Supports – Brackets – Article holding means
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-09
2003-07-08
Wood, Kimberly (Department: 3632)
Supports
Brackets
Article holding means
C248S313000, C248S215000, C248S310000, C248S318000, C047S011000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06588721
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a suspending device for a plant container, and in particular relates to a device for use in suspending plant containers such as pot-plants from a wall, a trellis or a fence and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Plants have for many years been potted in various types and shapes of containers for ornamental use either indoors or outdoors. Invariably the containers are pots placed on a porch, patio or verandah, or on benches, tables and the like. Alternatively, some pots are suspended off the ground from tree branches, pergolahs or other support structures by way of wire, string or chain. Such pots are generally referred to as hanging baskets or hanging pots.
There have been no successful attempts to develop a system for easily suspending such containers from walls or fences. Most failed attempts have been unable to support the weight of the pot (with plant), or have only been able to support the pot such that it is inclined off vertical. In this respect, it will be appreciated that the inclination presents watering difficulties due to the immediate water run-off that occurs on watering.
Additionally, most attempts to support such containers from a wall or the like have resulted in large and cumbersome bracket systems. When such brackets are usually for use with flowers and plants that are being suspended to improve the aesthetics of an area, large and cumbersome brackets defeat the purpose of the flowers and plants.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide a suspending device for a plant container that is capable of being used to suspend a pot or the like from a fence, wall or trellis.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention provides a suspending device for a plant container, the plant container having a base and an upstanding perimetric wall projecting from the base, the perimetric wall having an outwardly projecting peripheral rim about its open upper edge, the suspending device including:
a substantially U-shaped body, inverted in use such that it opens downwardly, the body having two limbs between which a portion of the upper edge of the wall of the plant container may be received and releasably retained;
one limb defining a structure-securing portion for securing the device to a generally vertical structure, and providing a shoulder in the form of an inwardly and upwardly extending tongue on its inner surface;
the other limb being resilient to urge the upper edge of the wall of the plant container against the shoulder;
wherein the underside of at least a portion of the peripheral rim of the plant container abuts against and rests upon the upwardly and inwardly extending tongue, which is capable of holding the full weight of the container (with plant) to thereby suspend the container.
In relation to the peripheral rim, it is to be appreciated that the reference to a ‘rim’ is to include reference to other similar structures about the upper edge of a plaint container, such as may sometimes be referred to as a collar, a lip, or a flange.
The shoulder may be in the form of an outcrop forming a ledge or projection extending away from the inner surface of the limb, the outcrop preferably being configured such that the underside of at least a portion of the peripheral rim of a container will abut and rest thereon when the upper edge of the wall is within the opening of the substantially U-shaped body.
In order to maintain the peripheral rim of the container in this abutting relationship with the outcrop, the other limb (the resilient member) of the substantially U-shaped body is preferably inclined towards the outcrop (restricting the size of the opening the substantially U-shaped body). In this way, and when the other limb is resiliently biased towards that position, the upper edge of the wall of the container will urge the two limbs apart when it is forced into the opening, and the resilience of the other limb will serve to hold the upper edge of the wall against the outcrop. The rim is thus held in abutting relationship with the outcrop by the action of the resilient limb of the substantially U-shaped body.
It will be appreciated that the shoulder of the device need not be in the form of an outcrop or ledge. Indeed, in one preferred form, it is envisaged that the shoulder will be provided by a projection, such as a tongue, projecting upwardly (and slightly inwardly) from the lower end of the inner surface of the limb. The tongue preferably tapers upwardly to provide a narrow abutting edge at its free end. In this form, the tongue may additionally be somewhat resilient to assist in the abutting engagement with the rim of the container.
In this respect, the narrow abutting edge of the tongue may be preferred for use with containers whose rims are rolled (or circular in cross-section) as the narrow edge can become locked into the recess between the rolled rim and the wall of the plant container. Indeed, it is envisaged that the suspending device of the present invention may be used in conjunction with a range of plant containers specifically manufactured to have such rolled rims or the like.
In the preferred form of the present invention, the device may additionally include a container leveling means in order to ensure that the containers can be suspended with their longitudinal axes substantially vertical. The container leveling means may be provided by extending the limb of the U-shaped body which provides the structure-securing portion (namely, that part of the device that will be secured to a wall, fence, trellis, or post and the like), beyond the length of the other limb. The extended limb may be tapered such that it widens as it extends downwardly. In this form, the taper may be of a size that corresponds to the taper of the wall of the container to be suspended, such that the extended limb maintains the wall of the container a suitable distance away from the structure on which the container is suspended. This will assist in maintaining the base of the container substantially horizontal and the longitudinal axis of the container substantially vertical.
It should also be appreciated that the structure-securing portion of the suspending device of the present invention may be provided in any suitable configuration, depending usually upon the nature of the structure the container is to be suspended from. For instance, in the form described above, the limb of the U-shaped body that defines the structure-securing portion may merely be provided with an aperture through which a securing bolt may be used. Alternatively, an additional limb may be provided (making the body a substantially W-shaped body, inverted in use), the additional limb creating a second opening that may receive a structure, or a part of a structure, therein. This alternative is envisaged to be particularly useful where the device is for use with a trellis or the like, where one of the horizontal stays of the trellis may be received in the second opening to secure the suspending device thereto.
It will thus be seen that the suspending device of the present invention may be provided as a simple one piece device, preferably moulded from a strong, semi-rigid plastic, that is relatively small in relation to the size of the containers that it will be suspending. Indeed, the device will most likely not be discernible in use over the upper edge of the wall of the container. Further, a range of appropriately configured suspending devices may be manufactured for sale with particular types of containers, and for use on different types of structures (and thus having different types of structure receiving portions).
Further still, the suspending device of the present invention may be used with any configuration of plant container, such as with plastic, ceramic or terracotta pots, whether they are round, square or rectangular, and of any size. The suspending device of the present invention merely needs to be manufactured in a size to suit the walls and rims of these pots. In this respect, various aspects of the configuration of the suspending dev
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
Wood Kimberly
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