894A1

WO1995031894A1 - Adjustable prop assembly

Info

Publication number: WO1995031894A1
Application number: PCT/CA1995/000278
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pierre Vignau; Eric Fournier
Original assignee: Promotions Map (R/D) Inc.
Priority date: 1994-05-19
Filing date: 1995-05-10
Publication date: 1995-11-30
Also published as: CA2123975A1; AU2403895A

Abstract

Disclosed is an adjustable prop assembly (1) for upwardly holding plants. The assembly includes elongated sections (3) detachably connectable end to end to form a vertical prop, and a height adjustable support (5) detachably insertable onto and slidable along the prop. The height adjustable support (5) includes fixation elements (13) fixing the support to the prop at a given height, and an attachment element (15) connected to the fixation elements for attaching the plant to the support (5). The adjustable prop assembly (1) may also be used in combination with a prop supporting device (27) which rigidly holds the adjustable prop assembly (1) when it is driven into a ground mixture in a container.

Description

ADJUSTABLE PROP ASSEMBLY

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

a) Field of the invention

The present invention relates to an adjustable prop assembly for use to keep a plant in a vertical position. The invention also relates to the combination of the adjustable prop assembly with a prop support device, like the one described in U.S. patent no. 5,263,279, for firmly holding upright plants in containers.

b) Description of the prior art

All plants are affected by the light they receive and tend to orient themselves into the direction of the incoming light. As a result, it is difficult to grow a perfectly vertical plant. Also, some varieties of plants have stems too weak to support the weight of their branches and leaves, thus fold back on themselves.

To solve these problems, props are planted near the plant for holding it in a vertical position. One of the problems encountered with props is that it does not grow with the plant, and has to be changed every once in a while to follow the growth of the plant. Another problem lies in the installation and the adjusting of the attachments to the prop, which often requires the use of tools. A further problem is to solidly install a prop in a small container into which plants are set, since the prop can not be inserted deep enough to be solid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a prop assembly that can be adjusted to follow the growth of a plant, that can be used with all sizes of plants, and that does not require tools for adjusting its attachments.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination whereby the above adjustable prop assembly can be solidly secured to a container for holding upright a plant in such a container.

In accordance with the invention, these objects are achieved with an adjustable prop assembly (1) for supporting in a substantially vertical position a plant, said assembly comprising a vertical prop to which said plant can be attached, characterized in that:

(a) said prop comprises at least two elongated sections (3) detachably connectable end to end to form a vertical prop; and

(b) at least one height-adjustable support (5) is detachably insertable onto, and slidable along said prop, said at least one support comprising: fixation means (13) for fixing said support to said prop at at least one given height; and attachment means (15) connected to said fixation means for attaching said plant to said support (5) and thus to said prop.

Preferably, each elongated section has one end provided with a male connector and another opposite end provided with a female connector sized to receive a male connector of another section.

Preferably also, the adjustable prop assembly is used in combination with a prop supporting device for rigidly holding the prop when it is driven into a ground mixture in a container having an upper rim, the support device comprising: an elongated member; prop-fastening device attached to an extremity of the member for holding substantially vertically the prop when the prop is set in the ground mixture; and attaching unit for detachably mounting the elongated member onto the upper rim, the attaching unit comprising: a sleeve for slideably receiving the elongated member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rim; locking element for detachably locking the member with the sleeve, the locking element detachably locking the member consisting of a pawl and notch system comprising a pawl operatively associated with the sleeve and a notch being part of a series of spaced apart notches made in the member; and clipping element for detachably fixing the sleeve to the rim.

The objects, advantages and other features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non restrictive description of preferred embodiments thereof, given for the purpose of exemplification only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an adjustable prop assembly according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional side elevation view of the adjustable prop assembly of Figure 1, showing one height adjustable support;

Figure 3 is a partial perspective view of the adjustable prop assembly of Figure 1, installed on a plant;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the adjustable prop of Figure 1, used in combination with a prop supporting device;

Figure 5 is a side elevation view of the combination of Figure 4, installed on a plant in a container;

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of an adjustable prop assembly according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention; and Figure 7 is a perspective view of the adjustable prop assembly of Figure 5, installed on a plant.

DESCRIPTION OF TWO PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown an adjustable prop assembly 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention, for holding upwardly plants.

This adjustable prop assembly 1 comprises a plurality of identical elongated sections 3, two of which are shown, and one or more height adjustable support 5. The sections 3 are detachably connectable end to end. For this purpose, each of them has one end provided with a central hole acting as a female connector 7, and a second opposite end provided with a coaxial stem acting as a male connector 9. The female connector 7 of each section is sized to receive and hold the male connector 9 of another section 3.

The connected sections form a vertical prop 2. As can be appreciated, the height of the prop 2 can be easily adjusted to the height of the plant 17 to be supported by using additional sections 3.

As is shown, each of he sections 3 has a plurality of spaced apart notches 11. The notches 11 are preferably equally spaced. Thus when the sections 3 are connected in line, the notches 11 form a continuous series of equally spaced notches .

The height adjustable support 5 is detachably insertable onto the prop 2, and is slidable along the same. It comprises fixation means 13 for fixing the support 5 to the prop 2. The support 5 also comprises an attachment means 15 connected to the fixation means 13 for supporting a plant 17 (see Figure 3).

As shown on Figures 2, 3 and 4, the fixation means 13 comprises a base 19 provided with an eccentric through-bore and a projecting wall 20 upwardly projecting from the base

19. The base 19 has an inner inferior lip 21 protruding from a border of the bore, opposite to the projecting wall 20. The base 19 also has a groove-defining outer inferior lip 25. The outer inferior lip 25 is sized to receive and hold the attachment means 15. The projecting wall 20 has an inner superior lip 23, opposite to the inner inferior lip 21 and spaced apart from it. The inner inferior lip 21 and the inner superior lip 23 are sized and positioned in such a manner as to fit into two different notches 11, and preferably into two adjacent notches 11 as shown in Figure 2.

As can be appreciated, the fixation means 13 remains "locked" into the notches 11 on the prop 2. As soon as it is positioned in front of the selected notches, a cantilever action (shown with an arrow in Figure 2) keeps the lips 21 and 23 engaged into corresponding notches 11.

The attachment means 15 is sized to surround the plant 17 and is held in position by squeezing it into the outer inferior lips 25. The attachment means 15 may consist of a thick rubber band, as shown on Figure 1, or of a rigid hook having as shown on Figure 3.

The height adjustable support 5 may consist of one unit made in a rigid plastic material, but it could also consists of a plurality of parts connected to each other.

In use, when the support 5 is inserted on the prop 2, its position is adjusted by lifting a portion of the base 19 opposite to the bore. This prevents the inner inferior lip 21 and the inner superior lip 23 from engaging in any of the notches 11, and thus allows sliding of the support 5 along the prop 2 to a desired position. Upon releasing of the portion of the base 19, gravity pulls downward the base 19 as shown with the arrow in Figure 2, and causes the inner lower lip 21 to engage a facing notch while the inner superior lip 23 engages another notch.

In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 6 and 7, the prop sections 3 do not have notches 11, and the fixation means 15 consist of a flexible binder 45 provided with two opposite bores sized to receive the prop 2, and with two open tongues 47 sized to receive and hold the attachment means 15. The flexible binder 45 can be inserted onto the prop 2 by pressing it in such a manner that the opposite bores get pressed against one another, and by sliding the bores of the pressed binder 45 along the prop 2 to the desired position. The flexible binder 45 is preferably made in a flexible material that cannot glide on the sections 3. Once again, the attachment means 15 may consist of a thick rubber band sized to surround the plant 17 and having extremities squeezed in the open tongues 47. To adjust the position of the binder 45, the rubber band can be released from the open tongues 47, and the flexible binder 45 can be squeezed and slid along the prop 2 to the desired position.

Whatever be the embodiment, the sections 3 and the support device 27 are preferably made in a rigid plastic. However, they could also be made of any other material that is not altered by water and dirt. Also, whatever be the embodiment, the assembly 1 may either be driven into a ground mixture, or be inserted and held into a bore forming part of a prop supporting device 27 which are nu beed 27, shown in Figures 4 and 5. This partidular device 27 is intended to be used for supporting a prop 2 when the plant 17 is into a container 29 having an upper rim 31. As is shown, the prop supporting device 29 comprises an elongated member 33, prop-fastening means 35 and attaching means 37. An upper face of the elongated member 33 is provided with a plurality of spaced apart notches 43.

The prop-fastening means 35 holds substantially vertically the prop 1 when it is set in the ground mixture located in the container. The elongated member 33 holds in the prop-fastening means 35, and the attaching means 37 is used to detachably mount the elongated member 33 onto the upper rim 31 of the container 29. As is shown, the prop-fastening means 3^'5 is attached to an extremity of the elongated member 33. It preferably consists of a through bore made at one end of the elongated member 33, and sized to receive the prop. Alternatively, it could consist of an adjustable grasp connected to the elongated member 33.

The attaching means 37 comprises a sleeve 39. It also comprises means consisting of a resilient pawl 38 that is iritefrated to the sleeve 39 and positioned to engage the notches 43 of the elongated member 33 for detachably locking the same within the sleeve 39. The attaching means 37 further comprises clipping means 41 for detachably fixing the sleeve 39 to the rim 31.

The sleeve 39 slideably receiveis the elongated member 33 and holds it in a direction perpendicular to the rim 31.

As aforesaid, the adjustable prop assembly according to the invention is easily adjustable in height and thus can follow the growth of the plant or be used with all sizes of plants. Moreover, it does not require tools for adjusting it.

The adjustable prop assembly according to the invention can also be used for plants in containers, since it can be solidly secured to the container with the prop supporting device that has been described. Although the present invention has been explained hereinabove by way of preferred embodiments thereof, it should be pointed out that any modifications to these preferred embodiments, within the scope of the appended claims, are not deemed to change or alter the nature and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An adjustable prop assembly (1) for supporting in a substantially vertical position a plant, said assembly comprising a vertical prop to which said plant can be attached, characterized in that:

(a) said prop comprises at least two elongated sections (3) detachably connectable end to end to form a vertical prop; and (b) at least one height-adjustable support (5) is detachably insertable onto, and slidable along said prop, said at least one support comprising: fixation means (13) for fixing said support to said prop at at least one given height; and attachment means (15) connected to said fixation means for attaching said plant to said support (5) and thus to said prop.

2. An adjustable prop assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that each elongated section (3) has one end provided with a male connector (9) and another opposite end provided with a female connector (7) sized to receive a male connector of another section.

3. An adjustable prop assembly as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each of said sections has a plurality of notches (11) spaced apart along the same, and characterized in that said fixation means (13) comprises a base (19) provided with a bore located near a periphery of said base, a projecting wall (20) upwardly projecting from a portion of said base, an inner inferior lip part (21) of a border of said bore, an inner superior lip (23) opposite to said inferior lip (21) and part of said projecting wall (20) , said inferior lip (21) and superior lip (23) being sized and spaced apart to fit into two different notches (11) of said sections, and at least one outer inferior lip (25) on said base for receiving said attachment means (15) , whereby, upon lifting of a portion of said base opposite to said bore, said lips stand out of said notches and said support is free to be slid along said sections and, upon releasing of said portion of said base, gravity produces a cantilever action causing said inner lower lip and said inner superior lip to engage in two different notches.

4. An adjustable prop assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said attachment means (15) consists of a rubber band sized to surround said plant, said rubber band having extremities squeezed into said at least one outer inferior lip.

5. An adjustable prop assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said attachment means (15) consists of a hook sized to surround said plant, said hook having an arm squeezed into said at least one outer inferior lip.

6. An adjustable prop assembly as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said fixation means (13) consists of a flexible binder (45) provided with opposite bores and open tongues (47) , said flexible binder (45) being inserted onto said prop by pressing the flexible binder in such a manner that said opposite bores are pressed against one another, and then by sliding said bores along said prop, said two open tongues (47) holding said attachment means

(15).

7. An adjustable prop assembly as described in claim 6, characterized in that said binder is made in a non-slippery material that adhere to said prop.

8. An adjustable prop assembly as described in claim 7, characterized in that said attachment means (15) consists of a rubber band sized to surround said plant, said rubber band having extremities squeezed into said opened tongues (47) .

9. The combination of an adjustable prop assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, with a prop supporting device (27) for rigidly holding said prop when said prop is driven into a ground mixture in a container having an upper rim, characterized in that said support device comprises: an elongated member (33) ; prop-fastening means (35) attached to an extremity of said member for holding substantially vertically said prop when said prop is set in said ground mixture; and attaching means (37) for detachably mounting said elongated member onto said upper rim, said attaching means comprising: a sleeve (39) for slideably receiving said elongated member (33) in a direction substantially perpendicular to said rim; means for detachably locking (38, 43) said member with said sleeve, said means for detachably locking said member consisting of a pawl and notch system comprising a pawl operatively associated with said sleeve and a notch being part of a series of spaced apart notches made in said member; and clipping means (41) for detachably fixing said sleeve to said rim.