US5644868A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Plant container water-keeping assembly
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1995-03-21
•
Granted: 1997-07-08
•
Expires: 2015-03-21
Abstract
Abstract A water-keeping assembly (109) for a plant container (110), which assembly (9) comprises a perforated partition (111) arranged to extend across the bottom of a said container (110) for dividing the interior of the container (110) into an upper compartment for holding therein soil and a lower compartment for collecting therein any water drained down from the soil through the partition (111). The assembly (109) includes ventilation tubes (112) arranged to extend upwards from the partition (111) so that air can reach from above into the lower compartment. The assembly (109) further includes water absorbent bars (113) arranged to pass from the lower compartment through the partition (111) into the upper half of the upper compartment for bringing water collected below the partition (111) upwards into the soil above the partition (111) through capillary action.
Inventors
- 👤 To Yan Lui
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 18:21
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G27/00; A01G27/04; A01G27/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A water-keeping assembly for use in a plant container having a bottom comprising: a perforated partition arranged to extend across the bottom of said container for dividing the interior of the container into an upper compartment for holding planting soil and a lower compartment for collecting water drained out of the planting soil through the partition, ventilation means arranged to extend upwards from the partition for venting the lower compartment, and at least one water absorbent bar arranged to extend upwards from the lower compartment through the partition into the upper compartment for drawing water collected in the lower compartment upwards into the planting soil in the upper compartment by means of capillary action, said at least one water absorbent bar having a perforated sleeve with a closed bottom end filled with plant material through which the capillary action takes place.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
141 words
A water-keeping assembly for use in a plant container having a bottom comprising: a perforated partition arranged to extend across the bottom of said container for dividing the interior of the container into an upper compartment for holding planting soil and a lower compartment for collecting water drained out of the planting soil through the partition, ventilation means arranged to extend upwards from the partition for venting the lower compartment, and at least one water absorbent bar arranged to extend upwards from the lower compartment through the partition into the upper compartment for drawing water collected in the lower compartment upwards into the planting soil in the upper compartment by means of capillary action, said at least one water absorbent bar having a perforated sleeve with a closed bottom end filled with plant material through which the capillary action takes place.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A water-keeping assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the partition has detachable legs for supporting the partition in position inside said container.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A water-keeping assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the partition has a plurality of notches around its periphery in order to form corresponding holes with the inner surface of the wall of the plant container.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A water-keeping assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a flotatable marker for indicating the amount of water collected in the lower compartment, said marker extending through the ventilation means and having reading markings at an upper end adjacent the ventilation means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
A water-keeping assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sleeve is cylindrical.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A water-keeping assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the planting material in the sleeve is densely packed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A water-keeping assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plant material in the sleeve is substantially similar to said planting soil in the container outside the sleeve.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
A water-keeping assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the number or size of perforations at an upper part of a section of the sleeve above the partition is relatively greater or larger than that at a lower part of the section of the sleeve above the partition.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A water-keeping assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the lower end of the lower part of the section of the sleeve above the partition is not perforated.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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Cited
GB403460A
Cited
US4027429A
Cited
US4236351A
Cited
US4527354A
Cited
NL8702637A
Cited
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Cited
US5081790A
Cited
US5136806A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-07-07 | 2001-01-06 | 2001-07-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-07-07 | 2005-01-06 | 2005-07-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-07-07 | 2009-01-06 | 2009-07-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |