Plant support adapted for lifting and carrying a plant container

Abstract

A free-standing plant support for use with an open-topped plant container for a growing plant. The plant support has a vertical support member that is rigidly and preferably permanently attached at its lower end to an anchor member which extends horizontally away from the vertical support member. The anchor member is placed into the base of a plant container which is then filled with a mass of plant growth material. The vertical support member is grippable by hand adjacent the upper end. The vertical support member cooperates with the anchor member to facilitate lifting and transportation of the container filled with the mass of growth medium. The vertical support member also cooperates with a de-mountable horizontal support member made of a resilient springy material to contain and support plant material growing within the plant support. The invention also relates to a combination of the plant support with a container for plants.

What i claim is:  
     
         1 . A plant support for use with an open-topped plant container for a growing plant, said plant support comprising: 
 a plant support member and an anchor member each made of a stiff material, said plant support member and said anchor member being rigidly and permanently attached to each other;    said plant support member having a generally vertical orientation and having a lower end, an upper end remote from said lower end, and a part that is grippable by hand adjacent to said upper end; and    said anchor member being attached to said plant support member at said lower end thereof and comprising a base element extending generally horizontally,    whereby said base element may be positioned beneath a mass of growth medium in said container with said plant support member extending vertically from said mass of growth medium to facilitate support of a plant growing in said mass, and to facilitate lifting and transportation of said container filled with said mass of growth medium via said part of said plant support member that is grippable by hand.    
     
     
         2 . The plant support of  claim 1 , wherein said plant support member and said anchor member are made of a single piece of said stiff material.  
     
     
         3 . The plant support of  claim 1 , wherein said plant support member is in the form of a single elongated rod extending between said upper end and said lower end.  
     
     
         4 . The plant support of  claim 1 , wherein said plant support member is in the form of two or more elongated rods cross-connected with at least one connecting rod.  
     
     
         5 . The plant support of  claim 1 , wherein at least one said connecting rod extends laterally beyond two or more said elongated rods, thereby providing points of support for said plant extending laterally beyond said rods.  
     
     
         6 . The plant support of  claim 1  wherein said plant support member is in the form of two generally straight rods cross connected together at said upper end of the member by a single connecting rod.  
     
     
         7 . The plant support of  claim 6 , wherein said connecting rod is said part that is grippable by hand.  
     
     
         8 . The plant support of  claim 1 , wherein said support member comprises at least one non-linear elongated rod usable as a topiary form for said plant.  
     
     
         9 . The plant support of  claim 1 , wherein said anchor member comprises at least one elongated rod of said stiff material.  
     
     
         10 . The plant support of  claim 1 , wherein said anchor member comprises a single elongated rod of said stiff material.  
     
     
         11 . The plant support of  claim 1 , wherein said anchor member extends horizontally from said plant support member by a distance of at least 2.54 cm (1 inch).  
     
     
         12 . The plant support of  claim 1 , wherein said anchor member extends horizontally from said plant support by a distance of at least 5 cm (2 inches).  
     
     
         13 . The plant support of  claim 1 , wherein said anchor member comprises an elongated non-linear rod.  
     
     
         14 . The plant support of  claim 13 , wherein said rod is in the form of an open flat loop extending from said lower end of the support member.  
     
     
         15 . The plant support of  claim 13 , wherein said rod encircles said lower end of said support member.  
     
     
         16 . The plant support of  claim 1 , wherein said support member and said anchor member comprise an endless loop of said stiff material, said loop being rectangular or trapezoid in shape, and having a 90° bend between parts of said loop forming said support member and parts of said loop forming said anchor member.  
     
     
         17 . The plant support of  claim 1 , wherein said stiff material is selected from the group consisting of metal wire, plastic-coated metal wire, metal rod, plastic-coated metal rod, molded plastic rod and molded fiberglass rod.  
     
     
         18 . The plant support of  claim 1 , wherein said supporting member is provided with horizontal notches positioned at regular intervals between said upper and lower ends.  
     
     
         19 . The plant support of  claim 1 , wherein said regular intervals are separated from each other by a distance in the range of 5 to 30.5 cm (2 to 12 inches).  
     
     
         20 . The plant support of  claim 1 , including a horizontal plant support member adapted for engaging said elongated rods, said elongated rods having confronting inner surfaces and opposite outer surfaces.  
     
     
         21 . The plant support of  claim 20 , wherein said horizontal plant support comprises: 
 a first loop made of a stiff material, said loop having engagement surfaces spaced around said loop adapted for simultaneously engaging said confronting inner surfaces of said elongated rods; and    a second loop made of a stiff material having engagement surfaces spaced around said loop adapted for simultaneously engaging said opposite outer surfaces of said elongated rods;    at least one of said first loop and said second loop having projections incorporating said engagement surfaces formed by bends in said loops such that, in use, said loops overlie each other at said projections adjacent said elongated rods, whereby, when positioned on said vertical support, said horizontal plant support member is held in place by engagement of said elongated rods between said first and second loops.    
     
     
         22 . The plant support of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of said loops is made of a material that causes the loop to rebound when flexed and released, whereby said loop(s) can be flexed from an original shape to permit engagement with said elongated rods and thereafter released to engage said elongated rods with a force caused by said rebound.  
     
     
         23 . The plant support of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of said loops is circular and the other is circular except for said projections.  
     
     
         24 . The plant support of  claim 21 , wherein said first loop is circular and said second loop is circular except for said projections.  
     
     
         25 . The plant support of  claim 21 , wherein said first loop has said projections and said second loop has no projections.  
     
     
         26 . The plant support of  claim 21 , wherein said projections are inwardly directed of said first loop.  
     
     
         27 . The plant support of  claim 21 , wherein said inwardly directed projections are V-shaped with said engagement surfaces located at the apex of the V-shape.  
     
     
         28 . The plant support of  claim 21 , wherein said loops are formed from metal wires.  
     
     
         29 . The plant support of  claim 20 , wherein said elongated rods have generally horizontal grooves at vertically spaced locations, said grooves being sized to partially receive said engagement surfaces.  
     
     
         30 . The plant support of  claim 21 , wherein said horizontal plant support member is intended for use with said elongated rods having vertically spaced horizontal grooves along said rods, wherein said loops have a width that allows said engagement surfaces to enter said grooves at least partially.  
     
     
         31 . The plant support of  claim 20 , wherein said horizontal plant support member comprises: 
 a loop having a peripheral shape adapted to provide horizontal support for a plant, said loop being made of a material that is flexible and springs back to an original shape when flexed, and said loop having at least two engagement sections forming re-entrant clamps spaced around said loop, each re-entrant clamp being adapted to receive and engage a different one of said elongated rods.    
     
     
         32 . The plant support of  claim 31 , wherein said re-entrant clamps are circular.  
     
     
         33 . The support of  claim 31 , wherein each of said re-entrant clamps is bent into the shape of a figure eight comprising two circles, a circle most distant from said loop forming said peripheral shape, and a circle closest to said loop, said circles formed by overlapping curves of said re-entrant clamp that move apart when said loop is flexed, thereby allowing an elongated rod to enter said clamp, but preventing exit of said elongate rod from said clamp when said loop is released and said curves return to an overlapping condition.  
     
     
         34 . The plant support of  claim 31 , wherein said horizontal plant support member is made of metal wire.  
     
     
         35 . The plant support of  claim 31 , wherein said horizontal plant support member is made of a plastics material.  
     
     
         36 . A combination comprising an open-topped plant container and a plant support, said open-topped container having sidewalls, a bottom and an open top, and containing a mass of growth medium, said plant support comprising: 
 a plant support member and an anchor member each made of a stiff material, said plant support member and said anchor member being rigidly and permanently attached to each other;    said plant support member being orientated and having a lower end extending to said bottom of said plant container, an upper end separated from said lower end by a distance causing said support member to clear said open top, and a part that is grippable by hand adjacent to said upper end; and    said anchor member being attached to said plant support member at said lower end thereof and comprising a base element extending generally horizontally when said plant support member is orientated generally vertically, said base element being positioned beneath said mass of growth medium in said container with said plant support member extending vertically from said mass of growth medium to facilitate support of a plant growing in said mass, and to facilitate lifting and transportation of said container filled with said mass of growth medium via said part of said plant support member that is grippable by hand.    
     
     
         37 . The combination of  claim 36 , wherein said container has a diameter and said base member extends horizontally from said lower end of said support member by a distance equivalent to at least 20% of said diameter.  
     
     
         38 . The combination of  claim 36 , wherein said container is made of a plastics material.  
     
     
         39 . The combination of  claim 36 , wherein said container has a weight less than the weight of said mass of said growth medium.  
     
     
         40 . The combination of  claim 36 , wherein said plant container has a maximum diameter and said plant support member has a maximum lateral width that is equal to or less than said maximum diameter of the plant container.  
     
     
         41 . The combination of  claim 36 , having an additional horizontal plant support member adapted for engaging said plant support.  
     
     
         42 . A horizontal plant support for attachment to a vertical plant support having at least two uprights, each upright including confronting inwardly facing surfaces and opposite outwardly facing surfaces; said horizontal plant support comprising: 
 a first elongated rod made of a stiff material formed into a first loop, said loop having engagement surfaces spaced around said loop adapted for simultaneously engaging said confronting inner surfaces of said uprights; and    a second elongated rod made of a stiff material formed into a second loop having engagement surfaces spaced around said loop adapted for simultaneously engaging said opposite outer surfaces of said uprights;    at least one of said first loop and said second loop having projections incorporating said engagement surfaces formed by bends in said rods such that, in use, said loops overlie each other at said projections adjacent said uprights;    whereby, when positioned on said vertical support, said horizontal plant support is held in place by engagement of said uprights between said first and second loops.    
     
     
         43 . A plant support, comprising: 
 a vertical support having at least two uprights, each upright including confronting inwardly facing surfaces and opposite outwardly facing surfaces; and    a horizontal support attached to said vertical support;    wherein said horizontal support comprises:    a first elongated rod made of a stiff material formed into a first loop, said loop having engagement surfaces spaced around said loop simultaneously engaging said confronting inner surfaces of said uprights; and    a second elongated rod made of a stiff material formed into a second loop having engagement surfaces spaced around said loop simultaneously engaging said opposite outer surfaces of said uprights;    at least one of said first loop and said second loop having projections incorporating said engagement surfaces formed by bends in said rods such that said loops overlie each other at said projections adjacent said uprights;    whereby said horizontal support is held in place on said vertical support by engagement of said uprights between said first and second loops.