US4991346A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Support and watering assembly for a planting pot
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1989-08-07
•
Granted: 1991-02-12
•
Expires: 2009-08-07
Abstract
Abstract An assembly for holding a planting pot and supplying water or liquid thereto by capillary action from a liquid reservoir maintained in an outer container disposed in surrounding and supporting relation to the planting pot on the interior thereof. The assembly incorporates a capillary container holding transfer medium which facilitates liquid flow therethrough by capillary action, such as dirt or soil similar to the material on the interior of the planting pot in which the root structure of the contained plant grows.
Inventors
- 👤 Jose A. Costa, Jr.
- 👤 Julian Gutierrez
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 23:23
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G27/00; A01G27/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
397 words
An assembly designed to contain and provide water to the root system of a plant, comprising: a. an outer container having a base and surrounding side walls defining a hollow interior and terminating in an open mouth oppositely disposed to said base, b. a planting pot dimensioned and configured to be disposed in said outer container and including a bottom disposed in spaced relation to said base, c. a capillary container connected to said bottom and disposed in depending relation therefrom towards said base, d. a liquid reservoir maintained within said outer container and defined by a sufficient quantity of liquid to submerge a lower end of said capillary container and having an upper level of the liquid reservoir maintained beneath and in spaced relation to said bottom of said planting pot, e. said capillary container filled with a transfer medium and including said lower end being apertured and defining fluid communication between the liquid reservoir and the capillary container interior, f. said bottom of said planting pot being apertured and including connecting means removably attaching said capillary container to said bottom in aligned communicating relation between said apertured bottom in aligned communicating relation between said apertured bottom of said planting pot and an open upper end of said capillary container, g. said connecting means including a flange member secured to and extending radially outward from said open upper end of said capillary container and removably engageable with an under surface of said bottom of said planting pot wherein said flange member comprises a plurality of receiving apertures formed therein and each disposed to removably receive one of a plurality of connector elements therein, said plurality of connector elements formed on an under surface of said bottom of said planting pot, h. said connecting means further including an upwardly directed protrusion formed on said flange and a congruently configured receiving channel disposed and dimensioned to removably receive said protrusion therein in frictional engagement therewith, i. the transfer medium within the interior of said capillary container disposed in contact with soil supporting the root system of a plant within said planting pot, and j. said capillary container and planting pot relatively disposed to said hollow interior of said outer container to define transfer of liquid from said liquid reservoir by capillary action from the hollow interior through said transfer medium to the root system within said planting pot.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
397 words
An assembly designed to contain and provide water to the root system of a plant, comprising: a. an outer container having a base and surrounding side walls defining a hollow interior and terminating in an open mouth oppositely disposed to said base, b. a planting pot dimensioned and configured to be disposed in said outer container and including a bottom disposed in spaced relation to said base, c. a capillary container connected to said bottom and disposed in depending relation therefrom towards said base, d. a liquid reservoir maintained within said outer container and defined by a sufficient quantity of liquid to submerge a lower end of said capillary container and having an upper level of the liquid reservoir maintained beneath and in spaced relation to said bottom of said planting pot, e. said capillary container filled with a transfer medium and including said lower end being apertured and defining fluid communication between the liquid reservoir and the capillary container interior, f. said bottom of said planting pot being apertured and including connecting means removably attaching said capillary container to said bottom in aligned communicating relation between said apertured bottom in aligned communicating relation between said apertured bottom of said planting pot and an open upper end of said capillary container, g. said connecting means including a flange member secured to and extending radially outward from said open upper end of said capillary container and removably engageable with an under surface of said bottom of said planting pot wherein said flange member comprises a plurality of receiving apertures formed therein and each disposed to removably receive one of a plurality of connector elements therein, said plurality of connector elements formed on an under surface of said bottom of said planting pot, h. said connecting means further including an upwardly directed protrusion formed on said flange and a congruently configured receiving channel disposed and dimensioned to removably receive said protrusion therein in frictional engagement therewith, i. the transfer medium within the interior of said capillary container disposed in contact with soil supporting the root system of a plant within said planting pot, and j. said capillary container and planting pot relatively disposed to said hollow interior of said outer container to define transfer of liquid from said liquid reservoir by capillary action from the hollow interior through said transfer medium to the root system within said planting pot.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
388 words
An assembly designed to contain and provide water to the root system of a plant, comprising: a. an outer container having a base and surrounding side walls defining a hollow interior and terminating in an open mouth oppositely disposed to said base, b. a planting pot dimensioned and configured to be disposed in said outer container and including a bottom disposed in spaced relation to said base, c. a capillary container connected to aid bottom and disposed in depending relation therefrom towards said base, d. a liquid reservoir maintained within said outer container and defined by a sufficient quantity of liquid to submerge a lower end of said capillary container and having an upper level of the liquid reservoir maintained beneath and in spaced relation to said bottom of said planting pot, e. said capillary container filled with a transfer medium and including said lower end being apertured and defining fluid communication between the liquid reservoir and the capillary container interior, f. said bottom of said planting pot being apertured and including connecting means removably attaching said capillary container to said bottom in aligned communicating relation between said apertured bottom of said planting pot and an open upper end of said capillary container, g. said connecting means including a flange member secured to and extending radially outward from said upper end of said capillary container and removably engageable with an under surface of said bottom of said planting pot, wherein said connecting means including a flange disposed below a periphery of said open end of said capillary container and said apertured bottom of said planting pot dimensioned to receive said periphery of said open end therethrough to the interior of said planting pot and a connecting ring disposed on the interior of said planting pot in concentric, surrounding and removably frictional engagement with an exterior surface of said capillary container adjacent said open end thereof. h. the transfer medium within the interior of said capillary container disposed in contact with soil supporting the root system of a plant within said planting pot, and i. said capillary container and planting pot relatively disposed to said hollow interior of said outer container to define transfer of liquid from said liquid reservoir by capillary action from the hollow interior through said transfer medium to the root system within said planting pot.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
388 words
An assembly designed to contain and provide water to the root system of a plant, comprising: a. an outer container having a base and surrounding side walls defining a hollow interior and terminating in an open mouth oppositely disposed to said base, b. a planting pot dimensioned and configured to be disposed in said outer container and including a bottom disposed in spaced relation to said base, c. a capillary container connected to aid bottom and disposed in depending relation therefrom towards said base, d. a liquid reservoir maintained within said outer container and defined by a sufficient quantity of liquid to submerge a lower end of said capillary container and having an upper level of the liquid reservoir maintained beneath and in spaced relation to said bottom of said planting pot, e. said capillary container filled with a transfer medium and including said lower end being apertured and defining fluid communication between the liquid reservoir and the capillary container interior, f. said bottom of said planting pot being apertured and including connecting means removably attaching said capillary container to said bottom in aligned communicating relation between said apertured bottom of said planting pot and an open upper end of said capillary container, g. said connecting means including a flange member secured to and extending radially outward from said upper end of said capillary container and removably engageable with an under surface of said bottom of said planting pot, wherein said connecting means including a flange disposed below a periphery of said open end of said capillary container and said apertured bottom of said planting pot dimensioned to receive said periphery of said open end therethrough to the interior of said planting pot and a connecting ring disposed on the interior of said planting pot in concentric, surrounding and removably frictional engagement with an exterior surface of said capillary container adjacent said open end thereof. h. the transfer medium within the interior of said capillary container disposed in contact with soil supporting the root system of a plant within said planting pot, and i. said capillary container and planting pot relatively disposed to said hollow interior of said outer container to define transfer of liquid from said liquid reservoir by capillary action from the hollow interior through said transfer medium to the root system within said planting pot.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
An assembly as in claim 1 or 2, wherein said planting pot comprises a substantially circular cross-sectional configuration and said outer container comprises a multi-sided cross-sectional configuration.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
An assembly as in claim 3, wherein said planting pot comprises an outside diameter substantially equal to the distance between inner surfaces of two opposing sidewalls of said outer container.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
An assembly as in claim 4, wherein said multi-sided cross-sectional configuration is defined by a rectangular configuration.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
An assembly as in claim 1 or 2, further comprising a lid structure fixedly secured to an outer periphery of an access opening of said planting pot and extending outwardly therefrom into removable connecting engagement with said periphery of said open mouth.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
An assembly as in claim 6, wherein said lid structure and said planting pot comprise an integral, one-piece construction and said lid structure comprises a central aperture coaxial to said access opening of said planting pot and dimensioned to allow passage of the plant therethrough from its root system within said planting pot.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
An assembly as in claim 6, wherein said lid structure comprises a watering hole formed therein and disposed to pass water into said outer container on the exterior of said planting pot.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB189612057A
Cited
AT4005B
Cited
FR453258A
Cited
US1450633A
Cited
US2865137A
Cited
FR1420367A
Cited
US4184287A
Cited
DE2701401A1
Cited
US4171593A
Cited
GB2018115A
Cited
US4829209A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-02-11 | 1994-08-13 | 1995-02-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-02-11 | 1998-08-13 | 1999-02-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-02-11 | 2002-08-13 | 2003-02-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |