Live plant container

Abstract

The present invention discloses a live plant container which is to be utilized when transporting plants from one location to another. The invention works on keeping the plant live and healthy during shipping and maintains the plant's vegetative or flowering growth cycle through controlled photoperiod light exposure. The main parts of the assembly include, an opaque tubular container body (TUBE) with an interior restriction flange, a top lid (LID-1) containing a battery powered light source on the bottom of the lid, a disc shaped propagation rooting medium retainer (RETAINER) and a bottom lid (LID-2) attaches to the bottom end of the TUBE.

Claims

1. A container for supporting, storing and transporting live plants above ground working on the phenomena of controlled photoperiod light exposure, said container comprising: an opaque tubular container body; a top lid; a bottom lid; and a disc shaped propagation rooting medium retainer, the retainer comprising: a stem slot which accommodates the stem of the live plant and prevents damage to the live plant during the installation or removal process; a series of holes for ventilation; two half circular holes on opposite sides along the edge for gripping during installation and removal; and four tubular extrusions on one side, arranged in a square configuration, for securing the live plant's propagation rooting medium, wherein the retainer is shaped to match the largest interior dimension of the tubular body.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the opaque tubular container body has an interior restriction flange that acts as a stopper to prevent the disc shaped propagation rooting medium retainer from sliding freely inside the opaque tubular container body.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the top lid includes: a battery powered light source that emits light within the opaque tubular container body; a power switch to turn on and turn off the light source; an indicator to notify whether the light source is turned on or turned off; and a switch to control photoperiods.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein the top and the bottom lids seal the live plant inside the opaque tubular container body to maintain humidity and prevent loss of moisture.

Description

LIST OF FIGURES

(1) Below is a brief description of each of the drawing figures presented:

(2) FIG. 1 is a front view of the opaque container body of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view (A-A) of the opaque container body of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the opaque container body of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is a front view of the bottom lid of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view (C-C) of the bottom lid of the present invention shown in FIG. 4;

(7) FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the bottom lid of the present invention;

(8) FIG. 7 is the bottom plan view of the top lid of the present invention;

(9) FIG. 8 is the top plan view of the top lid of the present invention;

(10) FIG. 9 is the front view of the top lid assembly of the present invention;

(11) FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of the top lid assembly of the present invention including a battery box;

(12) FIG. 11 is the bottom plan view of the propagation rooting medium retainer of the present invention;

(13) FIG. 12 is the front view of the propagation rooting medium retainer of the present invention;

(14) FIG. 13 is a front elevational view of the propagation rooting medium retainer of the present invention;

(15) FIG. 14 is the front view of the example live plant to be contained in the present invention;

(16) FIG. 15 is the front elevational view of the example live plant to be contained in the present invention;

(17) FIG. 16 is the front view of the present invention;

(18) FIG. 17 is a top cross-sectional view (D-D) of the present invention shown in FIG. 16

(19) FIG. 18 is the front elevational view of the present invention;

(20) FIG. 19 is a bottom cross-sectional view (E-E) of the present invention shown in FIG. 16

(21) FIG. 20 is the front elevational view of the present invention showing parts thereof;

(22) FIG. 21 is the front elevational view of the example live plant paired with propagation rooting medium retainer of the present invention;

(23) FIG. 22 is the front elevational view of the example live plant fitted with the propagation rooting medium retainer of the present invention;

(24) FIG. 23 is the front elevational view showing the example live plant fitted with the propagation rooting medium retainer, inserting into the container body of the present invention, with bottom of the container facing upwards;

(25) FIG. 24 is the front elevational view showing the example live plant fitted with the propagation rooting medium retainer, seated inside the container body of the present invention, with bottom of the container facing upwards;

(26) FIG. 25 is the front elevational view showing the bottom lid, fitting onto the container body of the present invention, with bottom of the container facing upwards;

(27) FIG. 26 is the front elevational view showing the present invention with the example live plant fitted inside.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(28) Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner.

(29) The current invention proposes to provide a methodology employing controlled photoperiod light exposure to keep the plant live and healthy during shipping and maintains the plant's vegetative or flowering growth cycle for longer period of time.

(30) Live plants adorn our homes, businesses and everyday surroundings. There are many types of plants, such as indoor plants, flower bearing plants or decorative plants which are used widely along homes, offices or other residential spaces. The journey through which these live plants take to reach these destinations is long and life-threatening. These plants may travel thousands of miles, from faraway countries, on ships, trains and trucks and endure long durations of travel without interventional care. Live plants require moisture and light in order to survive the journey. Such plants are generally transported in containers having water or soil. During packing, transportation, and unpacking, plants fall over, causing their precious water or soil to spill. Having a reduced water or soil supply puts the plant at risk of failing to survive the long journey. Once packed in an enclosed carton such as a cardboard box for shipping, plants are usually in complete darkness, deprived of light which is required for plant survival and growth. As a result, many plants perish before arriving at their final destination, the home, office, or retail store.

(31) Even those plants that survive the journey to the destination being shipped to, prolonged periods of light deprivation will stimulate some flowering plants into entering their flowering growth cycle pre-maturely, severely limiting the potential future vegetative growth of the plant.

(32) Therefore, there is a need felt for a container system that can hold and transport a live plant without effecting the plant's vegetative or flowering growth cycle.

(33) The current invention in its preferred embodiment aims to work in following way. The live plant container apparatus consists of following segments including Opaque container body which is termed as TUBE (1), Interior restriction flange (15), Main on/off switch (2), Photoperiod selection switch (3), LED lights (4), Internal battery compartment (5), Power on indicator (6), Top lid assembly which is termed as LID-1 (7), Rooting medium retainer which is termed as RETAINER (10), Rooting medium retainer vent holes (8), Rooting medium retainer extrusion posts (9), Rooting medium retainer stem slot (11), Rooting medium of live plant with showing extruding roots (12), Stem of example live plants (13) and Bottom lid which is termed as LID-2 (14).

(34) An opaque tubular container body which is termed as TUBE (1) and can be shaped in circular or rectangular tube form with a length of 10-50 cm and cross-sectional diameter of 3-30 cm. The TUBE has an interior restriction flange (15) which is positioned 3-20 cm from one end of the tube. This flange acts as a stopper to prevent the rooting medium retainer (10) from sliding inside the tubular body. The lower end of the TUBE closest to the interior flange is hereafter referred to as the short end, with the opposite end referred to as the long end.

(35) A top lid assembly which is termed as LID-1 (7) is presented, containing an internal battery compartment (5) and battery powered LED lights (4) on the bottom of the lid, which will emit a light on the inside the TUBE when attached to the long end when powered on. There is a main power on/off switch (2) on top of the lid. Moreover, there is a switch which controls the photoperiods (3) as required i.e. 18 hours light/6 hours darkness in a 24 hour cycle for vegetative growth cycle, or 12 hours light/12 hours darkness in a 24 hour cycle for flowering growth cycle. On the top of the lid there is an indicator (6) which illuminates when the light on the bottom of the lid is powered on.

(36) Moreover, it is further proposed to include additional features in the assembly in upcoming apparatus advancements. It is proposed to add increased functionalities such as a recharging receptacle, a power remaining indicator and current photoperiod cycle indicator showing how many hours of light remaining in the current set photo period.

(37) As per further embodiment of the invention a disc shaped propagation rooting medium retainer which is termed as RETAINER (10), which is shaped to match the largest interior dimension of the tubular body is added. The RETAINER has a stem slot (11) which allows to accommodate the stem of the live plant (13) and prevent damage to the live plant during the installation or removal process.

(38) The RETAINER has a series of small holes (8) for ventilation. The RETAINER further has 2 half circular holes slots on opposite sides along the edge, for easy gripping with fingers during the installation and removal process. The RETAINER has 4 tubular extrusion posts on one side (9), arranged in a square configuration, for the purpose of securing the propagation rooting medium. These can be made to different sizes (length, diameter, position), according to the size of the live plant's propagation rooting medium.

(39) A bottom lid which is termed as LID-2 (14), is attached to the short end of the TUBE (1), that when secured, holds the propagation rooting medium in place between LID-2 (14) and the RETAINER (10), thus securing the centered position of the live plant's propagation rooting medium (12) inside the container. Furthermore, when LID-1 (7) and LID-2 (14) are attached, and the container is sealed with the plant inside, humidity is maintained inside the container and no moisture is lost to outside the container.

(40) To explain the figures further FIG. 20 shows elevated RETAINER above the propagation rooting medium of the live plant, and slide the stem slot of the RETAINER over the stem of the live plant until the stem is in the middle of the RETAINER, as illustrated on FIG. 21.

(41) FIG. 22 shows the live plant's propagation rooting medium which is secured between the 4 extrusion posts on the bottom of RETAINER, arranged in square configuration. The plant is secured by pressing the RETAINER down onto the rooting medium so that the rooting medium is secured between the 4 extrusion posts. The RETAINER has a series of small holes (8) for ventilation. The RETAINER further has 2 half circular holes slots on opposite sides along the edge, for easy gripping with fingers during the installation and removal process. The RETAINER has 4 tubular extrusion posts (9) on one side, arranged in a square configuration, for the purpose of securing the live plant's propagation rooting medium. These can be made to different sizes (length, diameter, position), according to the size of the propagation rooting medium used.

(42) FIG. 23 discloses the RETAINER and live plant assembly inserted into the short end of the TUBE with LID-1 attached to the long end. The opaque container body having an interior restriction flange has a rooting medium retainer to hold the plant in an upright and stable position. The rooting medium retainer has vent holes to provide the easy inflow and outflow of air and has rooting medium retainer extrusion posts arranged in a square configuration, for the purpose of securing the propagation rooting medium.

(43) FIG. 24 discloses the assembly setup which makes sure that the RETAINER sits flush against the interior restriction flange inside the TUBE.

(44) FIG. 25 discloses the LID-2 (14) attached to the short end of the TUBE (1). The TUBE is an opaque container body (1) with the LID-1 (7) attached to the long end of the TUBE. The bottom LID-2 (14) is attached to the short end of the TUBE to ensure that the stem of live plant remains in a tight, centered and upright position inside the TUBE, by securing the propagation rooting medium between the RETAINER (10) and the LID-2 (14).

(45) Furthermore, the FIG. 26 shows the complete placement of the live plant container assembly in an upright position with the LID-1 facing upwards, turn on power and select desired photoperiod selection through the top mounted switches on top of the LID-1. The image shows the live plant in an opaque container body which is termed as TUBE with interior restriction flange (15). There is a main on and off switch (2) and a photoperiod selection switch (3) with LED lights (4) to show the photoperiod setup. The batteries are to supply the power to container secured within an internal battery compartment (5). The top lid assembly LID-1 (7) and bottom lid LID-2 (14) are present at the long end and short end of the TUBE respectively. The RETAINER (10) has 4 rooting medium retainer extrusion posts (9) and rooting medium retainer vent holes (11) to hold the live plant, including its propagation rooting medium within the container securely, while ensuring inflow and outflow of air to the live plant's propagation rooting medium, within the TUBE.

(46) While a specific embodiment has been shown and described, many variations are possible. With time, additional features may be employed. The particular shape or configuration of the components of the container apparatus, or the interior configuration may be changed to suit the system or equipment with which it is used, such as to allow for multiple live plants to be contained and secured within the same apparatus. It is also proposed to form the individual containers secured together to form groups of containers, with each individual container becoming a modular unit of a group of connected containers.

(47) Having described the invention in detail, those skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications may be made to the invention without departing from its spirit. Therefore, it is not intended that the scope of the invention be limited to the specific embodiment illustrated and described. Rather, it is intended that the scope of this invention be determined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

(48) The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.