WO1997007491A1

WO1997007491A1 - Horticultural containers

Info

Publication number: WO1997007491A1
Application number: PCT/GB1996/001931
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Everad Tarbatt
Original assignee: John Everad Tarbatt
Priority date: 1995-08-11
Filing date: 1996-08-08
Publication date: 1997-02-27
Also published as: AU6705896A; GB9516524D0

Abstract

A plant pot (10), at the junction of a rim (20) with a flange (22) is provided with through slots (28) which are equispaced around the rim (20). Below the location of each of the slots (28), the pot (10) is formed with a further through slot (30) in a shoulder (24). A label (32) has a lower end initially located manually from above the pot (10) to pass through a slot (28) until the upper edge of the latter engages in cut-outs in the label. The lower part of the label (32) passes externally of the rim (20) and has a tongue (38) which can be deflected out of the plane of the label (32) and inwardly relative to the pot (10) whereby to latch into a respective slot (30). The label (32) thereby is securely locked to the pot (10) and inadvertent removal is prevented.

Description

Horticultural Containers

This invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to containers, and particularly horticultural containers such as plant pots with labelling arrangements.

Whether house plants or garden plants, plants are generally sold in plant pots in a suitable growing medium. It is important for the purchaser to be able to identify a plant, and identification can be by way of a flexible label attached to the plant itself or a rigid label supported by the growing medium itself. While the flexible label may be suitable for wooded plants which do not die back outside the growing season, they are not suitable for other types of plants. The rigid labels are too easily removed, accidentally or otherwise, and tend to be lost. Other types of containers have aperture arrangements to accept labels in order to obviate or mitigate such problems. However, in many such arrangements, the location of the label can be a problem when the container is filled with a growing medium, and the functional parts of the label mounting can be susceptible to breakage and consequent dislodgement of the label, as well as being unsightly.

According to the present invention there is provided a plant containing arrangement comprising a container in the form of a plant pot having a peripheral upstanding wall or walls for retaining a growing medium for a plant, and at least one pair of apertures formed in a spaced relation in the wall or one of the walls, and information display means capable of identifying a selected plant to be planted in the pot, the display means having locating means whereby to be capable of cooperating with at least one of the pair of spaced apertures formed in the pot, to thereby secure the display means to the pot.

Preferably a wall section or sections provides a rim which defines an open end, the upper end in use, a peripheral shoulder extending outwardly from the wall or respective walls and defining the rim, the apertures of the or each pair being spaced one above the other, the upper aperture being formed in the rim at a location towards the upper end of the pot, and the lower aperture being formed in the shoulder. The upper aperture may be in the form of a slot extending substantially parallel to the upper edge of the container and spaced therefrom, and the lower aperture may also be in the form of a slot.

Preferably also the display means is adapted to be manually passed through the upper aperture from above and externally of the pot to a position below the level of the second aperture and is provided with spaced locating means, whereby lower locating means can locate in the lower aperture and upper locating means can cooperate with the rim, to thereby secure the label to the pot. The display means may be a label, and may be formed of a flexible material.

The lower locating means may comprise a slit cut in material of the information display means whereby to define an upwardly facing tongue capable of entering the lower aperture in the pot, and the upper locating means may comprise a pair of cut-outs in the material extending inwardly from each side edge thereof whereby to engage with the edge of the upper aperture.

Alternatively the display means is adapted to be manually passed through the upper aperture from above and externally of the pot and is provided with locating means for cooperation with the upper aperture to thereby secure the label to the pot. The information display means may have an end thereof which can be manually passed through the upper aperture and then turned back upon itself to locate through an aperture in a main body of the information display means, and said end may be adapted to thereafter locate in the lower aperture for cooperation therewith to further secure the label to the pot. Preferably the information display means has an elongate section connected with the main body, the elongate section having notches in side edges thereof whereby to engage through the aperture in the main body and prevent inadvertent removal therefrom. The invention also provides a plant pot having a peripheral upstanding wall or walls for retaining a growing medium for a plant, with a wall section or sections providing a rim which defines an open end, the upper end in use, a peripheral shoulder extending outwardly from the wall or respective walls and defining the rim, and at least one pair of apertures formed in the pot for locating information display means, the apertures of the or each pair being spaced one above the other, the upper aperture being formed in the rim at a location towards the upper end of the pot, and the lower aperture being formed in the shoulder.

The invention further provides a label for use with the plant pot as described in the preceding paragraphs, the label being adapted to be manually passed through the upper aperture from above and externally of the pot to a position below the level of the second aperture, and being provided with spaced locating means, whereby lower locating means can locate in the lower aperture and upper locating means can cooperate with the rim, to thereby secure the label to the pot.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a plant pot;

Fig. 2 is a front view of one embodiment of an identification label;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation through the plant pot showing the label of Fig. 2 in use;

Fig. 4 is a front view of a modified identification label; and

Fig. 5 is a front view of another embodiment of an identification label.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, a plant pot 10 formed, for example of a moulded plastics material, has a substantially circular cross- section, a peripheral wall 12 of which tapers from an open upper end 14 to a closed lower end 16. The latter is provided in any conventional manner with a plurality of drainage apertures 18. At the upper end, the pot 10 has a peripheral rim 20 presenting an outwardly projecting peripheral flange 22 at the upper edge, and being defined radially outwardly of the wall 12 by a substantially horizontally extending shoulder 24. Radially extending strengthening ribs 26 are spaced around the rim 20 in a conventional manner.

The pot 10 is formed in the flange 22, at the junction with the rim 20, with four through slots 28, the latter being equispaced around the rim 20. Below the location of each of the slots 28, the pot 10 is formed with a further through slot 30 in the shoulder 24, the slots 28, 30 being substantially of the same length and width.

A label 32, preferably formed of a semi-rigid plastics material, has a profiled, upwardly curved slit 36 cut in the material of a first section 34 to effectively define an upwardly extending tongue 38 which is movable out of the plane of the label 32. Sufficient material remains between each outer edge of the tongue 38 and the respective edge of the section 34 to prevent inadvertent tearing of the material at such locations. Above the tongue 38, the label has a section 35 of increased width to give an increased area available for display information, possibly using both sides of the label. At the junction between the sections 34, 35, the label 32 is formed with cut-outs 40 in respective side edges. The cut-outs can be of many different configurations.

When the label 32 is located on the plant pot 10 of Fig. 1, the lower end of the label is initially located manually from above the pot 10 to pass through a respective one of the slots 28 until the upper edge of the slot 28 engages in the cut-outs 40, whereby to prevent further downward movement of the label 32. The lower part of the label 32 passes externally of the rim 20 and is so positioned relative to the slot 30 and the shoulder 24 that the tongue 38 can be deflected out of the plane of the label 32 and inwardly relative to the pot 10, whereby to latch into the slot 30.

The label 32, being secured at spaced locations, thereby is securely locked to the pot 10 and inadvertent removal of the label 32 is prevented. It is possible to remove the label 32 when intended by appropriate manual flexing of the respective parts of the label 32.

When a plant within a suitable growing medium is contained within the pot 10, it will be appreciated that the label 32, marked to identify the plant in question, can be easily attached to the pot 10, as the respective aperture 28 is visible in the rim 22, and the operator knows that the lower aperture 30 is directly below the upper aperture 28. An extended surface of the label 32 is available for display wording and the Uke identifying the plant because the part of the label between the latching tongues is also visible externally of the pot. The label 32 effectively enhances the appearance of the product to be sold.

It will be appreciated that the label may be of many other different designs. The label section 35 may have a circular shape or indeed any other required shape, again to give an increased display information area.

The cut-outs 40 may not be provided, the width of the section 35 relative to the slot width being sufficient to provide the engagement with the slot 28.

As shown in Fig. 4, the length of the label section 34 may be extended downwardly, so as to provide an additional surface on which, for example, can be incorporated the price of the product and a bar code 42, to simpUfy the identification of the purchase price. In a further possibiUty, the downwardly extending area may have an adhesive backing whereby to be adhered to the pot and prevent removal.

In an alternative use of the slots 28, 30 of the plant pot of Fig. 1, a further embodiment of a label 50, as shown in Fig. 5, has a pointed end 52, the lower end in use, and has notches 54 formed on respective sides of an elongate section 56. At its other end, the label 50 is formed with a display section 58 of increased width in which is formed a slot 60 close to the elongate section 56. At the junction between the sections 56, 58, cut-outs 55 are provided in respective side edges. To locate the label 50 on the plant pot 10, the pointed end 52 is initiaUy located manually from above the pot 10 to pass through a respective one of the slots 28 and is then turned back upon itself to be passed through the slot 60. The upper edge of the slot 28 engages in the cut-outs 55, and notches 54 prevent the section 56 from being inadvertently puUed out of the slot 60. The end 52 can thereafter be passed through the respective slot 30 in the shoulder 24, whereby the notches 54 provide additional security.

It wui be appreciated that the invention is not restricted to use with the type of plant pot described and shown, and can be utilised for aU sizes and shapes of containers of the horticultural type, in any suitable material, both rigid and non-rigid. The number of pairs of slots in the pot may be varied and the shape and configuration of the label may differ from that described and shown, provided the label can cooperate with the slots.

The label itself may be made of any suitable rigid or semi-rigid material, and a multiplicity of the labels can be formed, for example, in roUs, to be pressed out therefrom.

Claims

riaJTns:-

1. A plant containing arrangement comprising a container in the form of a plant pot having a peripheral upstanding waU or waUs for retaining a growing medium for a plant, and at least one pair of apertures formed in a spaced relation in the waU or one of the waUs, and information display means capable of identifying a selected plant to be planted in the pot, the display means having locating means whereby to be capable of cooperating with at least one of the pair of spaced apertures formed in the pot, to thereby secure the display means to the pot.

2. An arrangement according to Claim 1, wherein a waU section or sections provide a rim which defines an open end, the upper end in use, a peripheral shoulder extending outwardly from the waU or respective waUs and defining the rim, the apertures of the or each pair being spaced one above the other, the upper aperture being formed in the rim at a location towards the upper end of the pot, and the lower aperture being formed in the shoulder.

3. An arrangement according to Claim 2, wherein the upper aperture is in the form of a slot extendmg substantially parallel to the upper edge of the container and spaced therefrom.

4. An arrangement according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein the lower aperture is in the form of a slot.

5. An arrangement according to any of Claims 2 to 4, wherein the display means is adapted to be manually passed through the upper aperture from above and externaUy of the pot to a position below the level of the second aperture and is provided with spaced locating means, whereby lower locating means can locate in the lower aperture and upper locating means can cooperate with the rim, to thereby secure the label to the pot.

6. An arrangement according to Claim 5, wherein the information display means is a label.

7. An arrangement according to Claim 5 or 6, wherem the information display means is formed of a flexible material.

8. An arrangement according to any of Claims 5 to 7, wherein the lower locating means comprises a slit cut in material of the mformation display means whereby to define an upwardly facing tongue capable of entering the lower aperture in the pot.

9. An arrangement according to any of Claims 5 to 8, wherein the upper locating means comprises a pair of cut-outs in the material extending inwardly from each side edge thereof whereby to engage with the edge of the upper aperture.

10. An arrangement accordmg to any of Claims 2 to 4, wherein the display means is adapted to be manuaUy passed through the upper aperture from above and externaUy of the pot and is provided with locating means for cooperation with the upper aperture to thereby secure the label to the pot.

11. An arrangement according to Claim 10, wherein the information display means has an end thereof which can be manuaUy passed through the upper aperture and then turned back upon itself to locate through an aperture in a main body of the information display means.

12. An arrangement according to Claim 11, wherein said end is adapted to thereafter locate in the lower aperture for cooperation therewith to further secure the label to the pot.

13. An arrangement according to Claim 12, wherein the information display means has an elongate section connected with the main body, the elongate section having notches in side edges thereof whereby to engage though the aperture in the main body and prevent inadvertent removal therefrom.

14. An arrangement according to any of Claims 10 to 13, wherein the information display means is a label formed of a flexible material.

15. A plant pot having a peripheral upstanding wall or walls for retaining a growing medium for a plant, with a wall section or sections providing a rim which defines an open end, the upper end in use, a peripheral shoulder extending outwardly from the wall or respective walls and defining the rim, and at least one pair of apertures formed in the pot for locating information display means, the apertures of the or each pair being spaced one above the other, the upper aperture being formed in the rim at a location towards the upper end of the pot, and the lower aperture being formed in the shoulder.

16. A plant pot according to Claim 15, wherein the upper aperture is in the form of a slot extending substantially parallel to the upper edge of the container and spaced therefrom.

17. A plant pot according to Claim 15 or 16, wherein the lower aperture is in the form of a slot.

18. A label for use with the plant pot according to Claim 15, the label being adapted to be manually passed through the upper aperture from above and externally of the pot to a position below the level of the second aperture, and being provided with spaced locating means, whereby lower locating means can locate in the lower aperture and upper locating means can cooperate with the rim, to thereby secure the label to the pot.

19. A label according to Claim 18, wherein the lower locating means comprises a slit cut in the label material whereby to define an upwardly facing tongue capable of entering the lower aperture in the pot.

20. A label according to Claim 18 or 19, wherein the upper locating means comprises a pair of cut-outs in the material extending inwardly from each side edge thereof whereby to engage with the edge of the upper aperture.

21. A label for use with the plant pot according to Claim 15, the label being adapted to be manually passed through the upper aperture from above and externally of the pot and being provided with locating means for cooperation with the upper aperture to thereby secure the label to the pot.

22. A label according to Claim 21, wherein the label has an end thereof which can be manually passed through the upper aperture and then turned back upon itself to locate through an aperture in a main body of the label.

23. A label according to Claim 22, wherein said end is adapted to thereafter locate in the lower aperture for cooperation therewith to further secure the label to the pot.

24. A label according to Claim 23, wherein the label has an elongate section connected with the main body, the elongate section having notches in side edges thereof whereby to engage through the aperture in the main body and prevent inadvertent removal therefrom.

25. A label according to any of Claims 18 to 24, the label being formed of a flexible material.