PORTABLE GARDEN

Abstract

A lightweight portable garden container consists of a space frame that supports a flexible waterproof liner such that the floor of the flexible liner is elevated above the ground. The flexible liner includes a plurality of drain holes formed in the bottom surface that are attached to a manifold for collecting water draining from the flexible liner. The manifold drains into a closed reservoir which is attached to a pump that recirculates water from the reservoir back into to the container for irrigating the plants growing therein. The raised floor facilitates gardening at a comfortable level, while the recirculation system minimizes the amount of wasted water.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to portable containers, more specifically to portable containers for containing soil for the purpose of growing vegetables, flowers or other plants.

Portable garden boxes are well known in the art. Gardening is a popular pastime in both urban and rural areas and portable garden boxes enable a garden to be established quickly in areas that otherwise would not support a garden. Portable garden boxes with raised floors permit the garden surface to be raised to a convenient level for gardening without stooping or bending over for protracted periods of time, however, the raised floor necessitates the garden box be of heavier construction to support the raised floor, thus adversely impacting the portability of the garden box. In arid regions of the world it is also important to conserve water as much as possible. Establishing a proper watering schedule (e.g., deep watering in the very early morning) helps eliminate water lost through evaporation, but does nothing to conserve water that drains into the ground away from the roots of the garden plants.

Prior art raised-floor portable garden boxes include U.S. Pat. No. 1,420,191 to Hassig, which comprises a plurality of rigid side and bottom panels made of a mixture of asbestos and cement supported by rigid corner pieces that are assembled to form an enclosure. A drip pan is provided to collect water that drains out of the drain hole but no provision is made for conserving the water collected. Moreover, although the garden box of Hassig is portable in the broad sense of capable of being moved, a garden box made of concrete and asbestos panels is not likely to be considered portable in the modern sense of capable of being transported in the trunk of a car and assembled by a single hobbyist.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,522 to Marchioro discloses a modular flower box having post and wall elements that are connected by reversible anchoring elements that enable the modular boxes to be connected in various shapes to allow substantial gardening units to be installed in building lobbies and the like. The modular flower box of Marchioro does not have a raised floor or any provision for conserving water. U.S. patent application US 2007/0151150 to Sandoval discloses a portable garden box with protective fence comprising a rigid tub with a protective screen to exclude small animals. The rigid tub includes a plurality of drain holes, however, no provision is made for raising the floor of the tub above the supporting surface or for conserving water.

No prior art garden box addresses the issue of water lost into the ground beyond the reach of the garden plants' roots and none have achieved a satisfactory balance of incorporating a raised floor with lightweight construction necessary for portability. Accordingly, what is needed is a portable garden box that has a floor raised above the ground or other supporting surface and which recycles the water that drains from the garden box so that only the water that is actually absorbed by the plants or lost through evaporation must be replaced from an external water source.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention satisfies the foregoing need by providing a lightweight portable garden container comprising a space frame that supports a flexible waterproof liner such that the floor of the flexible liner is elevated above the supporting surface. According to an embodiment of the invention, the flexible liner includes a plurality of drain holes formed in the bottom surface that are attached to a manifold for collecting water draining from the flexible liner. The manifold drains into a closed reservoir which is attached to a pump that recirculates water from the reservoir back into to the container for irrigating the plants growing therein. The reservoir may include filters to filter detritus from the recirculated water and a float valve for admitting make-up water necessary to compensate for water lost through evaporation and absorption by the plants growing in the container. The container may include side panels that can be closed and locked to exclude cats, rabbits and other pests and may also include roof for supporting a renewable energy source such as a photovoltaic cell or wind generator for powering the pump, timer and associated electronics. The raised floor of the portable container enables the surface of the soil within the container to be raised to a convenient level for enjoyable gardening without using an unnecessarily large volume of soil while at the same time providing an appropriate sheltered area beneath the garden box for containing the reservoir pump, battery and associated hardware.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The present invention will be better understood from a reading of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures in which like references designate like elements and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable container incorporating features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the portion of FIG. 1 indicated by reference 2;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged portion of the portion of FIG. 1 indicated by reference 3;

FIG. 4 is a partial view of the portable container of FIG. 1 with the roof and liner removed;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the roof portion of the portable container of FIG. 1 showing details of the space frame construction;

FIG. 6 is perspective view of the reservoir and pump assembly of the portable container of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the reservoir and pump assembly of the portable container of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIGS. 1-3, a portable garden box 10 comprises a space frame 12 supporting a flexible waterproof liner 14, which is adapted to contain a quantity of soil for growing vegetables, flowers or other plants. Space frame 12 is composed of a plurality of vertical upright members 16, a plurality of horizontal floor joist members 18 and a plurality of horizontal beam members 20 assembled together to form a box-like enclosure as shown in FIG. 4. The elements of space frame 12 preferable comprise 1¼ inch diameter lightweight plastic pipe made of a material with good ultraviolet resistance such as ABS, Nylon 6/6, Acetal, PET or PPO, or may comprise ordinary PVC pipe coated or treated for UV resistance.

Upright members 16, joist members 18 and beam members 20 may be assembled by any conventional technique (e.g., adhesives, fasteners, fusion welding, etc.) but in the illustrative embodiment are assembled by means of three-way, four-way, and five-way Tees together with or without a solvent-adhesive such as PVC cement. The volume enclosed by the box-like enclosure defined by space frame 12 may be of any convenient size, but in the illustrative embodiment comprises an enclosure approximately 48 inches by 48 inches by 18 inches. Additional length and/or width can be added to space frame 12 simply by inserting additional upright members 16, joist members 18 and beam members 20 to lengthen the assembly as necessary. A plurality of leg members 22 are attached to space frame 12 at appropriate locations, typically directly beneath upright members 16. Leg members 22 may be attached to space frame 12 in any convenient manner but in the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 1 are attached to space frame 12 by means of four-way and five-way Tees. Leg members 22 are preferable adjustable in length (e.g., by pin and hole attachments or by a telescoping thread) to enable space frame 12 to be leveled on an irregular surface.

A floor 24 is provided to support the weight of the soil contained within liner 14. Floor 24 comprises a plurality of fabric straps 26 that are looped around joist members 18 and interlaced across the span of floor 24 to provide a substantially solid surface for supporting liner 14. Liner 14, which rests on floor 24 comprises a thin flexible membrane composed of suitable material such as UV resistant ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, polycarbonate or fluoropolymer sheet stitched or welded to form an open rectangular container. The upper ends of liner 14 are formed into pockets 28. Beam members 20 are passed through pockets 28 to support the upper edge of liner 14. Alternatively, the fabric may be wrapped around and secured with hook and loop fasteners to create pockets. Fabric straps 26 may be formed of any suitable natural or synthetic fabric such as cotton fibers, nylon 6/6, aramid fibers or polypropylene fibers. As can be discerned from FIG. 4, in addition to supporting liner 14, the tension in fabric straps 26 also tends to hold space frame 12 together, thereby eliminating the need for fasteners.

The center portion of liner 14 includes a flanged throat (not shown) that extends upward and surrounds center support 30 up to a level approximately equal to the level of upper edge of liner 14. The throat formed in liner 14 allows liner 14 to remain watertight while at the same time permitting center support 30 to pass through liner 14 for reasons that are discussed more fully hereinafter.

Space frame 12 further includes an awning 32. Awning 32 is preferable formed of a woven synthetic material having good ultraviolet resistance such as Nylon 6/6, PTFE, PPO or PET stretched over a roof frame 34 (FIG. 5). Roof frame 34 is of similar construction to space frame 12, consisting of a plurality of roof frame members 36 assembled with elbows 38 and Tees 40 to form a substantially rigid structure. The center Tee 40 is supported by center support 30 to provide the necessary rigidity to enable roof frame 34 to support a renewable energy source such as solar panel 42 or a wind turbine (not shown). Awning 32 may include pockets sewn into the fabric through which roof frame members 36 pass to secure awning 32 to roof frame 34. Alternatively, fabric straps with fasteners (e.g., hooks, hook and loop fasteners, zippers, etc.) may be used to secure awning 32 to roof frame 34. The entirety of awning 32 and roof frame 34 is attached to and supported by a plurality of vertical struts 46. Each of vertical struts 46 is attached to an upright member 16 by means of an elbow 50 which is threaded and pinned into a Tee fitting 52 attached to upright member 16. Vertical strut 46 is in turn received by elbow 50 and attached by conventional means such as clevis pin 54 which holds vertical strut 46 in a proper angular orientation relative to space frame 12. The upper ends of vertical struts 46 are held in a rigid, spaced-apart configuration by means of a plurality of horizontal struts 48 attached to the upper ends 56 of vertical struts 46 thereby forming a substantially rigid structure for supporting roof frame 34.

Garden box 10 further includes a plurality of side panels 66 comprising a side panel frame 68 supporting a side panel screen 70. Side panel frame 66 is of similar construction to space frame 12 and is preferable hinged to horizontal strut 46 by means of a loosely fitting so-called “hinge” Tee 72. Side panel frame 68 may be permanently attached to hinge Tee 72 or may be attached by temporary means such as pin 74 which may be a conventional clevis pin, hitch pin, ball pin, etc. Side panels 66 can be secured in their closed position by means of a spring loaded pin 76 which engages an open end 78 of side panel frame 68. When latched in their closed positions, side panels 66 protect the garden from garden pests such as rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, cats and the like.

Side panels 66 may be retained in an open configuration by means of wire stays 80, each of which comprises a Z-shaped piece of spring wire passing through a hole in vertical strut 46. The opposite end of the wire passes through a similar hole in side panel frame 68. Wire stay may be retained to vertical strut 46 by means of a conventional push fastener, e-clip or similar means. The spring tension in wire stay 80 urges it toward side panel frame 68 so that it remains engaged to hold side panel 66 in the open position without additional fasteners.

With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, an important aspect of the present invention is the capability of recycling water that has been used to irrigate the plants growing in garden box 10. To that end there is provided a manifold 90 having a plurality of inlets 92 which couple to corresponding flanges (not shown) formed in the bottom surface of liner 14. Suitable wire mesh screens may be incorporated into the flanges to prevent large debris from entering inlets 92. Manifold 90 is coupled to a closed reservoir 94 such that water draining from liner 14 through inlets 92 will collect in reservoir 94. As used herein, “closed” reservoir means the reservoir is substantially sealed to minimize water lost through evaporation and therefore is closed on all sides with the exception of an inlet leading from the manifold, an outlet to the pump, an inlet to the float valve and, optionally an overflow vent as described hereinafter.

Reservoir 94 may comprise a rigid structure formed of a suitable plastic material such as PPO, PET or ABS or may comprise a flexible bladder formed of an elastomeric material such as polyurethane. Reservoir 94 may also include a float valve 96 which admits water from a water source such as a water tank, well or other pressurized source of water to ensure the water within reservoir 94 is sufficient for irrigating the contents of garden box 10. A pump 98 draws water from reservoir 94 in response to an external signal such as a watering timer or preferable a moisture sensor embedded in the soil contained within liner 14. Pump 98 discharges the water through irrigation line 100 which passes through the center of center support 30 and terminates in one or more sprinkler nozzles 102. Filter 104 ensures sediment collecting in reservoir 94 does not enter pump 98. A power/control module 108 provides power (battery or plug-in) as well as control signals (sprinkler timer or moisture sensor, etc.) to operate pump 98 at the appropriate time for irrigating the contents of garden box 10.

As can be determined from the foregoing, the garden box 10 in accordance with the present invention is lightweight, portable, and can be assembled with a relatively small amount of soil. Yet, because of the raised floor, the surface of the garden will be at an elevated level for easy gardening. In operation, in response to an external signal such as a moisture sensor embedded in the soil or a sprinkler timer, pump 98 will pump water from reservoir 94 through irrigation line 100 to be discharged through sprinkler nozzles 102 to irrigate the contents of garden box 10. Because the garden box has a raised floor and a manifold for collecting water draining from the garden box, water that is not absorbed by the plants growing in the garden or lost through evaporation (which otherwise would be lost in through percolation into the soil) is captured and stored for subsequent irrigation cycles. The floor of the planter is raised. Accordingly, the water recovery system is conveniently located above ground and the reclamation process occurs naturally through gravity flow. Because a substantial portion of the water that would otherwise be lost is reclaimed, the present invention minimizes the amount of make-up water that must be supplied from other sources (which in rural, arid regions without municipal water supplies may be scarce).

Although certain illustrative embodiments and methods have been disclosed herein, it will be apparent from the foregoing disclosure to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications of such embodiments and methods may be made without departing from the invention. For example, although the illustrative embodiment includes a manifold with multiple inlets, if the liner is provided with only a single drain, the manifold could be a single drain tube leading to a closed reservoir. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention should be limited only to the extent required by the appended claims and the rules and principles of applicable law. Additionally, as used herein, unless otherwise specifically defined, the terms “substantially” or “generally” when used with mathematical concepts or measurements mean within ±10 degrees of angle or within 10 percent of the measurement, whichever is greater.

Claims

1. A collapsible container comprising:

A space frame defining an interior volume having a side surface, an upper surface and a lower surface;

a flexible liner forming a cup-shaped enclosure attached to the space frame, the cup-shaped enclosure having a bottom surface and a lateral surface supported by the space frame;

a plurality of legs extending downward from the space frame to elevate the bottom surface of the flexible liner above a supporting surface;

at least one drainage hole formed in the bottom surface of the flexible liner;

a manifold attached to the at least one drainage hole for collecting fluid draining from the liner through the at least one drainage hole;

a reservoir attached to the manifold for storing the fluid collected from the manifold; and

a pump for recirculating fluid from the reservoir to the enclosure.

2. The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein:

the space frame is formed in the shape of a substantially rectangular prism.

3. The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one drainage hole comprises a plurality of drainage holes; and

the manifold is attached to each of the plurality of drainage holes.

4. The collapsible container of claim 1, further comprising:

a source of fluid attached to the reservoir; and

a valve for maintaining a predetermined quantity of fluid in the reservoir.

5. The collapsible container of claim 1, further comprising:

a filter disposed between the reservoir and the enclosure for filtering debris from the fluid prior to recirculating the fluid from the reservoir to the enclosure.

6. The collapsible container of claim 1, further comprising:

a timer for operating the pump on a predetermined schedule.

7. The collapsible container of claim 1, further comprising:

a moisture sensor for measuring moisture in a quantity of soil within the enclosure and operating the pump when the moisture in the quantity of soil falls below a predetermined level.

8. The collapsible container of claim 1, further comprising:

a central column for supporting a roof over the enclosure, the central column having an interior lumen and a medial opening, wherein the fluid is recirculated from the reservoir to the enclosure through the interior lumen and out the medial opening.

9. The collapsible container of claim 8, further comprising:

a roof supported by the central column; and

a plurality of side panels each having an upper edge attached to the roof and a lower edge releasably attached to the side surface of the space frame for forming a sealed volume adapted to resist pest intrusion.

10. The collapsible container of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of flexible straps attached to and extending across the lower surface of the space frame to form a support for supporting the bottom surface of the enclosure

11. The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein:

the space frame is formed of a plurality of tubular members and a plurality of releasable fasteners for enabling the space frame to be assembled and disassembled.

12. The collapsible container of claim 1, further comprising:

a renewable energy source for providing power to the pump, the renewable energy source being selected from the group consisting of a photovoltaic cell and a wind generator.

13. The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein:

the reservoir comprises a flexible bladder.

14. A collapsible container comprising:

a plurality of tubular members temporarily connected together to form the edges of a hollow space-frame, the space frame defining an interior volume having a side surface, an upper surface and a lower surface;

a plurality of fabric straps attached to and extending across the lower surface of the space frame to form a floor support;

a flexible liner attached to the space frame forming a cup-shaped enclosure, the cup-shaped enclosure having a lateral surface supported by the space frame and a bottom surface supported by the plurality of fabric straps;

a plurality of legs extending downward from the space frame to elevate the bottom surface of the flexible liner above a supporting surface;

at least one drainage hole formed in the bottom surface of the flexible liner;

a manifold attached to the at least one drainage hole for collecting fluid draining from the liner through the at least one drainage hole;

a reservoir attached to the manifold for storing the fluid collected from the manifold;

a pump for recirculating fluid from the reservoir to the enclosure.

15. The collapsible container of claim 14, wherein:

the at least one drainage hole comprises a plurality of drainage holes; and

the manifold is attached to each of the plurality of drainage holes.

16. The collapsible container of claim 15, further comprising:

a source of fluid attached to the reservoir; and

a valve for maintaining a predetermined quantity of fluid in the reservoir.

17. The collapsible container of claim 14, further comprising:

a central column for supporting a roof over the enclosure, the central column having an interior lumen and a medial opening, wherein the fluid is recirculated from the reservoir to the enclosure by pumping through the interior lumen and out the medial opening.

18. The collapsible container of claim 14, further comprising:

a renewable energy source for providing power to the pump selected from the group consisting of a photovoltaic cell and a wind generator.

19. The collapsible container of claim 14, wherein:

The reservoir comprises a closed container.

20. The collapsible container of claim 19, wherein:

the reservoir comprises a collapsible bladder.