Abstract:
An apparatus for growing plants is includes a body section having an upper orifice, a lower orifice, a back section, and at least one door. The upper orifice allows for planting of a plant while the at least one door allows for removal of the plant for transplanting. The upper orifice is smaller in cross-sectional area than the lower orifice allowing for plants to grow in their natural pattern giving the roots more room to grow in more soil from which to absorb nutrients making for a happier, healthier plant which will not need to be transplanted as often.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application no. 62/349,695 filed on Jun. 14, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    This invention relates to the field of horticulture and more particularly to a potting system for growing plants. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Virtually all planter pots, flowers vegetable, trees etc., are a generally of conical shape with the widest portion of the cone at the top where the plant emerges from the soil. This is a very convenient shape for manufacturing, marketing and storage. However, this shape causes the roots of the plant, which grow in a general inverted conical pattern, to grow in an unnatural pattern which leads to the plant getting root bound rather quickly. The roots touch less soil in this condition and therefore can&#39;t absorb the minerals. This cramps the growth of the plant. Also, at the open portion of the conical shape has a large surface area, the water evaporates quickly through this wide open top, leading to plants drying out quickly and needing frequent watering. In addition to the root growth problem and the water evaporation problem, conical shape pots with the widest portion of the cone at the top are top-heavy and unstable, getting knocked over easily, especially outside in the wind. 
         [0004]    What is needed is system and apparatus for growing plants that will overcome such shortcomings. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    In one embodiment, an apparatus for growing plants is disclosed including a body section having an upper orifice, a lower orifice, a back section, and at least one door. The upper orifice allows for planting of a plant while the at least one door allows for removal of the plant for transplanting. The upper orifice is smaller in cross-sectional area than the lower orifice. 
         [0006]    In another embodiment, an apparatus for growing plants is disclosed including a body section having a conical shape with an upper orifice, a lower orifice, a back section, and at least one door. The upper orifice is round and allows for planting of a plant. The lower orifice is also round. The at least one door allows for removal of the plant for transplanting. A first diameter of the upper orifice is smaller than a second diameter of the lower orifice. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment, an apparatus for growing plants is disclosed including a body section having a pyramid shape with an upper orifice, a lower orifice, a back section, and at least one door. The upper orifice is a regular polygon and allows for planting of a plant. The lower orifice is another regular polygon. The at least one door allows for removal of the plant for transplanting. A first cross-sectional area of the upper orifice is smaller than a second cross-sectional area of the lower orifice. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates a side plan view of a conical design shown lifted off of the base. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  illustrates a top plan view of the conical design with the doors in the closed position. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  illustrates a top view of the base for the conical design. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view is of the conical design with a door section opened. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  illustrates a bottom perspective view of a square design having a single door section with two door panels. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  illustrates a top plan view of a base for the square design. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures. 
         [0016]    The system and apparatus for growing plants is described having an open conical shape with the wider section of the cone at the bottom and a four-sided pyramid shape with the wider section of the pyramid at the bottom. The overall outer shape is anticipated to be any functional or stylized shape as long as the bottom of the system and apparatus for growing plants is of larger cross-sectional area than the top opening, through which the plant emerges. An example of this is a pyramid having sixteen sides. 
         [0017]    The disclosed apparatus allow the planter to be stored in an efficient manner. 
         [0018]    It is anticipated that the disclosed apparatus be made of a stiff material such as plastic, metal, ceramic, clay or any material known in the art. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a side plan view of a conical shaped planter having a conical body section  100  is shown lifted off of the base  101 . The conical body section  100  and the base  101  to which it secures are shown separated. The conical body section  100  has an opening or orifice at the top through which one or more plants emerge. A circumference of the orifice at the top is smaller than a circumference of an orifice at the bottom. 
         [0020]    The conical body section  100  shown has an upper door panel  102  and a lower door panel  103 . A first side of each of the door panels  102 / 103  is secured to the back portion  112  (see  FIG. 2 ) by at least one hinge  105 , allowing the door panels  102 / 103  to open yet remain secured to the conical body section  100 . On a distal side of each door panel is at least one latch  104  for securing the respective door panel  102 / 103  in a closed position and allowing for opening of the door panels  102 / 103 . There is a flange  106  (e.g., brim) around the circumference of the bottom of the conical body section  100  (lower orifice). The flange  106  has one or more slotted holes  107  for securing the conical body section  100  to the base  101 . The conical body section  100  is secured to the base  101  by inserting the posts  108  of the base  101  into the slotted holes  107 , then turning the conical body section  100  slightly on the base  101  until the posts  108  slide into the slots of the slotted holes  107 . 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a top plan view of the planter having a conical body section  100  is shown with the door panels  102 / 103  in the closed position. The conical body section  100  is shown with the upper door panel  102  and the lower door panel  103  both in the closed and secured position. The door panels  102 / 103 , are secured to the back portion  112  by hinges  105  on one side, allowing the door panels  102 / 103  to swing open yet stay secured to the back portion  112  by way of the latches  104  when shut. At the bottom of the conical body section  100  is a flange  106  running around a circumference of the conical body section  100 . In some embodiments, the flange  106  is used to secure the conical body section  100  to the base  101  via the slotted holes  107  in the flange  106 . 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , a top view of the base  101  for the conical shaped planter is shown. The base  101  for the conical shaped planter has posts  108  onto which the conical body section  100  is secured. The sides  110  of the base  101  are raised for containment of water. It is anticipated that the sides be of any shape, for example, straight, protruding outward (as in drawing) or inward. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a perspective view of a conical body  200  is shown. The body has one door sections  240  and one back section  212 . The door section  240  is shown opened. In this example, the door section  240  has three doors panels  202 / 203 / 213  that include an upper door panel  202 , a lower door panel  203  and a middle door panel  213 . As before, the flange  206  has slotted holes  207  for securing to the base  101  (same as in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). In this embodiment, the upper door panel  202  and the middle door panel  213  have lips  245  for sealing purposes. When the door panels  202 / 203 / 213  are closed and secured with the hinges/latches  204 / 205 , the lip  245  of the upper door panel  202  rest over an upper edge of the middle door panel  213  and the lip  245  of the middle door panel  213  rest over an upper edge of the lower door panel  203 , reducing leakage and evaporation of liquids from within the second conical body  200 . As the door panels  202 / 203 / 213  are closed, the lip  245  of each door panel  202 / 203 / 213  goes over an edge of the subsequent door panels  202 / 203 / 213  below (e.g. the lip  245  of the upper door panel  202  closes over an upper edge of the middle door panel  213 . 
         [0024]    In this embodiment, the back section  212  and/or each door section  240  has a lengthwise lip  241  for reducing leakage and evaporation of liquids from within the second conical body  200 . The lengthwise lip  241  also benefits in improved structural stability. 
         [0025]    The hinges/latches  204 / 205  secure the door panels  202 / 203 / 213  to the back section  212  while allowing the door panels  202 / 203 / 213  to swing open and shut for removal of a plant and soil held within. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , a bottom perspective view of a pyramid-shaped planter is shown. The pyramid-shaped planter has a pyramid-shaped body section  500  that has, in this example, a single door section having an upper door panel  502  (parallelogram) and a lower door panel  503  (parallelogram). The pyramid-shaped planter has an opening or orifice at the top, preferably shaped as a regular parallelogram, through which one or more plants emerge. A cross-sectional area of the orifice at the top is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the bottom (orifice) which is also a regular parallelogram. 
         [0027]    The upper door panel  502  and a lower door panel  503  are shown in the closed position. The back panel  512  has three sides, though any number of sides is anticipated from three to more than three sides. The door panels  502 / 503  interface to the back panel  512  with hinges/latches  504 / 505  to removably secure the door panels  502 / 503  to the back panel  512 , allowing the door panels  502 / 503  to open and close securely. In some embodiments, flange  506  is formed at the bottom (widest part) of the pyramid-shaped body having slotted holes  507 . In this embodiment, all of the slotted holes  507  are aligned in the same direction for securing the body to the base  600  (see  FIG. 6 ). Such securing is done by slightly sliding the pyramid-shaped body section  500  after insertion of the posts  608  into the slotted holes  507  (instead of twisting as in the conical shaped planter). 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , a top plan view of a base  600  for the pyramid-shaped planter is shown. The floor  601  of the base  600  has posts  608  extending therefrom for securing to the pyramid-shaped body section  500 . In a preferred embodiment, raised sides  610  for containing water extend from edges of the floor  601 . 
         [0029]    Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result. 
         [0030]    It is believed that the system and method as described and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.