Patent Publication Number: US-2002011546-A1

Title: Apparatus for supporting and displaying plant

Description:
[0001] The instant application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/218,867 filed on Jul. 18, 2000.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] The field of this invention is support structures. More specifically, this invention relates to the field of plant supporting apparatus. Even more specifically, this invention applies to the field of hinged plant support apparatus mounted on window frames.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003] It is desirable to expose certain types of potted plants to sunlight whenever possible. Toward this end, several approaches have been developed for supporting a plant near a window. The most basic approach is to use a floor mounted plant stand to support the plant near the window. The drawbacks of this approach are the plant holder takes up floor space and the window becomes less accessible. Therefore, it is desirable to have a plant holder that will hold a plant near the window without taking up floor space or becoming an obstacle to the window.  
       [0004] Another method of supporting a plant near the window is a plant holder supported by the windowsill. Attaching the plant holder to the windowsill, avoids the problem of lost floor space, but still has the inconvenience of making window less accessible. This method of plant support has the further inconvenience of being prone to toppling the plant when the window is operated. Therefore, it is desirable to have a plant holder that can be supported by the window without making the window inaccessible or being prone to toppling when the window is operated.  
       [0005] Another method of supporting a plant near a window involves using a wall-mounted hanger. The wall-mounted hanger again avoids the floor space issue and can avoid the toppling issue. However, wall-mounted supports either do not get close enough to the window to get sufficient sunlight or get too close and make the window inaccessible. Also, wall-mounted plant supports are permanently attached to the wall and are difficult to clean, particularly when plant seepage gets to the plant-supporting portion of the plant holder. Therefore, it is desirable to have a plant holder that is easy to clean and is capable of making the window accessible and while getting the plant plenty of sunlight.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006] The present invention results from the realization that a plant support mounted to the window frame, hinged and easily detachable maintains available floor space, keeps the window accessible, allows the window to be operated without risking plant toppling, maximizes sunlight for the plant, and is easily cleanable.  
       [0007] It is therefore an object of this invention that a plant can be held near a window for sunlight without using floor space.  
       [0008] It is a further object of this invention that a plant can be held near a window for sunlight without making the window inaccessible.  
       [0009] It is a further object of this invention that a plant can be held near a window for sunlight without being prone to toppling when the window is operated.  
       [0010] It is a further object of this invention that a non-floor mounted plant holder holding a plant near a window can be convenient to clean.  
       [0011] This invention is a plant holder, which includes a base, mountable to a vertical surface. The vertical surface is normally expected to be a window frame, but can be other surfaces. The plant holder further includes an arm, swivelably attached to the base. Finally in the broadest embodiment of this invention, the plant holder includes a plant supporter, attachable to the arm. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0012] The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the claims. The invention itself however, as well as other features and advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to the description which follows, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
     [0013]FIG. 1 shows a profile of the assembled invention.  
     [0014]FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the invention.  
     [0015]FIG. 3 shows a frontal view of the base.  
     [0016]FIG. 4 shows a side view of the base.  
     [0017]FIG. 5 shows an overhead view of the base.  
     [0018]FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0019] This inventive plant holder  10  includes a base  12 , mountable to a vertical surface. The vertical surface is normally expected to be a window frame, but can be other surfaces. The plant holder  10  further includes an arm  14 , swivelably attached to the base  12 . Finally in the broadest embodiment of this invention, the plant holder  10  includes a plant supporter  16 , attachable to the arm  14 .  
     [0020] A narrower conception of this inventive plant holder  10  involves limiting the arm  14  and base  12  connection to a pin  18  and cup  20  joint. In this pin  18  and cup  20  joint, one end of the arm  14  rests within a cup  20  shaped portion of the base  12 . In this way, the arm  14  is easily removable from the base  12 , by lifting the pin  18  end of the arm  14  out of the cup  20 .  
     [0021] A narrower conception of this invention  10  involves the plant supporter  16  being a closed saucer  22 . A closed saucer  22  is, at a minimum, made up of a horizontal circular plate  24  and a partially vertically extending lip  26  at the circumference of the plate  24 . Another embodiment of this plant supporter  16  involves making the plant supporter  16  waterproof, die-cast zinc and powder-coated to allow it to resist water damage. Another embodiment of this plant supporter  16  involves making it threadably mounted to the arm  14 , for convenient removal and attachment to the arm  14 .  
     [0022] Another embodiment of this plant holder  10  involves narrowly constructing the base  12  to fit on a window frame. Another embodiment involves constructing the arm  14  in an S-shape.  
     [0023] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention.