PLANT POT TRAY AND IRRIGATION SYSTEM AND RELATED METHODS

Abstract

The present invention provides a plant pot tray and irrigation system that improves the efficiency of installation and removal of growing pots from the tray. The present invention includes a plant pot tray that includes an integrated irrigation system that does not install into the individual pots but may be installed into the tray itself outside of the pots. The integrated irrigation system allows for the pots to be installed and removed from the plant pot tray without disturbing the integrated irrigation system, thus making the installation and removal of the pots efficient and operable to be automated.

Claims

1. A plant pot tray system comprising: a. a plurality of receptacles in a tray, each operable to hold a plant pot; b. at least one connection point formed on a structural member of said tray between said plurality of receptacles c. an integrated irrigation system having at least one irrigation assembly comprising: i. a riser having a connection mechanism operable to connect to at least one connection point; ii. an emitter operable to connect to an upper end of the riser, wherein said emitter has bore providing a stream of fluid directed at a deflector having a surface pattern that diverts the stream into a plurality of deflected streams in a pre-determined pattern that delivers fluid to said plurality of receptacles or plant pots installed in said receptacles.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the emitter includes at least one bore for delivering a stream of fluid.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said emitter includes a gantry structure overhanging the at least one bore and a deflector structure having a patterned surface, and said bore is aligned with said deflector such that said stream of fluid strikes said deflector.

4. (canceled)

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the pattern surface includes a plurality of facets that divert the stream of fluid into a plurality of deflected streams.

6. (canceled)

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of deflected streams are individually directed toward one of said plurality of receptacles.

8. (canceled)

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising an irrigation conduit in fluid communication with said at least one irrigation conduit connector, wherein said irrigation conduit does not traverse any of said plurality of receptacles and does not otherwise obstruct an opening in said receptacles for insertion of said plant pot.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an adapter clip for attachment to upper structural members of said tray and having an upper connection structure operable to couple with said connection mechanism of said riser, wherein said at least one connection point is located at a node of upper cross-beams of said tray between two or more of said plurality of receptacles.

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. A plant pot tray with an integrated irrigation system comprising: a. a plurality of receptacles in a tray, each operable to hold a plant pot, and an upper frame structure having at least one node between a grid arrangement of said receptacles; b. at least one connection point formed at said at least one node; c. an integrated irrigation system having at least one irrigation assembly comprising: i. a riser having a connection mechanism operable to connect to at least one connection point; ii. an emitter operable to connect to an upper end of the riser, wherein said emitter has at least one bore providing a stream of fluid directed at a deflector having a surface pattern that diverts the stream into a plurality of deflected streams that delivers fluid toward each receptacle in said grid arrangement.

16. The tray of claim 15, wherein said emitter includes a gantry structure overhanging the at least one bore and a deflector structure having a patterned surface.

17. The tray of claim 16, wherein said bore is aligned with said deflector such that said stream of fluid strikes said deflector.

18. The tray of claim 17, wherein the pattern surface includes a plurality of facets that divert the stream of fluid into said plurality of deflected streams.

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

21. The tray of claim 20, further comprising an irrigation conduit in fluid communication with at least one irrigation conduit connector on said riser, wherein said irrigation conduit does not traverse any of said plurality of receptacles and does not otherwise obstruct an opening in said receptacles for insertion of said plant pot.

22. The tray of claim 15, further comprising an adapter clip for attachment to upper structural members of said upper frame structure and having an upper connection structure operable to couple with said connection mechanism of said riser.

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. The tray of claim 15, wherein said riser has a sufficient height to be positioned above said plant pot when said riser is attached to said connection point and said plant pot is inserted one of said receptacles.

26. A method of growing plants in pots in large scale, comprising: a. placing seeds or seedlings in a plurality of plant pots each having a pre-determined design; b. installing each of said plant pots into a tray structure having a plurality of receptacles each with a complementary shape to said pre-determined design of said plant pots; c. connecting a riser to a riser connection point at a node on an upper frame structure of said tray, said node being located between at least two of said receptacles; and d. connecting a fluid emitter to an upper end of said riser, said fluid emitter having at least one bore providing a stream of fluid directed at a deflector having a surface pattern that diverts the stream into a plurality of deflected streams that delivers fluid toward plant pots installed in each of said at least two receptacles.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said emitter includes a gantry structure overhanging the at least one bore and a deflector structure having a patterned surface.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said bore is aligned with said deflector such that said stream of fluid strikes said deflector, and the pattern surface includes a plurality of facets that divert the stream of fluid into said plurality of deflected streams.

29. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

31. The method of claim 26, wherein said riser further comprises at least one irrigation conduit connector that is aligned with a structural member of said tray.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein an irrigation conduit in fluid communication with said at least one irrigation conduit connector, wherein said irrigation conduit does not traverse any of said plurality of receptacles and does not otherwise obstruct an opening in said receptacles for insertion of said plant pot.

33. The method of claim 26, further comprising attaching an adapter clip to a structural member of said upper frame structure, said adapter clip and having an upper connection structure operable to couple with said connection mechanism of said riser.

34. (canceled)

35. (canceled)

36. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of a plant pot tray system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 2 provides a perspective side view of a plant pot tray system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 3 provides a perspective side view of a plant pot tray system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 4 provides a rear perspective view of a plant pot tray system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 5 provides a frontal perspective view of a plant pot tray system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 6 provides a top perspective view of a plant pot tray system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 7 provides a bottom perspective view of a plant pot tray system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 8 provides an environmental perspective view of a plant pot tray system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 9 provides an environmental perspective view of a plant pot tray system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 10 provides a side perspective view of a plant pot tray system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Reference will now be made in detail to certain embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in reference to these embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention. To the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that are included within the spirit and scope of the invention. In the following disclosure, specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without all of the specific details provided.

[0036] The present invention concerns a plant pot holder tray for retaining multiple pots for plants therein, with the receptacles for receiving the pots plant. The pot tray may include an integrated irrigation system that may not install into the individual pots but may be installed into the tray itself outside of the pots. The integrated irrigation system allows for the pots to be installed and removed from the plant pot tray without disturbing the integrated irrigation system. In some embodiments, the plant pot tray of the present invention enables variously sized plant pots to be securely retained within the receptacles, as the receivers may have a tapered profile that is operable to receive pots of different designs that have tapering perimeter shape.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows an illustration of the plant pot holder tray 100 without any plant pots; the illustration is in an isometric perspective configuration. The tray 100 may have a plurality of plant pot receivers, 101, 102 and may include two rows 110 and 120. The tray may have a plurality of irrigation connection structures 109 at pre-determined location (e.g., nodes) in the upper frame. The irrigation connection structure 109 is illustrated as having a central location between adjacent plant pots 101, 102 and may be placed symmetrically between the first row 110 and second row 120. The irrigation structure connection structure 130 may be operable to receive an irrigation assembly 130. The irrigation assembly 130 may include a clip and adapter 132 (e.g., male end) for attaching to the irrigation connection structure 109 and a riser 131 may have an internal conduit for passing fluid to an emitting device 137 which may be attached to the upper end of each riser 131 to receiver and impact a deflector 136. The emitting device 137 may have a changeable nozzle, including bubblers, adjustable flow emitters, vortex emitters, and other types. The deflector 136 may redirect the fluid flow from the emitting device 137 into various streams and flows of fluid in directions tangent to the deflector 136. The irrigation assembly 130 may have a series of barbs 133, 134, and 135 operable to receive tubing for distributing flow to the riser 131.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a right-side view, and FIG. 3 shows a left-side view of the plant pot system 100 of FIG. 1. The plant pots have a first side 110 and a second side 120 for receiving a plant pot. The plant pot receivers 101, 102 may have a tapering structure 103 that may not be continuous but may be constructed to contact the four corners of a pot. The pot structure may have a shape that is complementary to a particular design of the pot. The tapering structure 103 may have an interior shelf 104 at the base operable to support the base of the plant pot leaving sufficient space for the growth of roots.

[0039] FIG. 4 shows a front side view and FIG. 5 shows a rear side view of the plant pot system of FIG. 1. The barbs of the irrigation assembly 130 may have connecting barb 133 for receiving tubing from a water source and pump, the barb 134 may be a coupling barb to receive an additional tube that is attached to a final barb 135 for distributing fluid up through the riser to the emitting device 137.

[0040] FIG. 6 shows a top view and FIG. 7 shows a bottom view of the plant pot system of FIG. 1. The plant pot system 100 (e.g., plant pot tray) may have a distribution of the plant pot receivers 101, 102 that may have the attribute of a grid. The plant pot receiver 101, 102 may be understood to be symmetrically placed about the node where the irrigation connection structure 109 may be concentrically placed about the node. The central irrigation connecting structure 109 (shown without the connecting structure) may demonstrate the criss-crossing beam structure operable to receive the irrigation assembly 130, the irrigation assembly 130 may be oriented at any 90° orientation with respect to the axis of symmetry 105, were the axis of symmetry 105 is 0° from the centroid of the structure. The irrigation clip and adapter 132 may utilize the various 90° orientations of the irrigation connecting structure 109 to clip and orient the irrigation assembly 130 to distribute fluid flow into the four pots arranged in the grid pattern of the plant pot tray 100. The tapering structure 103 of the plant pot receiver 101, 102 may have corners that have a curvature and complementary to the pot. The tapering structure 103 may culminate at the base 106 of plat pot tray 100.

[0041] FIG. 8 shows an exemplary perspective view of the plant pot system of FIG. 1 with an array of plant pots 200 nested in one row, the plant pot system 100. The plant pot 200 shows the complementary structure to that of the plant pot receivers 101, 102 and the base snuggly rested against the interior shelf 104.

[0042] FIG. 9 shows an exemplary view of the plant pot system of FIG. 1, having the irrigation assembly 130a and 130b connected with a hose 141 and 140. The hose 140 may have an input of fluid flowing from a reservoir and pump system (e.g., water hose, irrigation pump, etc.). The first irrigation assembly 130a may have a receiving barb 133 and exit barb 134 for receiving the coupling hose 141 and may connect to a final barb 135 on the irrigation assembly 130b. The flow of fluid may be routed up the riser 131 and may flow out of the emitter 137 and impact the deflector 136. The deflector may redirect the flow of fluid 150 into a shape, where the shape may irrigate the adjacent plants around the node 109 where the irrigation assemblies 130 are placed.

[0043] FIG. 10. Shows an exemplary view of the plant pot system of FIG. 1 and shows a method of inserting a plant pot 200 into the plant pot tray receiver 102; an arrow indicates the direction of the plant pot 200 insertion. The plant pot may be inserted without interfering with the irrigation assembly 130; this is due to the nodal placement 109 of the irrigation assembly 130.

[0044] The present plant pot system 100 and grid of plant pot receivers 101 and 102 are capable of receiving a plant pot 200 without interfering with irrigation systems 130, of which may be operable to evenly distribute fluid to plants in the plant pot system 100. The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and 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 invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.