Abstract:
A portable planter box especially adapted to be usable either in a commercial or residential environment, providing ease of access and internal irrigation. The device is adapted to be utilized in a minimum amount of space, and to be movable from one space to another. The planter box is uniquely designed to permit stacking and may be collapsed to permit ease of storage and transport to multiple locations.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED INVENTIONS 
       [0001]    NOT APPLICABLE 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    NOT APPLICABLE 
       REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING 
       [0003]    NOT APPLICABLE 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    1. Technical Field 
         [0005]    The present invention relates to portable planter boxes that find application in both commercial and residential environments. The planter boxes of the present invention may contain virtually any vegetable matter that is grown in soil, and is particularly adapted for raising vegetables and fruits, such as strawberries, broccoli, carrots, and the like. More particularly, a planter box may be comprised of collapsible wall portions to make the device more easily transported and/or stored 
         [0006]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0007]    Planter boxes that are collapsible and which contain internal watering apparatus have been described in the prior art, however there has heretofore not been described a planter box having the unique attributes of the planter box described and claimed herein. The prior art must be viewed in light of the specific features of the present invention described and claimed herein, to wit: portability, collapsibility, elevated off the ground, with built-in heat retention/bird-bug repellant, and internally hydrated. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Planter boxes have been used in residential environments for years, but have found little or no application in the growing of crops on a commercial scale. The reason for this is that crops are typically grown on very large scale, requiring the use of large tractors and harvesters on large tracts of land, often times with the added requirement that the land be certified organic. With changing food consumption habits, consumers are increasing demanding premium fruits and vegetables that are grown in warm weather climes for winter harvest. Such crop land has increased to prices that exceed the means of all but the richest and largest growers. For example, farm land in and around Yuma, Ariz. routinely sells for $30-40,000 per acre. In the prime warm weather winter growing areas for vegetables and fruit, after the summer heat has dissipated farmers can typically harvest their crop 4-5 times before it becomes too warm again in the late spring/early summer. The land then lies fallow or is planted to less-productive crops. 
         [0009]    The planter boxes described herein can be utilized in a small plot commercial environment without the necessity of incredibly expensive land; the planter boxes can be positioned on inexpensive unproductive land of any sort. Additionally, when the prime growing season has passed, the planter boxes can be stacked and transported with soil and plants intact to a cooler clime where the plants remain productive. When growing high value crops such as strawberries, an additional 2-3 harvest cycles greatly increases the economics of small-plot farming. While not required, means may be provided so that when stacked upon one another the planter boxes are frictionally secured one to another. 
         [0010]    Separate and apart from the commercial application of the planter box of the present invention, it finds particular application in a residential environment. Many homeowners find it impractical or inconvenient to till a garden in situ; many homeowners don&#39;t have the land to do so, and others don&#39;t want to, or can&#39;t, exert the physical effort to till a garden. The present invention is ideally suited to such environments, as it permits homeowners or farm labor to till relatively small plots without the necessity of stooping over to plant, weed, water and harvest a crop. 
         [0011]    In a first embodiment, the planter box of the present invention comprises a stackable box having a bottom and at least 3 side walls, preferably 4, arranged in a square or rectangular orientation. The planter box may be provided with at least three, and preferably 4, removable legs to elevate the box off the ground. At least one of the side walls is provided with a fitting to receive a drip watering system; in a preferred embodiment at least two of the side walls are provided with such fittings to enable the planter box to be positioned adjacent another planter box and the watering systems engaged in series. A mechanism may be provided to secure multiple planter boxes adjacent one another. The bottom of the planter box may be provided with a drain in order to remove excess water pooling in the bottom of the box. 
         [0012]    While it may not be preferable in a commercial environment, in a residential environment the planter box may be provided with side walls that either hinge so that they can be laid upon the bottom to reduce the storage size, or alternatively, provided with alternative means for removal and reassembly. An example of such alternative may be walls that slidably attach to one another and to the bottom, as with male-female slidably engaging members. 
         [0013]    In either the commercial or residential environment, removable legs are preferable for storage or shipment of the boxes. In a commercial environment, the boxes with soil and plants in place may be stacked and shipped, with the legs removed, to another growing location. 
         [0014]    In almost any location there are periods when it is too cool for effective growing of crops. In such cases, providing a “hot box” for early planting of crops extends the growing season and therefore crop yield and profitability. Providing side walls with means to receive support members and flexible cover members to cover the crops will provide a heat trap in cool periods and provide protection against pests and birds when crops are ripe and ready to harvest. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the planter box of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1A  is an enlargement of the foot of the planter box of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is an expanded view of one embodiment of the planter box of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the planter box of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a view of the irrigation apparatus of the planter box of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is an assembled view of the planter box of the present invention with a cover member affixed. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of yet another embodiment of the planter box of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]      FIG. 1  illustrates, generally, an exemplary portable planter box  10  of the present invention. The Figures in toto represent a number of embodiments of the present invention, and should not be interpreted as illustrating every conceivable or possible embodiment of the invention. The scope of the invention should be limited solely by the scope of the Claims appended hereto. In this  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated a bottom panel  20  and four side panels  22 ,  24 ,  26  and  28 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the bottom panel  20  may be provided with one or more drain holes  30  to remove excess water. At least one of the side panels of the planter box  10  is provided with an orifice  32  within which is affixed a watering apparatus (described later). The planter box  10  may be provided with at least three legs  34 , and preferably four, to elevate the planter box above the ground. 
         [0023]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the preferred embodiment of the planter box is a square or rectangular box with four side panels; however it is contemplated that the planter box would be just as effective if provided with three side panels, or five or more side panels. The planter box is preferably provided with a bottom panel  20  having dimensions typical of those utilized in commercial environments, such as 40″×48″. Such dimensions are typical of pallets utilized in the harvesting, transport, and storage of agricultural products. 
         [0024]    In order to more easily package, ship and store the planter box of the present invention, the box is preferably capable of being collapsed and/or disassembled. In one embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the end panels  26 ,  28  and side panels  22 ,  24  may be provided with means, such as hinge  38  to enable end panels to be hinged to the bottom and folded thereupon, as illustrated by arrow  42 . The bottom panel may be provided in mated halves  50 ,  52 , and likewise provided with a hinge  58  to enable the two halves to be folded one upon the other as illustrated at arrows  54 ,  56 . Similarly, side panels may be hinged, as at  40 , enabling the side panels to be hingably folded onto the bottom. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  illustrates an alternative embodiment to that illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Rather than hinge side panels  22 ,  28  to each other and to the bottom panel  50 , the adjacent side and end panels may instead be provided with mating male/female members  60 ,  62  along their periphery that may slidably engage with one another, or which snap securely together. Likewise, the side panels may be provided with mating members  64 ,  66  which secure the side panels to the bottom panel. In yet another embodiment the two bottom panels  50 ,  52  may be hinged or slidably engaged  68 ,  70  to one another. Plants grown in the planter box of the present invention may be watered manually by the owner, or they can be watered by a watering system as exemplified at  80  in  FIG. 4 . An exemplary watering system will comprise at least one fitting  82  on the distal end of the watering system to interfit with an aperture  32  in a side wall  26 , and is positioned within the box and either on top of or within the soil in the planter box. The fitting  82  may be constructed with, for example, a typical hose bib  84  to interfit with a conventional residential hose. The watering system may comprise an elongate member  86  with one or more lateral members  88 , and may be provided with fittings  82 ,  84  at both ends of the elongate member  86 . Any means of distributing water within the soil-filled box may be utilized and are well known, such as drip apertures  90 . 
         [0026]    Growing seasons in most locales are restricted at the early and late portions of the growing season; this season can be extended if plants are provided shelter from ambient coot air. In  FIG. 5 , box  10  is provided with a cover member  92  having reduced or no air permeability. When exposed to direct or indirect sunlight the cover member  92  will act to retain heat within the soil and box and thereby extend the growing season for plants therein. The cover member  92  is preferably supported by support members  94 , which may be comprised of metal, plastic or other deformable material. In a preferred embodiment, at least two of the opposing side walls  22 ,  24  are provided with receiving slots  96  to removably receive the ends of support members  94 . The slots  96  may comprise voids in the rigid structure of the side walls or may be may be molded into or secured to the upper edge region of the side walls. 
         [0027]    In order to make the planter box relatively portable, the legs  34  of the invention may be provided with casters  98  which may be removably affixed to the leg or permanently affixed to the legs. 
         [0028]    Multiple planter boxes of the present invention may be adapted to be removably affixed adjacent to one another, either side-by-side or end-to-end. In this manner the planter boxes may be secured and made available for larger scale and more efficient production of foodstuffs. 
         [0029]    The descriptions and drawings of the present invention are presented herein for purposes of illustration only. There are undoubtedly numerous minor modifications that could be made to the invention disclosed herein that will be within the scope of the invention. The specific metes and bounds of the invention should be deemed to be delineated solely by the scope of the Claims appended hereto.