Plant stand
The plant stand has a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface, with the upper surface being adapted for supporting a potted plant. A plurality of drainage apertures are formed through the platform, and a hook is mounted to the lower surface of the support and projects downwardly therefrom. The hook is adapted for supporting a potted plant suspended beneath the support. A plurality of legs support the platform, the legs extending from the periphery of the platform. The legs may be telescoping in order to adjust the height of the platform. In use, the plant stand may be placed in a shower stall to wash or water the plant with a spray of water.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates devices for supporting potted plants, and particularly to a plant stand that provides a platform mounted on legs and has the capability of supporting the plant on top of the platform or suspended from the platform for washing or watering the plant, as well as for display purposes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Potted plants are typically watered by hand, with the user transporting water to the plant via a watering can or the like. However, elderly or infirm users may find the use of a heavy and unwieldy watering can inconvenient. Further, watering plants in this manner often results in the unwanted splashing of water, both into the environment surrounding the potted plant, and onto the support for the plant. Typical supports are formed from planar boards, planks or plates, and splashed water may result in the accumulation of water between the support and the potted plant, which, upon stagnation, may result in harmful mold or mildew being produced. In addition, such conventional supports must be regularly cleaned due to spilled dirt from the potted plant, and from common environmental contaminants, such as dust and the like.
Moreover, potted plants have a tendency to collect dust on the plant leaves. From time to time, it becomes necessary to clean the leaves for aesthetic purposes. A typical approach is to clean each leaf individually with a dust cloth or a damp sponge, occasionally spraying the leaves, when necessary. This can be a time consuming chore. A better approach would be to place the entire plant in a bathtub or shower stall where the entire plant can be sprayed at one time to remove any dust or dirt that has accumulated on the leaves. However, there is no washing or watering stand for plants currently available that is adapted for this purpose.
Thus, a plant stand solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe plant stand includes a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface, with the upper surface being adapted for selectively supporting a potted plant. The support may be formed from plastic, treated wood, corrosion resistant metal or any other suitable portable and water-resistant material.
The platform is perforated to provide for drainage, and may be circular, having a grid of large apertures extending radially from a central hub to permit the passage of large quantities of water when the plant is being washed under a continuous spray, such as a under a bathtub or shower stall sprayer nozzle. A hook may depend from the platform for supporting a plant suspended from the platform. The hook may be permanently installed on the lower surface of the platform. Alternatively, the central hub may have a slot defined therein, and the hook may be removably inserted through the slot, the hook having a base supported on a recessed ledge defined in the central hub.
The platform is supported by a plurality of legs. The legs may be permanently mounted to the platform. Alternatively, the upper ends of the legs are removably inserted into sockets defined in the lower surface of the platform adjacent the periphery of the platform. The legs are preferably height adjustable, being telescopic legs having means for fixing the height of the legs, being either continuously adjustable or adjustable in discreet increments. The legs are preferably formed from a rust-resistant material, such as stainless steel, aluminum, or plastic. Preferably, the platform is circular and is supported by three legs, the feet of the legs defining the vertices of an isosceles triangle.
In use, the stand may be placed in a shower stall, for example, and the potted plant may be either positioned on the upper surface of the support or suspended from the hook member. In the latter configuration, streaming water may be directed at the upper surface of the support and fall through the fluid passages to drip onto the plant.
These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTSIn
As best shown in
The platform 14 is preferably perforated, having a plurality of apertures 16 defined therein to provide for drainage of water and any dust or particles of soil that may be flushed from the plant when washing or watering the plant. As shown in the drawings, the platform 14 may have a grid of rather large apertures extending radially between a central hub 25 and a peripheral rim 27. The large size of the apertures 16 provides for rapid passage of a large volume of water through the platform 14 to prevent standing water from accumulating on the upper surface 20, which might support the growth of mold and mildew.
In the configuration of
Hook 28 may be optionally inserted into the slot 24 when it is desired to suspend a plant P below the platform 14 and removed when storing the plant stand 10. Alternatively, hook 28 may be permanently attached to the platform 14. It will be obvious that the plant stand 10 is capable of simultaneously supporting a first potted plant P on top of the platform 14, and a second potted plant P suspended below the platform for display purposes, if desired.
The plant stand 10 has a plurality of legs 18 supporting the platform 14. As shown in
As shown in the drawings, preferably the platform 14 is circular and is supported by three legs 18. The sockets 31 are preferably angled in such a manner that the feet of the legs 18 form the vertices of an isosceles triangle, which both provides a stable support for the platform 14 and sufficient room between the legs 18 to suspend a potted plant P beneath the platform 14, if desired. As shown in
Preferably legs 18 are made from a lightweight, sturdy, rust-resistant or corrosion-resistant material, such as stainless steel, aluminum, plastic, or other suitable alloys, composites, or materials. Legs 18 are preferably elongated, cylindrical rods or tubes. It is also preferred that legs 18 be height adjustable, i.e., legs 18 are telescoping legs having some means for releasably locking the height of the legs 18 at a desired height. Legs 18 may be continuously adjustable in height, or the height may be adjustable in discreet intervals. Adjustability in height permits the platform 14 to be lowered when washing the plant P in a tub or shower stall. It will be understood, however, that plant stand 10 may be used outdoors on a patio, deck, or the like, and the plant P may be washed or watered using a garden hose equipped with a spray nozzle of the like, if desired.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A plant stand, comprising:
- a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface being adapted for supporting a potted plant, the platform being perforated and having a plurality of drainage apertures defined therein, the platform having a peripheral rim and a plurality of leg-mounting bosses defined in the lower surface adjacent the peripheral rim;
- a hook depending from the lower surface of the platform, the hook being adapted for supporting a potted plant suspended beneath the platform, the drainage apertures of said platform being adapted for passage of water therethrough for watering the potted plant suspended beneath the platform; and
- a plurality of legs having an upper end and a lower end, the upper ends of the legs being mounted in the leg bosses so that the platform is supported above the around on the legs.
2. The plant stand as recited in claim 1, wherein said hook member is removably attached to said platform.
3. The plant stand as recited in claim 2, wherein said platform has a central hub and a grid extending radially between the central hub and the peripheral rim, the grid defining the drainage apertures.
4. The plant stand as recited in claim 3, wherein said central hub has a slot defined therein having a width slightly greater than a thickness of the hook, the central hub having a notch defined in the upper surface adjacent the slot and forming a ledge, said hook having a base and a flange extending laterally from the base, the hook being slidable through the slot, the flange seating in the notch on the ledge flush with the upper surface, whereby the hook is removably attached to said platform.
5. The plant stand as recited in claim 1, wherein said platform is circular, the plurality of legs consisting of three legs, the bosses being canted outwards so that the lower ends describe vertices of an isosceles triangle.
6. The plant stand as recited in claim 1, wherein said legs comprise telescoping legs, whereby said platform is height adjustable.
7. The plant stand as recited in claim 1, wherein said platform and said legs are formed from rust resistant and corrosion resistant material.
8. The plant stand as recited in claim 1, further comprising a plurality feet disposed on the lower ends of said legs, the feet being formed from a material having a high coefficient of friction to prevent the plant stand from sliding.
9. The plant stand as recited in claim 1, wherein said legs are removably attached to said platform for compact storage and transport.
10. A plant stand, comprising:
- a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface being adapted for supporting a potted plant, the platform being perforated and having a plurality of drainage apertures defined therein;
- a hook removably attached to the platform, the hook extending below the platform and being adapted for supporting a potted plant suspended beneath the platform, the drainage apertures of said platform being adapted for passage of water therethrough for watering the potted plant suspended beneath the platform; and
- a plurality of legs having an upper end and a lower end, the platform being supported above the ground on the upper ends of the legs.
11. The plant stand according to claim 10, wherein said platform comprises a central hub, a peripheral rim, and a grid extending radially between the central hub and the peripheral rim, the grid defining the drainage apertures.
12. The plant stand according to claim 11, wherein said central hub has a slot defined therein having a width slightly greater than a thickness of the hook, the central hub having a notch defined in the upper surface adjacent the slot and forming a ledge, said hook having a base and a flange extending laterally from the base, the hook being slidable through the slot, the flange seating in the notch on the ledge flush with the upper surface, whereby the hook is removably attached to said platform.
13. The plant stand according to claim 11, wherein said platform is circular, the plurality of legs consisting of three legs, the legs extending downward and outward from the peripheral rim so that the lower ends describe vertices of an isosceles triangle.
14. The plant stand according to claim 13, wherein said legs comprise telescoping tubular legs, whereby said platform is height adjustable.
15. The plant stand according to claim 10, wherein said platform and said legs are formed from rust resistant and corrosion resistant material.
16. A plant stand, comprising:
- a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface being adapted for supporting a potted plant, the platform being circular and having a central hub, a peripheral rim, and a grid extending radially between the central hub and the peripheral rim, the grid defining a plurality of drainage apertures;
- a hook removably attached to the platform, the hook extending below the platform, the hook being adapted for supporting a potted plant suspended beneath the platform, the drainage apertures of said platform being adapted for passage of water therethrough for watering the potted plant suspended beneath the platform; and a plurality of legs extending downward and outward from the peripheral rim, the platform being supported above the ground on the legs.
17. The plant stand according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of legs consists of three legs, the legs extending downward and outward from the peripheral rim so that lower ends thereof describe vertices of an isosceles triangle.
18. The plant stand according to claim 16, wherein said legs comprise telescoping tubular legs, whereby said platform is height adjustable.
19. The plant stand according to claim 16, further comprising a plurality of feet attached to said legs, the feet being made of a skid-resistant material.
20. The plant stand according to claim 16, wherein said legs are detachable from said platform for compact storage and transport.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 10, 2006
Publication Date: Apr 10, 2008
Inventor: Chad M. Vandyken (Bonners Ferry, ID)
Application Number: 11/544,734
International Classification: A47G 7/00 (20060101);