Plant support J-hook

Abstract

A plant support device designed to support the weight of a limb, branch or other plant segment by connecting to both the plant and a supporting string or wire. The plant support device is preferably made of a semi-rigid plastic and includes an elongated shaft portion, a hook portion connected at one end of the shaft portion, and an attachment portion having a clip connected at the other end. The attachment portion is designed to securely attach to the string such that in use the plant support device is suspended from the string and can carry the weight of the plant without sliding down the string. The attachment portion preferably includes several projections and a complementary recess that together define a sinuous slot for receiving and retaining the string.

1 . A plant support device, comprising: 
 an elongated shaft portion having first and second ends;    a hook portion for supporting a plant segment and being connected to said first end of said shaft portion;    an attachment portion for attaching to a support structure and being connected to said second end of said shaft portion, said attachment portion includes a first projection and a complementary recess that are separated from one another by a slot, wherein said plant support device is installed on the support structure such that said slot receives the support structure and said first projection and said recess retain the support structure.    
   
   
       2 . The plant support device of  claim 1 , wherein said plant support device is made from a copolymer polypropylene material having an ultraviolet stabilizer.  
   
   
       3 . The plant support device of  claim 1 , wherein said hook portion has a larger cross-sectional shape than said first end of said shaft portion, such that the junction there between is tapered.  
   
   
       4 . The plant support device of  claim 1 , wherein said hook portion has an inner diameter that is in the range of 0.25″ to 1″, inclusive.  
   
   
       5 . The plant support device of  claim 1 , wherein said shaft portion includes a handle that generally extends outwardly away from said shaft portion.  
   
   
       6 . The plant support device of  claim 5 , wherein said hook portion, said attachment portion and said handle all extend outwardly away from said shaft portion in the same general direction.  
   
   
       7 . The plant support device of  claim 1 , wherein said shaft portion has a length that is in the range of 2″ to 5″, inclusive.  
   
   
       8 . The plant support device of  claim 1 , wherein said attachment portion further includes a first section from which said first projection extends, and a second section into which said complementary recess extends, wherein said first and second sections generally oppose one another across said slot.  
   
   
       9 . The plant support device of  claim 8 , wherein said first section is a taper section and said second section is a forward section.  
   
   
       10 . The plant support device of  claim 8 , wherein either said first or second sections includes a second projection for further retaining the support structure.  
   
   
       11 . The plant support device of  claim 8 , wherein said second section further includes a hook section.  
   
   
       12 . The plant support device of  claim 8 , wherein said first and second sections at least define first and second slot portions there between for receiving the support structure.  
   
   
       13 . The plant support device of  claim 12 , wherein said first and second slot portions are non-linearly aligned.  
   
   
       14 . The plant support device of  claim 1 , wherein said attachment portion further includes one or more ears extending outwardly away from said attachment section.  
   
   
       15 . The plant support device of  claim 14 , wherein said ear(s) include a notch for receiving the support structure.  
   
   
       16 . The plant support device of  claim 14 , wherein said ear(s) extend outwardly by a distance of 0.05″ to 0.5″, inclusive.  
   
   
       17 . A plant support device, comprising: 
 an elongated shaft portion having first and second ends;    a hook portion for supporting a plant segment and being connected to said first end of said shaft portion;    an attachment portion for attaching to a support structure and being connected to said second end of said shaft portion, said attachment portion includes first and second sections defining at least a first and second slot portion there between, wherein said first and second slot portions are non-linearly aligned such that they retain the support structure.    
   
   
       18 . A plant support device for use with a support structure such as a string or wire, said plant support device comprising: 
 a hook;    a clip having a slot to receive the support structure, said slot having a complex contoured path to retain the support structure within said slot;    a shaft extending along an axis and interconnecting said hook and clip, said hook and said clip each extending laterally away from the axis and being disposed within a common plane; and    a pair of ears attached to said clip adjacent said slot and extending laterally away from said clip on opposite sides of the common plane, said ears each having a notch sized to receive the support structure.