Potted Plant Stabilizing Device

Abstract

A potted plant stabilizing device includes a collar arrangement and legs. The collar arrangement is designed to fit around and hold a trunk or stem of a potted plant in an upright, stable position. The legs are designed to detachably connect the collar arrangement to a rim of a pot to minimize or prevent displacement of the collar arrangement. The collar arrangement includes a collar, which is made at least in part from a hard plastic or metal material or combination thereof. The collar is adjustable between a minimum and maximum diameter to accommodate trunks or stems of potted plants of different diameters.

Claims

1. A potted plant stabilizing device comprising: a collar arrangement configured to fit around and hold a trunk or stem of a potted plant in an upright, stable position; legs configured to detachably connect said collar arrangement to a rim of a pot to minimize or prevent displacement of said collar arrangement; said collar arrangement comprising a collar comprising plastic or metallic material; and said collar being adjustable between a minimum and maximum diameter to accommodate trunks or stems of potted plants of different diameters.

2. The potted plant stabilizing device according to claim 1, wherein each of said legs comprises a clamp structure configured to detachably clamp or snap its leg onto said collar.

3. The potted plant stabilizing device according to claim 2, wherein said collar arrangement comprises projections disposed to project substantially radially inwardly from said collar to contact a trunk or stem of a potted plant and maintain at least a portion of said collar a distance from the trunk or stem.

4. The potted plant stabilizing device according to claim 3, wherein said collar comprises a first open end and a second open end being disposed adjacent and disconnected from one another to permit opening of said collar to permit placement of said collar around a trunk or stem of a potted plant.

5. The potted plant stabilizing device according to claim 4, wherein: said collar comprises collar sections; and said collar arrangement comprises connectors configured and disposed to movably connect said sections to permit opening and closing of said collar.

6. The potted plant stabilizing device according to claim 5, wherein each of said connectors comprises a telescoping piece configured and disposed to permit adjustment of the distance between adjacent collar sections and permit adjustment of the diameter of said collar.

7. The potted plant stabilizing device according to claim 6, wherein: each of said legs comprises a gripping structure configured to be pressed onto a rim of a pot in a form or press fit; said gripping structure is substantially C-shaped and comprises two gripping arms; and each of said gripping arms comprises a resilient material to permit said gripping arms to be temporarily deformed and spread apart upon placement of said gripping structure on a rim of a pot to generate increased gripping force and permit placement on rims of different dimensions.

8. The potted plant stabilizing device according to claim 7, wherein each of said collar sections comprises one of said projections to place each of said collar sections in stabilizing contact with a trunk or stem of a potted plant.

9. The potted plant stabilizing device according to claim 8, wherein: each of said collar sections comprises a recessed portion disposed adjacent said projection of its collar section; and said clamp structure of each of said legs is configured to clamp onto a corresponding collar section at said recessed portion to provide stabilizing force at said projections.

10. The potted plant stabilizing device according to claim 9, wherein each of said legs comprises a first section and a second section being movably adjustable with respect to one another in a telescoping manner to permit adjustment of the length of each of said legs.

11. The potted plant stabilizing device according to claim 10, wherein each of said projections comprises a first projecting flange and a second projecting flange disposed on either side of its corresponding recessed portion.

12. The potted plant stabilizing device according to claim 11, wherein: said collar sections comprise a first collar section, a second collar section, third collar section, and a fourth collar section; said connectors comprise a first connector, a second connector, and a third connector; said legs comprise a first leg, a second leg, a third leg, and a fourth leg, each being configured to detachably connect its corresponding first collar section, second collar section, third collar section, and fourth collar section to a pot; said first collar section is adjustably connected to said second collar section by said first connector; said second collar section is adjustably connected to said third collar section by said second connector; said third collar section is adjustably connected to said fourth collar section by said third connector; and said first collar section comprises said first open end of said collar and said fourth collar section comprises said second open end of said collar.

13. The potted plant stabilizing device according to claim 1, wherein said collar arrangement comprises projections disposed to project substantially radially inwardly from said collar to contact a trunk or stem of a potted plant and maintain at least a portion of said collar a distance from the trunk or stem.

14. The potted plant stabilizing device according to claim 1, wherein: said collar comprises collar sections; said collar arrangement comprises connectors configured and disposed to movably connect said sections to permit opening and closing of said collar; and each of said connectors comprises a telescoping piece configured and disposed to permit adjustment of the distance between adjacent collar sections and permit adjustment of the diameter of said collar.

15. The potted plant stabilizing device according to claim 14, wherein each of said collar sections comprises a projection disposed to project substantially radially inwardly from said collar to contact a trunk or stem of a potted plant and maintain said collar sections a distance from the trunk or stem.

16. The potted plant stabilizing device according to claim 15, wherein: each of said collar sections comprises a recessed portion disposed adjacent said projection of its collar section; each of said legs is configured to clamp onto a corresponding collar section at said recessed portion to provide stabilizing force at said projections; and each of said projections comprises a first projecting flange and a second projecting flange disposed on either side of its corresponding recessed portion.

17. The potted plant stabilizing device according to claim 14, wherein: said collar sections comprise a first collar section, a second collar section, a third collar section, and a fourth collar section; said connectors comprise a first connector, a second connector, and a third connector; said legs comprise a first leg, a second leg, a third leg, and a fourth leg, each being configured to detachably connect its corresponding first collar section, second collar section, third collar section, and fourth collar section to a pot; said first collar section is adjustably connected to said second collar section by said first connector; said second collar section is adjustably connected to said third collar section by said second connector; said third collar section is adjustably connected to said fourth collar section by said third connector; and said first collar section comprises said first open end of said collar and said fourth collar section comprises said second open end of said collar.

18. The potted plant stabilizing device according to claim 1, wherein: each of said legs comprises a gripping structure configured to be pressed onto a rim of a pot in a form or press fit; said gripping structure is substantially C-shaped and comprises two gripping arms; and each of said gripping arms comprises a resilient material to permit said gripping arms to be temporarily deformed and spread apart upon placement of said gripping structure on a rim of a pot to generate increased gripping force and permit placement on rims of different dimensions.

19. A method of stabilizing a potted plant in an upright, stable position using a potted plant stabilizing device comprising the steps of: placing a collar arrangement on a potted plant by opening a collar comprising hard plastic or metal material and closing said collar around a trunk or stem of the potted plant; adjusting the diameter of said collar to accommodate the trunk or stem of the potted plant; and detachably connecting said collar arrangement to a rim of a pot using legs and thereby minimizing or preventing displacement of said collar arrangement from a desired position to thereby stabilize and maintain the potted plant in an upright, stable position.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein: said collar comprises collar sections; and said collar arrangement comprises connectors configured and disposed to movably connect said sections; each of said connectors comprises a telescoping piece configured and disposed to permit adjustment of the distance between adjacent collar sections and permit adjustment of the diameter of said collar; and said step of adjusting the diameter of said collar comprises at least one of (A) and (B) (A) manually adjusting each of said collar sections until a desired diameter is achieved; and (B) permitting passive adjustment of each of said collar sections upon growth of the plant and an increase in the diameter of the trunk or stem to thereby cause an automatic and corresponding increase in the diameter of said collar to minimize or prevent damage to the plant by said collar.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0014] The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of components of a potted plant stabilizing device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the potted plant stabilizing device installed on a plant.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the potted plant stabilizing device.

[0018] FIG. 4 is a top view of the potted plant stabilizing device.

[0019] FIG. 5 is a side view of the potted plant stabilizing device.

[0020] FIG. 6 is a top view of a collar of the potted plant stabilizing device.

[0021] FIG. 7 is a top view of a collar of the potted plant stabilizing device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 7 thereof, a new potted plant stabilizing device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

[0023] As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7, the potted plant stabilizing device 10 generally comprises a collar arrangement 12 and legs 14. The collar arrangement 12 is designed to fit around and hold a trunk 52 or stem of a potted plant in an upright, stable position. The legs 14 are designed to detachably connect the collar arrangement 12 to a rim 56 of a pot 54 to minimize or prevent displacement of the collar arrangement 12. The collar arrangement 12 includes a collar 16, which is made at least in part from a hard plastic or metal material or combination thereof. The collar 16 is adjustable between a minimum and maximum diameter to accommodate trunks or stems of potted plants of different diameters.

[0024] Each of the legs 14 includes a clamp structure 18 at one end designed to detachably clamp or snap its leg onto the collar 16. Each of the legs 14 comprises a gripping structure 20 at the opposite end designed to be pressed onto the rim 56 of the pot 54 in a form or press fit. The gripping structure 20 is substantially C-shaped and includes two gripping arms 22. As shown in FIG. 5, each of the legs 14 includes a first section 24 and a second section 26 that are movably adjustable with respect to one another in a telescoping manner to permit adjustment of the length of each of the legs 14. Once the desired length is achieved, the legs 14 can be locked in place using pin-and-hole locking arrangement in which a pin 28 projects through an aperture 30 selected by the user.

[0025] The collar arrangement 12 includes projections 32 disposed to project substantially radially inwardly from the collar 16. These projections 32 can be in the form of flanges that can provide a very stable but minimal contact between the collar 16 and the plant 50. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the collar 16 includes a first open end 34 and a second open end 36 that are disposed adjacent and disconnected from one another to permit opening of the collar 16 to permit placement of the collar 16 around a trunk 52 of a potted plant. In the embodiment shown, the collar 16 is divided into a first collar section 38, a second collar section 40, a third collar section 42, and a fourth collar section 44. The first collar section 38 is adjustably connected to the second collar section 40 by a first connector 46. The second collar section 40 is adjustably connected to the third collar section 42 by a second connector 48. The third collar section 42 is adjustably connected to the fourth collar section 44 by a third connector 50. The first collar section 38 includes the first open end 34 of the collar 16 and the fourth collar section 44 includes the second open end 36 of the collar 16.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 2, each of the collar sections 38, 40, 42, 44 includes one of the projections 32 to place each of the collar sections 38, 40, 42, 44 in stabilizing contact with the trunk 52. Each of the collar sections 38, 40, 42, 44 includes a recessed portion 19 disposed adjacent the projections 32. The clamp structures 18 clamp onto the collar sections 38, 40, 42, 44 at the recessed portions 19 to provide stabilizing force at the projections 32.

[0027] To utilize the potted plant stabilizing device 10, a user opens the collar 16 and then closes the collar 16 around the trunk 52. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the user can adjust the diameter of the collar 16 to accommodate the trunk 52. As shown in FIG. 2, the user can then detachably connect the collar arrangement 12 to the rim 56 of the pot 54 using the legs 14 and the gripping structures 20. The user can also adjust the length of the legs 14 to a desired length, as shown in FIG. 5.

[0028] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0029] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word comprising is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article a does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.