Plant Pot Drainer

Abstract

A device for use within a plant pot with at least one vertically-oriented drainage opening in its base, which facilitates the drainage of excess water from the plant pot while mitigating the loss of growing medium through the drainage opening. The plant pot drainer comprises at least two concentric tiers of structural members having a plurality of horizontally-oriented openings, and an upper body, which is fixed atop the structural members. The horizontally-oriented openings between the structural members are configured to be radially staggered relative to the horizontally-oriented openings of the immediately adjacent tiers of structural members. The radially staggered configuration causes the space between the tiers of structural members to become partially obstructed by growing medium, which impedes the passage of additional growing medium while allowing water to continue to flow and ultimately exit the plant pot through the drainage opening.

Claims

1. I claim a plant pot drainer for use within a plant pot having at least one vertically-oriented drainage opening in its base, said plant pot drainer comprising at least two concentric tiers of structural members, each containing a plurality of horizontally-oriented openings that are arranged in staggered radial alignment relative to the horizontally-oriented openings of the immediately adjacent tiers of structural members.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention, showing the upper body, an inner tier of structural members, and the outer tier of structural members.

[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bottom of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the present invention in a common plant pot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Referring to the drawings in detail, and to FIG. 1 in particular, which shows the present invention. The invention comprises an upper body 3, an outer tier of structural members 1, and at least one inner tier of structural members 2.

[0018] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the present invention to distinguish its important features. While shown here as separate parts for the purpose of showing their relationship, the present invention is embodied as a single piece of moldable material, such as plastic, which is manufactured by injection molding or another process that will yield a similar product. The upper body 3 is situated atop concentric tiers of structural members 1, 2, and has a horizontal surface area that completely covers the footprint of the structural members 1, 2. The purpose of the upper body 3 is to fix the inner 2 and outer 1 tiers of structural members in a configuration of radially staggered horizontally-oriented openings, and, being of impermeable material and having no openings, to restrict excess water and growing medium particulate to passing through the openings between the structural members 4, 5 toward the drainage opening of the plant pot 8 horizontally inward rather than vertically downward.

[0019] The outer 1 and inner 2 tiers of structural members comprise a plurality of structural members that extend downward from the bottom surface of the upper body 3, and rest evenly upon the bottom surface of the plant pot interior 9 surrounding the drainage opening 8. The structural members 1, 2 have a uniform height, and when the present invention is embodied in a single size it will be of a height compatible for use with most commercially available plant pots of varying depth. The bottom surface of every structural member 1, 2 will have uniform contact with the bottom surface of the plant pot interior 9 when placed upon it. The present invention is so designed to be held in its intended position by only the bulk of the growing medium surrounding it. A suitable adhesive may optionally be applied to the bottom surface of the structural members 1, 2 to affix the present invention to the bottom surface of the plant pot interior 9 in the correct position.

[0020] The present invention has at least one inner tier of structural members 2, and may have more than one. The inner tier of structural members 2 is situated within the perimeter of the outer tier of structural members 1 such that the paths of the individual tiers do not intersect. The individual tiers of structural members are arranged relative to each other in a configuration of radially staggered horizontally-oriented openings such that every opening between the structural members of the inner tier 5 is centrally aligned with a structural member of the outer tier 1, and every opening between the structural members of the outer tier 4 is centrally aligned with a structural member of the inner tier 2. If an embodiment of the present invention has more than one inner tier of structural members 2, then each more inward tier will continue the configuration of radially staggered horizontally-oriented openings corresponding with the immediate more outward tier.

[0021] The structural members 1, 2 have flat or gently curved side surfaces, and have all dimensions equal to those of the other structural members in their respective tier. The structural members of each tier are arranged such that the structural members 1, 2 are equally distributed throughout the perimeter of a circle or other closed shape. The horizontally-oriented openings between the structural members of their respective tier are of uniform size. The dimensions of the structural members of each inner tier 2 and the openings between them 5 are progressively smaller than those of the immediate more outward tier. The size of the horizontally-oriented openings between each structural members 4, 5 are conducive to facilitating the drainage of excess water from the plant pot while mitigating the loss of growing medium through the drainage opening 8.

[0022] The inner tier of structural members 2 that is immediately adjacent to the outer tier of structural members 1 is situated such that the space between the tiers 6 is of sufficient width to allow water to flow. However, the space between tiers 6 is narrower than the width of the horizontally-oriented openings between the structural members 4 of the more outward tier. The configuration of radially staggered horizontally-oriented openings arrests growing medium particulate in the narrower space between the tiers of structural members 6. The resulting partial obstruction impedes the further passage of growing medium while allowing excess water to flow and ultimately exit the plant pot through the drainage opening 8.

[0023] The configuration of radially staggered horizontally-oriented openings between the outer 1 and inner 2 tiers of structural members is observed in FIG. 3, which shows the present invention as viewed from the bottom.

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a cross section of the present invention in its intended position inside a common plant pot 7. The present invention is situated on the bottom surface of the plant pot interior 9 directly above the drainage opening 8, with which it is centrally aligned. The interior diameter of at least one inner tier of structural members 2 is greater than the diameter of the drainage openings 8 of most commercially available plant pots.

[0025] Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and/or scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.