Patent Publication Number: US-2003221366-A1

Title: Portable plant container apparatus and method

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/353,010 filed Jan. 30, 2002, hereby incorporated by reference. The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for containing and displaying a plant. More specifically this invention relates to a method and portable apparatus containing a plant culture medium which permits seed germination and is worn by a person.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] Seed germination and plant growth are fundamental biological processes of great scientific, educational and commercial interest. In particular, parents and teachers often wish to present plant growth to children and students, respectively, in a way that is both informative and dynamic, allowing observations of growth and development over time. However, the growth can typically only be viewed when visiting the location of the growth, typically in a pot or other container filled with soil. The growth of the shoot, i.e., the aerial portions of the plant (leaves, flowers and fruits), can be directly observed, the germinating seed, as well as the developing root system, which is often as extensive as that of the shoot system, are usually buried in the soil. Thus, seed germination and the developing root system are typically obscured.  
       [0003] Plants can be grown aseptically in tissue culture. The practice of growing plants and plant tissues on defined media in closed containers is well developed. Plant tissue culture is typically carried out either in a liquid or semi-solid culture medium or on a solid culture medium solidified with a gelling agent. In both liquid and solid culture, seed germination and the growth and development of shoots and roots can be directly observed because the culture medium is transparent.  
       [0004] Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a method and portable apparatus which allows constant monitoring of plant growth while providing an aesthetically pleasing and interesting object that can be worn upon the user.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005] The present invention provides a novel method and apparatus for a portable plant container which can be worn by a user which allows constant monitoring of the growth of a plant. These and other advantages are provided by a portable plant container comprising a base portion, a cover portion attached to the base portion and at least partially removeable from the base portion, a root chamber removeably secured adjacent the base portion, a culture material contained in the root chamber, a plant inserted at least partially in the culture material, a growth chamber formed between the root chamber and the cover portion, and means for attaching the base portion to a user. These and other advantages are also provided a method for growing a plant comprising the steps of a) providing a portable plant container comprising a base portion, a cover portion, and a band for attaching the base portion to a user; b) inserting a plant and a culture material into a root chamber; c) attaching the root chamber to the base portion; d) attaching the portable plant container to a user; d) observing the plant grow over a period of time.  
       [0006] These and other advantages of the invention will be apparent as disclosed in the detailed description of the drawings below.  
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0007] A better understanding of the present invention will be had when reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
     [0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the portable plant container apparatus of the present invention with enclosed plant;  
     [0009]FIG. 2A is a plan view of the portable plant container apparatus of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2B is a side elevational view of the portable plant container apparatus of FIG. 1;  
     [0010]FIG. 3A is a plan view of the root chamber or culture medium container of the portable plant container apparatus of FIG. 1, FIG. 3B is a side elevational view of the root chamber of the portable plant container apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3C is an end view of the root chamber of the portable plant container apparatus of FIG. 1;  
     [0011] FIGS.  4 A- 4 H is a series of figures showing the method for using the portable plant container apparatus of FIG. 1 and transplanting the growing plant to a larger container in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0012]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the portable plant container;  
     [0013] FIGS.  6 A- 6 G is a series of figures showing the method for using the portable plant container apparatus of FIG. 5 and transplanting the growing plant to a larger container in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and  
     [0014]FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the growth chamber, root chamber, and germinated seed usable with the portable plant container of FIG. 5 in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0015] Referring to FIG. 1, a portable plant container apparatus  10  is shown which comprises a base portion  12 , a cover portion  14 , a root chamber  16  (also referred to as the culture medium container  16 ), and a means  18  for attaching the base portion  12  to a user, preferably at the wrist. A plant  20  is enclosed in the apparatus and comprises a root system  22  and an aerial portions  24 . Although only one plant is shown, it is contemplated that multiple plants could be used with the present invention. The apparatus  10  is preferably made of a lightweight, material such as, but not limited to a polycarbonate material. This will minimize the weight of the container apparatus  10 . The cover portion  14  and the culture medium container  16  are typically transparent such that the plant  20  can be viewed by the user while the plant  20  is growing. Cover  14  is preferably at least partially removable from base portion  12  such that access can be gained to the interior of container  10 . The means  18  for attaching the base portion  12  to the user is shown as a wristband and buckle similar to that of a watch. Any known means to secure the apparatus  10  to the user is contemplated whether it be to the user&#39;s wrist, waist, pants, or other areas. Although shown as a wristband, the attachment means is also contemplated as a waist belt, necklace, pin, earring, or any other known jewelry attachment means. It is also contemplated that container  10  could be used attached to a pen, pocket watch, toys, or any other suitable application. Other types of bands or clips such as plastic, cloth, metallic, elastic, velcro, etc. could also be used and are contemplated herein.  
     [0016] Referring now to FIGS.  2 A- 2 B, the portable plant container apparatus  10  is shown in various views. FIG. 2A show a view the typical user would observe when looking down at the portable plant container apparatus  10 . The user can see the entire plant  20  as the plant roots  22  are adjacent the leaves and stems  24 , instead of having the leaves and stems  24  blocking the view of the roots  22 . This allows viewing of the entire plant growth. FIG. 2B shows a side elevational view of the portable plant container apparatus  10 . The cover portion  14  is shown in an open position, a closed position, and an intermediate position. The cover portion  14  is hingedly attached to the base portion  12  on one end. The cover portion  14  covers a growth chamber  30  which is the area provided by the portable plant container apparatus  10  for the growth of the leaves and stems  24 . When the cover portion  14  is open, access is provided to the leaves and stems  24 . This allows the user to remove any dead portions or trim the plant  20  as needed.  
     [0017] The culture medium container  16  is best shown in FIGS.  3 A- 3 C. The culture medium container  16  can be made of a transparent plastic material, but is not intended to be limited as such. The culture medium container  16  forms a root chamber which is filled with a transparent culture material  34 . Culture materials  34  or gelling agents are typically colorless. It is contemplated that different dyes can be used with culture material  34  and, therefore, be more attractive to children. The different colors may also provide an ability to color-code plant cultures for particular plants. The color tint will add to the aesthetic appearance of container  10  while at the same time, allowing higher visibility to roots  22  within transparent culture material  36 . An aperture  36  is formed in a wall of the culture medium container  16  and allows the plant to grow from the root chamber  16  to the growth chamber  30 . The culture medium container  16  comprises a container cover  42  which allows access to the interior of the culture medium container  16 . This makes it easy to remove the culture material  34  and the grown plant  20  which is ready to be transplanted to a stationary location. The culture medium container  16  also has a tab  38  formed thereon which allows the culture medium container  16  to be removeably attached to the base  12 .  
     [0018] The method  40  of using apparatus  10  is shown in FIGS.  4 A- 4 H. The user purchases the apparatus  10  which typically comes with the culture material container  16  provided separately. The culture material container  16  is filled with tissue culture  34  forming a root chamber for an included plant  20 . The plant  20  may be in the form of a seed embedded in the tissue culture near aperture  36 , or of a seedling having sprouts  20  protruding through aperture  36 . The culture material container  16  is then attached to the base  12  by snapping the tab  38  into a receiver portion in base  12 . The cover  14  is then moved downward and snaps into position over at least an end of the culture material container  16 . The apparatus  10  is then worn by the user until the plant  20  is grown and ready to be transplanted. To remove the plant  20 , the cover  14  is lifted and the culture material container  16  is removed from base  12 . The culture material container door  42  is then opened to access the plant  20  and the plant  20  is then removed from the culture material container  16 . The plant  20  is then ready to be planted in the soil. The apparatus  10  is reuseable and a new seed or seedling  20  can be grown in the device  10 .  
     [0019] Another embodiment is shown in FIG. 5 showing a portable plant container  110  which comprises a cover portion  114  and optionally a base portion  112 . A culture material  134 , is provided in a plastic root chamber  116 , is positioned within and secured to cover portion  114 , or optionally secured to base portion  112 . Culture material  134  is surrounded by a thin transparent plastic material forming root chamber  116 . A plant  120  is shown within container  110  having roots  122  networked within culture material  134  in the root chamber  116  and shoots  124  extending into an open volume  130 , or growth chamber, contained by cover portion  114 . Container  110 , or at least cover portion  114 , is preferably made of a lightweight, transparent material such as, but not limited to a polycarbonate material. This will minimize the weight of the container and allow the contents to be viewed. Cover  114  is preferably removable from base portion  112  such that access can be gained to the interior of container  110 . Cover  114  can also be configured with an integral magnifying lens  150  to enable the user to better view the plant  120 . Container  10  comprises an attachment means  118  for attaching container  110  to a user as shown in the previous embodiment. Base portion  112  or cover portion  114  is contemplated to be either integral to attachment means  118  or separate from and detachably attachable to attachment means  118  by the use of hinge pins, clips, hooks, screws, Velcro or any other suitable attachment. This will allow the user to switch containers  110  on a specific attachment means  118 , if desired.  
     [0020] Referring to FIGS.  6 A- 6 G, the method of using the apparatus  110  comprises the steps of providing a plant tissue medium container  110 . At least one pre-germinated seed  120  is selected for use in container  10 . Cover  112  of container  110  is removed or positioned to allow insertion of root chamber  116  containing culture material  136 . The pre-germinated seed  120  is placed within culture material  136  through a hole cut in the thin transparent plastic material of the root chamber  116  covering culture material  136 . The seed  120  is allowed to grow within container  110 . Once plant  120  fills growing space  130 , plant  120  and root chamber  116  are removed from container  110  and transplanted to soil. Once transplanted, root chamber  116  will biodegrade allowing roots to take hold in the soil as shown. If the root chamber  116  is not made of a biodegradable substance, the root chamber  116  is cut-away from the plant  120  prior to planting the plant  120  in soil. Container  110  is reusable by simply inserting another root chamber  116  enclosing culture material  136  and a seed  120 .  
     [0021] In an alternate embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, culture material  136  is provided from the factory sealed in a root chamber  116  of plastic material and bonded to growth chamber  130 ′ also sealed in a plastic material. A germinated seed  120 , or a pre-germinated seed which is subsequently germinated, is sealed between root chamber  116  and growth chamber  130 ′. The assembled components are then shipped to a user. The plant  120  grows from pre-germinated seed  120  into sealed root chamber  116  and growth chamber  130 ′. When ready for transplanting, growth chamber  130 ′ is cutaway. Sealed root chamber  116  is preferably biodegradable and can simply be placed into the soil.  
     [0022] As stated, a variety of materials, configurations, and applications can be employed in the practice of this invention. It is to be understood that such variations are intended to fall within the scope of the claimed invention and that the subject invention is not to be limited by the specific apparatus or method of operation described and/or depicted by the drawings nor is the invention to be limited by the specific materials and mechanical components identified and described herein. These have been designated merely to provide a demonstration of operability and the selection of mechanically equivalent arrangements is not deemed a departure from the spirit of the invention being limited solely by the scope of the attached claims.