Modular planting system

A modular planting system for growing a plurality of plants arranged in a vertical column. The inventive device includes a plurality of modular planting units which may stacked together at various relative angular orientations to form a vertical column. Each of the modular planting units includes a center column having a pair of plant receptacles projecting from both sides of the center column. A mounting flange extends downwardly from a lowermost portion of the center column and is arranged for reception within an uppermost potion of a center column of another planting unit. In addition, a water system for dispensing water to each of the individual plant receptacles, and supporting structure for supporting the system in a vertical orientation is also provided.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to planters and more particularly pertains to 
a modular planting system for growing a plurality of plants arranged in a 
vertical column. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The use of planters is known in the prior art. More specifically, planters 
heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of supporting living plant 
organisms are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious 
structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs 
encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the 
fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
For example, a planting wall is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,389,499 
which includes a plurality of vertically spaced blocks adapted to contain 
soil and plants. The blocks are laterally staggered, locked together and 
form a wall that may be planted on both sides to provide a sturdy and 
attractive structure. 
Another patent of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,807 which discloses an 
arrangement for growing plants including a multiplicity of planters each 
having a bottom face, sidewalls, and an open upper face, with the 
containers being at least partially filled with a medium for growing 
plants and being stacked in the form of a self supporting column. 
Other known prior art planters include U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,359; and U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,123,873. 
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and 
requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a planting system 
for growing a plurality of plants arranged in a vertical column which 
includes a plurality of modular planting units which may be stacked 
together at various relative angular orientations to form the vertical 
column, wherein each of the modular planting units includes a center 
column having a pair of plant receptacles projecting from opposed sides of 
the center column, and a mounting flange extending downwardly from a 
lowermost portion of the center column and arranged for reception within 
an uppermost portion of a center column of another planting unit. 
Furthermore, none of the known prior art planters teach or suggest a 
modular planting system of the aforementioned structure which further 
includes a watering system for dispensing water to each of the individual 
plant receptacles, and supporting structure for supporting the system in a 
vertical orientation. 
In these respects, the modular planting system according to the present 
invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs 
of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily 
developed for the purpose of growing a plurality of plants arranged in a 
vertical column. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of 
planters now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a 
new modular planting system construction wherein the same can be utilized 
for supporting a plurality of plants arranged in a vertical column. As 
such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be 
described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new modular 
planting system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of 
the planters mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a 
modular planting system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, 
suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art planters, either alone 
or in any combination thereof. 
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a modular 
planting system for growing a plurality of plants arranged in a vertical 
column. The inventive device includes a plurality of modular planting 
units which may stacked together at various relative angular orientations 
to form a vertical column. Each of the modular planting units includes a 
center column having a pair of plant receptacles projecting from both 
sides of the center column. A mounting flange extends downwardly from a 
lowermost portion of the center column and is arranged for reception 
within an uppermost potion of a center column of another planting unit. In 
addition, a water system for dispensing water to each of the individual 
plant receptacles, and supporting structure for supporting the system in a 
vertical orientation is also provided. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, 
additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter 
and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention 
in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its 
application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the 
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the 
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being 
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood 
that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose 
of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon 
which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new modular 
planting system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of 
the planters mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a 
modular planting system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, 
suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art planters, either alone 
or in any combination thereof. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new modular 
planting system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and 
marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new modular 
planting system which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new modular 
planting system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with 
regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then 
susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making 
such modular planting systems economically available to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new 
modular planting system which provides in the apparatuses and methods of 
the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously 
overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new modular 
planting system for supporting and growing a plurality of plants arranged 
in a vertical column. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new modular 
planting system which includes a plurality of modular planting units which 
may be stacked together at various relative angular orientations to form 
the vertical column, wherein each of the modular planting units includes a 
center column having a pair of plant receptacles projecting from opposed 
sides of the center column, and a mounting flange extending downwardly 
from a lowermost portion of the center column and arranged for reception 
within an uppermost portion of a center column of another planting unit. 
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new 
modular planting system which further includes a watering system for 
dispensing water to each of the individual plant receptacles, and 
supporting structure for supporting the system in a vertical orientation. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1-10 
thereof, a new modular planting system embodying the principles and 
concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the 
reference numeral 10 will be described. 
More specifically, it will be noted that the modular planting system 10 
comprises a plurality of planting units 12 which can be stacked one on top 
of another at various relative angular orientations, as best illustrated 
in FIG. 19 . Each of the planting units 12 is substantially similar in 
construction and design and includes a center column 14 having a pair of 
lateral receptacles 16 extending from opposed sides of the center column, 
with a mounting flange 18 extending downwardly from the center column and 
arranged for reception within another center column of another planting 
unit, thereby coupling the planting units together in the vertical 
orientation illustrated in FIG. 1. The center column 14 is preferably 
hollow with the lateral receptacles being in communication through the 
hollow center column. Thus, a continuous volume of plant growing medium, 
such as soil or the like, may extend from a first one of the lateral 
receptacle 16 through the center column 14 to a second one of the lateral 
receptacles. 
Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 can be shown that each of the planting units 
12 comprises a front wall 20 spaced from a rear wall 22. The front and 
rear walls 20, 22 are substantially identical in shape and each includes a 
rectangular portion 24 having a pair of oppositely extending triangular 
wings 26 which are integrally or otherwise fixedly secured to the 
rectangular portion 24, as best illustrated in FIG. 4. The front wall 20 
is fixedly secured to the rear wall 22 and supported in the spaced, 
parallel orientation indicated in FIG. 3 by a plurality of side walls 
which include a pair of spaced upper side walls 28 which orthogonally 
extend between the rectangular portions 24 of the front and rear walls, a 
pair of medial side walls 30 which orthogonally extend between the spaced 
triangular wings 26 of the front and rear walls, and a pair of lower side 
walls 32 which orthogonally extend between the rectangular portions 24 of 
the front rear walls. By this structure, the medial side walls 30 and the 
lower side walls 32 cooperate with the front and rear walls 20, 22 to 
define planting spaces 34 within the lateral receptacle 16 which are 
operable to support and permit the growth of a plant extending from the 
lateral receptacles. 
To support the aforementioned growing material within the hollow center 
column 14 as well as the planting spaces 34 of the lateral receptacle 16, 
a soil retainer 36 is removably supported across a lowermost portion of 
the center column between the lower side walls 32 and the front and rear 
walls 20, 22 by a ridge 38 which extends orthogonally and radially inward 
from the lower sidewalls and the front and rear walls to integrally or 
otherwise fixedly join with the mounting flange 18, as best illustrated in 
FIG. 4. The soil retainer 36 preferably is shaped so as to define angled 
floor portions 40 which cooperate to guide water and other fluid though a 
plurality of drain holes 42 which extend through the soil retainer 36. 
Preferably, the drain holes 42 extend through the soil retainer 36 at an 
angle of approximately forty five degrees relative to a vertical axis 
projecting orthogonally through the soil retainer. The soil retainer 36 is 
operable to prevent soil compaction of soil within the lower planting 
units by the weight of the soil contained within upper planting units 12. 
Further the angular orientation of the drain holes 42 serves to disperse 
water and other fluids travelling from one planting unit 12 through the 
soil retainer 36 to another planting unit therebelow. In addition, a 
plurality of vent apertures 44 extend through the lower sidewalls 32 to 
provide for increased aeration and ventilation of the growing medium or 
soil contained within each of the planting units 12. 
Variations in the configuration of each of the planting units 12 include 
forming the center column 14 in a substantially tubular or circular shape, 
forming the lateral receptacles 16 in a substantially quarter round or 
semi circular shape, as well as providing each of the center columns with 
a plurality of lateral receptacles 16, such as 3 or 4, therearound. 
Preferably, the planting units 12 are formed of an integrally molded PVC 
plastic of a white color. However, it is within the intent and purview of 
the present invention to integrally mold or otherwise secure together the 
components 20-38 of each of the planting units 12 by any conventional 
means utilizing any conventionally known material. 
Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, it can be shown that the present invention 
10 may also include a plurality of shelf caps 46 with each of the shelf 
caps being selectively mountable across the opening of each lateral 
receptacle 16 so as to support a flower pot 48 or the like thereon. To 
this end and as best illustrated FIG. 6, each of the shelf caps 46 
comprises a cap plate 50 having a pair of inner flanges 52 spaced from a 
respective pair of outer flanges 54, with the inner flanges cooperating 
with respective outer flanges to support the cap plate 50 atop both the 
front and rear walls 20, 22. The cap plate 50 includes a recessed area 56 
for receiving the flower pot 48 and imparting lateral stability to such 
pot. In this manner, the modular planting system 10 may be utilized to 
support flower pots 48 or other containers as illustrated in FIG. 5. 
FIG. 7 and 8 illustrate the module planting system 10 as further including 
a water system means 58 for dispensing a fluid to each of the plant 
receptacles 16. To this end, the water system means 58 comprises a main 
supply line 60 supplying water or other fluids through a valve 62 to a row 
supply line 64 from which a pair distribution fittings 66 project. The 
distribution fittings 66 are in fluid communication with the row supply 
line 64 and are operable to permit fluid communication between the row 
supply line and a plurality of delivery hoses 68 which drape downwardly 
therefrom, as best illustrated in FIG. 7. Each of the delivery hoses 68 
supports and fluidly communicates with a plurality of delivery hose 
branches 70 which extend into the individual plant receptacle 16. The 
delivery hose branches 70 each terminate at a diffuser 72 which operates 
to diffuse and aerate the water or other fluid being dispensed into the 
plant receptacle 16. Preferably, the diffuser 72 comprises a porous 
ceramic material providing a tortuous path thorough which the fluid must 
pass. By this structure the watering system means 58 operates to 
selectively maintain a desired amount of water or other growing fluid 
within each of the plant receptacles 16. It should be noted that the 
delivery hoses 68 and associated branches 70 may be positioned within the 
columns 14 so as to provide for increased aesthetic appearance of the 
device 10. 
In certain growing situations it is desirable to form a plurality of both 
rows and columns of the modular planting systems 10. In such a case, it is 
preferable that the row supply lines 64 extend across adjacent columns and 
rest upon the uppermost planting unit 12, as best illustrated in FIG. 7. 
To this end, a stabilizing cap 74 may be positioned atop the center column 
14 of the uppermost planting unit 12. The stabilizing cap 74 includes a 
pair of spaced plates 76 between which the row supply line 64 preferably 
extends. To stabilize adjacent rows of a single column, a stabilizing rod 
78 extends through and may be secured to the spaced plates 76 by 
unillustrated clips, pins or other fastening means. By this structure, a 
network of modular planting units 10 which are structurally and fluidly 
interconnected may be arranged within a greenhouse, a planting field, or 
other gardening or cultivating area. 
FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate supporting structure means which may be utilized 
to support each of the modular planting systems 10 in a substantially 
vertical orientation. To this end, a first supporting structure means 
comprises a wheeled carriage 80 having a frame 82 including a mounting 
receiver 84 which engages and supports the mounting flange 18 of a 
lowermost planting unit 12, as shown in FIG. 9. A plurality of support 
legs 86 extend from the frame 82 and terminate in rotatably mounted 
castors 88, thereby permitting selective wheeled movement of the first 
supporting structure means or wheeled carriage 80 across a ground surface. 
Further, a drain bowl 90 is supported beneath the center column 14 of the 
lowermost planting unit 12 by a transverse member 92 which extends between 
at least a pair of the support legs 86. 
A second supporting structure means for supporting a modular planting 
system 10 in a vertical orientation is illustrated in FIG. 10 and 
comprises a floor installation 94 wherein a preferably concrete floor 96 
includes an unlabeled rectangular aperture through which the mounting 
flange 18 of the lowermost planting unit 12 projects and engages. Beneath 
the floor 96 is a gutter 98 which collects and directs water or other 
fluids emanating from the drain holes 42 of the soil retainer 36 to a sump 
100 formed in a subsurface area beneath the floor 96. A pump 102 is 
positioned within the sump 100 and fluidly connected to the main supply 
line 60 so as to recirculate such water or fluid through the watering 
system means 58. Although not specifically illustrated, it is contemplated 
that a suitable filtering system may be employed to cleanse and condition 
such water or fluid. 
As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the 
present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. 
Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and 
operation will be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.