Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
  • A01G9/00—Cultivation in receptacles, forcing-frames or greenhouses; Edging for beds, lawn or the like
  • A01G9/02—Receptacles, e.g. flower-pots or boxes; Glasses for cultivating flowers
  • A01G9/022—Pots for vertical horticulture
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
  • A47G1/00—Mirrors; Picture frames or the like, e.g. provided with heating, lighting or ventilating means
  • A47G1/06—Picture frames
  • A47G2001/0683—Picture frames having means for holding flowers

Definitions

• the present invention belongs to the field of indoor plant growing devices, and more particularly to decorative devices with integrated irrigation system.
• a decorative table for the vertical cultivation of plants comprising a culture support and a water reservoir associated with a frame, in which the culture support is hydrated by a continuous supply of water with the aid of a network of hydrophilic locks dipping into the tank.
• a method of obtaining such a table is also claimed.
• the interior decoration often uses plant elements, most commonly grown in pots or trays filled with soil or other suitable substrate.
• these containers can be equipped in their lower part with a water tank and an electric pump associated with a drip system.
• compositions arranged in tabular form comprising a substantially vertical support surrounded by a frame, the assembly being attached to a wall or placed on a piece of furniture.
• the support may be pierced with housings in which buckets containing a cultivated plant are placed.
• This system easy to install and allowing to instantly renew the plants when they collapse, requires however to extract the buckets one by one during each watering.
• Other systems also devoid of watering means, need to be unhooked from the wall they decorate and placed horizontally before each water intake.
• the object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages by providing a decorative plant device, which is simple to install, maintain and renew. Another object of the invention is to provide an environment not only aesthetic and natural but also silent and totally autonomous. Yet another object of the invention is to allow the cultivation of plants in a vertical position, in a sustainable and perennial manner. Yet another object of the invention is to achieve the culture with an integrated continuous irrigation system. The present invention will also make it possible to implement the usual cultivation methods, on potting soil or other substrate, with the addition of water and fertilizer according to the recipes known to professional and amateur gardeners.
• the present invention thus relates to a device for decorative purposes for the vertical culture of plants comprising: i) a culture support containing a culture substrate, and provided with holes on its front face for the deployment of the aerial part of the plants, ii) a rigid frame extending in a substantially vertical plane, delimiting a window in front of the front face of the culture support, and iii) a water reservoir, the culture support being placed above the water reservoir, and having at least one hydrophilic wick extending from the culture substrate to the tank of the water tank.
• the substrate in which the root system of the plants develops is permanently moistened in its mass, because of the capillary force providing a regular and continuous water supply from the reservoir.
• Any hydrophilic material for forming wicks may be used, especially cotton.
• the device therefore requires no electrical energy to activate a pump (so no wire, no battery, no programmer), or complex watering network often source of leaks ...
• the wick is partly inserted into the growing medium near the root system of the plants and partly beyond it so as to hang freely in the tank tank.
• said at least one hydrophilic wick is divided into several strands distributed in the mass of the substrate, thus constituting a hydration network. This is particularly suitable for houseplants that generally require sustained hydration, which can be easily adjusted by judiciously choosing the amount and length of wicks and strands used.
• the culture support comprises a pouch of flexible or rigid material, flattened in the form of a cushion, one of the two substantially flat faces constituting the front face through which the aerial part of the plants.
• the culture support whose essential element, by its volume at least, is the pocket containing the substrate, must adopt a shape that allows both to have a plant implantation surface sufficiently expanded to correspond to to the decorative surface of the board, and a moderate thickness to limit the size at the back of the device.
• the face of the pocket on which the plants are implanted is the front face when the device is in place: it occupies the decorative surface of the table.
• the pocket when the pocket is dissociated from the frame, it naturally rests in a horizontal position so that the front face is then the upper face. In this case, the vegetative portion is deployed vertically above the substrate pocket.
• This underlines the interest of the present device, whose living element can be implanted or even grown prior to its installation, in a pocket suitable for the device according to the invention, so that the plant table is assembled while the plants are already green and colorful.
• the device will be characterized in the state and position it occupies when it is installed.
• the decorative surface of the painting is typically rectangular or square, although nothing prevents the realization of tables of round, triangular, hexagonal, or other forms still according to the imagination of the decorator.
• the pouch containing the substrate may be made of a flexible or rigid material, such as a fabric of natural or synthetic fibers, a non-woven textile material, a synthetic film more or less thick, which may be porous or perforated from place to place.
• a flexible or rigid material such as a fabric of natural or synthetic fibers, a non-woven textile material, a synthetic film more or less thick, which may be porous or perforated from place to place.
• the material chosen is flexible or rigid, it must be able to withstand the weight when the substrate is wet and prevent fine particles from escaping.
• the bag is made of a flexible material permeable to air, for example non-woven fabric or horticultural fabric, which maintains a certain moisture of the substrate while allowing evaporation and the passage of d 'air.
• a conventional "pre-mix" substrate such as those sold commercially, may however be suitable. It essentially allows plants to take root. Fertilizer additions are necessary after a few months. The skilled gardener knows how to choose the most suitable growing medium for the type of plant chosen.
• the pocket is advantageously sewn on its edges, leaving only one free slot for the passage of each wick. It will suffice to incise the textile to pass the plant and plant in the substrate, in which it will root and grow.
• the tank is designed as a simple waterproof tank rotproof material able to contain water optionally supplemented with a fertilizer mineral solution. It is placed under the growing medium, so that the wick is in contact with the water it contains. It is understood that the water must not be in direct contact with the pocket, which is always at least one centimeter from the level of the water. Indeed, any contact can lead to the appearance of diseases or rotting of the plant. Only the wick is the link between the water supply and the pocket, by capillarity. It is then the substrate which by its drainage faculties, conveys water to the roots.
• the frame has the function, besides its aesthetic appearance, to hide the growing medium and the tank. It therefore has a dimension ensuring the recovery of the support and the reservoir at the periphery of the device. It can also be used as a support element as will be described later. It must therefore be rigid and resistant, wood dyed, painted, or stained, colored plastic molded, particularly suitable for its manufacture. It is also possible to use other materials chosen by those skilled in the art, such as brushed aluminum, painted metal, raw or aged, or even terracotta ...
• the three elements, frame, culture support and reservoir, are arranged to form a table in which the decorative element is constituted by the plants unfolding from the culture support in the opening of the frame.
• These three elements can be associated in different ways, with mutual fixation or not.
• the culture support can for example be supported with a bracket above the tank, while the frame is simply placed in front of this set so as to present a facade aesthetic.
• the tank may be secured to the bottom of the frame, which makes it play a role of resting to maintain the device in a substantially vertical position.
• the culture support comprises removable attachment means to the frame.
• the culture support comprises removable attachment means to the frame.
• the culture medium comprises suspension means cooperating with complementary means provided on the rear face of the frame.
• complementary means for example may be used a set of hooks and rings, rod and pins, pressures, or any other means known to those skilled in the art. It is therefore in this case the frame itself that provides the support function of the culture medium.
• the culture support comprises a framework extending inside the pocket in its width.
• This internal frame is intended to ensure its rigidity of the pocket when it is flexible material, and / or to provide a base for the suspension means of the culture medium. It therefore occupies the entire width of the support, or more precisely the pocket containing the substrate so that it does not collapse and that the suspension points can be effectively distributed over the entire width of the culture medium.
• This framework can be very simply consists of a rod running in the upper part of the pocket where a slide has been arranged. It can also be placed in the pocket, and serve as a base for an attachment member projecting outside said pocket.
• the frame is provided with hooks which protrude outside the pocket to ensure the suspension of the support.
• the frame further comprises substrate holding members, able to prevent the settlement of said substrate in the lower part of the pocket.
• the substrate holding members are formed of a grid extending in a part or in the whole of the pocket.
• the substrate holding members are formed of rods provided with pallets placed horizontally at different heights of the pocket.
• the rods can be horizontal or vertical extensions of the framework, and are immersed in the substrate.
• the pallets are integral with the rods, and form small horizontal platforms distributed in the mass of the substrate.
• the rods may for example originate on the upper part of the frame and down into the substrate, each rod carrying one or more rakes whose teeth are placed horizontally at different heights of the pocket.
• the framework may further comprise means for docking said at least one hydrophilic wick and strands derived therefrom.
• the framework may further comprise means for docking said at least one hydrophilic wick and strands derived therefrom.
• the internal framework is made to fulfill one or more functions contributing to a good functioning of the living plant table:
• the water tank is provided with a water level indicator member.
• a water level indicator member One can for example use a float moving according to the water level, associated with a visible indicator on the side of the tank.
• the device comprises: i) at least two culture supports enclosing a culture substrate, provided with holes on their front face for the deployment of the aerial part of the plants and comprising at least one hydrophilic wick, ii) as many water tanks, each placed below one of said supports, said at least two culture supports being placed side by side so that their front face is in the same plane, and iii) a rigid frame delimiting a single window in a substantially vertical plane around the frontal plane defined by said culture supports.
• the pockets are suspended from fasteners arranged at regular intervals at the rear of the upper amount of the frame.
• the device according to the invention may furthermore comprise one or more of the following means: a box for protecting the culture support at the rear of the frame, provided with aeration means;
• the protective box is intended to hide the rear of the device so that it has a clean appearance.
• This box is preferably designed so that the culture medium is not confined so that moisture can evaporate and mold does not grow. To do this, one can for example provide a relief (splines, pins or other) on the inner face of the box so that the pocket containing the substrate does not adhere to the wall of the box on its entire surface, but on the contrary only support certain places. It is also alternatively or cumulatively, to provide clear-lanes including the side walls of said box.
• the support means in a vertical or quasi-vertical position may consist of an articulated support foot allowing the display of the vegetable board on a piece of furniture in a slightly inclined position.
• a rod for the wall suspension may also be provided.
• rails or grooves may be provided on the sides of the tank, which will cooperate with a junction piece of complementary shape. Any means available to those skilled in the art can of course be used to removably or permanently fix two units of the device according to the invention.
• the subject of the present invention is also a process for the vertical cultivation of plants using a device according to one of the preceding claims, this method essentially comprising the steps of: a) - planting plants on a culture support comprising a culture substrate and provided with holes for the deployment of the aerial part of said plants, said support comprising at least one hydrophilic wick extending from the culture substrate to the outside, b) - associating the culture support with a rigid frame in a substantially vertical plane, above a water tank, so that the frame defines a window around the face of the culture support carrying the aerial part of said plants, said face then constituting the front face of the growing medium, c) - fill the water tank and soak the wick in the water.
• the vertical culture method according to the invention may optionally comprise, in step a), a preculture phase of the plants in the culture support in a horizontal position. It is thus possible to prepare varied compositions at will, and let them take root properly in the garden or greenhouse before installing them in the vertical decorative device. This flexibility of use makes it possible to offer the user a culture support with implanted plants, to change the culture medium as a whole in a single operation. Such a product can be easily marketed and available at any time. Of course, for enlightened amateurs, it is also possible to grow potted plants and install them yourself on the support when needed.
• the device and the method of vertical culture which have just been described, allow the plants planted in the culture supports to develop normally, to a very satisfying rhythm. Once the substrate and the system of locks are well chosen, the plants adapt easily to this mode of culture, in a sustainable way. It is simple, very reliable and practical.
• the plant painting may have a strictly decorative use, playful, utilitarian (condimentary plants), or educational.
• Fig.1 is a perspective view of the front of the device according to the invention.
• Fig.2 is a perspective view of the rear of the device according to the invention.
• Fig.3 is a representation of a culture support according to the invention comprising a stiffening rod
• FIG. 4 is a representation of a culture support according to the invention comprising a stiffening and support grid
• Fig.5 is a perspective view of a stiffening frame and support for culture support according to the invention.
• the decorative board for the vertical cultivation of plants comprises the culture support 1 placed above the water tank 4, these being associated with the frame 2.
• the frame 2 delimits a window 3 in a substantially vertical plane around the front face of the culture support 1.
• the tank 4 is composed of a waterproof container rotproof material, attached to the bottom of the frame 2. It is provided at its base with the support strip 18 for holding the device on a piece of furniture. It is surmounted by the box 17 which provides protection of the culture medium, by masking it to the view and avoiding that it does not come into contact with the wall. It is equipped with the float 16 moving according to the level of the water, visible on the side of the tank.
• the culture support 1 contains a culture substrate that is suitable for the type of plant chosen. It is provided with holes on its front face for the deployment of the aerial part of the plants, these holes being generally obtained by a simple incision in the moment of plant installation on the substrate.
• the culture substrate 1 is hydrated by a continuous supply of water using the wick 5 of hydrophilic cotton, immersed in the tank of the tank 4.
• the wick 5 is divided into several strands 6 distributed in the mass of the substrate.
• the culture support 1 comprises a pocket 7 made of non-woven horticultural fabric that is permeable to air. It is flattened in the form of a cushion, sewn on its sides, leaving only a free slot for the passage of the wick 5.
• a frame 8 extends inside the pocket in all its width.
• the pocket 7 is closed by a seam 19 so as to leave a free band.
• the suspension of the pocket 7 is then provided by the eyelets 20 fixed at this band.
• the frame 8 consists of the rod 18 running in a slide of the upper part of the pocket 7.
• FIG. 4 shows a more elaborate framework 8 serving as a base for suspension hooks 9 protruding outside the pocket 7.
• the frame 8 comprises the grid 12 for holding the substrate, extending in a part of the pocket 7 to give it some rigidity and prevent the settlement of said substrate.
• the support of the substrate is ensured by the rods 13 provided with one or two pallets 14 placed horizontally at different heights of the pocket 7.
• the pallets 14 here adopt the shape of rakes whose teeth are placed horizontally at different heights of the pocket 7.
• the frame 8 further comprises the ring and the lugs 15 for mooring the strands 6 of the hydrophilic wick 5.
• Frames are stained wood, molded plastic tanks.
• the pockets are polypropylene (dimensions 19.5 x 22 cm). They are filled with horticultural soil in which is placed a molded plastic frame as shown in Figure 5.
• the wicking hydration is cotton wool 1.5 cm in diameter, consisting of three strands of 0.5 cm in diameter , realizing a network of 90 cm in each pocket.
• Plastic container 1x1 liter: width 21 cm depth 8 cm thickness 8 cm
• Plastic containers 2x1 liter: width 21 cm x 2 depth 8 cm thickness 8 cm
• the prototypes used for the experiments have a tank of a capacity of 1 to 3 liters, which ensures a range of autonomy from 3 to 10 days depending on the surrounding conditions (including heat).
• the used bags contain 1, 3 liter of substrate in each of which 3 to 6 plants were placed. The monitoring of the good hydration of the plants is reduced to the strict minimum: it is enough to maintain water in the tank.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Cultivation Receptacles Or Flower-Pots, Or Pots For Seedlings (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=39643957

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Families Citing this family (17)

Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (31)

• 2007
  • 2007-12-18 FR FR0708839A patent/FR2924897B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2008
  • 2008-12-09 AU AU2008337673A patent/AU2008337673B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2008-12-09 EP EP08861319A patent/EP2222151A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2008-12-09 WO PCT/EP2008/067069 patent/WO2009077379A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2008-12-09 JP JP2010538568A patent/JP2011505852A/ja active Pending
  • 2008-12-09 EA EA201070767A patent/EA201070767A1/ru unknown
  • 2008-12-09 CA CA2708494A patent/CA2708494A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 2008-12-09 US US12/809,179 patent/US8495833B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2008-12-18 CN CNA2008101839738A patent/CN101461323A/zh active Pending

Patent Citations (2)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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