Patent US4939865A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4939865A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and container for growing transplantable plants
Assignee: LACEBARK Inc AN OKLAHOMA Corp
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Filing: 1988-04-14
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Granted: 1990-07-10
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Expires: 2008-04-14
Abstract
Abstract An improved method and a container for growing a transplantable plant are provided. The container is comprised of a set of upwardly extending removably joined side panels. The side panels are bendable and have vertical edge joints adapted so that one or more of the side panels can be bent arcuately and removably joined together to form a generally cylindrical open-topped container of selected size.
Inventors
- 👤 Carl E. Whitcomb
- 👤 Harold D. Stephens
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 21:06
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G23/00; A01G23/02; A01G23/04; A01G9/00; A01G9/02; A01G9/026; A01G9/0302
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
130 words
A plant container, comprising a plurality of identical upwardly extending removably joined substantially planar side panels which are bendable and which have vertical edge joints adapted so that said side panels are bent arcuately in response to being removably joined to form a generally cylindrical open-topped container of selected size for receiving a growing medium and a transplantable plant, wherein each of said side panels includes a plurality of holes and a lattice of root trapping outwardly pointed recesses formed in the interior surface thereof with each of said recesses terminating in one of said holes whereby said roots are directed by said recesses to said holes, and wherein all of said vertical edge joints permit said side panels to be disconnected and removed laterally outwardly from said growing medium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
130 words
A plant container, comprising a plurality of identical upwardly extending removably joined substantially planar side panels which are bendable and which have vertical edge joints adapted so that said side panels are bent arcuately in response to being removably joined to form a generally cylindrical open-topped container of selected size for receiving a growing medium and a transplantable plant, wherein each of said side panels includes a plurality of holes and a lattice of root trapping outwardly pointed recesses formed in the interior surface thereof with each of said recesses terminating in one of said holes whereby said roots are directed by said recesses to said holes, and wherein all of said vertical edge joints permit said side panels to be disconnected and removed laterally outwardly from said growing medium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The container of claim 1 wherein each of said recesses is of a generally pyramidal shape.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The container of claim 2 wherein each of said side panels is of a generally rectangular shape.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
132 words
A container for growing a plant which is intended to be transplanted, comprising: a set of bendable upwardly extending substantially planar side panels of identical size and shape, each having vertical edge joints adapted so that said side panels can be bent arcuately and removably joined together to form a generally cylindrical container having an open top; each of said side panels including a plurality of holes therein whereby roots growing within said container are air pruned when they reach the vicinities of said holes; and wherein each of said side panels is further characterized to include a lattice of root trapping outwardly pointed recesses formed in the interior surface thereof, each of said recesses terminating in one of said holes whereby said roots are directed by said recesses to said holes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
132 words
A container for growing a plant which is intended to be transplanted, comprising: a set of bendable upwardly extending substantially planar side panels of identical size and shape, each having vertical edge joints adapted so that said side panels can be bent arcuately and removably joined together to form a generally cylindrical container having an open top; each of said side panels including a plurality of holes therein whereby roots growing within said container are air pruned when they reach the vicinities of said holes; and wherein each of said side panels is further characterized to include a lattice of root trapping outwardly pointed recesses formed in the interior surface thereof, each of said recesses terminating in one of said holes whereby said roots are directed by said recesses to said holes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The container of claim 4 wherein each of said recesses is of a generally pyramidal shape.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The container of claim 5 wherein each of said side panels is of a generally rectangular shape.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The container of claim 6 wherein said edge joints are mortise and tenon joints.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The container of claim 7 wherein said set of side panels includes two or more side panels.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of growing and transplanting a plant from one growing medium in an open-topped container having upwardly extending removably joined side panels to a second growing medium, comprising forming said side panels as substantially planar side panels of bendable material and providing vertical edge joints thereon adapted so that a selected number of said substantially planar side panels can be bent arcuately and removably joined together to form said open-topped container of generally cylindrical shape and desired relative size, wherein said substantially planar side panels further each include a plurality of holes whereby roots growing within said container are air-pruned when they reach the vicinities of said holes.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of growing and transplanting a plant from one growing medium in an open-topped container having upwardly extending removably joined side panels to a second growing medium, comprising forming said side panels as substantially planar side panels of bendable material and providing vertical edge joints thereon adapted so that a selected number of said substantially planar side panels can be bent arcuately and removably joined together to form said open-topped container of generally cylindrical shape and desired relative size, wherein said substantially planar side panels further each include a plurality of holes whereby roots growing within said container are air-pruned when they reach the vicinities of said holes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 9 wherein each of said side panels is further characterized to include a lattice of root trapping outwardly pointed recesses formed in the interior surface thereof, each of said recesses terminating in one of said holes whereby said roots are directed by said recesses to said holes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 10 wherein each of said side panels is identical in size and shape.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 11 wherein each of said recesses is of a generally pyramidal shape.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 12 wherein each of said side panels is of a generally rectangular shape and said edge joints are mortise and tenon joints.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
102 words
A bendable side panel for forming a container for a transplantable plant, comprising: a substantially planar generally rectangular sheet of bendable material having two parallel vertically extending edges; means for removably joining said edges to form a generally cylindrical open-topped container, wherein said joining means can be used to removably join said vertical edges to the vertical edges of at least one other bendable side panel in order to increase the diameter of side open-topped container; and a lattice of outwardly pointed recesses formed in the interior surface of said sheet, wherein each of said recesses is of a generally pyramidal shape.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
102 words
A bendable side panel for forming a container for a transplantable plant, comprising: a substantially planar generally rectangular sheet of bendable material having two parallel vertically extending edges; means for removably joining said edges to form a generally cylindrical open-topped container, wherein said joining means can be used to removably join said vertical edges to the vertical edges of at least one other bendable side panel in order to increase the diameter of side open-topped container; and a lattice of outwardly pointed recesses formed in the interior surface of said sheet, wherein each of said recesses is of a generally pyramidal shape.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
The side panel of claim 14 wherein each said pyramidal recess has a hole at the vertex of said pyramidal recess whereby the roots of said transplantable plant are directed by said recesses to said holes.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
The side panel of claim 15 wherein said joining means comprises a set of mortise and tenon joints.
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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) | 1993-07-09 | 1994-01-08 | 1994-07-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-07-09 | 1998-01-08 | 1998-07-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-07-09 | 2002-01-08 | 2002-07-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |