Abstract:
The present disclosure provides instruments, kits and methods for growing a plant. In some embodiments, a plant producing writing instrument is provided. Such writing instrument may include a housing having a writing end and an opposing non-writing end. In addition, a capsule with one or more seeds may be disposed at the non-writing end of the housing. The capsule may be degradable after placement in a moist soil to release the one or more seeds.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/683,715, entitled “SPROUT: A PENCIL WITH A SEED INSIDE,” which was filed on Aug. 16, 2012, and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     SUMMARY 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a plant producing writing instruments, and in particular to writing instruments having a plantable portion with a seed, and methods of growing a plant from such seed. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Pencils are typically constructed of a wood casing surrounding a graphite core. The wood casing is partially removed at one end to expose some of the core, such as graphite, for the purpose of writing, drawing or marking As the pencil is being used, the exposed section of the core wears out and becomes dull. To sharpen the pencil, an additional portion of the casing needs to be removed to sharpen the pencil. Eventually, after repeated sharpenings and removal of casing, the pencil becomes too short to use and is typically thrown out. Other writing instruments suffer a similar fate. After a period of use, they will run out of ink or break, and will be thrown out. The number of writing instruments that are thrown out each year is staggering and can lead to unnecessary waste. There is thus a need for a pencil or another type of writing instruments that can be enjoyed even after they are no longer suitable for their primary purpose of writing or drawing. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The present disclosure provides instruments, kits and methods for growing a plant. In some embodiments, a plant producing writing instrument is provided. Such writing instrument may include a housing having a writing end and an opposing non-writing end. In some embodiments, the housing may include a wooden casing and a marking core housed within the casing, the marking core being exposed at the writing end of the housing and is sharpenable by removing the casing. In addition, a capsule with one or more seeds may be disposed at the non-writing end of the housing. The capsule may be degradable after placement in a moist soil to release the one or more seeds. The capsule may further include a substrate expandable when planted into the moist soil to deliver the one or more seeds outside the capsule. 
         [0005]    In some embodiments, a kit for growing a plant is provided. The kit may include a writing instrument, such as a pencil, having a writing end and an opposing non-writing end. The kit may further include a capsule for attachment at the non-writing end of the writing instrument, the capsule being degradable upon placement in a moist soil. The capsule may include one or more seeds for producing a plant. 
         [0006]    In some embodiments, a method for extending enjoyment of a writing instrument is provided. First, a capsule with one or more seeds may be attached to a writing instrument, such as a pencil. When the writing instrument is exhausted, or sooner if desired, the capsule may be planted into a moist soil, which may cause the capsule to degrade and release the one or more seeds. One or more plants may subsequently grow from the one or more seeds. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The presently disclosed embodiments will be further explained with reference to the attached drawings, wherein like structures are referred to by like numerals throughout the several views. The drawings shown are not necessarily to scale, with emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the presently disclosed embodiments. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a writing instrument of the present disclosure. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a capsule with a seed of the present disclosure. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  illustrates an embodiment of methods for using and planting a writing instrument of the present disclosure. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  illustrates a planted writing instrument of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
       [0012]    While the above-identified drawings set forth presently disclosed embodiments, other embodiments are also contemplated, as noted in the discussion. This disclosure presents illustrative embodiments by way of representation and not limitation. Numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art which fall within the scope and spirit of the principles of the presently disclosed embodiments. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    In reference to  FIG. 1 , there is provided a plant producing writing instrument  100  in accordance with the present disclosure. The writing instrument  100  includes, in some embodiments, a casing or housing  102  and a capsule  110  holding one or more seeds from which one or more plants can be grown. When the writing instrument  100  is exhausted, that is, no longer useable for writing or marking, or otherwise no longer needed, the capsule can be planted to grow the one or more plants. 
         [0014]    In reference to  FIG. 2 , the capsule  110  may include one or more seeds  114  from which one or more plants can be grown. In this manner, the capsule  110  may be planted, by itself or with at least a portion of the writing instrument, and activated to release the seeds  114  to enable germination and growth of the seeds  114 . Various types of seeds may be used in connection with the writing instrument  100  of the present disclosure. Suitable seeds may include, but are not limited to, (i) flowers like calendula and marigold and others, (ii) herbs like parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, basil, dill, mint, and others, and (iii) vegetables like tomatoes, eggplant, jalapenos, peppers, and others. In some embodiments, the seed varieties can be further varied to include flowers matched in color or style to the color or style of the writing instrument  100 . For example, colored pencils can grow into colored flowers of matching color to the pencil lead. Additionally or alternatively, fungal spore, virus, or bacterial (or other microbiological) varieties may be included in the capsule  110 . In some embodiments, various seed types can be mixed to produce a variety of plants grown from the capsule. 
         [0015]    Capsule  110 , in some embodiments, protects the one or more seeds  114  from physical harm and exposure to moisture and light during ordinary course of use until the capsule  110  is planted. To that end, the capsule  110  may be made of water proof or water resistant material. In some embodiments, the capsule  110  forms a seal around the one or more seeds  114  to prevent moisture from entering the capsule  112  and irrigating the seeds  114 , which may result in premature germination of the seeds  114 . In some embodiments, the capsule  110  may be made from opaque or non-transparent material to protect the one or more seeds  114  from exposure to light. On the other hand, the capsule  100  is designed to degrade or dissolved upon sustained exposure to moisture, such as when the capsule is planted into a moist soil. In this manner, when the capsule  100  is planted into a moist soil, the capsule  100  may degrade or dissolve to release from the capsule  110  the one or more seeds  114 , which may subsequently grow into one or more plants. In some embodiments, the capsule may be made of cellulose or gelatin. 
         [0016]    With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , the capsule  100  may further include a substrate  112  in which the one or more seeds  114  may be buried inside the capsule  110 . In some embodiments, the substrate  112  may be dense to enable efficient packing of the substrate into the capsule  110 . The substrate  112  may further protect the seeds  114  from physical harm as well as exposure to moisture or light. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the substrate  112  may be expandable upon exposure to moisture, such as when the substrate is planted into a moist soil. In this manner, when the capsule  110  is planted in the moist soil and begins degrades, the substrates  112  may absorb moisture from the soil and may expand to rupture the capsule  110  (if the capsule has not yet dissolved or degraded) to deliver the one or more seeds outside the capsule  110 . Upon activation, the expanding substrate  112  may push the capsule  110  away from the seeds  114 , providing aeration and preventing suffocation of the seeds during germination. In some embodiments, the substrate  112  includes dry peat, which may expand upon exposure to moisture. Additional suitable materials for the substrate include, but are not limited to, regular potting soil, crushed coconut shell, sphagnum moss or combinations thereof. 
         [0017]    Referring back to  FIG. 1 , the capsule  110  may be attached, at one end, to the writing instrument  100 . In some embodiments, the capsule  110  may be permanently or fixedly attached to the writing instrument  100 . In other embodiments, the capsule  110  may be detachably engaged from the writing instrument  100 . In some embodiments, an eraser (not shown) may be attached to the capsule, at the end not attached to the writing instrument  100 , to enable the user to erase writing made by the writing instrument  100 . 
         [0018]    In some embodiments, the capsule  110  may be integral to the casing  102  of the writing instrument  110 . In such embodiments, a cavity may be created in the non-writing end of the casing  102 . The cavity may be filled with an expandable substrate with one or more seeds. The outer end of the cavity may be covered with a degradable cover, such as cellulose or gelatin. When the writing instrument is planted, the cover may degrade enabling the expandable substrate to push the one or more seeds out of the cavity in the casing. In some embodiments, the casing  102  may be made of a degradable material so when the writing instrument is planted, the casing will degrade, releasing the one or more seeds. It should be noted that the plantable capsule of the present disclosure may be attached to any other type of instrument, apparatus, or tool, such as, by way of a non-limiting example, other office supplies or kitchen tools. 
         [0019]    The writing instrument  100 , in some embodiments, may include a casing or housing  102  for holding a writing or marking device or ink. The casing  102  has a writing end  104  and a non-writing end  106  opposite the writing end  104 . The writing instrument  100  may be selected from any writing instrument, including, but not limited to, pens, pencils, markers, highlighters, brushes or any other instruments that can be used for marking, writing or drawing. In some embodiments, the writing instrument  100  may be a conventional pencil with a wooden casing  102  and a graphite or pigment core  108  inside the casing  102 . As in any conventional pencil, the core  108  may be exposed at the writing end  104  of the casing  102  to enable the writing instrument  100  to make a mark. As the exposed section of the core  108  wears out and becomes dull, the pencil can be sharpened by removing the wooden casing  102  to expose a desired length of the core  108 . 
         [0020]    In some embodiments, a kit for a plant producing writing instrument may be provided. In some embodiments, the kit may include a casing  102  with a core and a capsule  110 , which can be attached to the casing  102 . In some embodiments, the substrate  112 , seeds  114 , and means for attaching the capsule  110  to the casing  102  may also be included in the kit. 
         [0021]    To assemble the writing instrument  100 , in some embodiments, the capsule  110  may packed with the substrate  112 . In some embodiments, the substrate  112  is provided as a fine, dry powder. It may be desirable to break up any clumps or lumps in the substrate  112  to ensure consistency of the substrate  112 . In some embodiments, the substrate  112  may be compacted inside the capsule  112 . One or more seeds may be added to the substrate  112 . In some embodiments, the capsule  110  may have a close end to enable the capsule  110  to retain the substrate  112  and the seeds  114  and an open end opposite the closed end. In some embodiments, the capsule  110  may be supplied already packaged with the substrate  112  and the seeds  114 . 
         [0022]    To engage the capsule  110  with the writing instrument  100 , the non-writing end  106  of the writing instrument  100  may be inserted into the open end of the capsule  110 . In some embodiments, the non-writing end  106  of the writing instrument  100  may be shaped, using, for example, a router, for easier insertion into the capsule  112 . In some embodiments, the capsule  110  and the non-writing end  106  of the writing instrument  100  may be sized to create a friction fit with one another. Additionally or alternatively, additional attachment means, such as, for example, adhesive, fasteners or similar, may be used to secure the capsule  110  to the writing instrument  100 . In some embodiments, the capsule  110  may have both ends closed for ease of manufacturing, and the capsule  110  may be attached to the writing instrument  100  by mechanical means. 
         [0023]    In reference to  FIG. 3 , in operation, the writing instrument  100 , specifically a pencil, having a capsule  112  engaged to the non-writing end  106  of the writing instrument  100  is provided. The pencil  100  may be used to write or draw until the pencil  100  becomes too short for further use due to repeated sharpening of the pencil  100 . At this point, the capsule  110  containing one or more seeds  114  may be planted into soil, either alone or with the remaining segment of the pencil  100 . In some embodiments, the writing instrument  100  may include a indicia  120  directing the user to plant the capsule in a certain direction, such as shown in  FIG. 4 . In some embodiments, the writing instrument may include the name of the seed  122  and can be used as helpful planting marker. 
         [0024]    Because the capsule  110  is water activated, the first few waterings of the capsule  110  may activate the capsule and start the germination of one or more seeds. Once planted, the capsule  110  is exposed to moisture and begins to disintegrate or dissolve which allows moisture to reach the seed  114  to cause it to begin germination. In embodiments with the expanding substrate  112 , the substrate  112  may expand due to the presence of moisture to deliver the seeds  114  outside the capsule  110 . Conventional gardening practices may then be followed to allow the seeds  114  to grow and mature. It should be noted that while the method of using and planting the writing instrument of the present disclosure was described in reference to a pencil, a similar method is applicable to other types of writing instruments. 
         [0025]    All patents, patent applications, and published references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. It will be appreciated that several of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Various alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.