IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0463122
(2009-05-08)
|
등록번호 |
US-8261488
(2012-09-11)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
5 인용 특허 :
22 |
초록
▼
A transplantable plant container assembly is provided for containing a growing medium for a plant that significantly promotes air root pruning. The container assembly includes a container device that includes a sidewall support and a bottom support collectively defining an interior cavity. The sidew
A transplantable plant container assembly is provided for containing a growing medium for a plant that significantly promotes air root pruning. The container assembly includes a container device that includes a sidewall support and a bottom support collectively defining an interior cavity. The sidewall support is comprised of a lattice framework defining a plurality of spaced apertures that extend from an interior wall to an exterior wall thereof. A relatively thin, moisture absorbent liner material is disposed adjacent to the lattice framework. The liner material is sufficiently penetrable to enable root penetration therethrough, by the plant, at the apertures. However, the liner material must also have sufficient structural integrity, when moist, to bound the growing medium and moisture across the spaced apertures of the lattice framework when contained in the interior cavity.
대표청구항
▼
1. A bounding apparatus for a transplantable plant for bounding a growing medium in which the transplantable plant is grown comprising: a sheet-like lattice framework defining a plurality of spaced apertures; anda relatively thin, substantially moisture absorbent liner material disposed adjacent sai
1. A bounding apparatus for a transplantable plant for bounding a growing medium in which the transplantable plant is grown comprising: a sheet-like lattice framework defining a plurality of spaced apertures; anda relatively thin, substantially moisture absorbent liner material disposed adjacent said lattice framework, said liner material being sufficiently penetrable to enable root penetration therethrough at said apertures, yet having sufficient structural integrity, when moist, to bound the growing medium and moisture across the spaced apertures of said lattice framework. 2. The bounding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sheet-like lattice framework defining a surface area, and having an interior wall and an opposed exterior wall, each said apertures extending from the interior wall to the exterior wall. 3. The bounding apparatus according to claim 2, further including: a second relatively thin, moisture absorbent liner material disposed adjacent the exterior wall of said lattice framework, said second liner material also being sufficiently penetrable to enable root penetration therethrough at said apertures. 4. The bounding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said liner material being disposed adjacent to said interior wall of the framework. 5. The bounding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of apertures of said lattice framework collectively defining an apertures area that comprises at least about 60% of said surface area. 6. The bounding apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said apertures area being at least about 80% of said surface area. 7. The bounding apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said apertures area being at least about 95% of said surface area. 8. The bounding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lattice framework being sufficiently flexible to resiliently bow from a substantially planar condition to a bowed condition. 9. The bounding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a perimetric footprint of each of the apertures is selected from the group consisting essentially of a circle, a square, a rectangle, a diamond, and an oval. 10. The bounding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said liner material includes one of organic paper and cellulose with a mixture of polyester fiber reinforcement material. 11. A bounding apparatus for a transplantable plant for bounding a growing medium in which the transplantable plant is grown comprising: a sidewall support including a sheet-like sidewall lattice framework having a sidewall surface area, and defining a plurality of relatively uniformly spaced sidewall apertures that collectively define a sidewall aperture area, said sidewall aperture area comprises at least about 60% to about 95% of said sidewall surface area; anda bottom support having a support surface area, and coupled to said sidewall support such that said sidewall support and said bottom support cooperate to define a cavity formed for receipt of the growing medium therein, said bottom support including a sheet-like bottom lattice framework defining a plurality of relatively uniformly spaced support wall apertures, extending through said bottom support from a respective interior wall to a respective exterior wall thereof, that collectively define a support wall aperture area, said support wall aperture area comprises at least about 60% to about 95% of said support surface area, said bottom support being vertically oriented at a location above the ground by a sufficient distance to promote and encourage air root pruning of the transplantable plant proximate said bottom support. 12. The bounding apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said sufficient distance is in the range of about one inch to about six inches. 13. The bounding apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said sidewall aperture area comprises at least about 80% to about 95% of said sidewall surface area, and said support wall aperture area comprises at least about 80% to about 95% of said support surface area. 14. The bounding apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a perimetric footprint of each of the apertures is selected from the group consisting essentially of a circle, a square, a rectangle, a diamond, and an oval. 15. The bounding apparatus according to claim 14, further including: a relatively thin, moisture absorbent liner material disposed adjacent said sidewall lattice framework, said liner material being sufficiently penetrable to enable root penetration therethrough at said sidewall apertures, yet having sufficient structural integrity, when moist, to bound the growing medium and moisture across the spaced apertures of said lattice framework. 16. The bounding apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said liner material being disposed adjacent to an interior wall of the sidewall lattice framework. 17. The bounding apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said liner material includes one of organic paper and cellulose with a mixture of polyester fiber reinforcement material. 18. A transplantable plant container assembly for containing a growing medium for a plant, said container assembly comprising: a circular-shaped bottom support having an interior wall, an opposed exterior wall, and a circular peripheral edge extending between the interior wall and exterior wall, said bottom support further defining a plurality of relatively uniformly spaced support wall apertures extending therethrough from interior wall to the exterior wall;a substantially planar first and second sidewall member, each having a respective interior wall and an opposed respective exterior wall, each said first and second sidewall member being comprised of a lattice framework defining a plurality of spaced sidewall apertures extending from the interior wall to the exterior wall, and each defining first end edges and opposed second end edges disposed adjacent one another; anda first hinge mechanism and a second hinge mechanism each hingeably coupling the corresponding first end edges of said first sidewall member and said second sidewall member to one another, and the corresponding second end edges of said first sidewall member and said second sidewall member to one another when said respective interior walls face one another in a substantially parallel manner, in a substantially planar, non-assembled condition;wherein said first and second sidewall members are sufficiently flexible to resiliently bow from the substantially planar, non-assembled condition to a bowed, assembled condition, when the circular peripheral edge of the bottom support engages the respective interior walls, facilitating retainment of the sidewall members in the bowed, assembled condition,said first hinge mechanism and said second hinge mechanism both protrude interiorly inward from the respective interior walls. 19. The plant container assembly according to claim 18, wherein said bottom support is coupled to said first and second sidewall members at a vertical location above the ground by a sufficient distance to promote and encourage air root pruning of the transplantable plant proximate said bottom support. 20. The plant container assembly according to claim 19, wherein said sufficient distance is in the range of about one inch to about six inches. 21. The plant container assembly according to claim 18, wherein said first and second sidewall members defining a collective receiving groove in the respective interior walls thereof, formed and dimensioned for sliding receipt of said circular peripheral edge when oriented in the assembled condition. 22. The plant container assembly according to claim 21, wherein each said first and second sidewall member includes a plurality of upstanding support rib members, spaced apart along the respective interior wall, and extending longitudinally from a lower portion of said interior sidewall and terminating at said receiving groove in a manner providing vertical support to said bottom support when received in the receiving groove. 23. The plant container assembly according to claim 18, wherein each said first and second sidewall member is trapezoid-shaped, in the substantially planar, non-assembled condition, such that in the bowed, assembled condition, said sidewall support is frustum-shaped. 24. The plant container assembly according to claim 23, wherein said first hinge mechanism and said second hinge mechanism each includes a first set and second set of bracket members, said first set of bracket members of each hinge mechanism being disposed along the respective opposed end edges of said first sidewall member, and said second set of bracket members of each hinge mechanism being disposed along the respective opposed end edges of said second sidewall member,the opposed bracket members of each respective first set being spaced-apart from one another along the respective opposed end edge, and each corresponding bracket member defining a respective longitudinal passage extending therethrough, and coaxially aligned with one another along a respective first longitudinal axis, andthe opposed bracket members of each second set also being spaced-apart from one another along the respective opposed end edges, and each corresponding bracket member defining a respective longitudinal passage extending therethrough, and coaxially aligned with one another along a respective second hinge axis, said respective bracket members of said respective first set and said bracket members of said second set of bracket members being off-set from one another enabling intercoupling therebetween in a manner substantially co-axially aligning the respective first hinge axis of the respective first set of bracket members with the respective second hinge axis of the respective second set of bracket members; anda first and second hinge rod formed and dimensioned for sliding receipt through the respective aligned first and second hinge passages for respective hinged coupling therebetween;wherein said first hinge mechanism and said second hinge mechanism substantially maintain hinged coupling during movement of the first and second sidewall members between the substantially planar, non-assembled condition and the bowed, assembled condition. 25. The plant container assembly according to claim 18, wherein said plurality of relatively uniformly spaced sidewall apertures collectively define a sidewall aperture area that comprises at least about 60% to about 95% of a collective sidewall surface area of the first and second sidewall members, andsaid plurality of relatively uniformly spaced support apertures collectively define a support aperture area that comprises at least about 60% to about 95% of a collective support surface area of the bottom support. 26. The plant container assembly according to claim 25, wherein a relatively thin, moisture absorbent liner material disposed adjacent said lattice framework, said liner material being sufficiently penetrable to enable root penetration therethrough at said apertures, yet having sufficient structural integrity, when moist, to bound the growing medium and moisture across the spaced apertures of said lattice framework. 27. The plant container assembly according to claim 26, wherein said liner material being disposed adjacent to said interior wall of the framework. 28. The plant container assembly according to claim 26, wherein said liner material is selected from the group consisting essentially of organic paper, cellulose and fiber material comprised at least partially of polyester. 29. The plant container assembly according to claim 26, further including: a respective, relatively thin, moisture absorbent, bottom liner material disposed adjacent the interior wall of said bottom support, said bottom liner material also being sufficiently penetrable to enable root penetration therethrough at said support wall apertures. 30. The plant container assembly according to claim 25, wherein a perimetric footprint of each of the sidewall apertures is selected from the group consisting essentially of a circle, a square, a rectangle, a diamond, and an oval. 31. A method of promoting air root pruning at a sidewall support and a bottom support of a container device for the root system of a transplantable plant, said method comprising: providing a container device having a sidewall support including a sheet-like sidewall lattice framework defining a plurality of relatively uniformly spaced sidewall apertures that collectively define a sidewall aperture area, said sidewall aperture area comprises at least about 60% to about 95% of a total sidewall surface area of said sidewall support, said container device further including a bottom support having a sheet-like bottom lattice framework defining a plurality of relatively uniformly spaced support wall apertures that collectively define a support wall aperture area, said support wall aperture area comprises at least about 60% to about 95% of a total support wall surface area of said bottom support;placing a root ball of a transplantable plant and growing medium into an interior cavity of the container device such that the growing medium substantially urges the liner material into supportive contact against interior wall and the lattice framework; andvertically positioning the bottom support of the container device at a location above the ground by a sufficient distance that creates an air space between the bottom lattice framework and the ground suitable to promote and encourage air root pruning of the transplantable plant proximate said bottom support. 32. The method according to claim 31, wherein said sufficient distance is in the range of about one inch to about six inches. 33. The method according to claim 32, wherein said vertically positioning the bottom support includes orienting the bottom support vertically along sidewall lattice framework at said location above the ground by said sufficient distance. 34. The method according to claim 31, wherein said providing a container device includes providing said sidewall aperture area that comprises at least about 80% to about 95% of said sidewall surface area, and providing said support wall aperture area that comprises at least about 80% to about 95% of said support wall surface area. 35. The method according to claim 31, further including: disposing a relatively thin, substantially moisture absorbent liner material substantially adjacent to the interior wall and the lattice framework, said liner material being sufficiently penetrable to enable root penetration therethrough at said apertures, yet having sufficient structural integrity, when moist, to bound the growing medium and moisture across the spaced apertures of said lattice framework when contained in said cavity; 36. The method according to claim 35, further including: moistening the liner material in a manner absorbing moisture.
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