Abstract:
A monolithically constructed metal plant container suitable for containing plants with aggressive root systems, such as bamboo. The plant container is constructed through a mold-injection process using heated liquid metal, such as aluminum. The container has at least one external wall forming an exterior, and at least one interior wall and at least one bottom wall at least partially forming a cavity for holding the root structure of the plant. A slot(s) and/or hole(s) may be provided in the at least one bottom wall to facilitate drainage of excess water from the container.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a monolithically constructed metal plant container especially useful for holding plants with aggressive growth root systems, such as many species of bamboo.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Bamboo has been long admired for its fast growth and dense foliage. These characteristics may make bamboo seem ideal for erecting natural privacy barriers. However, the use of bamboo in landscaping, garden and patio applications has been limited due to its extremely aggressive root system.  
         [0003]     The root systems of bamboo species, if not contained, generally lead to uncontrollable growth. These root systems of fast growing bamboo species are so aggressive that they will effectively and completely destroy traditional containers made of pottery, concrete or plastic. When planted in the ground, such species overrun boundaries unless deep and substantial barriers are entrenched prior to planting.  
         [0004]     One desiring to plant bamboo, must then invest a great deal of time and money in entrenching a barrier system to contain the plants or risk the wild overgrowth of their landscape with bamboo and/or shattered planters.  
         [0005]     Thus, there is a need for a relatively low-cost plant container capable of effectively containing aggressive root system plants, such as bamboo.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention relates to a monolithically constructed metal plant container suitable for containing plants with aggressive root systems, such as bamboo. The plant container is constructed through a mold-injection process using heated liquid metal, such as aluminum. The container has at least one external wall, at least one interior wall and at least one bottom wall. The at least one bottom wall and the at least one interior wall at least partially defining a cavity for holding the root structure of the plant. A slot(s) and/or hole(s) may be provided in the at least one bottom wall to facilitate drainage of excess water from the container.  
         [0007]     The present invention has many advantages over the prior art and other possible containers. It provides a container capable of holding the root structure of aggressive growth plants, such as bamboo, without jeopardizing the destruction of the container itself, unlike ceramic, plastic or concrete plant containers. It facilitates the planting of bamboo both indoors and outdoors and in patio situations in a relatively inexpensive fashion, unlike entrenched barriers. Furthermore, it requires less labor to manufacture than a bent metal, welded metal or a riveted metal container, resulting in a lower manufacturing cost and a more aesthetically pleasing container.  
         [0008]     An embodiment of the present invention relates to a monolithically constructed metal plant container having at least one external wall at least partially forming an exterior, and at least one internal wall and at least one bottom wall at least partially forming a cavity for holding a plant&#39;s root structure.  
         [0009]     Another embodiment of the present invention provides a monolithically constructed metal plant container having two external walls and two end walls, two internal walls and two bottom walls, the two internal walls, the two external walls and two end walls forming an exterior and the two bottom walls and two end walls forming a cavity for holding a plant&#39;s root structure.  
         [0010]     As such, it is an object of the present invention to provide for a monolithic metal plant container capable of holding the root structure of an aggressive growth plant.  
         [0011]     It is another object of the present invention to provide for a monolithic metal plant container having an exterior and a cavity for holding the root structure of a plant. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a sectional view of a monolithically constructed metal plant container according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is elevation view of a monolithically constructed metal plant container according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a top view of a monolithically constructed metal plant container according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view of a monolithically constructed metal plant container according to another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a footprint diagram of the footprints of a plurality of monolithically constructed metal plant containers according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]     The present invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0018]     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a sectional view of an embodiment of a monolithically constructed metal plant container  100  is shown. Plant container  100  has exterior walls  101  and  102 . These walls are preferably not vertical, but inclined from the vertical towards the center as one moves up from the bottom of plant container  100 , as shown. With the heights that bamboo plants reach, they can become “top heavy”, especially in windy conditions. By having walls  101  and  102  offset from vertical, it creates a larger base for plant container  100  and therefore provides stability.  
         [0019]     Plant container  100  also has interior walls  103  and  104 . In this embodiment, interior walls  103  and  104  are connected directly to exterior walls  101  and  102 . These interior walls are preferably slightly offset from the vertical away from the center, for example on the order of about 3 degrees. This slight offset aids in removal of plant container  100  from the mold during construction. Bottom walls  105  and  106  are provided attached to walls  103  and  104 , respectively. Walls  105  and  106  should preferably be offset from the horizontal so as to decline towards a drain  107 . This permits excess water to flow towards drain  107 . Drain  107  may be a slot, a hole, a number of slots, a number of holes, or any combination thereof. These walls  103 - 106 , along with end walls, shown in other figures, define a cavity  108  in which the root structure and soil of the plant is held. Cavity  108  thus has an opening  109  at the top of plant container  100 .  
         [0020]     Monolithic metal plant container  100  is preferably manufactured through a molding process. A mold used to form the plant container is placed on an armature having a cup for holding molten metal. This metal is preferably aluminum. The armature is rotated to move the molten metal into the mold. The mold is then cooled so the metal hardens into the desired shape—forming the plant container. The plant container is then removed from the mold. This results in a plant container that is free of seams, as well as time consuming and unsightly welds and rivets.  
         [0021]     While it may be possible to create a metal plant container that could effectively hold aggressive root systems through the use of bending, welding and or riveting thick metal, the resulting container is much more labor intensive and therefore more expensive to manufacture than a monolithic container. Moreover, bending, welding and riveting are often aesthetically unpleasing and would detract from the natural beauty of the plants that they would be built to contain.  
         [0022]     The walls of monolithic metal plant container  100  defining cavity  108  should be of a suitable thickness to withstand the pressure from the growth of the root system to be contained. For instance, if monolithic metal plant container is to be constructed of aluminum and is to be used to hold bamboo, the walls defining cavity  108  should be preferably in the order of about ¼″ thick.  
         [0023]     By way of example only, all walls in monolithic metal plant container  100  may be ¼″ thick. Monolithic metal plant container  100  may stand 1′ 10¾″ tall. The distance between the bottom of wall  101  and the bottom of wall  102  may be 1′ 9″. Opening  109  may be 8″ wide. Interior walls  103  and  104  may be 1′9½″ in tall. The bottom of drain  107  may be ½″ off the ground.  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  shows an end view of monolithic metal plant container  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. End wall  110  is shown enclosing one side of cavity  108 . Another end wall  111  encloses the opposite side of cavity  108 . End wall  110  is preferably slightly offset from the vertical towards the center, again for ease in removing the plant container from the mold. By keeping this offset to a minimum, a number of monolithic metal plant containers.  100  can be lined up in a row with so as to provide a generally continuous row of planters for creating a generally continuous row of bamboo. Interior end walls (not shown) could then be additionally provided to enclose cavity  108 . As with walls  101  and  102 , this would create a greater footprint for plant container  100 , providing more stability. However, this would negatively affect the ability to create a continuous row of bamboo.  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  shows a top view of monolithic metal plant container  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. Exterior walls  101  and  102  are inclined toward the center, as in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Interior walls  105  and  106  meet around drain  107 . End walls  110  and  111  provided. Interior walls  103  and  104 , end walls  110  and  111 , and bottom walls  105  and  106  thus define cavity  108 .  
         [0026]     By way of example only, the length of plant container  100  may be 2′ and the width may be 1′ 9″. The drain may be a ⅛″ wide and 1′ 3″ long slot, centered along the meeting of bottom walls  105  and  106 .  
         [0027]     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a sectional view of a monolithically constructed metal plant container  200  according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown. Plant container  200  is similar to plant container  100  of  FIG. 1 . However, instead of exterior walls  201  and  202  connecting directly to interior walls  203  and  204 , they connect to top walls  220  and  221 , which in turn connect to the interior walls. Also provided are bottom walls  205  and  206 , drain  207  and cavity  208 . End walls are also provided (although not shown in  FIG. 4 ) as in  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  
         [0028]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the footprint of a plurality of monolithically constructed metal plant containers  300  and  400  arranged to form a vertical and horizontal row is shown. In this embodiment, the shape of the footprint is not rectangular as in the embodiment of  FIG. 3 . Instead, two different shaped plant containers  300  and  400  are arranged to form the two rows.  
         [0029]     Plant container  300  has exterior walls  301  and  302  and end walls  310  and  311 . As in the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-4 , exterior walls  301  and  302  are preferably offset from vertical and end walls  310  and  311  are preferably slightly offset from vertical. When one faces shorter end wall  310 , longer exterior wall  301  will be on the left side and shorter exterior wall  302  will be on the right. Preferably, angle  320  is  45  degrees and angle  321  is  135  degrees, and angles  322  and  323  are both  90  degrees.  
         [0030]     Plant container  400  also has exterior walls  401  and  402  and end walls  410  and  411 . Also as in the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-4 , exterior walls  401  and  402  are preferably offset from vertical and end walls  410  and  411  are preferably slightly offset from vertical. However, when one faces shorter end wall  410 , longer exterior wall  401  is on the right side and shorter exterior wall  402  is on the left. Preferably, angle  420  is 135 degrees and angle  421  is 45 degrees, and angles  422  and  423  are both 90 degrees.  
         [0031]     By utilizing a combination of plant containers  300  and  400 , one can create straight-lined row arrangements, zig-zag arrangements and cornered arrangements.  
         [0032]     The interior walls, bottom walls and drains for plant containers  300  and  400  may be similar to those of the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-3 . Top walls, as in the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , may also be provided.  
         [0033]     Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated in detail, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims and equivalents thereof.  
         [0034]     For instance, container  100  may be more conically shaped, with the base footprint being more circular or elliptical in shape. This would reduce the number of exterior walls, exterior walls and bottom walls needed to as little as one. Similarly, the base footprint could be any other shape, such as triangular, square, rectangular (as shown in  FIG. 3 ), pentagonal, etc. Another variation that could be employed would be to have walls that are not flat. For instance, walls could be curved, concave, convex, etc.