Potted plant protector

For a plant potted in a conical pot, an oversized conical sleeve disposed in encircling relation about the conical pot and, in advance of a storm or similar plant-destroying weather condition, the sleeve is raised into an in-use position protecting the plant. The in-use raised position is maintained by a friction fit established between the difference sizes of conical pot and sleeve. During non-use of the sleeve, it is held in its encircling position by the weight of the conical pot and growing earth of the plant.

The present invention relates generally to improvements in preventing 
weather-caused damage to plants and, more particularly, to improvements 
that result by using to advantage the growing environment of the plant. 
EXAMPLE OF THE PRIOR ART 
To prevent weather-caused damage, it is already known to provide an 
enclosure about a plant to serve as a weather barrier, as documented in 
prior patents, one exemplary prior patent being U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,707 
issued to Koffle et al. for "Plant Protector" on May 16, 1989. It is known 
however, by common experience, that little use is made of plant protectors 
of the nature of the '707 Patent, and it is believed that this is due to 
the seeking of end use objectives that are unattainable, such as 
maintaining the protector itself stable during a windstorm or the like, or 
in a storage position preparatory to use in the event of a storm. 
In contrast, the within inventive plant protector focuses on providing 
weather barrier service to potted plants, herein recognized as being a 
significant category of plants to warrant such service, and wherein the 
growing environment of the plant, namely, the pot, has structural features 
that can be and are herein used to advantage to obviate weather-caused 
damage. To a similar end of contributing to utility, the potted plant is 
also used to maintain the plant-protecting component in a non-use position 
preparatory to an in-use position thereof, all as will be better 
understood as the description proceeds. 
Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a plant 
protector that as a practical matter can be implemented, and accordingly 
overcomes the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. 
More particularly, it is an object to use a conical plant-protecting member 
of a plant potted in a conical pot which, in practice, is readily raised 
into encircling relation about the plant and held in place by a friction 
fit at an interface of the conical surfaces, to the end of making 
practical widespread use and thus contributing to a correspondingly 
widespread practice of obviating weather-caused damage to potted plants. 
The description of the invention which follows, together with the 
accompanying drawings should not be construed as limiting the invention to 
the example shown and described, because those skilled in the art to which 
this invention appertains will be able to devise other forms thereof 
within the ambit of the appended claims.

It is well known by common experience that young bushes, shrubs, vegetable 
plants or flowers can sustain significant damage from wind, rain, snow, 
frost, hail and sudden temperature changes, and thus in prior patents, as 
exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,707 for "Plant Protector" issued to 
Koffler et al. on May 16, 1989, provision is made for an encircling 
tubular construction to serve as a weather barrier. The focus of the 
within invention is a potted plant, generally designated 10, in connection 
with which the pot, generally designated 12, is used to advantage to 
contribute to protecting the potted plant, all as will be better 
understood as the description proceeds. 
The plant pot typically made of clay construction material, is also 
typically provided with a top 14 open-ended conical wall 16 bounding a 
cone-shaped compartment 18 of a selected height 20 as measured by an axis 
22 of the compartment 18, and also has a bottom 24 of a selected dimension 
26, serving as a closure for the compartment, as measured by a diameter of 
a circle or said bottom 24 extending perpendicularly of the axis 22, the 
plant 28 and growing earth 30 being positioned in the compartment 18. 
Cooperating with the pot 12 is a top 32 and bottom 34 open-ended plastic 
plant-protecting member, generally designated 36, having a conical wall 38 
similarly bounding a cone-shaped compartment 40 of a selected height 42 as 
measured by an axis 44 of the compartment 40, and also having said bottom 
opening 34 of a selected diameter 48 extending perpendicularly of the 
compartment axis. 
It will be understood that the heights 20 and 42 are approximately the 
same, and that dimension 48 is greater than dimension 26 adjacent the 
bottom of the pot 12, but this size difference exists only up to the 
location 52 adjacent the top 14 of the pot 12, at which location 52 the 
diameter 48 of the plant-protecting member 36 is the same as the diameter 
56 of a ring 58 molded integral on the pot 12 to minimize chipping in the 
pot opening 14. As measured from the pot top opening 14 the ring 58 
extends downwardly a distance 60 and, as measured from the bottom 24, the 
aptly denominated interference diameter 54 is approximately the same 
distance 62 above the bottom 24. 
In use, the plant-protecting member 36 is placed in encircling relation 
about the pot 12, such that the weight of the growing earth 30 and, to 
some extent, the weight of the plant 28, prevent movement of the 
plant-protecting member 36 from its encircling position preparatory to it 
being moved from this non-use position into a position of use. More 
particularly, because of the size differences of the dimensions 26 and 48, 
the plant-protecting member 36 has an ascending degree of movement 64 
until diameter 48 contacts ring 58, as at 66. This contact results in the 
establishment of a friction fit at location 66, which in practice has been 
found to hold the plant-protecting member in its raised position, as 
designated in phantom perspective in FIG. 3, to contribute to enabling the 
plant-protecting member 36 to serve as an effective weather barrier. The 
friction fit at 66 is released by manually urging the plant-protecting 
member 36 in descending movement. 
For completeness sake it is noted that the top opening 32 of the plant 
protecting member 36 is preferably closed by an appropriately sized and 
shaped cover 70, and that the bottom 24 of the pot 12 is preferable seated 
on spacers 72 in an interposed position between the bottom 24 and a saucer 
74 to allow water drainage through an aligned opening 76 and a clearance 
78 in communication with a compartment 80 of the saucer 74. Lastly, vent 
holes 82 as required are provided in the wall 38 of the plant-protecting 
member 36, as best shown in FIG. 2. 
While the apparatus herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable 
of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, 
it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently 
preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended 
to the detail of construction or design herein shown other than as defined 
in the appended claims.