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US4216622A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Plant container

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1978-09-19
•
Granted: 1980-08-12
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Expires: 1998-09-19
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Abstract

Abstract A molded plant container having at least one slit along the vertical wall of the container, a separable liquid-tight fastener along the slit edges and a living hinge in a wall of the container permitting the side wall to be separated from a contained root ball. The bottom wall of the container may be provided with readily removable circular areas so as to adapt the container for use in air layering propagation of plants.

Inventors

  • 👤 Roger C. Hollenbach
  • 👤 Howard U. Hackney, Jr.

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 21:45
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G9/00; A01G9/02; A01G9/029; A01G2/00; A01G2/20; A01G9/0302

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 242 words
A plant container molded from a thermoplastic polymer and comprising a generally tubular vertical wall, an integral bottom wall and a portion of a wall being of lesser thickness constituting a living hinge coextensive with the wall, the vertical wall having a slit along at least one side, an outwardly extending cylindroid bead integral with said vertical wall along one slit edge, the opposed slit edge having a cooperating cylindroid groove, the dimension between the lips of said groove being smaller than the diameter of said bead and adapted to receive said bead and form a liquid-tight separable closure, said living hinge permitting said bead to be withdrawn from said groove and said slit edges to be separated, said bottom wall having a centrally located drainage port therein and having at least one concentric circular area defined by a ring of lesser thickness than said bottom wall molded into said bottom wall whereby said circular area may be pressed from said bottom wall, a tubular base integral with and extending downwardly from said bottom wall, the tubular base having an annular flute in its exterior surface, the tubular base being adapted to be positioned in a cup-shaped tray having upwardly projecting sectors, the internal diameter of said sectors being greater than the external diameter of said tubular base, said sectors having a bead on the internal surface of said sectors, the beads being adapted to register with said flute in said base.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 242 words
A plant container molded from a thermoplastic polymer and comprising a generally tubular vertical wall, an integral bottom wall and a portion of a wall being of lesser thickness constituting a living hinge coextensive with the wall, the vertical wall having a slit along at least one side, an outwardly extending cylindroid bead integral with said vertical wall along one slit edge, the opposed slit edge having a cooperating cylindroid groove, the dimension between the lips of said groove being smaller than the diameter of said bead and adapted to receive said bead and form a liquid-tight separable closure, said living hinge permitting said bead to be withdrawn from said groove and said slit edges to be separated, said bottom wall having a centrally located drainage port therein and having at least one concentric circular area defined by a ring of lesser thickness than said bottom wall molded into said bottom wall whereby said circular area may be pressed from said bottom wall, a tubular base integral with and extending downwardly from said bottom wall, the tubular base having an annular flute in its exterior surface, the tubular base being adapted to be positioned in a cup-shaped tray having upwardly projecting sectors, the internal diameter of said sectors being greater than the external diameter of said tubular base, said sectors having a bead on the internal surface of said sectors, the beads being adapted to register with said flute in said base.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 50 words
A plant container as defined in claim 1 wherein the vertical wall has a slit along one side, the living hinge extends along a diametrically opposite side of the vertical wall and said bottom wall having a slit extending from said living hinge to said slit in the vertical wall.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 45 words
A plant container as defined in claim 1 wherein said bottom wall has a plurality of concentric circular areas defined by rings of lesser thickness than said bottom wall molded into said bottom wall whereby a selected area may be pressed from said bottom wall.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 43 words
A plant container as defined in claim 1 wherein the vertical wall has a pair of slits in diametrically opposite sides and said living hinge is located in said bottom wall and extends between said slits dividing said bottom wall into semi-circular sections.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 49 words
A plant container as defined in claim 4 wherein a tubular base consisting of tubular sectors extends downwardly from said bottom wall, said sectors being sufficiently less than semi-cylindrical so as to permit said semi-circular sections of said bottom wall to be flexed to about 90° to each other.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 56 words
A plant container as defined in claim 5 wherein said downwardly extending sectors have an annular flute in their exterior surface and said tubular base is positioned in a cup-shaped tray, upwardly projecting sectors with said tray having a bead on the internal surface of said sectors, the beads registering with said flutes in said base.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US473836A Cited
US610156A Cited
US1655731A Cited
US3195272A Cited
US3483908A Cited
CA939512A Cited
US3992810A Cited
US3991516A Cited
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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) 1983-08-12 1984-02-11 1984-08-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1987-08-12 1988-02-11 1988-08-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1991-08-12 1992-02-11 1992-08-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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