Plant husbandry – Receptacle for growing medium – Sectional construction
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-20
2001-07-31
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Plant husbandry
Receptacle for growing medium
Sectional construction
C206S510000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06266919
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to methods and apparatus for containing plants, and more particularly relates to flats for nestable pots and flat/pot planting systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The nursery, commercial greenhouse and truck farming industries commonly use pots for growing small plants to be sold to home owners, gardeners, etc. Typically, several empty pots are closely arrayed in a shallow tray called a “flat”; the pots are filled with a mixture of soil, fertilizer, etc.; and a seed or seedling is planted in each pot. The flat of pots is then cultivated as a group for the entire grow-in period. If it becomes necessary to move the pots, the entire flat is carried with the pots remaining in their individual pockets or “cells” within the flat.
Since commercial operations go through a large number of pots and flats, they are usually delivered and stored in large stacks. It is thus highly desirable that the pots and even the flats “nest” together; i.e., the pots fit together in a stack to minimize the dead space therebetween, and likewise for the flats, to render the stacks as compact as possible.
In addition to being nestable, it is important for the pots and flat to work together to form an efficient flat/pot containing system. An efficient system can have several advantageous features. For example, a flat/pot system can be designed in such a way that the flat holds the pots snugly together, thereby minimizing gaps between the pots and the leakage of soil, water, etc. therebetween. Also, a flat can, and typically does, permit water to freely drain from the pots. And a well designed flat is usually strong enough to permit an entire array of filled pots to be carried as a group.
A particularly desirable feature of a flat/pot containing system, and one that is the subject of one aspect of the present invention, is for the flat to frictionally grip the sides of the pots. This prevents the pots from falling over or moving about as the flat is being moved, noting that in some cases the flat will not be completely filled with pots so stability cannot be assured by tightly packing the pots within the flat.
While it is desirable for the flat to frictionally grip the pots, this feature can potentially interfere with the filling of the flat's pockets or cells with the pots. That is, if the flat grips the pots too tightly it may be unnecessarily difficult to insert the pots into the flat's pockets or cells. Also, Applicants have found that unless the flat grips the pots just right, the flat can tend to grip not only the bottom/outer pot of a stack of pots, but also one or more of the upper/inner pots. This can delay the cell filling process, which for some commercial operations involves moving a stack of nested pots from cell to cell to populate all of the cells with empty pots. But if more than one pot is frictionally retained within a given cell, the operator has to delay the normal cell filling process to retrieve the surplus pot(s) from that cell; or alternatively continue with the cell filling process in spite of the fact that some of the cells may contain multiple pots. For a commercial operation, either alternative is wasteful and costly. This scenario would apply whether the flat filling operation is done manually or with the assistance of a machine.
The present invention is directed to a flat and a flat/pot system that possess one or more of the desired characteristics set forth above, and address the problems associated with the prior art flats and flat/pot systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention broadly includes a flat including a plurality of interconnected “cells” for holding a like plurality of pots in a generally horizontal orientation. Each cell includes a generally horizontal upper frame; a plurality of struts connected to the frame and extending generally downwardly and inwardly therefrom; and a generally horizontal bottom structure supported by the struts. Each strut includes a strut top portion having a top angle relative to vertical and a strut bottom portion having a bottom angle relative to vertical, and the top angle is larger than the bottom angle. This cell design permits the lower/outer pot of a stack of nested pots to be frictionally held by the strut bottom portions, while at the same time the inner/upper pot(s) is/are not effectively gripped and can be readily removed without at the same time removing or disturbing the lower/outer pot.
In preferred embodiments, the pots have sides that slope at a pot angle relative to vertical; the pot angle is substantially equal to the bottom angle; and the strut bottom portions are arranged within a given cell to generally conform to the shape of the bottom of the pot, whereby the strut bottom portions grip the pot sides.
Also, preferably, the bottom structure of each cell of the flat is constructed like a lattice that can accommodate water drainage and air exchange through holes or slots in the pot bases.
The invention also includes, even more broadly, a flat having a plurality of interconnected cells for holding a like plurality of nestable pots with sloping sides, wherein each cell includes an upper frame and a “side structure” depending from the frame, wherein the side structure comprises a bottom portion that substantially conforms to and frictionally engages the sides of the corresponding pot and a top portion that angles away from the sloping sides of the pot. Preferably, the “side structure” includes a plurality of slender “struts.”
Finally, the invention also includes a method for containing a plurality of nestable pots each having sides that are flexible and that slope at a pot angle relative to the vertical, wherein the method includes the steps of selecting a flat having a frame that defines a like plurality of interconnected cells; configuring each of the cells to include a side structure that depends from the flat frame, wherein the side structure includes a pot gripping portion toward the bottom thereof; and locating the pot gripping portion so that it registers with the dead space between a pair of nested pots, whereby the pot gripping portion effectively grips only the lower/outer pot, and does not effectively grip the upper/inner pot in spite of the fact that the sides of the pots are flexible.
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Hoium, Jr. Stanley J.
Schouweiler David J.
J. R. Johnson Supply, Inc.
Jordan Charles T.
Nawrocki, Rooney & Sivertson P.A.
Palo Francis T.
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