Tree-Style Potted Plant Holder and Hubs, Supports, Adapters and Watering System for Same

Abstract

A potted plant holder features a number of post pieces that assemble to form a post structure that supports a number of hubs thereon, which in turn each support a number of branch-like supports. A reduced diameter end of each post piece nests within the other end of another post piece for easy assembly. Each branch has a simple wire structure with a bent end configured to form two parallel legs jutting perpendicular to the branch length for receipt of the legs in an outer opening of the hub around the post. A pot-size adapter features a ring of smaller diameter than an integral pot-supporting ring of the branch and hangers that suspend the smaller ring therefrom. A watering system features ring-shaped conduits that fit over the different levels of branches and branch conduits running outward along the branches of each level from the respective ring-shaped conduit.

1 . A potted plant holder comprising:
 a plurality of elongated post pieces including:
 a bottom post member having a hollow upper end; and 
 at least one additional post member comprising an upper portion of uniform cross-sectional outer periphery and a lower end of reduced cross-sectional outer periphery relative to the upper portion, the lower end of reduced cross-sectional outer periphery being sized to fit within the hollow upper end of the bottom post member and seat the upper portion of uniform cross-sectional outer periphery atop the hollow upper end of the bottom post member, and the upper portion being equal in cross-sectional outer periphery to the hollow upper end of the bottom post member; 
   a plurality of hubs each comprising a central passage extending axially therethrough, the central passage having a cross-sectional size and shape sufficient to accommodate the uniform cross-sectional periphery therein;   a plurality of elongate support branches for each hub, each support branch having an inboard end configured for support by said hub radially outward from the central passage therethrough at a respective position around said central passage and an outboard end configured as a ring for supporting a plant pot; and   a stop device associated with each hub and operable in cooperation with said hub and any uprightly oriented post member of the plurality of elongated post members when said hub is slidably disposed around said post member to retain the hub at a select position along said post member;   whereby the equal cross-sectional periphery of the hollow upper end of the bottom post member and the upper portion of the additional post member enables sliding of any hub from the additional post member to the bottom post member, and vice versa, while said post members are fitted together end-to-end.   
     
     
         2 . The potted plant holder of  claim 1  wherein each stop device comprises a pin device engagable through any of a plurality of transverse bores extending through the plurality of post members at distinct locations therealong. 
     
     
         3 . The potted plant holder of  claim 1  wherein each hub comprises a plurality of outer passages extending axially thereinto at areas outward from the central passage at the respective positions therearound and each outer passage has a slot-shaped cross-section elongated in one of two orthogonal directions, each support branch comprising a rod that is bent at the outboard end to form the ring and bent at the inboard end to form a first leg extending laterally relative to a plane of the ring and a second leg extending back along the first leg from an integral connection thereto, the legs being fittable side by side in any of the outer passages of the hub in the elongated direction of the slot-shaped cross-section thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The potted plant holder of  claim 3  wherein each hub comprises a pair of spaced-apart parallel end plates having respective central apertures aligned with one another to define ends of the central passage through the hub and having respective sets of slots aligned with one another to define ends of the outer passages, which extend fully through the hub. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The potted plant holder of  claim 4  comprising bolts passing through the end plates for interconnection thereof, spacers disposed between the end plates and a nut threaded onto each bolt from outside the end plates. 
     
     
         6 . The potted plant holder of  claim 5  wherein the spacers comprise hollow cylinders through which the bolts respectively pass. 
     
     
         7 . The potted plant holder of  claim 1  comprising leg members, and a post base having a central opening in a top end thereof and a plurality of leg openings positioned radially outward from the central opening at spaced locations therearound, the central opening being sized to receive a bottom end of the bottom post member and the leg openings being sized to receive inboard ends of the leg members. 
     
     
         8 . The potted plant holder of  claim 7  wherein the leg openings open into a bottom of the post base. 
     
     
         9 . The potted plant holder of  claim 7  wherein each leg member comprises an upturned end shaped for receipt in the leg openings and an extending portion branching laterally from the upturned end. 
     
     
         10 . The potted plant holder of  claim 1  further comprising a set of adapter rings each smaller in diameter than the rings of the support branches and a plurality of mounts configured to selectively couple the adapter rings to the rings of the support branches in parallel orientations therewith to configure the support branches for nested support of smaller potted plants. 
     
     
         11 . The potted plant holder of  claim 10  wherein the mounts each comprise a hanger having hooked upper end for engagement over the ring of any support branch to suspend the adapter ring therefrom. 
     
     
         12 . The potted plant holder of  claim 11  wherein each hanger is C-shaped to provide a hooked lower end for embracing around a bottom of the adapter ring. 
     
     
         13 . The potted plant holder of  claim 10  wherein each mount comprises a piece of wire bent into a hanger and each adapter ring is a split ring of bent wire. 
     
     
         14 . The potted plant holder of  claim 1  in combination with a plant watering system for same, the plant water system comprising:
 an intake conduit having an inlet arranged to couple to a water source; 
 a plurality of ring-shaped conduit members coupled to the intake conduit and each sized for placement over the post members to form a water conduit that is fed by the water source and that extends around the post members above the support branches of a respective one of the hubs; 
 at least one post conduit each fluidly coupled between a respective pair of the ring-shaped conduit members to extend along the post members to deliver water from one of said pair ring-shaped conduit members to the other of said pair of ring-shaped conduit members; 
 a plurality of branch conduits in fluid communication with the water conduit of each ring-shaped conduit member and extending outward therefrom to extend along the elongate support branches to the potted plants; and 
 a water outlet at an end of each branch conduit opposite the ring-shaped conduit member to discharge water into the potted plants at the outboard ends of the support branches. 
 
     
     
         15 . A potted plant holder comprising:
 an upright elongated post:   a plurality of hubs supported on the elongated post at spaced apart positions therealong, each hub comprising a plurality of outer passages extending axially thereinto at areas outward from the elongated post at respective positions therearound and each outer passage having a slot-shaped cross-section elongated in one of two orthogonal directions;   a plurality of elongate support branches for each hub, each support branch comprising a rod that is bent at an outboard end thereof to form a ring for supporting a pot and bent at an inboard end to form a first leg extending laterally relative to a plane of the ring and a second leg extending back along the first leg from an integral connection thereto, the legs being fittable side by side in any of the outer passages of the hub in the elongated direction of the slot-shaped cross-section thereof.   
     
     
         16 . A watering system for a potted plant holder having an upright elongated post structure and multiple sets of branches at different heights along the post structure and each comprising a plurality of elongate support branches projecting outwardly away from post structure in order to support potted plants on said support branches, the watering system comprising:
 an intake conduit having an inlet arranged to couple to a water source;   a plurality of ring-shaped conduit members coupled to the intake conduit and each sized for placement over the post structure to form a water conduit that is fed by the water source and that extends around the post structure above a respective set of branches;   at least one post conduit each fluidly coupled between a respective pair of the ring-shaped conduit members to extend along the post structure to deliver water from one of said pair ring-shaped conduit members to the other of said pair of ring-shaped conduit members;   a plurality of branch conduits in fluid communication with the water conduit of each ring-shaped conduit member and extending outward therefrom to extend along the elongate support branches to the potted plants; and   a water outlet at an end of each branch conduit opposite the ring-shaped conduit member to discharge water into the potted plants.   
     
     
         17 . The watering system of  claim 16  wherein each branch conduit comprises flexible tubing. 
     
     
         18 . The watering system of  claim 16  wherein the water outlet comprises an outlet tube arranged to discharge water therefrom at multiple points therealong. 
     
     
         19 . The water system of  claim 18  wherein the outlet tube has opposite ends thereof coupled to a T-fitting that is also coupled with an end of the branch conduit opposite the ring-shaped conduit member. 
     
     
         20 . The watering system of  claim 16  wherein each ring-shaped conduit member comprises multiple lengths of tubing connected together by T-fittings, each of which connects the lengths of tubing of the ring-shaped conduit to a respective one of the branch conduits.