Abstract:
A functional garden device includes an upper portion ( 10 ) and a lower portion ( 60 ). Lower portion ( 60 ) includes a retractable hose reel ( 80 ) for garden hose ( 90 ) which passes through orifice ( 63 ) in wall ( 65 ). Upper portion ( 10 ) has a separate, unrelated function to the hose storage portion ( 60 ) and may form part of a fountain, pond, statue, refrigerated storage area or a planting container.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to storage of items within functional garden items and more particularly to containers for storage and access to hoses or hose- reels where the hose storage container is or forms part of a whole item which item has a function separate from and/or unrelated to the function of a hose storage container  
       BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.  
         [0003]     Kownacki in U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,207 and Macey Smith in U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,499 teach us the use of a decorative storage devices for a garden hose.  
         [0004]     One problem that exists with prior art is that the storage device is often located far from the desired point of use such that the hose is too short and/or the hose-reel must be very large to accommodate sufficient hose to accomplish the desired task. Especially in larger gardens it is not desirable to have unsightly hose-reel storage devices located in the garden area.  
         [0005]     Another problem is that expensive materials such as plastic are used to form at least a portion of hose-reel cover.  
         [0006]     A further problem is that in situations such as apartments where space on any balcony or outside area is restricted it is desirable to limit the number of items in an area.  
         [0007]     It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     One aspect of the present invention is directed to a hose storage device with a retractable hose reel contained inside a portion of a functional whole item said functional whole item having a functional use  1  which use is other than the hose storage device function  2 . The said functional whole item may be one discrete item carrying out functional use  1  whilst containing a hose storage device function  2 .  
         [0000]     A portion, preferably the upper portion of the device may be used to contain or form part of any useful garden item. For example but not limited to:  
         [0000]     to contain or function as a pot containing plants and/or  
         [0000]     to contain or function as fountain or pond and/or  
         [0000]     to contain or function as a base for or form part of statuary or statues and/or  
         [0000]     to contain or function as or form part of illumination means and/or  
         [0000]     to contain or function as a device or storage area which may be refrigerated or heated  
         [0009]     The preferred, but not limiting, form of the invention is an urn or pot of appropriate diameter and height to contain a retractable hose reel. The upper portion of the preferred form is watertight in the case where it forms part of a fountain or may have strategically placed drain holes to direct drainage water away from the roots of plants in such a way so as not to flow into the lower portion and damage the garden hose and retractable hose reel mechanism. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  depicts a sectional view of an urn or pot containing a retractable hose storage device. The said urn may be formed from any suitable material but is preferably formed using fibre-glass reinforced concrete which is suitable to produce inexpensive thin walled lightweight products suitable for mass production methods. The device may be described as follows:  
     
    
       [0000]     A device designed to form any functional item appropriate for a garden or conservatory or outdoor area and which device contains a concealed retractable hose storage device  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0012]     The preferred, but not limiting, form of the invention is an urn or pot of appropriate diameter and height to contain a retractable hose reel. The upper portion of the preferred form is watertight in the case where it forms part of a fountain or may have strategically placed drain holes to direct drainage water away from the roots of plants in such a way so as not to flow into the lower portion and damage the garden hose and retractable hose reel mechanism.  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  which shows a sectional view of an urn consisting of a container upper portion  10  and a container lower portion  60  upon which the upper portion rests.  
         [0014]     The container upper portion  10  has a base  15  and sides  20  which are contiguous and form a water tight vessel. The base  15  has a channel  25  around its outer perimeter adjoining the sides  20 . The purpose of the channel  25  is so that when the container upper portion is to be used as plant containing means then the said channel provides a means of collecting and directing water which falls upon the base  15  to holes  30  placed strategically at one or more locations in the base of the said channel so that water may drain from the container upper portion without flooding the container lower portion.  
         [0000]     An additional one of the holes  30  may be used to provide access for water from a separate irrigation water supply (not shown) to provide water for any plants contained in the said container upper portion.  
         [0015]     The container lower portion  60  consists sides  65  and a base  70  and, one of said sides has an orifice  63  of appropriate shape and dimension to permit the hose  90  to be withdrawn from the hose reel when required said orifice may be formed (not shown) as part of a recess in the said side such that any “clip-on” hose fitting is recessed into the said recess thereby tending to hide said hose fitting. Said orifice  63  may instead be a vertical slot  
         [0000]     The said container lower portion  60  contains the retractable hose reel  80  and supporting axle  85  on axle end locating/and or fastening means  86  and  87   
         [0016]     The side  65  or base  70  has one or more holes and/or channels to permit connection of supply means such as water supply to the hose on the hose reel and/or electricity supply to operate lighting and/or pumps and/or valves to control water. Said hose fitting and/or connecting hose and/or electricity supply cable may be located within an appropriately formed recess or channel ( not shown) in the side  65  and/or base  70  of the said container lower portion  60 . Such recess and/or channel will be formed to hide or disguise the said supply entry and in the case of a channel in the base 70  will permit supply to enter into the container lower portion  60  without the hose or pipe or cable being crushed by the weight of the device. Said supply may have one or more switches and/or valves to constrict and/or adjust and/or shut-off supply of water and/or electricity.  
         [0017]     The said container lower portion contains a space  75  between the lower edge of the hose-reel  80  and the base  70  such space being provided to allow the fitting of a counterweight such as sand-bags to steady the device against the force exerted when pulling hose from the reel. Alternatively, the device may be steadied by fixing the base  70  by known fastening means into the desired position onto the surface upon which it stands.  
         [0018]     The said container lower portion  60  may also be constructed with a cover piece  62  (not shown ) to which is connected by known means axle end locating/and or fastening means  87  and said lower portion  60  may also have formed on the inner surface of base  70  locating or housing means (not shown) such as lugs or ridges forming an annular locating means to locate annular axle end locating/and or fastening means  86  so that said axle end locating/and or fastening means  86  is restrained from moving when the hose-reel is under stress of extraction or retraction of the hose.  
         [0019]     In another example (not shown), the base  15  may be formed to create a downwards slope inwards from the sides  20  to a low point hole in the centre above the axle  85  and axle  85  may be hollow so that drainage water can pass through the hollow axle or a drainage tube inside the hollow axle and pass out of the urn without staining the sides  65  of lower portion  60  below holes  30 .