Patent Publication Number: US-2017347536-A1

Title: Plant Support Device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIE THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     The disclosure and prior art relates to plant support devices and more particularly pertains to a new plant support device for providing support to the stem of a plant. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a rod that is configured to insert vertically into a planting bed. A positioner is slidably couplable to the rod. A holder, which comprises a strap, is coupled to the positioner. The strap is variably couplable to the holder to form a loop. The rod is configured to insert vertically into the planting bed proximate to a stem of a plant requiring support. The positioner is variably couplable to the rod such that the positioner is positionable at a required height relative to the stem. The strap is configured to position around the stem of the plant and to couple to the holder to form the loop. The loop extends from the holder around the stem of the plant to support the plant. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric perspective view of a plant support device according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 4  thereof, a new plant support device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 4 , the plant support device  10  generally comprises a rod  12  that is configured to insert vertically into a planting bed. The rod  12  is circular when viewed longitudinally. In one embodiment, the rod  12  comprises aluminum. In another embodiment, the rod  12  comprises plastic. The rod  12  has a top end  14  and a bottom end  16 . The bottom end  16  is pointed, such that the bottom end  16  is configured to insert vertically into the planting bed. 
     A positioner  18  is slidably couplable to the rod  12  between the top end  14  and the bottom end  16 . The positioner  18  is positionable at a required height relative to a stem of a plant positioned proximate to the rod  12  in the planting bed. In one embodiment, the positioner  18  comprises a block  20 . The block  20  is substantially rectangularly box shaped. The block  20  is resilient. The block  20  comprises rubber. A channel  22  is positioned through the block  20  proximate to a first end  38  of the block  20 . The channel  22  is complementary to the rod  12 , such that the rod  12  is insertable into the channel  22 . 
     A gasket  24  is slidably couplable to the rod  12  between the positioner  18  and the bottom end  16 . The gasket  24  is positioned on the rod  12  to retain the positioner  18  at the required height relative to the stem of the plant. The gasket  24  is resilient. The gasket  24  comprises rubber. 
     A holder  26 , which comprises a strap  28 , is coupled to the positioner  18 . The strap  28  is variably couplable to the holder  26  to form a loop  30 . The strap  28  is configured to position around the stem of the plant and to couple to the holder  26  to form the loop  30 . The loop  30  extends from the holder  26  around the stem of the plant to support the plant. In one embodiment, the strap  28  comprising a rack gear  32 . The strap  28  may comprise nylon. The strap  28  may comprise stainless steel. 
     A coupler  34  is coupled to the block  20 . The coupler  34  is positioned on a side  36  of the block  20  proximate to a second end  40  of the block  20 . The coupler  34  is couplable to the strap  28  to form the loop  30 . In one embodiment the coupler  34  comprises a ratchet box  42 . The ratchet box  42  is positioned to gearedly couple to the rack gear  32  of the strap  28  to form the loop  30 . The present invention also anticipates a tab coupled to the ratchet box  42  to release the strap  28  from the ratchet box  42 . Releasing the strap  28  allows the loop  30  to be opened, such that the device  10  can be reused. 
     In use, the rod  12  is configured to insert vertically into the planting bed proximate to a stem of a plant requiring support. The positioner  18  is variably couplable to the rod  12  such that the positioner  18  is positionable at a required height relative to the stem. The strap  28  is configured to position around the stem of the plant and to couple to the holder  26  to form the loop  30 . The loop  30  extends from the holder  26  around the stem of the plant to support the plant. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.