Abstract:
Arrangeable systems and methods that provide capabilities of utilizing a single husbandry container in multiple dispositions. The systems and methods are practiced in varying combinations by differing embodiments, with many of the embodiments&#39; husbandry containers, for example, being well suited for both alterable suspension on a repositionable member as well as stable placement as tableware. Among the parts utilized in many of embodiments are base, arrangeable member, and container portions.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    The present application relates to dispositions of a husbandry suitable enclosure and, more specifically, to providing multiply arrangeable systems and methods of dispositioning a husbandry suitable enclosure, most commonly within an interior space. 
         [0005]    2. Related Art 
         [0006]    Interior living space circumstances can often restrict their occupants&#39; wishes. One relatively frequent desire is an interest in maintaining living organisms, such as plants, within the living space to enhance the occupants&#39; experiences. This maintaining generally involves concomitant requirements, such as appropriate lighting for most plants and/or suitable ambient temperatures for both plants and animals. Additionally, the majority of living spaces&#39; circumstances constrain the options available for achieving at least some of these maintaining requirements. Moreover, many occupants prefer flexibility in their options to accommodate both differing circumstances (such as temporal changes in the amount and direction of available sunlight) as well as differing intentions (such as desiring to disposition a plant for decorative effect in the evening without hindering the ability to best disposition the plant to receive sunlight during the day.) A substantial variety of approaches have been developed to address these issues, usually with an emphasis on one or the other particular need. Assorted approaches have attempted to address more than one need, or provide options for flexibility in disposition, but these attempts have been primarily suited to, at best, address one objective well and have largely left the other objectives to be inadequately, if at all, addressed. The thinking behind these strategies regularly appears to indicate that the other objectives are considered ancillary bonuses which do not require the same degree of accomplishment. 
         [0007]    Included among the diverse effects desirable of a husbandry suitable enclosure are:
       a) Providing indoor plants with adequate sunlight. In one common maneuver, a planter is rested on or affixed to a windowsill. However, this placement can impair the functioning of a window or partially block a view, and risks toppling the planter during window operation. Additionally, windowsill placement subjects plants to potentially damaging significant temperature variations, due to the greater volatility of the ambient environment in the immediate vicinity of a window. Avoiding these complications while still gaining the requisite sunlight would be preferable.   b) Providing specific light distributions to enable particular plant health and appearance objectives. Rotating plants over time (generally days or weeks) is one manner of shaping the light distribution received by a plant. However, larger planters (such as windowsill planter boxes) can be difficult or awkward to easily rotate, and foliage spread is generally limited by spatial factors such as the window surface&#39;s proximity to the windowsill edge. Greater dispositional flexibility, including readily arrangeable options, would be preferable.   c) Enabling flexibility of husbandry suitable enclosure dispositioning, to accommodate for ordinary restrictions on space available for structural supports in crowded living spaces;   d) Avoiding adverse impacts on the health of the enclosed organism(s), such as due to tampering by pets or small children, as well as adverse impacts on the welfare and cleanliness of the living space and its occupants, such as when pets may strew dirt upon a carpet or small children may ingest toxic vegetation.   e) Enabling the husbandry suitable enclosure to be readily adaptable for displaying esthetic imagery, as well as being accessible as a separate entity, both for decorative and functional (such as soil renewal) purposes, particularly without difficulty in placing the husbandry suitable enclosure upon any available suitable surface.       
 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    The present invention includes systems and methods for providing at least some of the above desirable effects, in addition to other benefits that will be apparent from the present description and claims. A first principal feature of many of the embodiments of the present invention is a base portion that frequently incorporates an anchoring affixment and at least a first junction suited for assembling a first coupling when combined with a first junction mate. An arrangeable member that is a second principal feature of many of the embodiments of the present invention frequently incorporates the first junction mate and usually further incorporates a spatially separated second junction. A third principal feature of many of the embodiments of the present invention is a holder for husbandry suitable enclosures that can be readily arranged in a multitude of dispositions, as well as in a plurality of configurations, including at least one wherein the holder is available for separate disposition by detachment from the remainder of the present invention embodiment. The holder can be integrated within a husbandry suitable enclosure or can be adapted for receiving and holding a separate enclosure to provide additional usage flexibility. The holder also concurrently incorporates a second junction mate that can combine with the second junction to assemble a second coupling. Either, or both, of the first and second couplings can be multiply dispositionable, such as by enabling relative rotation between the junction and its mate that form the coupling. The couplings can be constructed to enable restricted degrees of relative motion, and/or can provide manners of selectively arresting the relative positions of its constituent junction and junction mate, and/or can be alternately adapted for ready disassembling or for securing the combination of the junction and its mate against disassembling. 
         [0014]    A multitude of benefits are providable by at least some embodiments of the present invention. Included among these benefits are the capability of readily arranging the husbandry suitable enclosure&#39;s disposition both towards and away from a window, in order to tailor the husbandry suitable enclosure&#39;s disposition to accommodate variations in sunlight and/or temperature. Ready rearranging also allows the window to be used for other purposes more easily. The flexibility of disposition also facilitates tailoring the light distribution received by the enclosure. Variations in the manner of construction of the base portion enables options for mounting the planter on vertical as well as horizontal surfaces. The enclosure can be further configured to receive and display various imagery when preferred to further augment decorative options. 
         [0015]    Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  depicts a partially exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  depicts a side view of a base that incorporates a multiply-differently-sized first-junction-mate-accommodating alternate first junction. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  depicts a side view of a base that incorporates a horizontally-oriented structural surface anchoring affixment. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  depicts a perspective view of a husbandry suitable enclosure incorporating a pair of first display slots. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  depicts a side, partially exploded, partial cross-section view of a relative motion facilitating assemblable first coupling. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  depicts an enclosure holder constituent of a number of embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  depicts a front, partial cross-section view of a base that incorporates a first relative-motion-constraining first junction constituent of a number of embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  depicts a side, partial cross-section view of a base that incorporates the relative-motion-constraining first junction constituent (also depicted in  FIG. 7 .) 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  depicts an attachment-plate-plane view of a multiple-first-junction incorporable base constituent of a number of embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  depicts a side view of the multiple-first-junction incorporable base constituent (also depicted in  FIG. 9 .) 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  depicts a partial see-through view of a first extent alterable first arm variant. 
           [0027]      FIG. 12  depicts a partial see-through view of a fixable-against-release second coupling variant. 
           [0028]      FIG. 13  depicts a partially exploded view of an articulation incorporating first arm variant. 
           [0029]      FIG. 14  depicts an exploded, partial cross-section, detail view of a base that incorporates a second relative-motion-constraining first coupling. 
           [0030]      FIG. 15  depicts an axial view of a second relative-motion-constraining first junction. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0031]    In the following description, identical numbers indicate identical elements. Where an element has been described in one Figure, and is unaltered in detail or relation in any other Figure, said element description applies to all Figures. 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a first embodiment  110  includes a terrarium  112  serving as an enclosure holder, including an undersurface  114  of the terrarium  112  providing a surface for resting the terrarium  112  upon a structure without affect from a second receiver  116  that serves as a second junction mate. (It should be understood that the present invention encompasses alternate enclosures than terrariums, including aquariums, as well as essentially any other similar enclosure, or even a general undifferentiated container.) The second receiver  116  includes a second cavity  118  in which an arm second end  120  that serves as a second junction is insertable by translation along the axis  122  to form one version of a second coupling, which is rotatable about the axis  122 . An arm  123  serves as an arrangeable member and includes an arm first end  124  that serves as a first junction mate and is insertable by translation along the axis  125  into a first cavity  126  formed within a first receiver  128  that serves as a first junction. When the arm first end  124  is inserted into the first cavity  126 , they form the first coupling which is also rotatable about axis  125 . In addition to the first receiver  128 , a first receiver assembly  130  that serves as a base, further includes a securing plate  132  that serves as an anchoring affixment. 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , a second receiver assembly  210 , that can also serve as a base, includes a first alternate receiver  212  that includes a stepped cavity  214  that can also serve as a first junction. The stepped cavity  214  provides capabilities of utilizing differing sized arms  123  to provide additional utilization flexibility (such as, for example, when a particular décor preference is impaired by a larger arm  123 .) 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , a third receiver assembly  310 , that can also serve as a base, includes a second alternate receiver  312  that includes the first cavity  313  that can also serve as a first junction. The third receiver assembly  310  is constructed to facilitate serving as a base affixed to a horizontal surface (as opposed to the first and second receiver assemblies  130  and  210 , respectively, that are suited for serving as a base affixed to vertical surfaces,) since its securing plate  314  is dispositioned at a right angle to the direction in which the arm  123  is inserted into the cavity  313 . A screw hole  316  is a standard means of affixing the third receiver assembly  310  to a structure, but is not limiting of the variety of means in which this securing can be effected, as is well known to those of skill in the art. 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , a first alternate terrarium  410  is constructed to provide additional decorating options, by virtue of its inclusion of display slots  412  formed by folded over terrarium sides  414 . The display slots  412  as shown are suited for receiving primarily planar imagery, although forms other than planar are also within the scope of the present invention as can be readily envisioned by one of skill in the art. The imagery can be positioned within the display slots  412  by use of the cutouts  416 . 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , a first alternate second junction  510  includes an arm second end cap  512  constructed with a cap shoulder  513 . The cap  512  is received by a first alternate second receiver  514  integrated within the lower portion of an enclosure holder. A second cavity  516  includes a shoulder mate  518  that retains a plurality of bearings  520  to facilitate rotational motion of the husbandry suitable enclosure relative to the cap  512 . When the cap  512  serves as a second junction to form an alternate second coupling by mating with the first alternate second receiver  514  serving as a second junction mate, the bearings can ease alteration of the disposition of the husbandry suitable enclosure. 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , an alternate enclosure holder  610  includes a platform  612  which affords space to disposition the second receiver  116  and second cavity  118 , as well as maintain the undersurface  114 . Formed into the platform  612  is a void  614  with a bottom  616  adapted for impermanent disposition of an enclosure such as a terrarium or the like. It should be understood that in various embodiments of the present invention the enclosure holder may be integrated within the enclosure itself, while in others it will be separable. Furthermore, the particular forms of the alternate enclosure holder  610 , the void  614 , as well as the enclosure they are suited to hold are merely illustrative examples and the scope of embodiments of the present invention encompass essentially any form of shape or interconnection between the enclosure holder and its corresponding enclosure, manners of modification of which being readily understood by those of skill in the art, and the particular examples depicted are not intended to be limiting. 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIGS. 7 &amp; 8 , a front view  710  and a side view  810  of a fourth receiver assembly  712  includes a fourth receiver  712  with side cutouts  714  and a central cutout  716  into which the arm  123  can settle, its motion arrested by the relative fit of the cutouts  714  and  716  and the arm  123 . The exact forms, number, and disposition of the cutouts  714  and  716  are merely illustrative examples, and should not be considered limiting. As is readily understood by one of skill in the art, these can be widely varied without deviating from the inventive essence. 
         [0039]    As shown in  FIGS. 9 &amp; 10 , a front view  910  and a side view  1010  of a fifth receiver assembly can serve as a multiply configurable first junction, wherein the positioning, and number, of fifth receivers  1012  that include the second cavity  118  are alterable. A multi-receiver securing plate  912  includes a plurality of slots  914  positioned so as to provide flexibility of dispositioning of one or more fifth receivers  1012  which include projections or other forms of complementary elements that can sustain the fifth receivers  1012  when appropriately positioned in alliance with a pair of the slots  914 . In the side view  1010 , a pair of fifth receivers are depicted in one representative, though not limiting, arrangement. The exact forms, number, and disposition of the slots  914  and fifth receivers  1012  are merely illustrative examples, and should not be considered limiting. As is readily understood by one of skill in the art, these can be widely varied without deviating from the inventive essence. 
         [0040]    As shown in  FIG. 11 , an extending arm  1110  includes an inserted section  1112  that slides within a sleeve section  1114 . The inserted section  1112  includes narrower and wider sectors  1114  and  1116 , respectively, with the narrower sector  1112  moving freely through an end ring  1118  while the wider sector  1116  can not, so that the relative motion of the inserted section  1112  and the sleeve section  1114  are arrested when the transition zone  1120  reaches the end ring  1118 . The exact characteristics of the construction of the inserted section  1112  and the sleeve section  1114  are merely illustrative examples, and should not be considered limiting. As is readily understood by one of skill in the art, these can be widely varied to effect an extendable arm without deviating from the inventive essence. 
         [0041]    As shown in  FIG. 12 , a locking first coupling  1210  includes a locking arm  1212  which inserts in a sixth receiver assembly  1214  whose open cavity  1216  does not include a bottom, so that the lower end  1218  of the locking arm  1212  can reach therethrough to expose an opening in which a pin  1220  can be inserted to ensure that the locking arm  1212  does not separate from the sixth receiver assembly  1214 . The exact characteristics of the construction of the locking of the locking arm  1212  is merely an illustrative example, and should not be considered limiting. A relative angle  1222  is defined by the horizontal portion  1224  and the vertical portion  1226 , and can be varied for differing functions. In certain differing embodiments, the relative angle  1222  will vary. Though it will often be a simple right angle, as shown in many of the drawings, in other embodiments the relative angle  1222  may differ slightly or significantly (not shown) from 90 degrees. For example, in certain embodiments it may equal about 92 degrees, which will compensate for the probable moderate bending of the locking arm  1212  when the vertical portion  1226  is supporting a load such as the first alternate terrarium  410 . The locking arm  1212 , when supporting the load with the relative angle  1222  approximating 92 degrees, will appear to be essentially horizontal which may be preferred for esthetic or other reasons. As is readily understood by one of skill in the art, these can be widely varied to effect a lockable arm without deviating from the inventive essence. 
         [0042]    As shown in  FIG. 13 , a hinging arm  1310  can include virtually any of the varieties of second junction  1312  and first junction mate  1313 , and includes a central removable region  1314  that is replaceable by a commercially available standard inline pivoting hinge  1316  by displacement in the direction of arrows  1318 . The pivoting hinge  1316  includes end portions  1320  that are affixed to the portions of the hinging arm  1310  on either side of central removable region  1314 . The pivoting hinge  1316  is rotatable about the pivot  1322 , and its pivoting action may be optionally also be arrestable by action of the stop button  1324 . The exact characteristics of the construction of the hinging of the hinging arm  1310  is merely an illustrative example, and should not be considered limiting. As is readily understood by one of skill in the art, these can be widely varied to effect an articulating arm without deviating from the inventive essence. 
         [0043]    As shown in a side view in  FIG. 14  and an under view  1510  in  FIG. 15 , a partially repositionable first coupling is assembled from a detent limited second junction mate  1410  (seen in the under view of  FIG. 15 ) and a detent limited second junction  1412 . The detent limited second junction mate  1410  includes a detent limited receiver housing  1414  that incorporates at least one detent catch  1416  and at least one detent catch spacer  1418 . The detent limited second junction  1412  includes a detent ring  1420  dispositioned on the second junction end of the detent adapted arm  1422 . The detent ring  1420  incorporates at least one detent  1424  and at least one detent spacer  1426 . The detents  1424  and detent spacers  1426  mate cooperatively with the detent catches  1416  and detent catch spacers  1418  to provide, most often, a plurality of relatively rotated dispositions for the detent limited second junction mate  1410  and the detent limited second junction  1412 . Also as seen in  FIG. 15 , alternative spacings  1428  for the detents and corresponding catches are also available. The exact characteristics of the construction of the partial repositioning of the partially repositionable first coupling is merely an illustrative example, and should not be considered limiting. As is readily understood by one of skill in the art, these can be widely varied to effect a repositioning first coupling without deviating from the inventive essence. 
         [0044]    It is also important to comprehend that the particular dimensions, and arrangements of many of the components of the present invention are merely illustrative, and are not limiting of the variations that fall within the scope of the present invention. For example, the arms shown that serve as the arrangeable members can be widely varied, including differing vertical and/or horizontal dimensions, their relative sizes, the number of transitions between horizontal and vertical extents, as well as means to utilize arms as arrangeable members that include portions that are not only horizontal or only vertical. When an embodiment variation includes one or more arm portions that are not horizontal or vertical, combined with one or more other portions that are horizontal or vertical, the relative angles between these portions will not be an exact right angle, although it will often be close. Among the reasons to choose close to, but not exact, right angles is that a supporting extent of arm will commonly exhibit a degree of bending when providing a lifting force at in directions that are not parallel to the force of gravity. In such a case, a slight divergence from a right angle can, for example, compensate for this bending and provide the illusion of a straight horizontal support which may be esthetically preferable. In view of the above, it will be seen that the various objects and features of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results obtained. The examples contained herein are merely illustrative and are not intended in a limiting sense.