PLANTER WITH MULTIPART CONSTRUCTION

A planter includes an upper part having an inner side wall and a bottom wall that define a chamber for receiving a growing medium and one or more plants, the upper part further having an outer wall radially outward from the inner side wall, the outer wall having a first joining element and the bottom wall having a first connector element; and a lower part having an outer wall radially outward of the inner side wall of the upper part and a bottom wall subjacent the bottom wall of the upper part, the outer wall of the lower part having a second joining element that engages with the first joining element to join the outer walls of the upper and lower parts, and the bottom wall of the lower part having a second connector element to mate with the first connector element.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to horticultural containers in the form of planters that are made from more than one part that are assembled together.

BACKGROUND

The ornamental appearance of planters tends to be of high interest to consumers. To manufacture some planters having visually interesting features, the planters are made from more than one part. The parts are assembled to complete the planter. But this may result in various issues.

For instance, planters age over time, especially when exposed to sunlight. As a result of aging, the parts may warp. If the parts warp unevenly, undesired gaps may form between the parts.

Also, if the planters are assembled in a factory, the assembled planter may consume a relatively large volume, and multiple planters may not be nested together. As a result, more volume is consumed during storing and shipping, and more packaging may be required to package the assembled planters for shipping purposes.

SUMMARY

There is a need in the art for an improved multipart planter that ages better than prior art planters and that consumes less volume when shipped.

According to one aspect of the disclosure, a planter includes an upper part having an inner side wall and a bottom wall that define a chamber for receiving a growing medium and one or more plants, the upper part further having an outer wall radially outward from the inner side wall, the outer wall having a first joining element and the bottom wall having a first connector element; and a lower part having an outer wall radially outward of the inner side wall of the upper part and a bottom wall subjacent the bottom wall of the upper part, the outer wall of the lower part having a second joining element that engages with the first joining element to join the outer walls of the upper and lower parts, and the bottom wall of the lower part having a second connector element to mate with the first connector element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The figures are to scale, but it will be understood that the various views may be enlarged or reduced relative to one another. Also, the dimensions of the planter may be altered (e.g., the planter may be made taller without being made comparatively wider or vice versa, and/or other changes may be made).

Embodiments will be described with reference to the figures, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. Features that are described and/or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in the same way or in a similar way in one or more other embodiments and/or in combination with or instead of the features of the other embodiments.

Referring to the figures, illustrated is a planter10having an upper part12and a lower part14. The upper part12has an inner wall16that forms a chamber18for receiving planting medium (not shown), such as soil, and one or more plants (not shown). The inner wall16includes a least one side wall20and a bottom wall22that form the chamber18, which is open at an upper end thereof.

The upper part12has an upper rim24, at which an upper end of the side wall20ends. The side wall20may be tapered inward as it extends from the upper rim24to the bottom wall22. The upper part12further includes an outer wall26that extends outward and downward from the upper rim24. The outer wall26has a terminal edge28at about the mid-point of the height of the planter10. In other embodiments, the terminal edge28may be located above or below the mid-point of the height of the planter10.

The lower part14is configured in complementary fashion with the upper part12so that the lower part14and the upper part12may be assembled to form the planter10. Assembly of the planter10will be described in greater detail below. The lower part14includes a bottom wall30that supports the bottom wall22of the upper part12and an outer wall32. The outer wall32of the lower part14extends outward and upward from an outer periphery of the bottom wall30of the lower part14. The outer wall32has a terminal edge34that joins with the terminal edge28of the upper part12using joining elements that are respectively located at the terminal edge28of the upper part12and the terminal edge34of the lower part14.

For instance, in the illustrated embodiment, the terminal edge28of the upper part12has a tongue36that is received in a mating groove38in the terminal edge34of the lower part14. In other embodiments, the terminal edge34of the lower part14may have the tongue36and the terminal edge28of the upper part12may have the groove38. The fit of the tongue36in the groove38may have a tight tolerance to form a solid union between the upper part12and the lower part14. A transition fit (e.g., requiring light or moderate force for the tongue36to fully seat within the groove38) or an interference fit (e.g., a press fit or a friction fit) are exemplary fits suitable to create the tight tolerance to join upper part12and the lower part14. In some planters, a clearance fit between the tongue26and the groove38may be satisfactory. Other unions between the terminal edge28of the upper part12terminal edge34of the lower part14rather than a tongue and groove union may be used, such as snap fit employing interlocking components (e.g., any of cantilever components, torsional components, annular components, etc.) or coordinating indents and detents. In other embodiments, a bayonet type of connection between the terminal edge28of the upper part12and the terminal edge34of the lower part14may be made.

In the illustrated embodiment, the tongue28and the groove38are circular about a longitudinal axis A and completely surround the longitudinal axis A of the planter10. In this manner, the upper part12and the lower part14may be fit together in any relative rotational alignment. In other embodiments, the tongue28and the groove38are not completely annular and/or other features are present (e.g., alignment tabs, snap fit elements, bayonet connectors, etc.) that limit assembly of the planter10to specific relative annular alignments of the upper part12and the lower part14or that limit assembly of the planter10to a range of relative annular alignments of the upper part12and the lower part14.

In the illustrated embodiment, the planter10is circular about the longitudinal axis A. Also, the outer wall26of the upper part12and the outer wall32of the lower part14are curved so that the planter10has a spherical appearance. Other shapes are possible, such as oval, triangular, square, rectangular, other polygons, and non-uniform shapes. Shapes of the planter10about the longitudinal axis A other than round will tend to require rotational alignment of the upper part12and the lower part14when assembling the planter10. As indicated, a round planter10about the longitudinal axis A with round joining elements may be assembled in any relative rotational alignment between the upper part12and the lower part14.

An exterior side40of the outer wall26and an exterior side42of the outer wall32may have ornamental features, such as a pattern. In the illustrated embodiment, the exterior sides40,42have horizontal ridges and valleys that form a sinusoidal-like pattern. As will be appreciated, other patterns are possible. Horizontal features may assist in visually obscuring a seam44between the upper part12and the lower part14.

A cavity46may be formed between the outer walls26,32and the inner wall16of the upper part12. The cavity46may be filled with air. Alternatively, the cavity46may serve as a reservoir for water in the case where the planter10is made to be self-watering. In other embodiments, ribs or other structural members may be formed in the cavity46to provide structural support between the outer wall26and the inner wall16and/or between the outer wall32and the inner wall16.

The bottom wall30of the lower part14supports the bottom wall22of the upper part12. In one embodiment, the bottom wall30has an upward projecting mesa48that nests within an upward projecting mesa50of the bottom wall22. A lower surface52of the mesa50rests on an upper surface54of the mesa48. In the illustrated embodiment, the mesas48,50are circular about the longitudinal axis A so specific rotational alignment between the upper part12and the lower14during assembly is not required. The bottom walls22,30may be spaced apart outside the mesas48,50to create a volume56into which water from the chamber18may drain. To provide subjacent support to the bottom wall22outside the mesas48,50, an upper surface of the bottom wall30of the lower part14may include upwardly projecting features (e.g., ribs58) that contact the bottom wall22of the upper part12. Alternatively, or in addition to the ribs58, the lower surface of the bottom wall22may include downwardly projecting features (e.g., ribs) outside the mesas48,50that contact the bottom wall30. One or more drainage holes60in the bottom wall22of the upper part12may fluidly connect the chamber18with the volume56to allow water to drain from the chamber18to the volume56and/or to be wicked into the chamber18from the volume56. The volume56may open to the cavity46at the outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall22. One or more drainage holes62in the bottom wall30of the lower part14may fluidly connect the volume56to an exterior environment of the planter10to allow for further drainage and/or self-watering capability.

The planter10may include a connector64to secure the upper part12to the lower part14. In the illustrated embodiment, the connector64includes snap fit members66,68. For instance, protruding upward from the upper surface54of the mesa48of the bottom wall30are three snap fit cantilever members66with catch features that protrude through a through hole68in the in the mesa50of the bottom wall22of the upper part12. During assembly, the members66deflect inward against the sides of the hole68and, once clear of the bottom wall22, resiliently snap back so as to engage the bottom wall22and trap the bottom wall22of the upper part12between the catch features and the upper surface54of the mesa48of the bottom wall30of the lower part14. This locks the upper part12to the lower part14. The hole68and members66are circular about the longitudinal axis A and aligned with the longitudinal axis A to allow assembly of the planter10in any relative rotational alignment between the upper part12and the lower part14. Fewer or more than three members66may be present. Also, other types of connectors64are possible, such as annular or torsional snap fit members, or a bayonet-style fitting. Alternatively, the members66and corresponding structure of the upper part12(e.g., the hole68) need not be aligned with the longitudinal axis A. In another embodiment, the members66may be part of the upper part12and the lower part14may have corresponding structure (e.g., a hole).

The upper part12and the lower part14may be manufactured separately. In one embodiment, the parts12,14may be made by injection molding from plastic material, or by another appropriate technique and/or from another material. As best shown inFIG.9, multiple upper parts12may be stacked together in nested fashion for shipping. Similarly, multiple lower parts14may be stacked together in nested fashion for shipping. Shipping one or more stacks of the upper parts12and one or more stacks of the lower parts14reduces overall volume as compared to the volume needed to ship assembled planters10. To facilitate nesting of the upper parts12, the upper part12may include ribs70that each terminate in a shoulder72spaced above the bottom wall22. When stacked, the shoulders72support the bottom wall22of an adjacent upper part12, as shown inFIG.9.

Once the upper parts12and lower parts14arrive at a destination, they may be assembled to form assembled planters10. For example, a worker at store may assembly the planters10from the upper parts12and the lower parts14for retail sale. In another situation, a worker at a commercial grower may assembly the planters10for use in planting one or more plants in each of the planters10. Alternatively, the upper part12and the lower part14could be separated at sale and the end consumer could assemble the planter10. To assemble the planter10, un upper part12is fit to the lower part14so that the joining elements at the terminal edges28,34of the outer walls26,32engage each other and so that the connector64secures the upper and lower parts12,14to each other. In embodiments where the upper and lower parts12,14do not need any specific rotational alignment relative to one another, the assembly of multiple planters10is considered to be intuitive and not labor intensive (e.g., not requiring much time per planter10). This is true even in embodiments where rotational alignment of the upper and lower parts12,14is needed.

Other advantages of the disclosed planter10are contemplated. For instance, the upper and lower parts12,14do not have undercuts that would require corresponding tooling, molding techniques, and/or machining techniques for manufacture. At the same time, planters10with unconventional ornamental features may be made, such as the illustrated planter10having external side walls that bow outward in spherical fashion rather than most conventional planters that have walls that taper inward along the direction from the upper rim toward the bottom wall. Also, joining elements at the terminal edges28,34allow the upper and lower parts12,14to age relatively evenly. Therefore, if warping of the parts12,14occur, it is thought that the terminal edges28,34will tend not to separate from one another so that the seam44remains tight and less visually noticeable.

Although certain embodiments have been shown and described, it is understood that equivalents and modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims will occur to others who are skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification.