Patent ID: 12239062

DESCRIPTIVE KEY

100planter container200base pot202base pot side wall204base pot bottom wall206water intake aperture208base pot coupler210double-sided lid212double-sided lid side wall214center partition216double-sided lid aperture218first double-sided lid coupler220second double-sided lid coupler224first planter pot embodiment226second planter pot embodiment228third planter pot embodiment230universal coupling lid232first coupling lid coupler234second coupling lid coupler236first skirt238second skirt240planter pot242planter pot side wall244first planter pot coupler246second planter pot coupler248lip250watering tray252watering tray outer side wall254watering tray bottom wall256watering tray inner side wall258water access aperture260domed lid262domed lid top aperture264domed lid coupler266outer trough268inner trough270pinch grip container272pinch grip container side wall274handle indentation276first pinch grip container coupler278second pinch grip container coupler290first size292second size296internal thread298external thread
Description of the Device

The present device is directed to a planter container (herein described as the “device”)100. The device100may be a plurality of interconnecting planter sections comprising a base pot200, a double-sided lid210, a planter pot240, a watering tray250, a domed lid260, and a pinch grip container270. The plurality of interconnecting planter sections may be operable to form an enclosure for a plant. The device100may be configured to protect the plant as the plant grows from a seed or transplanted seedling through the entire life of the plant. The plurality of interconnecting planter sections may provide water to the plant, may support the plant, may permit light to reach the plant, and may be extensible to accommodate growth of the plant.

The base pot200may be a hollow cylindrical container comprising a base pot side wall202, a base pot bottom wall204, and an open top. The bottom of the base pot200may detachably couple to the watering tray250. The base pot bottom wall204may comprise a plurality of water intake apertures206for water to enter the base pot200from the watering tray250. The base pot side wall202may be coupled to the base pot bottom wall204. The top of the base pot side wall202may comprise a base pot coupler208for detachably coupling the base pot200to the plurality of interconnecting planter sections located above the base pot200. The base pot coupler208may be externally threaded. The base pot200may be filled with soil such that roots of the plant may extend down from the plurality of interconnecting planter sections located above the base pot200into the base pot200to receive nutrients and water.

The double-sided lid210may be a cylindrical coupler comprising a double-sided lid side wall212, a center partition214, a first double-sided lid coupler218, and a second double-sided lid coupler220. The double-sided lid210may couple two (2) of the plurality of interconnecting planter sections to create a larger enclosure. The double-sided lid210may be operable to retain the soil that is in the plurality of interconnecting planter sections located above the double-sided lid210. The center partition214may be horizontally-oriented and may comprise a plurality of double-sided lid apertures216that the roots of the plant may grow down through. The double-sided lid210may be operable as a root cutter in that the plurality of double-sided lid apertures216in the center partition214may cut the roots as the double-sided lid210is twisted to separate the plurality of interconnecting planter sections. The first double-sided lid coupler218may be internally threaded and located on at top of the double-sided lid210. The first double-sided lid coupler218may be internally threaded and located on at bottom of the double-sided lid210. In a preferred embodiment, the double-sided lid210may be coupled to the top of the base pot200and the planter pot240may be coupled to the top of the double-sided lid210.

The planter pot240may be a hollow cylindrical container comprising a planter pot side wall242, an open top, and an open bottom. The planter pot240may detachably couple to the plurality of interconnecting planter sections to extend the height of the enclosure. The planter pot240may be filled with the soil to support growth of the plant.

The top of the planter pot240may comprise a first planter pot coupler244for detachably coupling the planter pot240to the plurality of interconnecting planter sections located above the planter pot240. The first planter pot coupler244may be internally threaded or externally threaded. The bottom of the planter pot240may comprise a second planter pot coupler246for detachably coupling the planter pot240to the plurality of interconnecting planter sections located below the planter pot240. The second planter pot coupler246may be internally threaded or externally threaded. In a preferred embodiment, the planter pot240may be coupled to the top of the double-sided lid210or to the top of another planter pot.

In a first planter pot embodiment224, the first planter pot coupler244may be internally threaded and the second planter pot coupler246may be internally threaded. In a second planter pot embodiment226, the first planter pot coupler244may be externally threaded and the second planter pot coupler246may be internally threaded. The second planter pot embodiment226may be inverted to reverse the couplers. In a third planter pot embodiment228, the first planter pot coupler244may be externally threaded and the second planter pot coupler246may be externally threaded.

The watering tray250may be a cylindrical double-wall container comprising a watering tray outer side wall252, a watering tray inner side wall256, a watering tray bottom wall254, and an open top. The watering tray outer side wall252may surround the perimeter of the watering tray250and may be coupled to the watering tray bottom wall254to define a well for holding water. The watering tray inner side wall256may be concentrically aligned with the watering tray outer side wall252and may also be coupled to the watering tray bottom wall254. The watering tray inner side wall256may define an outer trough266located between the watering tray outer side wall252and the watering tray inner side wall256and an inner trough268located within the watering tray inner side wall256. The watering tray inner side wall256may comprise one (1) or more water access apertures258located at the bottom of the watering tray inner side wall256to enable the flow of water from the outer trough266into the inner trough268.

The inside surface of the watering tray inner side wall256may comprise a lip248. The lip248may project horizontally towards the center of the watering tray250. The base pot200may be lowered into the inner trough268of the watering tray250and the bottom of the base pot200may be supported by the lip248such that a gap is formed under the base pot200between the base pot bottom wall204and the watering tray bottom wall254. The base pot200may absorb water from the inner trough268through the plurality of water intake apertures206in the base pot bottom wall204. As a non-limiting example, water may be poured into the outer trough266and may flow through the one (1) or more water access apertures258into the inner trough268where may the water may be absorbed into the base pot200via the plurality of water intake apertures206.

The domed lid260may be a lid in the shape of a hollow spherical cap. The bottom of the domed lid260may comprise a domed lid coupler264for detachably coupling the domed lid260to the top of one of the plurality of interconnecting planter sections. The domed lid coupler264may be internally threaded. The top of the domed lid260may comprise a domed lid top aperture262through which the nutrients and water may be added to the enclosure.

The domed lid260may be non-opaque such that the domed lid260may pass sunlight into the enclosure. In some embodiments, the domed lid260may be transparent. The pinch grip container270may be a hollow cylindrical container comprising a pinch grip container side wall272, an open top, and an open bottom. The pinch grip container270may detachably couple to the plurality of interconnecting planter sections to extend the height of the enclosure. The top of the pinch grip container270may comprise a first pinch grip container coupler276for detachably coupling the planter pot240to the plurality of interconnecting planter sections located above the pinch grip container270. The first pinch grip container coupler276may be internally threaded or externally threaded. The bottom of the pinch grip container270may comprise a second pinch grip container coupler278for detachably coupling the pinch grip container270to the plurality of interconnecting planter sections located below the pinch grip container270. The second pinch grip container coupler278may be internally threaded or externally threaded.

The pinch grip container side wall272may comprise a pair of handle indentations274that may be adapted for a user to grasp while moving the pinch grip container270. The device100may further comprise a universal coupling lid230. The universal coupling lid230may couple a recycled plastic container to the plurality of interconnecting planter sections or may couple the recycled plastic containers to each other. As non-limiting examples, the recycled plastic container may be a peanut butter jar or a mayonnaise jar. The universal coupling lid230may comprise a first coupling lid coupler232and a first skirt236at the top of the universal coupling lid230. The universal coupling lid230may comprise a second coupling lid coupler234and a second skirt238at the bottom of the universal coupling lid230. The first coupling lid coupler232and the second coupling lid coupler234may be internally threaded or unthreaded. The universal coupling lid230may couple to the bottom of the recycled plastic container after the bottom of the recycled plastic container has been cut off. As non-limiting examples, the first coupling lid coupler232may slide into an opening cut into a first recycled plastic container and the first skirt236may extend over the first recycled plastic container, the second coupling lid coupler234may slide into an opening cut into a second recycled plastic container and the second skirt238may extend over the second recycled plastic container, or both.

The plurality of interconnecting planter sections may be available in multiples sizes. The multiple sizes may comprise a first size290and a second size292. All of the plurality of interconnecting planter sections of the first size290may couple to any of the plurality of interconnecting planter sections of the first size290. All of the plurality of interconnecting planter sections of the second size292may couple to any of the plurality of interconnecting planter sections of the second size292.

As a non-limiting example, the diameter of the plurality of interconnecting planter sections of the first size290may be five inches with an error of one inch (5.0+/−1.0 in.) and the diameter of the plurality of interconnecting planter sections of the second size292may be three inches with an error of one inch (3.0+/−1.0 in.).

As used herein, “externally threaded” may refer to an external thread298located on the outside of the wall of one (1) of the plurality of interconnecting planter sections and “internally threaded” may refer to an internal thread296located on the inside of the wall of one (1) of the plurality of interconnecting planter sections. Internally threaded couplers and externally threaded couplers of the same size may be complementary, meaning that the gender, handedness, form, angle, pitch, diameter, and thread depth of both threads are compatible for the parts to mate by screwing the threads together. As a non-limiting example, an internally threaded coupler of the first size290may mate with an externally threaded coupler of the first size290by aligning the couplers and screwing the couplers together.

In use, the user may form an enclosure for a plant by placing soil into the base pot200, coupling the double-sided lid210to the top of the base pot200, coupling the planter pot240to the top of the double-sided lid210, placing more of the soil into the planter pot240, and placing one (1) or more seeds or a seedling into the soil located in the planter pot240. The base pot200may then be lowered into the inner trough268of the watering tray250and water may be poured into the outer trough266of the watering tray250. Additional sections of the plurality of interconnecting planter sections may be coupled to the top or bottom to provide more room for root growth and/or protection for the plant as it grows upwards. The device100may protect the plant as the plant is transported. As a non-limiting example, the device100may be used in schools to enable students to start and raise the plant and to eventually transport the plant home with minimal damage.

The exact specifications, materials used, and method of use of the device100may vary upon manufacturing. The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present device have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the device to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the device and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the device and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.