US3724128A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Planter
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-01-15
•
Granted: 1973-04-03
•
Expires: 1991-01-15
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to a planter. It comprises plastic toroidal members having corresponding interlocking male and female portions. These members have an inner upward vertical portion; an intermediate horizontal portion; and an outer downward vertical portion. The inner upward vertical portion is raised above the ground and surrounds the soil which is immediately adjacent the plant. The intermediate horizontal portion is substantially level with the ground level outward from but adjacent the planter. The outward downward vertical portion depends from the intermediate horizontal portion and extends vertically downward therefrom segregating the soil portion, outward from but adjacent the planter, from the plant.
Inventors
- 👤 M Tabone
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 14:06
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G9/00; A01G9/28
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
341 words
In a plant enclosure, the improvements comprising: sectional members forming an interlocking male-female relationship with one another in forming an enclosure of a plant; each of said sectional members having an outward downwardly depending vertical portion protruding substantially below ground level and separating the soil adjacent the plant enclosed from the soil outward from the outer perimeter of said plant enclosure; each of said sectional members having an inward upwardly ascending vertical portion projecting above the ground level of the soil immediately adjacent the outer perimeter of said plant enclosure; each of said sectional members having an intermediate portion adjacent to, connected to, rigidly attached to, and integral with the aforesaid downwardly depending and upwardly ascending portions; said intermediate portion being substantially level with the level of soil immediately adjacent the outer perimeter of said plant enclosure; each of said sectional members having an integrally formed male portion thereon at an end thereof; each of said sectional members having a female portion corresponding in shape to the outer surface of said male portion and adaptaBle to receive said male portion in an interlocking rigid relationship; said sectional members being joined together in the aforesaid male-female interlocking relationship so as to form a planter entirely enclosing the plant segregating said plant from soil and flora immediately adjacent to the outer perimeter of said planter; said female portion being at one end of each of said sectional members and having an aperture opening near the bottom thereof and being closed near the top thereof whereby one of said members can be mated with another of said members by dropping vertically one of said members onto a space immediately adjacent the other of said members in forming a mating, locking connection therewith free of any horizontal translation required of the piece to form the mating, locking relationship with the other member, said male portion having a constituent limiting the horizontal translation of a sectional member joined to the sectional member having the male portion with respect to the sectional member having the male portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
341 words
In a plant enclosure, the improvements comprising: sectional members forming an interlocking male-female relationship with one another in forming an enclosure of a plant; each of said sectional members having an outward downwardly depending vertical portion protruding substantially below ground level and separating the soil adjacent the plant enclosed from the soil outward from the outer perimeter of said plant enclosure; each of said sectional members having an inward upwardly ascending vertical portion projecting above the ground level of the soil immediately adjacent the outer perimeter of said plant enclosure; each of said sectional members having an intermediate portion adjacent to, connected to, rigidly attached to, and integral with the aforesaid downwardly depending and upwardly ascending portions; said intermediate portion being substantially level with the level of soil immediately adjacent the outer perimeter of said plant enclosure; each of said sectional members having an integrally formed male portion thereon at an end thereof; each of said sectional members having a female portion corresponding in shape to the outer surface of said male portion and adaptaBle to receive said male portion in an interlocking rigid relationship; said sectional members being joined together in the aforesaid male-female interlocking relationship so as to form a planter entirely enclosing the plant segregating said plant from soil and flora immediately adjacent to the outer perimeter of said planter; said female portion being at one end of each of said sectional members and having an aperture opening near the bottom thereof and being closed near the top thereof whereby one of said members can be mated with another of said members by dropping vertically one of said members onto a space immediately adjacent the other of said members in forming a mating, locking connection therewith free of any horizontal translation required of the piece to form the mating, locking relationship with the other member, said male portion having a constituent limiting the horizontal translation of a sectional member joined to the sectional member having the male portion with respect to the sectional member having the male portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The article of claim 1 wherein each of said sectional members is made of a plastic material having a density no greater than twice the density of water at 1* C.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The article in claim 1 wherein each of said sectional members is made of a plastic material that is moldable and yet has a resultant finished hardness substantially equivalent to the hardness of acrylonitrile butadine styrene.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The article of claim 1 wherein each of said male member portions is T-shaped in cross section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The article in claim 1 wherein said planter in its plan view has a circular shape.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said planter has a substantially rectangular shape.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus in claim 1 wherein each of said sectional members in plan view has an annular semicircular configuration.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus in claim 1 wherein each of said sectional members in plan view has a right angular configuration.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus in claim 1 wherein the male and female interlocking portions are integral with and at the edge of the inner upwardly ascending portion of each of said sectional members.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus in claim 1 wherein each of said sectional members in plan view is of right angular configuration and two of said sectional members are the mirror image of the other two of said sectional members.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said outward downwardly depending vertical portion and said inward upwardly ascending vertical portion have substantially the same thickness throughout their lengths as the intermediate portion of each of said sectional members.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said intermediate portion has an upper substantially planar surface virtually free of irregular and discontinuous surface deviations and connecting with the outer surfaces of said outward downwardly depending vertical portion and said inward upwardly ascending vertical portion with smooth arcs free of sharp or angular discontinuous surface formations.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said downwardly depending portion has a substantially identical thickness from top to bottom thereof and being free of serrations, knurls and other sharply discontinuous edge features throughout most of its length.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-04-02 | 1976-10-02 | 1977-04-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-02 | 1980-10-02 | 1981-04-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-02 | 1984-10-02 | 1985-04-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |