CONNECTED CONTAINERS

Abstract: A device (1), especially for use as connected cultivation containers (2) with containers (2) provided obliquely in relation to a rail (3). The rail is intended for being placed for use in such an erect position that opening (4) of the containers faces upwards. Advantageously, device (1) is manufactured from a stamped out blank of a foldable water resistant sheet material.

Description: The present invention relates to connected containers, particularly for use as containers for cultivation. In cultivating young plants in pots large hothouse tables provided with large capillary mats which distribute water to the pots are often used. The roots of plants, however, tend to grow down into the capillary mats and development of roots within the pot proper is relatively limited. When the pot is removed from the mat, the roots which have grown into the mat are commonly torn off. This form of cultivation is relatively time consuming and labour intensive. It is not unusual today to use cultivation rails in which a number of separate pots are placed. The rails are arranged on large horizontal tables or rail systems, so that displacement of the rails may occur gradually as the plants grow. For irrigation, water may be conducted to the bottom of the rail to pass directly below the pots. As in lettuce growing the roots grow out of the bottom of the pots and into the cultivation rail. US-A-4 380 136 discloses an assembly for cultivation comprising containers for earth whose sides are folded in respect of the front and are mounted to a common back piece. According to the present invention, there is provided a two-dimensional blank for erecting a device particularly suited for use in cultivation of plants, characterized in that the said blank comprises: (a) an elongate back portion having first and second opposing longitudinal edge portions; (b) at least two lateral web portions integrally and continuously extending from said elongate back portion, each said lateral web portion including portions adapted to form at least first and second side portions of a container, wherein the first said side portion is connected along its edge with the first said longitudinal edge portion of the said back portion; (c) means adapted to permit to folding of each said lateral web portion from a first position coplanar with the said elongate back portion to a second position, in which the said lateral web portion and the said elongate back portion define a container; and (d) means for fixing the said second side portion of the said lateral web portion to the said second longitudinal edge portion of the said back portion. The invention also provides a three-dimensional device particularly suited for use in the cultivation of plants including two or more containers having a common back portion, characterized in that the device is formed from a blank as defined above. Suitably, the device in accordance with the invention includes a rail having a substantially U-shaped cross section and the containers may have an opening in their lower portion. The containers may consist of web portions projecting obliquely from the U-shaped rail and extending from one flange of the rail to the second flange. The rail and the containers may be suitably manufactured from a stamped out piece of a foldable heat resistant sheet material. In the opening or channel of the U-shaped rail a separate strip is advantageously placed to act both as a locking strip and as a chute for excess water from one pot to the next further down. Said strip preferably has a V-shaped cross section. The rails are suitably provide with fastening means, preferably in the shape of hooks or the like, intended for fastening the rails to a stationary support. A number of preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of connected cultivation containers according to the invention, Figure 2 is a plan view of a stamped-out blank for forming the connected containers according to the invention, Figure 3 shows a locking strip which is also used as a chute for irrigation, Figure 4 is a diagrammatical view of a variant of the blank as shown in Figure 2, Figure 5 is a diagrammatical view of another variant of the blank as shown in Figure 2, Figure 6 is a diagrammatical view of still another variant of the blank as shown in Figure 2 with a locking strip, and Figure 7 is a diagrammatical view illustrating the arrangement of cultivation containers according to the invention as compared to conventional planting. In the perspective view of Figure 1 a device is shown, particularly suited for use as connected cultivation containers 2. They may, obviously, be used for other purposes where connected containers are needed. The containers 2 are arranged along a rail 3 and are disposed at an angle to said rail with the container openings 4 mainly facing upwards. The fronts of containers 2 may be adapted to form various angles in relation to rail 3, e.g. angles of 30°, 45°, or 60 or any desired angle. When cultivation containers 2 are closely adjacent openings 4 of adjacent containers 2, the openings 4 should face mainly upwards. The device 1 may be used professionally both in hothouses and outdoors. Additionally, it may be used for precultivation of plants that do not tolerate transplanting, e.g. garden dill which can only be "moved" outdoors. One or a number of devices 1 can be provided in some kind of carrying frame (not shown) in such a manner that the cultivation containers are correctly positioned. Rail 3 has a substantially U-shaped cross section and containers 2 have an aperture at their lower end 8. A separate strip 7 has a dual function. It acts both as an irrigation chute and a locking strip. In order to prevent the soil from forming a hard crust in the containers 2 irrigation is carried out using a trickle irrigation hose which is placed in the uppermost container or pot 2 on cultivation rail 3. When the uppermost pot is saturated with water, excess water will trickle down into the next pot below which is, in turn, saturated, whereupon water will trickle down to the next pot, etc. In this manner irrigation will be performed with certain intervals. Nutrient solution may be added to the water in order to achieve total control and thus supply the amount of nutrient which will meet the actual requirements of the plants. The containers 2 are formed of webs which project obliquely from U-shaped rail 3 and extend from one flange 10 of rail 3 to the other flange 10′. In connection with flanges or webs 10, 10′ fastening means 9 are provided which may take any suitable shape, e.g. hooks or the like, to secure the rails to a stationary support, e.g. a frame or a wall. The device 1 as presented in Figure 1 is formed from a blank 5 as shown in Figure 2. Blank 5 is manufactured from a stamped out piece of a foldable water resistant sheet material. Device 1 may also be manufactured in one piece, e.g. by injection moulding of a plastic material, but this technique presently is expensive and is not the preferred method. Figure 3 shows a second stamped out member or strip 6 which is also manufactured from a foldable water resistant sheet material corresponding to blank 5. Said two members are assembled in a self locking system which does not require glueing or stapling. In Figure 2 a continuous cultivation rail is shown intended for five containers, although the number of containers may be from one and up to any desired number. Assembling may be done within a few seconds and, independently of the selected pot size, up to, e.g. twenty V-shaped pots may, thus, be provided in a terrace/stepped system. Blank 6 as shown in Figure 3, is preferably, folded to a V-shaped cross section to form an irrigation chute as well as act as a locking strip, as mentioned above. The assembly of device 1 will be disclosed below, and to this end blank 5 is provided with a plurality of folding lines 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. The stamped out blank appears in the shape of a flat sheet with imprinted folding lines. At first blank 5 is folded along folding lines 18 and 19 causing flange portions 10, 10′ to form an angle of substantially 90° with the rear portion 22. At the same time fastening means 9 which form projections on flanges 10, 10′ will also project to form angles of substantially 90° with rear portion 22, but in the opposite direction of flanges 10, 10′. One flange means 10′ has projections 21 which will form locking tabs in the assembled device 1. The corresponding flange 10 at the other side of the rear portion 22 has an extension consisting of faces 12, 13, and 14 which will form the screen like member or side walls in the container 2 proper. Between faces 12 and 13 and between faces 13 and 14 there are folding lines 16 and 17, respectively. Locking ears or extensions are provided, on face 12. During the assembly process the flanges 10, 10′ are raised by 90° relative to elongate rear web 22 and face 12 is gripped and turned through a further 180° towards the opposite flange 10′, so that the face 12 extends in parallel with flange 10′ inside and adjacent to the latter. The connected face 12, 13, 14 will inherently crease along folding lines 16 and 17 to adopt the angular shape of container 2. The free end of face 12 extends along rear portion 22 inside rail 3. The tabs 21 are then folded 180° about locking ears 11 along folding indications 20 and thus, lock the latter to flange 10′. Face 12 thus forms one side wall of container 2, face 13 forms the front wall of container 2, and face 14 being an extension of flange 10 forms the other side wall of container 2. Because of the particular shape of the lower portion of face 13 a small aperture is formed in the bottom of the container to permit water passing through to a container placed below. Successive containers are set up or assembled in this matter, and with some practice assembling may be carried out with a few rapid hand manipulations. When all containers 2 are erected the combined locking strip 6 and irrigation chute 7 is inserted from above. It is preliminarily folded along folding indication 23 to assume a substantially V-shaped profile. The connected cultivation device is then assembled as shown in Figure 1. Irrigation chute 7 in Figure 7 is pulled slightly downwards to provide better illustration. If cultivation rail 1 is manufactured in one piece, however, the strip 6 is superfluous. Figure 4 shows a variant 15 of the blank as shown in Figure 2. Here, only three containers are shown with side faces 12, 13, 14 although, obviously, the number of containers and the length of the device may be as desired. The container is assembled in the same manner as disclosed in connection with Figure 2, but the containers 2 proper and their lower portion will be slightly different. Dashed lines 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 show folding indications and full lines 26, 27 inside blank 15 show throught cuts in the material. Containers 2, in the same manner as the blank shown in Figure 2 will extend at an angle of 30° with rail 3. Figures 5 and 6 show further variants of blanks 25, and 35, respectively. Containers 2 finished from blanks 25 will form an angle of 30° with rail 3, and the rail proper will form an angle of 45° with the horizontal plane. Containers 2 made from blanks 35 will form an angle of 45° with rail 3, and the rail will in turn from an angle of 45° with the horizontal plane. In Figure 6 an associated locking strip 36 is also shown. Figure 7 is a diagrammatical view illustrating a possible disposition of connected cultivation containers arranged in a rack with cultivation rail devices placed towards one another. They are shown in comparison with traditional planting, and the reduced ground space will be apparent. With the connected cultivation containers according to at least the preferred embodiments of the invention the cultivation area is considerably better utilised. Production per unit area may be increased by at least 50% and may be three to four times larger in many cases. At the same time lighting may be considerably improved for the plants as compared with conventional hothouses and outdoor growing. Sunlight may be utilized better when the sun is low, as in the morning and in the evening. With the present connected containers according to the invention watering may also be effected in a very suitable manner, e.g. by periodical trickle irrigation. As opposed to sprinkling or purling this will result in a less moist plant milieu which may be decisive for growth of fungi and mould, especially in connection with closed environments, as in a hothouse. Also, ventilation between plants will be improved and there will be less hazard of contact between plants. The working milieu will also be essentially improved since work to be done on the plants may be carried out in an upright position. Harvesting may also occur more readily and rapidly. At the same time weeding is for the most part eliminated. With outdoor cultivation in colder climates the season may start two to three weeks earlier, since it is possible to get started before the soil frost has disappeared and the melting water is drained off. In combination with Agryl-sheet, which also protects against cold (-5°C) the harvest season may be prolonged by a couple of weeks. This will extend the season by up to 20%. The plants being elevated from the ground, use of poison may be considerably reduced. The plants can be efficiently protected against reptiles in the soil, and by covering the cultivation rails with an Agryl-sheet the plants may also be protected against flying insects.

Claims: A two-dimensional blank (5,15,25,35) for erecting a device particularly suited for use in cultivation of plants, characterized in that the said blank comprises: (a) an elongate back portion (22) having first and second opposing longitudinal edge portions; (b) at least two lateral web portions (12,13,14) integrally and continuously extending from said elongate back portion (22), each said lateral web portion including portions adapted to form at least first and second side portions (14,12), of a container, wherein the first said side portion (14) is connected along its edge with the first said longitudinal edge portion of the said back portion; (c) means (16,17) adapted to permit the folding of each said lateral web portion from a first position coplanar with the said elongate back portion (22) to a second position, in which the said lateral web portion and the said elongate back portion define a container (2); and (d) means (21,11) for fixing the said second side portion of the said lateral web portion to the said second longitudinal edge portion of the said back portion. A blank according to claim 1, wherein at least one said longitudinal edge portion includes flanges (10,10') defined by fold lines (18,19) such that when folded the said back portion constitutes a rail (3) having a substantially U-shaped transverse cross section. A blank according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the said blank comprises a plurality of the said lateral web portions (12,13,14) for forming a plurality of the said containers, the said web portions being vertically aligned. A blank as defined in claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the said fixing means includes at least one locking tab (21), integral with and extending from the said elongate back portion (22), the said tab being defined by a respective fold line (20). A blank as defined in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the said fixing means also comprises a locking extension (11) integral with and extending from one of the said side portions (12). A blank as defined in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the said blank includes fastening means (9) integral with and extending from the said elongate back portion (22) for securing the said erected device to a stationary support. A blank as defined in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the said blank is formed of a foldable water resistant sheet material. A three-dimensional device adapted for use in cultivation of plants including two or more containers (2) having a common back portion (22), characterized in that the said device is formed from a two-dimensional blank according to any one of Claims 1 to 7. A device as defined in Claim 8, wherein the said elongate back portion (22) includes flanges (10,10') thus constituting a rail having a substantially U-shaped transverse cross section, and wherein each said lateral web portion (12,13,14) defining the said containers extends integrally and continuously from the said respective flanges (10,10') of the said U-shaped rail. A device as defined in Claim 8 or Claim 9, wherein each container (2) comprises an aperture for drainage located at the lower end of the said container in use. A device according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the said device further includes an irrigation chute (6,36) slidably mounted between the said back portion (22) and front faces, the said chute being adapted to lock the said device in the erected position ready for use.

Inventors: GULDBERG, ARNFINN
Applicants: GULDBERG, ARNFINN
Application year: 1988
Main classification: A01G9
IPC codes: A01G9