GB2118012A - Plant holder - Google Patents

Abstract

The plant holder comprises a reservoir (1) to hold a supply of water and a container (3) inserted into or forming the reservoir (1) to contain a plant substratum. From beneath the container bottom (5) at least one absorptive strip (15) extends upwards through a passage opening (13) in the container bottom (5) along the side wall (11). The absorptive strip (15) consists of capillary material, preferably hygroscopic rock wool with a gross density of more than 170 kg./cu.m. and sucks water or nutrient solution out of a water supply beneath the bottom (5) into the plant substratum charged into the container (3). On each of the two sides of each passage opening (13) there adjoins an absorptive-strip-free side wall zone, the centre of which, seen along the circumference of the container bottom (5), is at a distance between 8 cm. and 25 cm., preferably between 10 cm. and 18 cm., from the edge of the respective adjoining passage opening (13). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Plant holder The invention relates to a plant holder having a water reservoir, a substratum container inserted into or connected with the water reservoir with its bottom, which is enclosed by side walls, arranged at a distance above the bottom of the reservoir, and at least one absorptive strip of material having absorption capacity extending from beneath the container bottom through a passage opening in the side wall region of the container bottom along the side wall and upwards.

A plant holder of this kind is known from German Publication Specification No. 28 35 483.

The substratum container standing in the water reservoir is filled with plant earth. The absorbent strips line the entire side face of the substratum container and reach into the water reserve beneath the substratum container. The plant earth is continuously moistened by reason of the capillary action of the absorptive strips. The side walls and the bottom of the substratum container consist of wire mesh. The absorptive strips lie flat against the side walls and extend through the approximately equally wide meshes of the container bottom.

It has appeared that plant holders of the known kind must have a certain minimum size if the moisture content of the plant earth in the substratum container is to remain within limits tolerable to plants It is the problem of the invention to indicate a way in which the plant holder of the kind as explained in greater detail at the outset can be reduced in size without the occurrence of overmoistening of the substratum in the substratum container. It is intended that it should be possible to reduce the plant holder especially to a diameter or distance between side walls of less than 50 cm. Moreover it is to be ensured that the absorptive strips cannot be inserted incorrectly.

In accordance with the invention this problem is to be solved in that each passage opening is adjoined on both sides by a side wall region free from absorptive strips, the middle of which region, seen along the circumference of the container bottom, is at a distance of between 8 cm. and 25 cm. from the edge of the adjoining passage opening in each case.

The passage openings define predetermined insertion positions for the absorptive strips, namely at a distance which guarantees a uniform moistening-through of the substratum such as is tolerable to plants. Incorrect fitting of the plant holder with more absorptive strips than are necessary for correct moistening is impossible.

The container bottom is otherwise closed and at most has water withdrawal openings which are substantially smaller than the passage openings.

In order that the position and size of the absorptive strips may be defined exactly, the absorptive strips and the associated passage openings have substantially the same crosssectional form and dimensions. A distance between centres between 10 cm. and 18 cm. has proved especially favourable.

The plant holder can be provided with any desired substratum. By way of example earth substratum, expanded clay, rock wool, especially in granulated or flaked form, or lava slag are suitable. Mixtures of these plant substrata can also be used. A mixture of lava slag and granulated or flaked rock wool has proved especially suitable.

Mixture ratios of 2 parts by weight of lava slag to 1 part by weight of rock wool lead to optimum results as regards both uniform moistening and plant growth.

In preferred forms of embodiment the wide side area of ail absorptive strips above the container bottom amounts to between 10% and 40% of the total side wall area of the substratum container.

The total width of all passage openings, measured along the side walls, that is the sum of the individual widths, preferably amounts to between 15% and 50%, optimally between 15% and 30%, of the edge circumferential length of the container bottom. Thus one single absorptive strip with a wide side area or width in accordance with the above condition can be provided if on the basis of the container size the condition of distance between centres can be fulfilled, as can be the case for example with small containers up to a diameter of about 1 5 cm. In the case of larger containers the wide side area or the total width is divided among several absorptive strips, preferably two diameterically opposite absorptive strips of equal size.

Conventional hygroscopic rock wool as used for plant mats normally has a gross density of 70 kg./cu.m. at maximum. In a preferred form of embodiment the absorptive strips also consist of hygroscopic rock wool, especially in mat form.

Surprisingly it has appeared that a substantially better and more uniform moistening-through can be achieved if hygroscopic rock wool is used having a gross density of at least 170 kg./cu.m., preferably at least 200 kg./cu.m.

In principle it is sufficient if the absorptive strips emerge downwards through holes in the container bottom. By reason of the small size of the plant holder the danger exists that the substratum container may be tilted in relation to the water reservoir, which can lead to breakage damage to the absorbent mats, especially if these consist of relatively brittle rock wool. In order to prevent this the substratum container comprises, beneath each passage opening,an adjoining, partially opened pocket to receive the absorptive strip. The pocket encloses the part of the absorptive strip which reaches down beneath the container bottom, and protects it against damage, but without hindering the water absorption. At the same time the pockets can serve as distance members by means of which the substratum container is supported on the reservoir bottom.

Above the reservoir bottom the substratum container has closed side walls. Thus no plant substratum can fall into the water reservoir and the evaporation of water on the side of the absorptive strips remote from the substratum is suppressed.

The water reservoir expediently forms a visual facing for the substratum container. The facing, for the sake of better appearance, should reach at least to the upper edge of the substratum container. In the case of one-piece formation of the water reservoir this admittedly makes the withdrawal of the planted substratum container more difficult. In an expedient development it is therefore provided that the side walls of the substratum container protrude at least partially upwards beyond the reservoir and that a facing ring, reaching at least to the uppermost edge of the substratum container, is removably fitted upon the reservoir. The facing ring conceals the protruding and thus easily graspable zone of the substratum container.The facing ring expediently reaches nearly to the bottom of the reservoir, in order to impart the appearance of a one-piece pot to the plant holder, despite multi-part facing formation. Beneath the facing ring the reservoir has a surrounding grippable undercut which renders transporting of the plant holder possible.

An example of embodiment of the invention is to be explained in greater detail below by reference to drawings, wherein:- FIGURE 1 shows a plan view of a plant holder; FIGURE 2 shows a vertical section through the plant holder according to Figure 1, along a line Il-Il, and FIGURE 3 shows a partiai vertical section through a filling level indicator of the plant holder according to Figure 1 along a line Ill-Il I.

The plant holder, which is substantially square in plan view, comprises a water reservoir 1 into which a substratum container 3 is inserted. The substratum container 3 has a form adapted to the base area shape of the water reservoir 1. Its bottom 5 extends at a distance above the reservoir bottom 7. In the marginal region of the bottom 5 on opposite sides there are provided pockets 9 extending in extension of the inner sides of closed side walls 11 of the substratum container 3.

An absorptive strip 1 5 of a capillary absorbent material, elongated in the vertical direction, is pushed in through an insertion opening 1 3 of each pocks 9. The cross-sectional forms and crosssectional dimensions of the absorptive strip 1 5 and of the opening 13 are equal. The pockets 9 are seated on the reservoir bottom 7 and possess openings. 17, extending as close as possible to the reservoir bottom 7, over a part of their periphery, here on sides facing one another.

The substratum container 3 is moreover filled with plant substratum (not shown further), in which the plants, are planted. The water reservoir 1 is filled with water up to beneath the bottom 5, which water is sucked upwards by reason of the suction effect of the absorptive strips 1 5, and moistens the plant substratum. Excess water can flow back again into the water reservoir 1 through comparatively small outlet holes 1 9 in the bottom 5.

The absorptive strips 1 5 occupy only a part of the total internal area of the side walls 11 of the substratum container 3. Along the edge of the bottom 5 side wall zones 21 remain free from absorptive strips. The centre, indicated by way of example as 23, of the absorptive-strip-free zone 21 is at a distance from the respective adjoining edges 25 of between 8 and 25 cm., preferably 10 and 18 cm. The sum of the widths 6 of the two absorptive strips 1 5 amounts to about 15% to 50%, preferably 1 5% to 30%, of the edge peripheral area of the bottom 5 or of the inner periphery of the side walls 1 The height of the absorptive strips 1 5 above the bottom 5 is somewhat less than the corresponding height of the side walls 11.The sum of the wide side faces of the two absorptive strips 15 above the bottom 5 therefore preferably lies between 10% and 40% of the total side wall area of the substraum container 3 above the bottom 5. In this way a uniform moistening of the plant substratum in the substratum container 3 is achieved, without the occurrence of overwetting of the plant substratum. By reason of the above-stated dimensional conditions, especially in the case of plant holders with a side wall interval of less than 1 5 cm., one single absorptive strip can suffice.

Especially in the case of plant holders with a distance between side walls of more than 30 cm.

it is possible, in place of two absorptive strips arranged in mutually opposite marginal zones, for more absorptive strips, especially four, to be provided.

The absorptive strips 1 5 consist of hygroscopic rock wool in mat form with a gross density of more than 1 70 kg./cu.m., preferably 200 kg./cu.m.

Especially a mixture of 2 parts by weight of lava slag and 1 part by weight of hygroscopic rock wool granulate or flakes is suitable as plant substratum. However it is also possible to use either of these plant substrata alone or other plant substrata, for example expanded clay or earth substratum.

The upper edge of the reservoir 1 extends at a distance beneath the upper edge of the substratum container 3. The substratum container 3 thus can easily be grasped and lifted out of the reservoir 1. In order to improve the appearance of the plant holder, over the reservoir 1 there is fitted a facing ring 27, likewise of substantially square cross-section, the lower edge of which sits upon a surrounding, outwardly protruding collar 29 of the reservoir 1. The collar 29 forms a surrounding, inwardly protruding undercut 31 by which the plant holder can be grasped for transporting. The upper edge protrudes beyond the upper edge of the substratum container 3 and carries an inwardly protruding face flange 33 reaching down to the substratum container 3 which imparts a solid appearance, seen from above, to the facing ring 27.

The vertically extending corner zones 35 of the substratum container 3 are flattened off, and the contour of the reservoir 1 and of the facing ring 27 follows the flattening, except for one corner zone 37. The corner zone 37 is drawn in further towards the middle of the container than are the other corner zones 35, so that between the reservoir 1 and the ring facing 27 a shaft 39 remains, by way of which the reservoir 1 can be filled with water. Moreover a filling level indicator 41 is arranged in the shaft 39. As may best be seen from Figure 3 the filling level indicator 41 comprises a vertical guide tube 43 secured to the corner bevel 37 and consisting, at least above the facing ring 27, of transparent material. in the guide tube 43 a rod 45 is displaceably guided which carries a float 47 on its lower end and is provided with a pointer marking 49 at its upper end. The float 47 follows the level of the water reserve in the reservoir 1.

Claims (14)

1. Plant holder having a water reservoir (1), a substratum container (3) inserted into or connected with the water reservoir (1), the bottom (5) of which container, which is enclosed by side walls (11), is arranged at a distance above the bottom (7) of the reservoir, and at least one absorptive strip (15) of material having absorption capacity extending from beneath the container bottom (5) through a passage opening (13) in the side wall region of the container bottom (5) along the side wall (11) and upwards, characterised in that each passage opening (13) is adjoined on both sides by a side wall region (21) free from absorptive strips, the middle (23) of which region, seen along the circumference of the container bottom (5), is at a distance of between 8 cm. and 25 cm. from the edge (25) of the adjoining passage opening (13) in each case.

2. Plant holder according to Claim 1, characterised in that the distance between centres amounts to between 10 cm. and 1 8 cm.

3. Plant holder according to Claim 1, characterised in that the absorptive strips (15) and the passage openings (13) have substantially the same cross-section form and dimensions.

4. Plant holder according to Claim 1, characterised in that the wide side area of all absorptive strips (15) above the container bottom (5) lies between 10% and 40% of the total side wall area of the substratum container (3).

5. Plant holder according to Claim 1, characterised in that the total width of all passage openings (13), measured along the side walls (11), amounts to between 1 5% and 50% of the edge circumferential length of the container bottom (5).

6. Plant holder according to Claim 5, characterised in that the total width of all passage openings (13) amounts to between 1 5% and 30% of the edge circumferential length.

7. Plant holder according to Claim 1, characterised in that the absorptive strips (15) consist of hygroscopic rock wool with a gross density of at least 1 70 kg./cu.m.

8. Plant holder according to Claim 7, characterised in that the gross density of the rock wool amounts to at least 200 kg./cu.m.

9. Plant holder according to Claim 1, characterised in that the substratum container (3) comprises, beneath each passage opening (13), an adjoining, partially opened pocket (9) for the reception of the absorptive strip (1 5).

10. Plant holder according to Claim 9, characterised in that the pockets (9) serve as distance members and rest on the reservoir bottom (7).

11. Plant holder according to Claim 1, characterised in that the substratum container (3) has closed side walls (11) above its container bottom (5).

12. Plant holder according to Claim 1, characterised in that the side walls (11) of the substratum container (3) at least partially protrude upwards above the water reservoir (1) and in that a facing ring (27) reaching at least to the uppermost edge of the substratum container (3) is removably placed upon the water reservoir (1).

13. Plant holder according to Claim 12, characterised in that the facing ring (27) grasps inwards over the upper edge of the water reservoir (1).

14. Plant holder according to Claim 12, characterised in that the facing ring (27) reaches nearly to the bottom (7) of the water reservoir (1) and in that the water reservoir (1) has a surrounding graspable undercut (31) beneath the facing ring (27).

1 5. Plant holder substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.