Patent Publication Number: US-2010107489-A1

Title: Adjustable plant stand

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/036,618, filed on Mar. 14, 2008 and entitled “Adjustable Plant Stand,” which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to a plant growth apparatus. More specifically, the invention relates to plant growing stands having an adjustable shelf which accommodates plant growth. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Plant growing stands that include grow lights are commonly used in many environments, including nurseries and private homes. Conventional plant growing stands that include grow lights can include shelves and grow lights at fixed locations. Such conventional plant growing stand designs can be suboptimal during portions of the life of a particular plant, because the top of the plant can be positioned too close or too far away from the grow light at various points in time. 
     Some conventional plant growing stands include adjustable height grow lights that can be suspended above plants on a fixed shelf. Such adjustable height grow lights can be raised or lowered to maintain a desired distance between the top of the plants and the bottom of the grow lights as the plant grows. However, the adjustable height grow lights in such designs may not be integrated into the design of the plant growing stand, and such plant growing stands can be easy to damage and unattractive. 
     There is a need for an improved plant growing stand that can maintain growth lights at an optimal distance to the top of plants. 
     SUMMARY 
     An adjustable plant growing stand, a mounting clip for attaching a lighting fixture to an adjustable plant growing stand, and a method of illuminating plants are disclosed. The adjustable plant growing stand can include a frame including a plurality of substantially parallel legs, an upper fixed shelf affixed to the legs, and a lower adjustable shelf slidably coupled to the legs. The lower adjustable shelf can include attachment mechanisms configured to fix the vertical height of the lower adjustable shelf relative to the upper fixed shelf. The adjustable plant growing stand can include a lighting assembly including one or more lighting fixtures. Each lighting fixture can include a plant growth-stimulating light source. Each lighting fixture can be removably coupled to the upper fixed shelf. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present technology provides an adjustable plant growing stand and related methods for making and using the adjustable plant growing stand. The technology will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of an adjustable plant growing stand according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 1B  is a front view of the adjustable plant growing stand depicted in  FIG. 1A , oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the grow light fixtures; 
         FIG. 1C  is a side view of the adjustable plant growing stand depicted in  FIG. 1A , oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the grow light fixtures; 
         FIG. 2A  is a diagrammatic perspective view of a frame assembly including an adjustment mechanism, wherein the frame assembly is suitable for use in the adjustable plant growing stand depicted in  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2B  is a side view of a shelf anchor member suitable for use in the adjustable plant growing stand depicted in  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2C  is a top view of the shelf anchor member depicted in  FIG. 2B ; 
         FIG. 2D  is an enlarged perspective view of the adjustment mechanism depicted in  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 3A  is a top perspective view of a grow light fixture assembly including an electrical coupling, wherein the grow light fixture assembly is suitable for use in the adjustable plant growing stand depicted in  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 3B  is a bottom perspective view of the grow light fixture assembly depicted in  FIG. 3A ; 
         FIG. 3C  is a perspective view of the electrical coupling depicted in  FIG. 3A ; 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of a grow light fixture clip suitable for use in the adjustable plant growing stand depicted in  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 4B  is a front plan view of the grow light fixture clip depicted in  FIG. 4A ; 
         FIG. 4C  is a side plan view of the grow light fixture clip depicted in  FIG. 4B ; 
         FIG. 4D  is a top plan view of the grow light fixture clip depicted in  FIG. 4C ; 
         FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of a drip tray suitable for use in the adjustable plant growing stand depicted in  FIG. 1A ; and 
         FIG. 5B  is a perspective view of the coupling portion of a shelf panel suitable for use in the adjustable plant growing stand depicted in  FIG. 1A ; and 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an adjustable plant growing stand according to a second embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
     The embodiments described below provide an adjustable plant growing stand and related methods for making and using the adjustable plant growing stand. The embodiments described below illustrate several aspects of the present inventions and are not intended to be limiting. The embodiments can find utility in an indoor environment where the grow lights (e.g., fluorescent lights, ultraviolet lights, LEDs, etc.) of the inventive plant growing stand are useful to provide illumination which stimulates the growth of plants. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1A-1C , an adjustable plant growing stand  10  includes a frame assembly  20  and a lighting assembly  50 . The frame assembly  20  includes an upper fixed shelf  30  and a lower adjustable shelf  40 . The frame assembly  20  can be of the type commercially available, for example, under model number SH3221 A-D (99744) or SH3221-D-LARGE (99764), from Shang Huei Enterprise Co., Ltd., located in Guangdong, China. The lighting assembly  50  is removably coupled to the upper fixed shelf  30 . The adjustable plant growing stand  10  is configured to carry plants or seedlings  15 . 
     The adjustable plant growing stand  10  can be suitable for growing plants  15 , such as plants under approximately two feet tall. Although plants  15  having a height of approximately two feet are shown in  FIG. 1A , plants  15  of any height can be placed in an adjustable plant growing stand  10  of an appropriate relative size and adjustment range. 
     The plants  15  are located on the lower adjustable shelf  40  underneath the lighting assembly  50 . The lower adjustable shelf  40  can be lowered away from the lighting assembly  50  as the plants  15  grow taller. By lowering the lower adjustable shelf  40 , a user can maintain a desired distance or “head room” between the tops of the plants  15  and the bottom of the lighting assembly  50  positioned above the plants  15 . In one embodiment, the head room between the tops of the plants  15  and the bottom of the lighting assembly  50  is between approximately 1 inch and approximately 6 inches, for example, approximately 3 inches, though any desired head room is contemplated. The vertical range of adjustment of the lower adjustable shelf  40  can be any distance that permits the top of the plants  15  of the desired size to be maintained within the optimal distance to the bottom of the lighting assembly  50  as the plants  15  grow throughout their life cycle. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2A-2C , the frame assembly  20  further includes a plurality of legs  22 . The legs  22  can be replaced with longer or shorter legs  22  to allow the overall height of the adjustable plant growing stand  10  to be adjusted. Each leg  22  includes a foot  24  that can be constructed from rubber or another material that can prevent the legs  22  from scratching the surface upon which the stand  10  rests and/or absorb small height differences between the legs  22  to keep the frame assembly  20  level. Although four legs  22  are shown in  FIG. 2A , any number of legs  22  can be used. For example, six legs  22  can be used, with three legs  22  located on each side of the frame assembly  20 . 
     The upper fixed shelf  30  includes two shelf anchor members  31  and three connector members  34 . A shelf panel  36  can be overlaid on the upper fixed shelf  30  or coupled to the connector members  34  of the upper fixed shelf  30 . As shown in  FIG. 2B , each shelf anchor member  31  includes two leg recesses  32  for coupling to the top of respective legs  22 , four connector recesses  33  for coupling to the ends of respective connector members  34 , and two stacking recesses  35  for elective coupling to the ends of the legs  22  of a second frame assembly  20 . The two horizontally oriented shelf anchor members  31  and the three horizontally oriented connector members  34  form the structure of the upper fixed shelf  30  when assembled. 
     The coupling mechanism between each leg  22  and the respective leg recess  32  can be a press-fit between the leg  22  and the leg recess  32  (so that, for example, the stand  10  can be easily assembled for use and disassembled for storage), or the coupling mechanism can be glue, welding, or any other coupling mechanism that is known in the art. The coupling mechanism between each connector members  34  and the respective connector recesses  33  can be a press-fit between the connector member  34  and the connector recesses  33 , glue, welding, or any other coupling mechanism that is known in the art. 
     As shown in the Figures, each leg recess  32  does not fully penetrate through the shelf anchor member  31 . In other embodiments, each leg recess  32  can fully penetrate through the shelf anchor member  31 , and a mechanism (such as the adjustment mechanism  48 ) can be used to fix the vertical location of the upper fixed shelf  30  relative to the legs  22 . 
     The stacking recesses  35  can be used to stack multiple frame assemblies  20  on top of each other. The stacking recesses  35  are upward facing recesses in the top surface of the shelf anchor members  31  above the leg recesses  32 . The stacking recesses  35  of a first frame assembly  20  can accommodate the insertion of the legs  22  of a second frame assembly  20  to be placed on top of the first frame assembly  20 . In order to insert the legs  22  of a second frame assembly  20  into the stacking recesses  35  of the first frame assembly  20 , the feet  24  can be removed from the legs  22  of the second frame assembly  20 . When not in use to accommodate a second frame assembly  20 , the stacking recesses  35  can be capped or plugged. 
     The lower adjustable shelf  40  includes two shelf anchor members  41  and three connector members  44 . One or more shelf panels  46  can be overlaid on the lower adjustable shelf  40  and/or coupled to the connector members  44 . As shown in  FIG. 2B , each shelf anchor member  41  includes two leg apertures  42  for slidably coupling to the respective legs  22 , four connector recesses  43  for coupling to the ends of respective connector members  44 , and two adjustment mechanisms  48  for selectively adjusting the vertical position of the shelf anchor member  41  at a particular position along the respective legs  22 . The two horizontally oriented shelf anchor members  41  and the three horizontally oriented connector members  44  form the structure of the lower adjustable shelf  40  when assembled. 
     Each leg aperture  42  is sized relative to the diameter of a respective leg  22  such that the leg aperture  42  can be vertically slid along the leg  22  by a user, downward in a direction D or upward in a direction opposite that of the direction D. For example, a user can position the lower adjustable shelf  40  in an initial position P 1 , and when plants have grown larger, a user can slide the lower adjustable shelf  40  to a final position P 2  by sliding the leg apertures  42  down the respective legs  22 . Each leg aperture  42  can be slightly smaller than the diameter of a respective leg  22  to result in a press-fit between the leg aperture  42  and the respective leg  22 , or each leg aperture  22  can be slightly larger than the diameter of a respective leg  22  to allow the leg aperture  42  to freely slide along the respective leg  22 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2D , the adjustment mechanisms  48  are cylindrical tapped compression or tightening knobs that allows the user to selectively adjust the vertical position of the shelf anchor member  41 . As shown in  FIG. 2D , the tapped adjustment mechanisms  48  can be screwed onto tapered threaded fingers  45  extending downward from the bottom of the shelf anchor member  41 . Each finger  45  extends circumferentially around a portion of the leg aperture  42 . As the adjustment mechanism  48  is rotated, the adjustment mechanism  48  compresses the fingers  45  against the leg  22 , which increases the force applied by the fingers  45  against the leg  22  until the friction force between the fingers  45  and the leg  22  is sufficiently high to fix the lower adjustable shelf  40  in a desired position, for example, initial position P 1  or final position P 2 . 
     In other embodiments, the adjustment mechanisms  48  can be a thumbscrew mechanism, a molded detent and corresponding tab combination, a hole and pin combination, a preset notch and groove combination, or any other mechanism that can selectively adjust the vertical position of the shelf anchor member  41 . The adjustment mechanisms  48  can be knurled on the outside surface so that a user can easily grip the outside surface to tighten or loosen the adjustment mechanisms  48 . 
     Although four connector recesses  33  or  43  are shown in  FIG. 2B , in some embodiments, one or more of the connector recesses  33  or  43  can be left vacant. For example, in the first embodiment adjustable plant growing stand shown in  FIGS. 1A-1C , three connector members  34  or  44  are positioned in three respective pairs of connector recesses  33  or  43  between opposing shelf anchor members  31  or  41 , and the fourth connector recess  33  or  43  (the connector recess  33  or  43  that is the lower of the two connector recesses  33  or  43  in the center of the shelf anchor member  31  or  41 ) is left vacant. In other embodiments, a fourth connector member  34  or  44  can be positioned in the fourth pair of connector recess  33  or  43  to provide additional support for the shelf panel  36  or  46 . 
     The shelf panels  36  and  46  are substantially flat sheet-like panels supported by respective connector members  34  and  44 . The shelf panels  36  and  46  provide a surface on which to place plants  15  (the shelf panel  46 ) or gardening accessories such as a small watering can, fertilizer, seeds, small flower pots, cultivation tools, and the like (the shelf panel  36 ). As shown in  FIG. 2A , the shelf panel  36  can be a solid translucent thermoform plastic molding sheet, or the shelf panel  46  can be a metal mesh sheet. In other embodiments, the shelf panels  36  and  46  can be made from any combination of translucent or opaque materials such as any plastic, polymer, composite, glass, ceramic, wood, wood by-products, wood-like products, metal, or any other material known in the art that is suitable for use as a shelf. 
     In some embodiments, there can be two shelf panels  46 , including, for example, a metal mesh panel overlaying the lower adjustable panel  40  to support plants  15  and a solid plastic panel coupled to the connector members  44  to serve as a drip tray to catch water that may drip off of and/or around the plants  15 . In some embodiments, for example, as shown in  FIG. 5A , the drip tray  47  can placed under the feet  24  of the legs  22  of the frame assembly  20 . 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the various structural components of the frame  20 , including the legs  22 , the shelf anchor members  31  and  41 , the connector members  34  and  44 , and the adjustment mechanisms  48  are made from plastic. However, in other embodiments, the various structural components of the frame  20  can be made of any combination of materials such as any plastic, polymer, composite, glass, ceramic, wood, wood by-products, wood-like products, metal, or any other material known in the art that is suitable for use as a structural component of a plant stand frame. 
     In some embodiments (not shown), multiple lower adjustable shelves  40  can be included in a single frame assembly  20 . In such embodiments, each lower adjustable shelf  40  can be assembled onto the legs  22 , and each adjustable shelf  40  can be slid along the legs  22  independently from the other adjustable shelf  40 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3A-3C , the lighting assembly  50  includes one or more lighting fixtures  52 , one or more electrical connection cords  54  for electrically coupling the lighting fixtures  52 , and one or more pairs of mounting clips  60  for removably coupling the lighting fixtures  52  to the shelf anchor members  31  of the upper fixed shelf  30  of the frame assembly  20 . As shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the lighting assembly  50  includes four lighting fixtures  52 . In other embodiments, such as the second embodiment adjustable plant growing stand  70  shown in  FIG. 6 , the lighting assembly  50  can include any number of lighting fixtures  52 , including, for example, one, two, three, four, six, or eight lighting fixtures  52 . 
     Each lighting fixture  52  includes one or more conventional plant growth-stimulating light sources such as fluorescent lamps, ultraviolet (UV) lamps, LED lamps, grow light spectrum lamps, incandescent lamps, “black-light” lamps, or any other growth-stimulating light source known in the art. In exemplary embodiments, the lighting fixtures  52  are T5 size T58W or T514W lamps. 
     Each lighting fixture  52  includes a light actuation switch  56  that enables each lighting fixture  52  to be turned on or off independently of the other lighting fixtures  52 . Accordingly, any individual lighting fixture  52  can be illuminated independently from the other lighting fixtures  52 . 
     The electrical connection cords  54  link the lighting fixtures  52  together in a series or daisy chain fashion. Accordingly, a single AC supply cord can provide AC power to all of the lighting fixtures  52  via the electrical connection cords  54 . The electrical connection cords  54  can permit a user to easily interconnect conventional lighting fixtures  52  to a single AC power source. In other embodiments, each lighting fixture  52  can have a separate power source (e.g., an included battery). In such embodiments, the electrical connection cords  54  can be omitted. 
     Each mounting clip  60  is coupled on a first side to a shelf anchor member  31  of the upper fixed shelf  30  of the frame assembly  20  and on a second side to a respective lighting fixture  52 , such that each lighting fixture  52  is suspended between the two shelf anchor members  31  above the lower adjustable shelf  40 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4A-4D , the mounting clip  60  includes a first frame coupling portion  61  for attachment to a shelf anchor member  31  of an upper fixed shelf  30 , a second light coupling portion  62  for attachment to a lighting fixture  52 , and a third connecting portion  63  that joins the first and second coupling portions  61  and  62 . The first frame coupling portion  61  includes one or more tabs  64  for retaining the mounting clip  60  onto the shelf anchor member  31  after installation of the mounting clip  60 . The second light coupling portion  62  includes a T-shaped protrusion  65  for slideably coupling to a corresponding slot in the top surface of a conventional lighting fixture  52 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4A , the first frame coupling portion  61  is adapted to be clipped or clamped to a shelf anchor member  31  having a substantially rectangular cross sectional shape. However, in other embodiments, the first frame coupling portion  61  can be adapted to be clipped to a shelf anchor member  31  having any cross sectional shape, including round, hexagonal, or any other cross sectional shape. Although the first frame coupling portion  61  is shown in  FIG. 4A  as having a clip shape, the attachment of the lighting fixtures  52  to the shelf anchor members  31  can be accomplished by other attachment mechanisms, including, for example, a notch and groove, a pin, a screw, a hook and loop fastener, or any other suitable attachment mechanism that is known in the art. 
     Third connecting portion  63  can be a curved, flexible spring element extending between the first frame coupling portion  61  and the second light coupling portion  62 , thereby allowing a user to attach and remove the lighting fixtures  52  to the shelf anchor members  31  without breaking the mounting clips  60 . 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the mounting clips  60  are made of a flexible acetal plastic material “POM” polyoxymethylene. In other embodiments, other materials can be used for the mounting clips  60 , including, for example, any type of plastic, rubber, metal, wood, nylon, or any other suitable material or combination of materials known in the art. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5A , a drip tray  47  can be positioned underneath the legs  22  of the frame assembly  20 . In such embodiments including a drip tray  47  positioned underneath the legs  22  of the frame assembly  20 , the drip tray  47  can be placed around the feet  24  of the legs  22 . The sidewalls of the drip tray  47  can be press-fit against the outside of the feet  24  (e.g., wherein area of the panel of the drip tray  47  is equal to or slightly smaller than the area bounded by the outside of the feet  24 ), or the feet  24  can be loosely placed against the inside of the sidewalls of the trip tray  47  (e.g., wherein the area of the panel of the drip tray  47  is slightly larger than the area bounded by the outside of the feet  24 ). 
     Referring to  FIG. 5B , the shelf panel  36  or  46  can include a coupling notch  39  or  49  on each side of the shelf panel  36  or  46  for coupling the respective side of the shelf panel  36  or  46  to a connecting member  34  or  44 . As shown in  FIG. 5B , the coupling notch  39  or  49  can be snapped onto a connecting member  34  or  44  by a user positioning the shelf panel  36  or  46  over the respective shelf  30  or  40  and pressing the coupling notch  39  or  49  down onto the connecting member  34  or  44 . In embodiments including a drip tray coupled to the lower adjustable shelf  40 , a second drip tray shelf panel  46  can be snapped to the underside of the lower adjustable shelf  40  by pressing the coupling notches  49  up onto the respective connecting members  44 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a second embodiment adjustable plant growing stand  70  includes plants or seedlings  15 , a frame assembly  20  including an upper fixed shelf  30  and a lower adjustable shelf  40 , and two lighting assemblies  52 . 
     The present invention has been illustrated by the description of several embodiments. The present invention, however, is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein. Rather, the present invention encompasses any combination of the features of any of the embodiments and natural variations thereof, as will be understood by persons familiar with plant stand technology.