GB2406030A

GB2406030A - Vertical planter

Info

Publication number: GB2406030A
Application number: GB0321800A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Steven William Keens
Original assignee: UNIVATE Ltd
Current assignee: UNIVATE LIMITED
Priority date: 2003-09-17
Filing date: 2003-09-17
Publication date: 2005-03-23
Also published as: GB0321800D0

Abstract

The planter comprises an outer wall (2) and an inner receptacle (5) and chamber (6) formed between outer wall (2) and the inner receptacle (5). In use, the chamber (6) is filled with soil or compost and plants are planted through the apertures (4) in the outer wall (2). The inner receptacle (5) has spaced apart apertures (11, 13, 15, 16) of different sizes spaced along its length, with the larger apertures being towards the top. There may be a greater number of apertures at the top of the inner receptacle than near the bottom (fig 4) or there may be one aperture in the receptacle which has a greater cross sectional area near the top of the receptacle than at the bottom (fig 5). All these arrangements are configured to allow even watering when the receptacle is filled with water.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO A PLANTER" THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to a planter and more particularly relates to a planter for use in an upright position.

It has been proposed to provide a planter to be used in an upright position to allow plants to be grown out of apertures in the side of the planter.

Upright planters of this type are normally either of rigid construction and are free standing (e.g. strawberry pots) or constructed from a flexible material, such as plastic sheet material and suspended.

Conventional upright planters suffer from poor performance due to the fact that there is only a relatively small surface area of soil at the top of the planter available for watering. After the planter has been watered, the water drains through the soil to the bottom of the planter. This does not provide each plant on the planter with an equal amount of water, as plants nearer the top will be left with dry soil in comparison with plants at the base which will have too much water, as it collects at the bottom.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved planter.

According to the present invention, there is provided a planter comprising a receptacle having a base connected to an outer wall, there being an inner receptacle having an inner wall, a chamber being formed between the outer wall and the inner receptacle, the outer wall having a plurality of apertures at different heights above the base leading from the chamber to the exterior of the planter, the inner wall having at least one aperture to allow water to flow from the inner receptacle to the chamber, the aperture or apertures in the inner wall having a cross sectional area such that the area of the aperture or apertures in a first predetermined region of a predetermined size of the inner wall is greater than the area of the aperture or apertures in a second lower predetermined region of the inner wall of said size.

Preferably, in the first predetermined region there is at least one aperture larger than that of one of the aperture or apertures in the second lower predetermined region.

Conveniently, there are a plurality of discrete apertures in each region and there being a greater number of apertures in the first predetermined region than the second predetermined region.

Advantageously, the aperture or apertures is one or more slits of a width that increases with increasing height above the base and extends through the predetermined regions on the inner wall.

Preferably, the inner receptacle is mounted on part of the base.

Conveniently, the inner receptacle is suspended from the top of the planter.

Advantageously, the inner wall is flexible.

Preferably, a funnel is connected to the upper part of the inner wall.

Conveniently, a removable cap closes the top of the inner receptacle.

Advantageously, a frustoconical support supports the base of the planter.

Preferably, the frustoconical support is dimensioned so that when removed it will engage the top may of the planter to act as a hopper.

Conveniently, the planter is provided with a mount to suspend the planter.

Advantageously, the outer wall is of frustoconical shape, the inner receptacle being removable.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic perspective side view of the outer wall of a planter in accordance with the invention, FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the planter, with the apertures shown in phantom, FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic perspective side view of the planter, with the outer wall cut away to show an inner receptacle, FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic perspective side view of a planter which is a second embodiment of the present invention, with the outer wall cut away to show the inner receptacle, FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic perspective side view of a planter which is a third embodiment of the present invention, with the outer wall cut away to show the inner receptacle and, FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic side view of a frustoconical support which may be associated with the base of a planter, as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5.

Figure 1 shows a side view of a planter, which comprises a receptacle 1 with an outer wall 2. The outer wall 2 is of cylindrical tubular construction.

However, it may also be constructed from a tube of non-uniform radial diameter, for instance a rectangular, or hexagonal section tube. The receptacle 1 incorporates a base 3 provided at the lower end of the outer wall 2, within the outer wall 2. The lowermost surface of the base 3 is flat so that the planter may be stored in a stable condition on the base.

There is a chamber within the outer wall 2. A plurality of apertures are provided in the outer wall 2 of the receptacle 1 at different heights above the base leading from the chamber to the exterior of the planter. In this embodiment there are five equiangularly spaced apertures at each level above the base.

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the planter, with no cover covering the top of the planter. An inner receptacle 5 is positioned within the outer wall 2.

The inner receptacle 5 is a rigid tube of circular cross section, however it may be constructed from a tube of non-uniform radial diameter. The apertures 4 in the outer wall 2 are shown in phantom. The chamber 6 is formed between the outer edge of the inner receptacle 5 and the inner edge of the outer wall 2.

In Figure 3 the cut away section of the outer wall 2 reveals the inner receptacle 5. A cap 7 is shown attached to the upper end of the inner receptacle as shown in Figure 3. The cap 7 is removable and does not need to be present to ensure correct operation of the planter. The inner receptacle 5 is attached (or possibly releasably attached) to the base 3 at point 8. However, the inner receptacle may be separate from the planter and not attached at point 8, but suspended from a spider, or hanging device (not shown) at the uppermost part of the planter. The inner receptacle may be constructed from a flexible material, but is preferably a rigid tube of uniform cross section.

The planter as shown in Figure 3 is equally divided into four notional vertically extending regions, each of the same predetermined size. A first predetermined region is shown to be at the upper part of the planter, and extends between the top 9 of the planter and line 10 (shown in phantom). In this first predetermined region of the planter an aperture 11 of a first area is formed in the outer wall of the inner receptacle 5. A second predetermined region is defined beneath the first region between lines 10 and 12 (shown in phantom), and a second aperture 13 of smaller area than aperture 11 is formed in the outer wall of the inner receptacle 5 within the second region. A third region is deemed beneath the second region between line 12 and line 14 (shown in phantom) and a third aperture 15, of smaller area than aperture 13, is situated in the outer wall of the inner receptacle 5 within the third region. A fourth predetermined region is defined beneath the third region between line 14 (shown in phantom) and the base 3, and a fourth aperture 16 of smaller area than aperture 15, is situated in the outer wall of the inner receptacle 5 within the fourth region.

Plants can be grown in the planter by filing the chamber 6 with soil or compost, and by pushing the roots of a plant through an aperture 4 and into the soil or compost in chamber 6. A funnel may be mounted on the top of the inner receptacle 3.

The plants are watered by filling the inner receptacle 5 with water. This is facilitated if the funnel is provided. The apertures 11, 13, 15 and 16 allow water to flow out of the inner receptacle 5 and into the soil or compost in chamber 6. The areas of the apertures 11, 13, 15 and 16 are selected so that substantially equal amounts of water will be delivered to the soil or compost in each predetermined region of the planter.

Because the apertures in the inner receptacle 5 become progressively larger as the height from the base 8 increases, the initial flow rate out of the higher apertures is larger than the initial flow rate out of the smaller apertures.

Water will only flow out of an aperture in inner receptacle 5 if the water level in the inner receptacle 5 is above that aperture. This means that as the water in the inner receptacle 5 falls the water only has a fixed amount of time to flow out of each aperture. In order for the planter to distribute the water equally across each of the predetermined regions the flow rate from the inner receptacle to the soil or compost must be progressively greater as the height from base 8 increases. This is achieved by the changing of the aperture area in the inner receptacle 5 along the longitudinal length of the planter.

Although only one aperture is shown in each region it is to be appreciated that there may be a plurality of apertures in each region. Similarly only 4 determined regions have been defined, and there may be a greater or fewer number of predetermined regions.

Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention in which the area of the apertures in each predetermined region is varied between each predetermined region by increasing the number of apertures in each region (each aperture has the same area). The predetermined region nearest the top of the planter has a greater number of apertures in the inner receptacle 5 than the predetermined region below it. The flow rate out of the inner receptacle 5 in all the predetermined regions is thus equal in each predetermined region. It is to be appreciated that although the apertures in the inner receptacle 5 are shown to be of the same diameter as each other, they may be of different diameters.

Figure 5 shows a third embodiment of the present invention in which a slit 17 forms an aperture in the outer wall of the inner receptacle 5. The width of slit 17 increases with increasing height above the base 3. The area of the aperture formed by the slit 17 is thus larger in the higher predetermined regions, than in the lower regions. It is to be appreciated that although only one slit is shown in Figure 5 a plurality of slits may be present in inner receptacle 5.

Figure 6 shows a frustoconical support 18 which may be attached to the base 3 of the planter to help support the planter in an upright position. The support 18 may be removed from base 3 and inverted and engaged with the top of the planter. The inverted support 18 will thus act as a hopper to aid with filling the planter with soil or compost.

Although so far the planter has only been described as a free standing planter, it may be provided with a mount for suspending the planter on, for example, a hook or a bracket. The mount may be in the form of an aperture to engage a hook, or may be in the form of a hook on the planter itself, to engage a bracket.

The outer wall 2 of the planter may be of frustoconical shape, to enable the planter (without inner receptacles) to be stacked, in order to save space.

In the present Specification "comprises" means "includes or consists of" and "comprising" means "including or consisting of".

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following Claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A planter comprising a receptacle having a base connected to an outer wall, there being an inner receptacle having an inner wall, a chamber being formed between the outer wall and the inner receptacle, the outer wall having a plurality of apertures at different heights above the base leading from the chamber to the exterior of the planter, the inner wall having at least one aperture to allow water to flow from the inner receptacle to the chamber, the aperture or apertures in the inner wall having a cross sectional area such that the area of the aperture or apertures in a first predetermined region of a predetermined size of the inner wall is greater than the area of the aperture or apertures in a second lower predetermined region of the inner wall of said size.

2. A planter according to Claim 1, wherein in the first predetermined region there is at least one aperture larger than that of one of the aperture or apertures in the second lower predetermined region.

3. A planter according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein there are a plurality of discrete apertures in each region and there being a greater number of apertures in the first predetermined region than the second predetermined region.

4. A planter according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the aperture or apertures is one or more slits of a width that increases with increasing height above the base and extends through the predetermined regions on the inner wall.

5. A planter according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the inner receptacle is mounted on part of the base.

6. A planter according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the inner receptacle is suspended from the top of the planter.

7. A planter according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the inner wall is flexible.

8. A planter according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein a funnel is connected to the upper part of the inner wall.

9. A planter according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein a removable cap closes the top of the inner receptacle.

10. A planter according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein a frustoconical support supports the base of the planter.

11. A planter according to Claim 10, wherein the frustoconical support is dimensioned so that when removed it will engage the top may of the planter to act as a hopper.

12. A planter according to any of Claims 1 to 11, wherein the planter is provided with a mount to suspend the planter.

13. A planter according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the outer wall is of frustoconical shape, the inner receptacle being removable.

14. A planter substantially hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

15. A planter substantially hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 3 as modified by Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A planter substantially hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 3 as modified by Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

17. A planter substantially hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 3 or 4 or 5 provided with a base substantially described with reference to and as shown in Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.

18. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein