Abstract:
An environment-controlling, plant-growing apparatus has a cover with a lower cylindrical portion and a top semi-spherical portion having at least one vent opening therein, and a top lid portion rotatably connected to the top semi-spherical portion. The top lid portion has a shape similar to that of the top semi-spherical portion and is sized to allow variable rotational adjustment of the aperture size of the vent opening.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates generally to protective covers for plants such as greenhouses. Particularly, the present invention relates to protective covers for plants that have vents to enable a better environment for plant growing. More particularly, the present invention relates to protective covers for plants that are used for nursery and flower pots. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to protective covers for plants having improved light and heat reception and retention with mechanically adjustable ventilation.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Indigenous plants generally require no special attention. By definition, they are plants t hat are native to the area and are suited for the environment in which they live. However, many gardeners desire to landscape with non-native plants because of their appearance or the fruit that they bear or the attractive flowers or blossoms they produce, or desire to plant vegetable and flower gardens. Despite attempts to climatize these desired plants through hybridization, many plants still have a limited tolerance for extreme temperatures and excessively dry or moist conditions. Thus, many of these non-native plants need an environment in which these factors can be controlled.  
           [0005]    Starting a garden by purchasing nursery plants is prohibitively expensive for many people and certainly not cost efficient for a large garden. The alternative is for the gardener to construct a hot bed enclosure for starting his or her own plants, or to use traditional greenhouses to grow non-native plants. Three elements are needed for plant growth, namely sun, heat to incubate the starting root system and soil. Accordingly, a hot bed enclosure is typically an open bottomed structure having transparent walls to allow sunlight to enter. Permanent structures are unacceptable to the small gardener who does not have space to give up year round for such an enclosure that may only be used in the Spring. Other hot bed enclosures are so bulky and cumbersome that set-up, disassembly and storage are constant problems.  
           [0006]    There has been developed in recent years plant growing/culturing containers having a structure capable of providing favorable environments for various kinds of culture plants, or capable of growing a fresh green plant during a winter withering period for enjoying the plant as an interior plant.  
           [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,030 (1995, Lehman) discloses a portable, self-supporting greenhouse having a plurality of transparent, inflatable, tubular rings forming a cylindrical shaped structure. The tubular rings have a first inlet for inflating the transparent tubular rings and interconnecting passageways that allow the transparent rings to be inflated by way of the first inlet. There is at least one opaque inflatable tubular ring attached to the transparent inflatable rings forming a base for the structure. The opaque ring has a second inlet for inflating the opaque ring with a dense medium. A transparent cover is provided that has a plurality of transparent inflatable radial segments defining an annular top. The annular top is in communication with the transparent rings and has an opening and an inflatable transparent hatch positioned over the opening and removably secured to the annular top. In addition, a doorway and a door are provided in the cylindrical structure. The door has a plurality of inflatable tubular ring sections in communication with the transparent tubular rings forming the cylindrical structure. The door has a hinge and a latch to secure the door in a closed position. The doorway includes a frame of inflatable tubular columns in air communication with the transparent tubular rings.  
           [0008]    Japanese Patent Abstract Publication No. 10056886 (1998, Minoru) discloses a closed container for cultivating a plant. The container has a cover with a dome shape. A small plug is installed through the side of the dome-shaped cover.  
           [0009]    Japanese Patent Abstract Publication No. 9248066 (1997, Sanmei Denki KK) discloses a plant growing container having a protection case and a container base. The protection case is provided with an upper portion formed from a transparent material, a lower protection case base connected to the upper portion to shield the inside of the container, and a packing inserted between the upper portion and the lower protection case base. A housing portion and a flange portion are formed at the lower protection case base for housing the growing medium and the water supply.  
           [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,249 (2000, Cheney) discloses an insulated plant cover having a transparent or translucent inner cylinder that has an inner cylinder top and an inner cylinder bottom. The inner cylinder top has an inner cylinder top chimney positioned at a top distal end and an inner cylinder bottom spacer positioned circumferentially along a bottom distal end and is sealably attached thereto. The insulate plant cover further has a transparent or translucent outer cylinder that has an outer cylinder top and an outer cylinder bottom. The outer cylinder top has an outer cylinder top upper edge positioned circumferentially along a top distal end and an outer cylinder bottom lower edge positioned circumferentially along a bottom distal end. The inner cylinder is positioned within the outer cylinder. The inner cylinder bottom edge is sealably attached to the inner cylinder bottom spacer.  
           [0011]    A disadvantage of the prior art is that none provide a domed-cover with an adjustable vent for regulating the temperature and humidity within the domed structure.  
           [0012]    Therefore, what is needed is a domed cover for plants that has a vent for regulating the temperature and humidity within the domed environment. What is further needed is a domed cover for plants that has an adjustable vent for regulating the temperature and humidity within the domed environment of the plant. What is still further needed is a domed cover for plants that is inexpensive to make and use.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0013]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a domed cover for plants that has a vent for retaining or venting the atmosphere within the domed cover. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a domed cover for plants that has a vent capable of being easily adjusted from a full open position to a full closed position. It is another object of the present invention to provide a domed cover for plants that has a plurality of vents that can be adjusted with a single action. It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a domed cover for plants that is inexpensive and easy to make. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a domed cover kit for plants that has a plurality of vents and a simple mechanism for making the vent openings adjustable. It is another object of the present invention to provide a plant dome cover that is light weight, durable, stable, easy to clean, and simple and inexpensive to manufacture.  
           [0014]    The present invention achieves these and other objectives by providing a cover having a lower cylindrical portion and a top semi-spherical portion having at least one vent opening and a top lid portion having a shape similar to the contour of the top semi-spherical portion. The top lid portion is pivotally connected to the top semi-spherical portion. The top lid portion can rotate about the pivot connection and is configured to allow variable adjustment of the vent opening in the top semispherical portion. The present invention may also include a base adapted for receiving the bottom of the lower cylindrical portion of the cover. The base has a plurality of ridges spaced to accept the wall thickness of the lower cylindrical portion. Additionally, the top lid portion may have a knob for adjusting the size of the aperture of the vent opening by rotating the top lid portion to a desired position. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention showing the vent openings partially open allowing heat and moisture to escape from the plant environment.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a top view of the present invention showing the rotatable top lid portion in a closed position relative to the vent opening of the cover.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention showing the top lid portion retaining mechanism and the cover receiving grooves of the base.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 is a side view of the present invention showing the top lid portion in position to be attached to the top semi-spherical portion of the cover.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIGS. 5A and 5B are cross-sectional views of another embodiment of the present invention showing alternative top lid retaining mechanisms.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention showing the adjustable vent portion located on the inside of the domed cover. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0021]    The preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 16. FIG. 1 shows a plant encased in a plant-cultivating environment provided by the plant dome system  10  of the present invention. Plant dome system  10  includes a removable cover  20 , a top lid vent portion  40  and a base  50 . Plant dome system  10  has at least one vent in the top allowing heat and moisture, represented by reference  60 , to escape the plant environment. Plant dome system  10  provides a system for maintaining the proper temperature and humidity for plant  1  to thrive.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 shows a top view of cover  20  and top lid portion  40 . Cover  20  has a plurality of vent openings  26 . Cover  20  may have a single, larger vent opening or it may have a plurality of smaller vent openings, as shown, configured to allow the vents to be closed, partially open or fully open by rotation of top lid portion  40 . Top lid portion  40  may include a knob  44  to facilitate the rotational movement of top lid portion  40  in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction shown by arrows  100 . Top lid portion  40  also includes a plurality of openings  46  configured relative to cover vent openings  26  to allow vent openings  26  to be fully closed, fully open or some variation between the full closed and full open position.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of plant dome system  10 . Cover  20  includes a lower cylindrical portion  22  and a top semi-spherical portion  24 . The circumferential wall of lower cylindrical portion  22  may be perpendicular to the horizontal base  50  or may be angled, as illustrated in FIG. 3B, such that the bottom of lower cylindrical portion  22  has a larger diameter than the upper end where it meets top semi-spherical portion  24 . The cone shape allows a plurality of covers  20  to be stacked, thus requiring less storage space in bulk quantities. Top semi-spherical portion  24  includes a central opening  28  for receiving the retaining mechanism  42  of top lid portion  40 . Retaining mechanism  42  and top lid portion  40  may be made as a single unit, or retaining mechanism  42  may be a separate component used to secure top lid portion  40  to top semi-spherical portion  24  of cover  20 . In the situation where retaining mechanism  42  is a separate component, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that top lid portion  40  will also require a central top lid opening (not shown) designed to receive retaining mechanism  42 . In this situation, it is suggested that retaining mechanism  42  optionally include a knob  44 . Even though retaining mechanism  42  could have a small washer-shaped top in order to prevent retaining mechanism  42  from falling through the central top lid opening, knob  44  lets the user more easily rotate top lid portion  40  to the desired vent opening position instead of handling the surface of top lid portion  40  in order to effect rotational movement. Plant dome system  10  also includes base  50 . Base  50  may optionally have one or more ridges  52  for supporting a plant and for receiving the bottom end of lower cylindrical portion  22 . Ridges  52  may be spaced to provide a snug fit to the bottom of cover  20 . In this case, by providing base  50  with a plurality of ridges  52 , base  50  is capable of supporting and snugly receiving a variety of sizes of cover  20 , i.e. various diameters.  
         [0024]    Turning now to FIG. 4, there is illustrated a side plan view of the top lid portion  40  separated from cover  20  prior to their locking engagement. Top lid portion  40  has a plurality of lid openings  46  and a retaining mechanism  42  with a knob  44 . Retaining mechanism  42  and knob  44  may be integrally formed as part of the top lid portion  40 . Retaining mechanism  42  may also be a separate component that is secured to top lid portion  40  by threads, a snap-fit mechanism, solvent bonding, ultrasonic bonding, gluing, a snap-lock mechanism, and the like. The type of retaining mechanism used, i.e. molding as a single unit with the top lid portion or separate pieces fitted together will most likely be determined by the cost of manufacturing. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the top semispherical portion  24  has a central top portion receiving aperture  28  for receiving retaining mechanism  42 . Receiving aperture  28  is sized to permit rotational movement of top lid portion  40  about the central axis of retaining mechanism  42  yet maintain top lid portion  40  in a semi-locked relationship with cover  20  so that top lid portion  40  cannot be easily separated from cover  20 .  
         [0025]    [0025]FIGS. 5A and 5B show other embodiments of retaining mechanism  42 . Retaining mechanism  42  may be an integral part of cover  20 , as shown in FIG. 5A, or it may be a retaining mechanism that is attached from the inside of cover  20 , as shown in FIG. 5B. In each case, the top lid portion  40  may be rotated about top semi-spherical portion  24  to adjust the amount of venting of the inside of cover  20  that one desires.  
         [0026]    Turning now to FIG. 6, there is shown another embodiment of plant dome system  10 . In this embodiment, top lid portion  40  is located inside of cover  20  up near top semi-spherical portion  24 . A retaining mechanism  42  is also required to keep top lid portion  40  in close rotational relationship with top semi-spherical portion  24 . In this case, retaining mechanism  42  must secure top lid portion sufficiently so that when knob  44  is turned, top lid portion  40  will rotate. This may be accomplished in a number of ways, all as is well known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0027]    The lower cylindrical portion  22  and, optionally, the top semi-spherical portion  24  can be formed of a transparent or translucent material that allows light to pass to the plant. Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the peripheral wall that is the lower cylindrical portion  22  can be formed with stripes or areas  23  of a darkened nature so that the heat from the sunlight is absorbed into the material of the cover  20  to enable the internal environment to achieve a higher temperature to provide a better plant germination environment. The plant dome system  10  can be manufactured with dimensions that vary according to the size of the plants to be placed within cover  20 .  
         [0028]    The present invention may be provided pre-assembled or in a kit form where the user assembles the top lid portion  40  to cover  20 .  
         [0029]    Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein, the above description is merely illustrative. Further modification of the invention herein disclosed will occur to those skilled in the respective arts and all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.