This invention relates generally to a pot-securing apparatus and a pot support system. More precisely, the present invention relates to a pot support system adapted to receive a pot therein to maintain the pot in a desired position.
It is desirable to grow plants, crops and trees culture in pot in a controlled environment. These pots need to remain in a predetermined position in order for the plants and trees to grow correctly. Pots are generally disposed on the ground in a vertical position where their openings are located in a direction adapted to receive rain and sprayed water to keep the soil moist and to ensure proper growth of the plant or the tree therein.
Pots that stand freely on the ground tend to fall on their sides. Plants, crops and trees cannot optimally grow when they are leaning horizontally on the ground. It is time-consuming to put them back in their vertical position manually. It is more difficult to keep the pot vertical when a high plant or a large tree is in the pot. A stick or a pole engaged in the ground is mandatory at some point to prevent the plant or the tree to fall on its side given the weight distribution above the pot.
Prior art pots holders are cumbersome because they, inter alia, have a significant footprint on the ground thus preventing high-density pots layouts on the ground. Prior art pots holders are also preventing easy circulation around the pots.
The height of the plants in the pots is also an issue with prior art pots holder. High plants in pots have a significant lever effect and are easily subject to the wind hence providing significant stress on the pot-holder.
Further, the wind can push the plants and the pots on their sides. Plants held in the pots can be lying on the ground and overheat or can be lying on protective geotextile that can burn the leaves of the plants.
Digging a pot in the ground to maintain it causes other issues because it is subject to freeze and thaw cycles that can extract the pot, or prior art pot supports, from the ground.
In view of the prior art it appears that improvements over the prior art is desirable to improve prior art pots and pot supports to maintain the plant in a vertical position.
The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a pot support adapted to be secured on the ground with a securing mechanism, the pot support is being sized and designed such that it can removably receive therein a pot that is maintained in a predetermined position thereof.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a pot support including a pot-receiving opening adapted to receive a pot therein to maintain a pot in a predetermined position in respect with the ground. The pot support being removably securable to the ground with a ground-engaging mechanism, for instance a screw-type securing mechanism, the pot support is preferably sized and designed such that it can removably receive therein a pot that is maintained in a desired position to allow proper growth of the plant, or the tree or other vegetable living matter, growing in the pot.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a series of independent pot supports adapted to be discretely positioned and secured on the ground to allow defining desired layouts of pot supports to receive respective pots with vegetal living matter therein.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a pot support having an outside periphery about the same size as the outside periphery of the pot it is adapted to secure to the ground.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a pot support including UV resistant material adapted to sustain significant sunlight for the significant duration of time without changing mechanical properties that would jeopardize the function of the pot support.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a pot support including colored material adapted to reflect or accumulate sunlight heat to provide the right temperature for the vegetal living matters in the pot to grow.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a spiral-like ground-engaging member adapted to secure a pot support on the ground, the spiral-like ground-engaging member being sized and designed such that it can removably secure and maintain the pot support in a predetermined position. The spiral-like ground-engaging member can illustratively be made of wire material having sufficient mechanical strength.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a pot support equipped with a spiral-like ground-engaging member adapted to receive and maintain a pot in a predetermined position on the ground.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a pot equipped with a spiral-like ground-engaging member adapted to receive and maintain the pot in a predetermined position on the ground.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a conical spiral-like ground-engaging member to improve the mechanical engagement of the ground-engaging member with the ground.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a pot support adapted to be secured on the ground, the pot support including an air chamber and ventilation openings communicating thereof that is material for controlling the temperature of the pot that is maintained in the pot support.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a pot support adapted to be secured on the ground, the pot support is provided with liquid (water) drain openings that are material for controlling the amount of fluid contained in the pot maintained in the desired position by the pot support.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a pot support assembly adapted to be secured on the ground with a securing member, the securing member being adapted to engage the ground to sufficiently secure the pot support to the ground with sufficient strength for holding in a desired position a pot with a plant or a tree therein. The securing mechanism can be configured to interact with the exterior of the pot support or with the interior of the pot support to secure the pot support to the ground.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a pot support adapted to be secured on the ground with an associated securing member adapted to engage the ground with sufficient strength that a pot with a plant or a tree therein is going to be maintained in a predetermined position by the pot support to properly collect water and sunlight thus ensuring proper growth of the plant or the tree therein; the securing member of at least one embodiment illustratively engaging the ground with a rotational movement or a translational movement.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a pot-securing member including a biased portion adapted to spring-load the pot support toward the ground to help prevent relative motions therebetween and provide a strong hold of the pot support.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a securing member tool configured to be operatively coupled to the securing member to engage the securing member in the ground.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a plurality of types and shapes of securing members configured to engage soils of different mechanical properties with sufficient strength to maintain the pot support to the ground. The securing member can be embodied, for example, with a rod and a corkscrew shaped ground engaging portion, or a screw-type thread.
At least one aspect of the invention with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a modular assembly of the securing member allowing for the interchangeability of the components of the securing member. The securing member can be assembled with parts of different shapes and sizes to configure the securing member for different situations and different needs. Modular elements include, inter alia, a pot support, a securing member, a ground-engaging member, a biasing member, a tool engaging member and a securing members installation tool. At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a of kit of pot support comprising a pot support, a securing member, a ground engaging member, a biasing member, a tool engaging member and a securing members installation tool. At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a kit of pot support comprising a pot support and a securing member.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a pot support adapted to be secured on the ground for receiving and maintaining a pot therein in a desired position in respect with the ground, the pot support comprising a pot support including a ground-securing member adapted to secure the pot support.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a kit of pot support comprising a pot support and a ground-securing member adapted to secure the pot support to the ground.
At least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, provides a securing member adapted to secure a pot support on the ground, the securing member comprising a ground engaging portion; a stem; and a biasing portion; wherein the ground engaging portion being adapted to be screwed in the ground, wherein the stem being adapted to connect together the ground engaging portion and the biasing portion, wherein the biasing portion is adapted to apply pressure to the pot support toward the ground, wherein the biasing portion is adapted to cover the bottom portion of the pot support and exercise its pressure all over the bottom portion of the pot support.
Other advantages might become apparent to the skilled reader of this patent specification in light of the text and appended drawings.
The present invention is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It may be evident, however, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in simplified format in order to facilitate the description of the present invention.
A general pot support 10 installation is illustrated in
A ground-engaging securing member 18 is used to secure the pot support 10 to the ground 14. The securing member 18 can be embodied in various fashions to provide the desired result without departing from the scope of the invention. The securing member 18 of the illustrated embodiment comprises a ground-engaging portion 26, a stem 30, a pot support contact member that can optionally be biased to apply pressure on the pot support toward the ground, the pot support contact member is going to be referred to as a biasing portion 34 hereinbelow, and securing member 18 further include a tool-engaging portion 38.
The securing member 18 illustrated in
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The bottom portion 42 of the pot support 10 can include a variety of openings 50, 54 therein. A securing member opening 54 adapted to receive the securing member 18 therein is provided in the pot support 10. The securing member opening 54 can also be used as a drain. Optional additional drains 50 are also defined in the pot support 10 to allow fluid drainage from the pot support 10. An exemplary set of openings layouts is depicted in
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The description and the drawings that are presented above are meant to be illustrative of the present invention. They are not meant to be limiting of the scope of the present invention. Modifications to the embodiments described may be made without departing from the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the following claims:
The present invention relates to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/834,941 filed Jun. 14, 2013, entitled POT-SECURING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF, incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61834941 | Jun 2013 | US |