US4268994A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Three-dimensional planter
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1978-12-29
•
Granted: 1981-05-26
•
Expires: 1998-12-29
Abstract
Abstract A three-dimensional decorative planter having a frame for securing a vertically disposed cultivation body and having a liquid reservoir and conduit for liquid from the reservoir to the cultivation body. The frame also has a trough for collecting excess liquid. The cultivation body includes culture material and filler in arrangements necessary to secure the culture material and provide watering, drainage and ventilation.
Inventors
- 👤 Muneharu Urai
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 04:37
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G9/00; A01G9/02; A01G9/022
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
A three-dimensional planter, comprising: (a) a cultivation body; (b) a vertically disposed frame for holding said cultivation body, at least one vertical wall of said frame having a substantially unobstructed opening providing a vertically disposed planting surface on said cultivation body, the area of said opening being greater than one-half the area of said one vertical wall; (c) a liquid reservoir formed by said frame above and proximate said cultivation body; (d) means for restrictively conducting liquid from said reservoir to said cultivation body; (e) means for retention and distribution of liquid within said cultivation body; and (f) a liquid collection trough secured to the bottom of said frame for collecting excess liquid from said cultivation body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
117 words
A three-dimensional planter, comprising: (a) a cultivation body; (b) a vertically disposed frame for holding said cultivation body, at least one vertical wall of said frame having a substantially unobstructed opening providing a vertically disposed planting surface on said cultivation body, the area of said opening being greater than one-half the area of said one vertical wall; (c) a liquid reservoir formed by said frame above and proximate said cultivation body; (d) means for restrictively conducting liquid from said reservoir to said cultivation body; (e) means for retention and distribution of liquid within said cultivation body; and (f) a liquid collection trough secured to the bottom of said frame for collecting excess liquid from said cultivation body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The planter of claim 1 wherein said cultivation body includes culture merterial and filler material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The planter of claim 2 wherein said culture material and filler material are arranged in horizontal, alternating layers forming said cultivation body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The planter of claim 2 wherein said culture material and filler material are arranged in vertical, alternating layers forming said cultivation body.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The planter of claim 2 wherein said culture material is surrounded by a layer of said filler material forming said cultivation body.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The planter of any one of claims 3, 4, or 5 wherein said planting surface is covered by a layer of said filler material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The planter of claim 2 wherein said culture material and filler material are irregularly mixed forming said cultivation body.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The planter of claim 2 wherein said filler material is selected from the group consisting of particulate plastic foam, vegetable textiles, artificial textile, moss, sponge, sphagnum moss, fern, rice hulls, fur, woven cloth, unwoven cloth, palm and mixtures thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
The planter of claim 2 wherein said filler is foamed urethane.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The planter of claim 2 wherein said culture material is selected from the group consisting of natural black soil, red soil, kanuma soil, leaf mold, clay, sand, natural or artificial water-retaining stone, peat moss, silicic soil, vermiculite, family soil and mixtures thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The planter of claim 1 wherein said cultivation body comprises culture material mixed with adhesive agents for preventing separation of the culture material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The planter of claim 1 wherein said cultivation body comprises a body of culture material the surface of which is sprayed with adhesive agent for preventing separation of the culture material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
10 words
The planter of claim 1 wherein said frame is rigid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
10 words
The planter of claim 1 wherein said frame is flexible.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
The planter of claim 1 wherein said frame has substantially vertically disposed front, back, and two side walls and substantially horizontally disposed top and bottom walls enclosing said cultivation body, at least one of said front, back and side walls having said opening through which plants may grow in the planting surface of said cultivation body.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
The planter of claim 15 wherein said front, back and side walls extend above said cultivation body to form said liquid reservoir, said liquid reservoir being separated from said cultivation body by said top wall.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The planter of claim 16 wherein said liquid conducting means is a plurality of holes in said top wall.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
56 words
The planter of claim 15 wherein said through is said bottom wall extended beyond said front, back and side walls and having an upward-extending flange at its periphery and wherein one or more holes in said front, back and side walls proximate said bottom wall permit drainage from said cultivation body to collect in said trough.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The planter of claim 15 wherein said trough is between said bottom wall and the bottom of said cultivation body.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
The planter of claim 15 also including a plurality of spaced liquid retention boards attached to the back wall of said frame between said top and bottom walls and slantingly extending into said cultivation body for retaining liquid in said cultivation body.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
72 words
The planter of claim 15 also including a central wall extending substantially parallel to said front and back walls and between said top and bottom walls substantially dividing said cultivation body and including a plurality of spaced liquid retention boards attached to said central wall between said top and bottom walls and slantingly extending from each side of said central wall into said cultivation body for retaining liquid in said cultivation body.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
11 words
The planter of claim 1 wherein said frame is an ellipsoid.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
12 words
The planter of claim 1 wherein said frame is a polygonal prism.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
The planter of claim 1 wherein said liquid conducting means is a wick of permeable material interconnecting said liquid reservoir and said cultivation body for transmitting liquid by capillary action.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
38 words
The planter as in claim 1 wherein said liquid retention and distribution means comprises horizontal and vertical interconnected layers of said filler material arranged within said cultivation body and in fluid communication with said liquid in said reservoir.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
51 words
The planter as in claim 1 wherein said liquid retention and distribution means is a plurality of vertically spaced boards secured to said frame between said reservoir and said trough and slantingly extending into said cultivation body for retaining liquid at a plurality of vertically spaced locations within said cultivation body.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
The planter as in claim 1 wherein said conducting means is vertically and horizontally arranged interconnected layers of filler material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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Cited
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Cited
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Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-05-25 | 1984-11-24 | 1985-05-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-05-25 | 1988-11-24 | 1989-05-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-05-25 | 1992-11-24 | 1993-05-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |