Patent Publication Number: US-6983561-B2

Title: Vertical plant stand

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a division of U.S. Ser. No. 10/638,593, filed Aug. 11, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,895,713; the contents of which are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. 

   The invention relates to potted plant holders, and more specifically, to a device for holding multiple plants either in a stacked or tree-limb like configuration. 
   There are potted plant stands known in the art that require multiple segment assembly and/or cross-members to support its stacked pots, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,692 to Ruibal and U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,797 to Lendel. The Ruibal device has wire baskets which act as part of the support structure; cross arms are used throughout the stand to support the baskets in place; the support pole passes through a hole in the cross arms and then through the hole in the wire baskets or other plant holders; the device uses cross arms, collars, connectors, rings, couplings, and nuts to secure the baskets and parts of the stand; and assembly of the structure is required. Lendel&#39;s structure is made of several pipe segments and a plurality of locking collars, and multi-functional platforms; has a plurality of central arms attached to a vertical post; pots are supported by metal pins or side bars inserted through the support pole and the locking collars; the fixture uses a water tube going up through the pipe to water the plants; pots are stacked on top of each other vertically flat, in a centered position; the structure permits partial use of pot surfaces only; and detachable support legs are optionally added. 
   What is needed is a vertical pot stand that is uncomplicated in parts, requires no assembly to mount potted plants and lends itself to stacking or orienting plants in a tilted orientation for more versatility in presentation, use and aesthetic appearance in a home environment. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is a vertical plant stand that is free standing or can be supported by burying its lower end in a base plant pot or in the ground. Pots can be angularly stacked along a central elongate member or hook style appendages can protrude from the central elongate member to mount tilted plant pots. Multiple vertically and/or radially spaced-apart appendages can be included to mount tilted pots like tree branches. The appendages can be simple rods or bars bent in a general L-shape or C-shape. The pots have a central hole at the bottom of the pots through which the vertically oriented portion of each appendage is inserted for mounting and supporting the pot in a tilted orientation. The stand can also be configured for mounting a table top to the stand for making an end table, coffee table of other table design. Instead of a table top, a top plant pot may be provided at the upper end of the central elongate member. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the accompanying drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is an example of one embodiment of the present invention with the stand inside a base pot only and without the mounted tilted pots on the hooked-shaped members; 
       FIG. 2  is another example of an embodiment of the present invention where the stand is buried in the ground and the pots are shown in phantom for sake of simplicity; 
       FIG. 3  is a representational schematic of the embodiment similar to  FIG. 1  except the vertical member extends through the bottom of the base pot into the ground below the base pot; 
       FIG. 4   a  is an example of another embodiment which is representational only of a table configuration and the vertical support means are legs, in this case decorative legs, typically 3–4 legs being contemplated as typical but 2 being shown for sake of simplicity to the drawing, and one plane of tilted pots (phantom) are shown but more than one being contemplated for high top table; 
       FIG. 4   b  is an example of another embodiment similar to that of  FIG. 4   a  except support members (which may be decorative) are present at the top for supporting a centrally placed top pot; 
       FIG. 5   a  is again another representational schematic of another embodiment where the pots are stacked one on top of the other along the central vertical member in a tilted staggered configuration with vertical support legs (2 being shown for simplicity but 3–4 being contemplated as typical); 
       FIG. 5   b  is a schematic representational embodiment similar to that of  FIG. 5   a  except the stand is located inside a base pot and the staggered tilted stacked pots are shown in phantom for sake of simplicity; 
       FIG. 6  is an example of the inventive pot stand without pots being depicted and a single plane of hook-shaped members are radially aligned; and 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded view of a part of the invention to demonstrate the typical tilt of the pot on a hook-shaped member. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
   Referring now to the drawings,  FIGS. 1–7  depict schematically various embodiments of the present invention, which is a vertical plant stand and is depicted generally as  10 . 
   One embodiment of the stand  10  has an elongate vertical member  12  having an upper end  12   a  and a lower end  12   b . This elongate vertical member  12  can be a central rod or other bar stock. The lower end  12   b  has means  14  for providing vertical support located at the lower end  12   b  of the elongate vertical member  12 . 
   The means  14  for providing vertical support located at the lower end  12   b  of the elongate vertical member  12  may be a generally planar base member  14   a . Although, when buried in the ground, the planar base member  14   a  may be any desired dimensional shape and size, for applications where the lower end  12   b  and its planar base member  14   a  are inserted into a base plant pot  16 , the generally planar base member  14   a  should be configured such that its maximum cross-sectional dimension is such that a lower face  14   b  of the base member  14   a  can rest in a face to face relationship with an inside bottom surface  16   a  of the base plant pot  16 . Of course, a planar base member  14   a  is not necessary when the elongate vertical member  12  (lower end  12   b ) extends through a center hole of a base pot  16  and is buried or pinned in the ground as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  5   a.    
   In addition, in lieu of a planar base member  14   a , a plurality of support legs  14   c  (typically 3–4) as shown in  FIGS. 4   a ,  4   b  and  5   a  may be incorporated. Only three legs are shown in the drawings for sake of simplicity. As described below for the table type of the design, each support leg  14   c  should project outwardly from the elongate vertical member  12  and be upwardly directed. A shown in the drawings by example, support legs  14   c  can be decoratively designed such as an “S” style design. Not only does this provide an aesthetic appeal but it also provides for a bracing effect between the elongate vertical member  12  and the ground surface. The placement of a gusset as a bracing member welded to a rod iron elongate vertical member  12  to provide for stability would be an example of a support leg  14   c.    
   Two or more plant pots  18 , each having a central hole  18   a  at their respective bottom portions  18   b  are mounted to the stand  10 . The central holes  18   a  are sized so that when the elongate vertical member  12  is passed through the central hole  18   a  of each of the two or more plant pots  18 , the plant pots  18  can each be tilted at an angle  24  and stacked sequentially at approximately said angularly tilted configuration. The plant pots  18 , which are sequentially stacked along the elongate vertical member  12  at the angularly tilted configuration, provide a functional garden like display and aesthetically pleasing appearance, especially when filled with flowers or other plants. 
   The means  14  for providing vertical support located at the lower end  12   b  of the elongate vertical member  12  may be configured as mentioned above to be insertable in a base plant pot  18 , restable on a ground surface  20 , or buried below the ground surface  20 . 
   In another application of the present invention  10 , two or more radially-spaced apart fins  22  are included. The fins  22  extend outwardly from and are vertically oriented along the elongate vertical member  12 , a predetermined distance from the base member  14   a , such that when the vertical plant stand  10  is inserted and rested on the bottom surface  16   a  of the base plant pot  16 , the fins  22  do not extend vertically beyond the top edge of the base plant pot  16  or if buried below the ground surface  20 , are not exposed above the ground surface  20 . 
   The elongate vertical member  12  and the means  14  for providing vertical support located at the lower end  12   b  of the elongate vertical member  12  can be made from a variety of materials including, but not limited to, wood materials, metal materials such as rod iron, polymeric materials, reinforced composites of polymeric materials and combinations thereof. 
   The preferred angularly tilted configuration, that is, each angle  24  of each of the two or more plant pots  18  when arranged on the stand  10 , is about 60 to 80 degrees from horizontal. 
   In another embodiment of the present invention  10 , the upper end  12   a  of the elongate vertical member  12  has a plurality of radially spaced-apart support members  26  (typically at least 3), where the support members  26  project outwardly from the elongate vertical member  12  and are upwardly directed. Each of the support members  26  are also aligned so as to be essentially on a same plane. These can be decoratively designed typical of rod iron design or in an S-style design. Using this embodiment, one application is the inclusion of a plant stand top plant pot  28 . The top plant pot  28  is typically mountable in an overlying relationship with the upper end  12   a  of the vertical elongate member  12  and is generally supported on its perimeter side  28   a  with the radially spaced-apart support members  26 . The top plant pot  28  may also have a central hole  18   a  through which the upper end  12   a  of the elongate vertical member  12  may be partially inserted. 
   In still another application, a table top  30  is in an overlying relationship with each of the radially spaced-apart support members  26  which are aligned so as to be essentially on the same plane. This can be a glass, metal or wooden table top or any combinations thereof. The top can just rest on the stand or be attached with some fasteners. Possible uses include end tables, coffee tables, high bar top type stands/tables. 
   In still another embodiment of the present invention  10 , a plurality of elongated generally hook-shaped members  32  are included, where a proximal portion  32   a  of each hook-shaped member  32  is attached to the elongate vertical member  12  and projects in a generally horizontal direction away from the elongate vertical member  12 , and a distal portion  32   b  of each hook-shaped member  32  is directed in a generally vertical upwardly direction. 
   The hook-shaped members  32  can be configured either longitudinally spaced-apart along the elongate vertical member  12 , radially spaced-apart around the elongate vertical member  12 , or can be configured to include a combination of being longitudinally spaced-apart along the elongate vertical member  12  and radially spaced-apart around the elongate vertical member  12 . 
   A plurality of plant pots  18 , each having a central hole  18   a  at their respective bottom portions  18   b  are mountable on each of the hook-shaped members  32 . The central hole  18   a  of each of the plurality of plant pots  18  is sized so that when the distal portion  32   b  of each hook-shaped member  32  which is generally directed vertically upwardly, is passed through the central hole  18   a  of each of the plurality of plant pots  18 , the plant pots  18  can each be tilted at an angular configuration, that is, angle  24 , as shown on the drawings. The angularly tilted configuration of each of the plurality of plant pots in this embodiment is also contemplated to be about 60 to 80 degrees from horizontal. 
   Again, it is contemplated that the various components of the above embodiments, that is, the components making up the stand  10 , can be made from materials such as wood materials, metal materials, polymeric materials, reinforced composites of polymeric materials and combinations of such materials. 
   The upper end  12   a  of the elongate vertical member  12  in this embodiment described last, may also have a plurality of radially spaced-apart support members  26  as described above for the earlier embodiments and may also be modified to include a top plant pot  28  or a table top  30  as described above. 
   In still another embodiment, the vertical plant stand  10  has an elongate vertical member  12 , means  14  for providing vertical support, and a plurality of elongated generally hook-shaped members  32  each radially spaced-apart around the elongate vertical member  12  as described above, where the upper end  12   a  of the elongate vertical member  12  has the spaced-apart support members  26 . The support members  26  project outwardly from the elongate vertical member  12  and are upwardly directed. Further, they are aligned so as to be essentially on a same plane. In this embodiment, the means  14  for providing vertical support located at the lower end of the elongate vertical member is restable on a ground surface. Means  14  can be a planar member like base plate  14   a  or separate standard legs  14   c  or decorative legs  14   c  like table or lamp legs. Rod iron legs present a variety of possible decorative designs from which to choose. 
   This embodiment would have a plurality of plant pots  18 , each having a central hole  18   a  at their respective bottom portions  18   b . The central hole  18   a  of each of the plurality of plant pots  18  are sized so that when the distal portion  32   b  of each hook-shaped member  32 , which is directed vertically upward is passed through the central hole  18   a  of each of the plurality of plant pots  18 , the plant pots  18  can each be tilted at an angular configuration as described above. 
   Again, all the components of the stand  10  can be made from wood materials, metal materials, polymeric materials, reinforced composites of polymeric materials and combinations thereof. 
   As described in the previous embodiments, the vertical plant stand  10  can be configured to form a base of a table and a table top is in an overlying relationship with each of the at least three radially spaced-apart support members  26 , which are aligned so as to be essentially on the same plane. Alternatively, a plant stand top plant pot  28  can be mounted in an overlying relationship with the upper end  12   a  of the vertical elongate member  12 . The top plant pot  28  is also generally supported on its perimeter side  28   a  with the radially spaced-apart support members  26 . 
   From a review of the drawings, it is clear that the elongate vertical member  12  could be hanged from its upper end  12   a  and the planar base member  14   a  can act as a stop for the bottom most plant. In this modified embodiment, the plant pots  18  can still be stacked. Further, a modified version of this embodiment is having the elongate vertical member  12  incorporate the hook-shaped members  32  on which the pots  18  can be supported as described above and as shown in the drawings. In this embodiment, the planar base member  14   a  need not be used. However, it is was threadedly connected to the elongate vertical member  12 , then it could be removable to allow the placement of a base plant pot  16  below the hook-shaped members  32 . 
   It should be understood that the preceding is merely a detailed description of one or more embodiments of this invention and that numerous changes to the disclosed embodiments can be made in accordance with the disclosure herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The preceding description, therefore, is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determined only by the appended claims and their equivalents.