Flower pot, method for exchanging decorative cover sleeve of flower pot, and method of assembling flower pot

Abstract

This invention relates to a flower pot comprising a bottom, a side wall extending from the bottom of the flower pot, and an exchangeable decorative cover sleeve, wherein the side wall comprises an upper circumferential edge, a lower circumferential edge and a recess in between the upper and lower circumferential edge, and wherein the exchangeable decorative cover sleeve is arranged in the recess to be retained by the upper and lower circumferential edge while allowing to exchange the decorative cover sleeve. The invention further relates to a method for exchanging a decorative cover sleeve of a flower pot according to the invention, and a method to assemble a flower pot according to the invention.

Claims

1. A flower pot comprising a bottom, a side wall extending from the bottom of the flower pot, and a deformable exchangeable decorative cover sleeve, wherein the side wall comprises an upper circumferential edge, a lower circumferential edge, and a recess in between the upper and lower circumferential edges, and wherein the exchangeable decorative cover sleeve is arranged in the recess to be retained by the upper and lower circumferential edge while allowing to exchange the decorative cover sleeve.

2. A flower pot according to claim 1, wherein the flower pot comprises an upper portion with the upper circumferential edge and a separate lower portion with the lower circumferential edge that are connected to each other.

3. A flower pot according to claim 1, wherein the upper circumferential edge is located at a top side of the side wall.

4. A flower pot according to claim 1, wherein the lower circumferential edge is located at the bottom side of the side wall.

5. A flower pot according to claim 1, wherein the side wall has a circular cross-section.

6. A flower pot according to claim 1, wherein the side wall forms a truncated cone, wherein an area of a cross-section at the bottom is smaller than an area of a cross-section at an upper side of the flower pot.

7. A flower pot according to claim 1, wherein the side wall on the inside comprises a shoulder to support an inner pot.

8. A method for exchanging a decorative cover sleeve of a flower pot according to claim 1, said method comprising the following steps: a) removing the decorative cover sleeve from the recess; and b) positioning another decorative cover sleeve in the recess.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the flower pot is a flower pot according to claim 2, wherein prior to removing the decorative cover sleeve from the recess, the lower portion is disconnected from the upper portion, and wherein after positioning the other decorative cover sleeve in the recess, the lower portion is connected to the upper portion to retain said other decorative cover sleeve.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the decorative cover sleeve comprises elastic material, and wherein removing the decorative cover sleeve from the recess comprises pulling the decorative cover sleeve over the lower circumferential edge.

11-15. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] The invention will now be described in a non-limiting way with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like parts are indicated by like reference symbols and in which:

[0048] FIG. 1 schematically depicts a cross-sectional view of a flower pot according to an embodiment in accordance with the first aspect of the invention;

[0049] FIG. 2 depicts an exploded view of the flower pot of FIG. 1;

[0050] FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of a flower pot according to another embodiment in accordance with the second aspect of the invention;

[0051] FIG. 4 depicts an exploded view of the flower pot of FIG. 3;

[0052] FIG. 5A-D depict various steps in the assembling of the flower pot of FIG. 3 using a method in accordance with the second aspect of the invention; and

[0053] FIG. 6 depicts a cross-sectional view of the flower pot of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0054] FIGS. 1 and 2 depict a flower pot FP according to an embodiment in accordance with the first aspect of the invention. FIG. 1 depicts a cross-sectional view of the flower pot FP and FIG. 2 depicts an exploded view of the flower pot FP.

[0055] The flower pot FP comprises a bottom B and a side wall SW extending from the bottom B of the flower pot FP. The cross-section of the side wall SW in this embodiment is circular, but could be any shape including elliptic and polygons such as a square, rectangle and triangle. The side wall SW in general forms an inverted truncated cone which is smaller at the bottom B than at an upper side of the side wall SW.

[0056] The side wall SW comprises an upper circumferential edge UCE at the upper side of the side wall SW, a lower circumferential edge LCE at the bottom B of the side wall SW, and a recess R in between the upper circumferential edge UCE and the lower circumferential edge LCE. The recess R may also be referred to as recessed surface R.

[0057] The recess R is able to receive an exchangeable decorative cover sleeve C that is arranged in the recess R and retained by the upper circumferential edge UCE and the lower circumferential edge LCE.

[0058] The lower circumferential edge LCE is arranged on a separate lower portion LP, which comprises a ridge RI to be received in a corresponding recess RE of the bottom B of the flower pot FP to be connected to upper portion UP comprising the upper circumferential edge UCE.

[0059] The connection between the lower portion LP and the upper portion UP, may be a clamping connection allowing to easily disconnect the two portions UP, LP. Alternatively or additionally, the connection may be a snap connection or a glued connection.

[0060] On the inside, the side wall SW comprises a shoulder SH allowing to support a growing pot or other flower holding pot having a smaller height than the flower pot FP in order to prevent the growing pot or other flower holding pot to get stuck in the flower pot between opposite portions of the side wall SW.

[0061] An advantage of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, is that it can easily be assembled. The upper portion UP, decorative cover sleeve C and lower portion LP can be manufactured separately. The decorative cover sleeve C can for instance be made out of a single piece of cloth, leather or other material, where opposite sides can be connected along line L to form a shape that substantially matches the shape of the recess R. The term substantially is used as a perfect match is not required or essential, especially in case the decorative cover sleeve comprises elastic material.

[0062] Subsequently, the decorative cover sleeve is positioned in the recess R over the upper portion UP until it rests against the upper circumferential edge UCE. This step can easily be performed due to the inverted truncated cone shape of the recess resulting in the decorative cover sleeve engaging with the upper portion only at the last moment. In this step, the advantage of a separate lower portion including lower circumferential edge becomes imminent, as the lower circumferential edge poses no barrier for the decorative cover sleeve while placing the cover C on the upper portion.

[0063] Once the decorative cover sleeve is positioned on the upper portion, the cover can be retained on the flower pot by connecting the lower portion to the upper portion at the bottom thereof.

[0064] When the cover is to be removed, for instance to be washed or to be replaced by another decorative cover sleeve, the lower portion may be removed prior to removing the cover. However, in case the connection between lower portion and upper portion is more or less permanent, the cover may also be removed by moving it over the lower circumferential edge which is possible when the cover is sufficiently elastic.

[0065] Although the embodiment in FIGS. 1 and 2 depicts a flower pot in which the cover C covers substantially the entire height of the flower pot, the invention also covers embodiments in which the cover only covers a part of the externally facing surface of the side wall SW.

[0066] Although, in an embodiment, the flower pot comprises an upper portion with the upper circumferential edge and a separate lower portion with the lower circumferential edge that are connected to each other, it is also possible that the flower pot besides the exchangeable decorative cover sleeve is made as a single part and that the cover sleeve can be pulled over the upper and/or lower circumferential edge.

[0067] FIGS. 3-6 depict a flower pot FP according another embodiment in accordance with the second aspect of the invention. FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of the flower pot FP, FIG. 4 depicts an exploded view of the flower pot FP, and FIG. 6 depicts a cross-sectional view of the flower pot FP. FIGS. 5A-5D depict various steps in an assembling method.

[0068] As can be best seen in FIGS. 4 and 6, the flower pot comprises a bottom B and a side wall SW extending from the bottom B of the flower pot FP.

[0069] To cover the outside of the flower pot FP, a decorative cover sleeve C is provided. A length of the decorative cover sleeve C is larger than a corresponding length of the side wall SW. In other words, the decorative cover sleeve when positioned around the flower pot as shown in FIG. 5A, extends beyond an upper UE and lower LE edge of the flower pot FP.

[0070] The decorative cover sleeve C is subsequently folded inwards over the upper edge UE and lower edge LE, respectively.

[0071] The bottom B of the flower pot comprises a recess RE allowing to receive the portion of the decorative cover sleeve C that is folded inwards over the lower edge LE and a clamping element CE. Folding the decorative cover sleeve over the lower edge such that the folded portion covers the recess RE is sufficient in this embodiment to introduce the clamping element into the recess RE thereby taking the folded portion of the decorative cover sleeve into the recess RE. This step corresponds to the transition from the situation as depicted in FIG. 5C to the situation as depicted in FIG. 5D.

[0072] The clamping element CE in this embodiment comprises a ridge RI to be received in the recess RE of the bottom B in order to apply the clamping force, and a support SU that allows to handle the clamping element during assembly and exchange of the decorative cover sleeve and in order to support the flower pot once the clamping element is introduced into the bottom of the flower pot.

[0073] The flower pot FP further comprises a ring RG that can be inserted into the flower pot from above to clamp the portion of the decorative cover sleeve that has been folded over the upper edge on the inside of the flower pot. This step corresponds to the transition from the situation as depicted in FIG. 5B to the situation as depicted in FIG. 5C.

[0074] An advantage of folding the decorative cover sleeve around the upper and lower edges of the flower pot is that the upper and lower edges of the decorative cover sleeve, which usually have a different undesired appearance then the outer surface when no special measures are taken, are hidden. This advantage becomes even more apparent when the decorative cover sleeve is made of cloth having frayed edges, which are not always easily covered by circumferential edges as described in accordance with the first aspect of the invention. Clamping the decorative cover sleeve allows the decorative cover sleeve to be easily removed or exchanged.

[0075] In this embodiment, the side wall SW of the flower pot FP comprises recesses or openings OP evenly distributed around the circumference of the flower pot FP to mate with corresponding gripping members GM on the ring RG. When introducing the ring RG into the flower pot FP, the gripping members GM are received in the openings OP and retained thereby, e.g. like a snap connection, so that a proper clamping action can be ensured. Removing the ring RG can for instance be done by elastically deforming the ring RG.

[0076] Preferably, the ring RG when inserted into the flower pot provides a smooth surface covering the edges of the decorative cover sleeve.

[0077] The cross-section of the side wall SW in this embodiment is again circular, but could be any shape including elliptic and polygons such as a square, rectangle and triangle. The side wall SW in general forms an inverted truncated cone which is smaller at the bottom B than at an upper side of the side wall SW which makes it easy to correctly position the decorative cover sleeve C, which has a mating shape, around the flower pot.

[0078] The decorative cover sleeve C can for instance be made out of a single piece of cloth, leather or other material, where opposite sides can be connected along line L to form a shape that substantially matches the shape of the side wall SW. The term substantially is used as a perfect match is not required or essential, especially in case the decorative cover sleeve comprises elastic material.