SELF-WATERING PLANTER ASSEMBLY
A planter insert and planter insert assembly. In an embodiment, the planter insert assembly includes a planter housing with an upper portion and a bottom reservoir portion with a bottom interior surface; a tray defining a containment space for plant support media, wherein the tray is disposed within the upper portion of the planter housing, the tray having a bottom surface with a plurality of perforations allowing for insertion of at least one wicking member, the tray further having a sidewall including a bottom portion, wherein the bottom surface of the tray depends from the bottom portion of the sidewall; and a tray support disposed within the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housing, the tray support having a top surface, wherein the tray is supported only by the tray support when the bottom surface of the tray is positioned on the top surface of the tray support.
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This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/198,343 filed on Mar. 5, 2014, now allowed, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. The Ser. No. 14/198,343 application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/920,988 filed on Jun. 18, 2013, now pending, and of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/043,814 filed on Oct. 1, 2013, now pending.
BACKGROUNDThis disclosure relates to apparatuses and inserts used to provide water and/or other nutrient/liquid to container-grown plants, and more specifically to a self-contained and self-watering planter assembly comprising a fluid-containing planter housing (preferably downwardly tapering for a traditional look and efficient stacking during transport and storage, but not limited thereto), a tray with a bottom surface having perforations and a size that allows it to fit within (or substantially within) the upper portion of the planter housing, a tray support sized and configured to fit within the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housing without taking up a large percentage of reservoir volume that could otherwise be used to hold nutrient/liquid, at least one layer of fluid-permeable material sized and positioned to cover the perforations in the tray's bottom surface and also having a hole for each wicking member used, and at least one wicking member having a minimum length dimension that allows it to extend between the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housing and the tray for one-way transport of nutrient/liquid from the planter housing to the tray, with additional length and positioning that allows the wicking member (or members collectively) to provide even distribution of nutrient/liquid within the tray.
The planter housing also has at least one overfill prevention hole through its side wall that defines the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housing by preventing nutrient/liquid therein from moving upwardly through tray perforations and into the plant root interior of the tray where it could over-saturate and injure plant roots. The tray also has interior lifting means near its top edge, preferably but not limited to two opposed handles configured for prompt and easy tray removal from, and replacement within, the upper portion of the planter housing with little disruption to the plants rooted in the tray. Use of the lifting members precludes the need for pliers or other grasping tools to provide a strong grip on the edges of the tray to lift it securely and in a balanced manner away from its position of use within the upper portion of the planter housing. Once the tray support (a frame insert as shown in the accompanying illustrations, or other) is placed within the planter housing, lowering of the tray into the planter housing causes it to become positioned atop the support, which preferably allows the tray to become situated imperceptibly within the planter housing's upper portion. Should a frame insert be used to support the tray and the elevation of the tray is considered too high for the type of plant used in the tray or the application, the legs of the frame insert (typically made from plastic for use in smaller planter housings) can be easily shortened (for example, by use of a cutting tool, garden shears, or a multiple scored-and-snap arrangement) to provide a lowered and more suitable tray elevation. In larger planter housings of the disclosed embodiments and according to the type of plant grown and plant growth/medium used, a tray support with a sturdier construction may be required to support the increased weight of the plants and plant growth/support medium potentially present. In outdoor applications, the fluid-permeable material positioned under the plant growth/support medium, and over the tray's bottom perforations, allows surplus rainwater entering the tray, and not immediately needed by plant roots, to enter and refill the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housing via the tray's perforations and without soil infiltration into the nutrient/liquid held within the planter housing, with the at least one elongated wicking member being responsible for upward nutrient/liquid transfer from the planter housing and into the tray. Wicking members are typically presoaked prior to use to prevent delay in transfer of nutrient/liquid to the plants rooted in the tray. Also, plant roots may be in plant growth/support medium distributed directly into the tray, or in one or more drainable pots supported by the tray.
In an embodiment, the planter assembly is self-contained, low-maintenance, and provides a significantly longer self-watering time period for a plant (or plants) having roots supported in the tray than is obtainable from all known prior art self-watering systems in current use today for container-grown plants. Since the planter assembly of the disclosed embodiments is self-contained, no connections for power or water are needed for its function, expanding the number of locations where it can be used. Inspection of the water level in the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housing may be conducted every few months by promptly and easily lifting and replacing the tray, with nutrient/liquid being added, or other maintenance action taken, according to need. Furthermore, in an embodiment, planter housing and tray volumes are selected to provide a nutrient/liquid-to-soil ratio between approximately 2:1 and approximately 4:1. In the most preferred embodiments, a nutrient/liquid-to-soil ratio of 4:1 is used, and the self-watering time for plants grown indoors is at least two to three months. However, longer self-watering time periods have been demonstrated for plants with low fluid requirements and planter assemblies located outdoors and situated to receive at least occasional rainwater replenishment. Applications include, but are not limited to, residential and commercial use, including hotels and other commercial buildings, hospitals, convention centers, college campuses and other educational facilities, shopping malls, lobbies, hallways and stair landings, decorative entrances to public and private buildings and other property, including parks and parking garages.
BACKGROUND—DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ARTPeople enjoy having plants as a part of their surroundings, but depending upon their location, container-grown plants may require a lot of maintenance. In heated and air-conditioned buildings, humidity is generally low, and more frequent watering of indoor plants is typically needed. Furthermore, indoor temperature, sunlight level, air drafts, and positioning near a door that subjects a plant to frequently changing local conditions, can have a significant effect on a plant's need for water and nutrients, and lead to additional time spent on planter monitoring and/or maintenance. Container-grown plants that are located outdoors and in patio areas can be subjected to even more variation in ambient temperature, sunlight level, and air movement, all of which will affect plant moisture requirements. In an embodiment, the disclosed planter assembly provides a means of eliminating the daily labor that would otherwise be needed to keep container-grown plants and flowers properly irrigated for optimal appearance and growth, and also provide a significantly longer self-watering time period than is obtainable from all prior art self-watering systems currently sold for container-grown plants. While irrigation devices and systems are known for container-grown plants, no device or system is known with the same structure, wicking system, a removable tray with interior lifting means near its top edge, support means for the tray having a means for prompt and easy elevation adjustment, and/or all of the other features and advantages resulting from the disclosed structure and use.
The prior art invention thought to be the closest to the embodiments disclosed herein is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2008/0303002A1 to Schmidt (Dec. 11, 2008), which also provides a means of automated irrigation for a planter. However, there are many important structural differences between the Schmidt invention and the presently disclosed embodiments, which allow the structure disclosed herein to provide advantages that the Schmidt invention cannot. Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have residential applications, one of the important considerations for the planter assembly disclosed herein relates to its self-contained use in public areas. Thus, design considerations for the embodiments disclosed herein include inconspicuous/discreet features and components that are less likely to be disturbed by the curious or unkind public, including reservoir replenishment via tray perforations instead of the exposed irrigator 30 and fill tube 52 of the Schmidt invention that in
In addition, the embodiment of the Schmidt invention illustrated in
Furthermore, Schmidt's fill tube 52 provides a small diameter conduit for water replenishment (much less surface area than the embodiments disclosed herein provide to take advantage of rainwater replenishment for its nutrient or water-filled reservoir), and the proportion of water to substrate in the embodiment of the Schmidt invention shown in
A summary of several example embodiments of the disclosure follows. This summary is provided for the convenience of the reader to provide a basic understanding of such embodiments and does not wholly define the breadth of the disclosure. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated embodiments, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all embodiments nor to delineate the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. For convenience, the term “some embodiments” may be used herein to refer to a single embodiment or multiple embodiments of the disclosure.
The embodiments disclosed herein include a planter insert. The planter insert comprises: a tray defining a containment space for plant support media, the tray having a bottom surface defining a plurality of perforations, at least one of the perforations allowing for insertion of at least one wicking member, the tray further having a sidewall including a bottom portion, wherein the bottom surface of the tray depends from the bottom portion of the sidewall, wherein excess fluid in the plant support media in the containment space exits the tray through the perforations in the bottom surface.
The embodiments disclosed herein also include a planter insert assembly. The planter insert assembly comprises: a planter housing with an upper portion and a bottom reservoir portion with a bottom interior surface; a tray defining a containment space for plant support media, wherein the tray is disposed within the upper portion of the planter housing, the tray having a bottom surface with a plurality of perforations allowing for insertion of at least one wicking member, the tray further having a sidewall including a bottom portion, wherein the bottom surface of the tray depends from the bottom portion of the sidewall; and a tray support disposed within the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housing, the tray support having a top surface, wherein the tray is supported only by the tray support when the bottom surface of the tray is positioned on the top surface of the tray support.
Numerical references for various embodiments described herein with respect to the drawings include:
- 1—an embodiment of self-contained and self-watering planter assembly
- 2—planter housing of planter assembly 1
- 3—overfill prevention hole in planter housing 2 that defines the bottom portion 4 of planter housing 2 serving as a nutrient/liquid reservoir
- 4—bottom portion of planter housing 2 serving as a nutrient/liquid reservoir
- 5—upper portion of planter housing 2 in which tray 9 is situated when atop frame insert
- 6—interior handle or lifting member (located adjacent to the top edge 14 of tray 9)
- 7—wicking member (used to draw nutrient/liquid from the lower portion of planter housing 2 and move it upwardly into tray 9, it is preferably pre-soaked prior to use)
- 8—fluid-permeable material (one or more layers can be used to adjust the rate of gravity flow for downward travel of excess rainwater into the lower/reservoir portion 4 of planter housing 2)
- 9—removable tray
- 10—frame insert (situated in the bottom portion 4 of planter housing 2 for support of tray 9)
- 11—perforations in the bottom surface of tray 9 (used as drain holes for rainwater entering tray 4 that cannot be immediately used by plants, to transfer that surplus rainwater into the lower portion of planter housing 2 for later upward movement via wicking member or members 7 into tray 9)
- 12—hole in fluid-permeable material 8 used for insertion of a wicking member 7 (so that one of its ends remains in the bottom reservoir 4 portion of planter housing 2 and its opposite end is placed in tray 9)
- 13—leg of frame insert 10 (can be shortened to lower elevation of tray 9 when desired)
- 14—top edge of tray 9
- 15—top edge of planter housing 2
- 16—bottom interior surface of planter housing 2
In addition, the size and shape of handles 6 are not critical as long as a good grip is provided for balanced lifting of tray 9. Furthermore, in the alternative, although not shown and not preferred, it is considered within the scope of the present disclosure for handles 6 to be in the form of a continuously extending and inwardly-extending rim. Also,
Although
Claims
1. A planter insert, comprising:
- a tray defining a containment space for plant support media, the tray having a bottom surface defining a plurality of perforations, at least one of the perforations allowing for insertion of at least one wicking member, the tray further having a sidewall including a bottom portion, wherein the bottom surface of the tray depends from the bottom portion of the sidewall, wherein excess fluid in the plant support media in the containment space exits the tray through the perforations in the bottom surface.
2. The planter insert of claim 1, further comprising:
- at least one layer of fluid-permeable material covering the plurality of perforations in the bottom surface of the tray, the at least one layer of fluid-permeable material defining at least one hole allowing for insertion of the at least one wicking member, wherein each hole in the at least one layer of fluid permeable material is aligned with one of the perforations in the bottom surface of the tray.
3. The planter insert of claim 1, wherein the tray further includes at least two handles depending from the sidewall.
4. The planter insert of claim 1, wherein the tray has a circular cross-section.
5. The planter insert of claim 1, the tray further including a top perimeter surface having a perimeter, the bottom surface having a perimeter, wherein the sidewall of the tray is downwardly tapering, wherein the perimeter of the top perimeter surface of the tray is larger than the perimeter of the bottom surface of the tray.
6. The planter insert of claim 5, wherein the sidewall of the tray is concave.
7. The planter insert of claim 1, further comprising:
- a tray support, the tray support having a top surface, wherein the tray is supported only by the tray support when the bottom surface of the tray is positioned on the top surface of the tray support.
8. The planter insert of claim 7, the tray support further including at least one leg positioned beneath the top surface of the tray support.
9. The planter insert of claim 8, wherein the at least one leg is a plurality of downwardly converging legs.
10. A planter insert assembly, comprising:
- a planter housing including an upper portion and a bottom reservoir portion, the bottom reservoir portion having a bottom interior surface;
- a tray defining a containment space for plant support media, wherein the tray is disposed within the upper portion of the planter housing, the tray having a bottom surface with a plurality of perforations, at least one of the perforations allowing for insertion of at least one wicking member, the tray further having a sidewall including a bottom portion, wherein the bottom surface of the tray depends from the bottom portion of the sidewall; and
- a tray support disposed within the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housing, the tray support having a top surface, wherein the tray is supported only by the tray support when the bottom surface of the tray is positioned on the top surface of the tray support.
11. The planter insert assembly of claim 10, further comprising:
- at least one layer of fluid-permeable material covering the plurality of perforations in the bottom surface of the tray, the at least one layer of fluid-permeable material defining at least one hole for allowing insertion of the at least one wicking member, wherein each hole in the at least one layer of fluid permeable material is aligned with one of the perforations in the bottom surface of the tray.
12. The planter insert assembly of claim 10, wherein the tray further includes at least two handles depending from the sidewall.
13. The planter insert assembly of claim 10, the tray support further including at least one leg positioned beneath the top surface of the tray support.
14. The planter insert assembly of claim 13, wherein the at least one leg is a plurality of downwardly converging legs.
15. The planter insert of claim 10, wherein the tray has a circular cross-section.
16. The planter insert assembly of claim 10, the tray further including a top perimeter surface having a perimeter, the bottom surface having a perimeter, wherein the sidewall of the tray is downwardly tapering, wherein the perimeter of the top perimeter surface of the tray is larger than the perimeter of the bottom surface of the tray.
17. The planter insert assembly of claim 16, wherein the sidewall of the tray is concave.
18. The planter insert assembly of claim 16, the upper portion of the planter housing including a top perimeter edge having a perimeter, the bottom portion of the planter housing including a bottom perimeter edge having a perimeter, wherein the planter housing is downwardly tapering, wherein the perimeter of the top perimeter edge of the planter housing is larger than the perimeter of the bottom perimeter edge of the planter housing.
19. The planter insert assembly of claim 10, wherein the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housing has a volume, wherein the containment space defined in the tray has a volume, wherein the volume of the bottom reservoir portion is at least two times the volume of the containment space.
20. The planter insert assembly of claim 10, the bottom reservoir portion of the planter housing defining at least one fluid overfill hole, wherein fluid in the bottom reservoir portion rising to a height of the at least one fluid overfill hole exits the planter insert assembly through the at least one fluid overfill hole.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 14, 2016
Publication Date: Nov 3, 2016
Applicant: WaterWell Planters, Inc. (Martinsville, NJ)
Inventor: Michael L. CONRAD, JR. (Bridgewater, NJ)
Application Number: 15/210,465