Umbrella planter with a snap-on base

• US 6,862,843 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2003
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Misco Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Misco Enterprises, Inc.
• Inventors: Missry, Ezra
• Primary Examiner(s): Poon, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Valenti, Andrea M.
• Application Number:
  US10/410,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20040216376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 47/666, 47/667, 47/71, 47/83, 47/655, 47/661, 47/67, 47/68, 135/16
• US Class Current: 47/66.6
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 13/0212 for individual plants, e.g. for plants in pots
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/02 Receptacles, e.g. flower-pots or boxes self-acting watering devices A01G27/00; hanging flower baskets, holders or containers for flower-pots A47G7/00; Glasses for cultivating flowers

Abstract

An umbrella planter having a snap-on lower water reservoir base member and a center sleeve tube for use with an umbrella-type patio table having a table top with a centrally located opening for receiving an umbrella pole of an umbrella assembly. The umbrella planter includes an upper planter member and a lower water reservoir base member. The lower water reservoir base member includes a side wall having an upper perimeter lip and a bottom base wall; and includes a hollow center sleeve connected to the bottom base wall and having a central sleeve opening for receiving the umbrella pole therethrough; and the bottom base wall also includes an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface of the bottom base wall of the lower base member includes first connecting means for connecting and mating the lower base member to the upper planter member. The upper planter member includes a side wall having an upper perim eter edge, and a bottom planter wall having a plurality of water ventilation slots; the bottom planter wall has a centralized pedestal section connected thereto; and also the bottom planter wall has an upper surface and a lower surface. The pedestal section includes an inner cylindrical wall forming a sleeve receiving passageway for receiving the hollow center sleeve therein; the inner cylindrical wall having a plurality of downwardly protruding hollow legs being integrally attached thereto.

Claims

1. An umbrella planter having a snap-on lower water reservoir base member and a center sleeve tube for use with an umbrella-type patio table having a table top with a centrally located opening for receiving an umbrella pole of an umbrella assembly, comprising:

a) said umbrella planter including an upper planter member and a lower water reservoir base member;

b) said lower water reservoir base member including a side wall having an upper perimeter lip and a bottom base wall;

c) a hollow center sleeve connected to said bottom base wall and having a central sleeve opening for receiving the umbrella pole therethrough;

said bottom base wall including an upper surface and a lower surface;

d) said upper surface of said bottom base wall of said lower base member including first connecting means for connecting and mating said lower base member to said upper planter member;

e) said upper planter member including a side wall having an upper perimeter edge, and said upper planter having a bottom wall with a plurality of water and ventilation slots therein;

said bottom wall having a centralized pedestal section connected thereto;

said bottom planter wall having an upper surface and a lower surface;

f) said upper surface of said bottom wall of said upper planter member includes first stacking means for allowing the multiple stacking of said upper planter member with other upper planter members;

g) said first stacking means includes a plurality of stacking elements on said upper planter member for passing into a plurality of corresponding stacking openings on other upper planter members for nesting in order to allow for the multiple stacking of said upper planter member with said other upper planter members;

h) said pedestal section includes an inner cylindrical wall forming a sleeve receiving passageway for receiving said hollow center sleeve therein;

said inner cylindrical wall having a plurality of downwardly protruding hollow legs being integrally attached thereto;

i) each of said hollow legs includes second connecting means for connecting and mating with said first connecting means for joining together said upper planter member to said lower base member;

j) said lower surface of said bottom planter wall of said upper planter member includes third connecting means for connecting and mating said upper planter member to said upper perimeter lip of said lower base member;

k) each of said hollow legs further include a water receiving opening for allowing water to enter said upper planter member; and

l) filling means for filling water into said lower base member.

2. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 1, wherein said lower surface of said bottom base wall of said lower base member includes second stacking means for allowing the multiple stacking of said lower base member with other lower base members.

3. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 2, wherein said first connecting means detachably mate with said second stacking means by having corresponding male and female geometric shapes, respectively.

4. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 3, wherein said first connecting means include a plurality of connecting support pins, connecting support pads, connecting support bars, or semi-spherical connecting tabs;

and said second stacking means include a corresponding plurality of cylindrically-shaped receptacles, square-shaped compartments, rectangular-shaped channels or semi-spherical sockets, respectively, for the geometrically matching of said first connecting means with said second stacking means for allowing the multiple stacking of said lower base member with said other lower base members.

5. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second connecting means include a plurality of circular openings, square openings, or rectangular openings for connecting and mating with said plurality of said connecting support pins or said connecting support spherical tabs;

said connecting support pads;

or said connecting support bars, respectively, for joining together said upper planter member to said lower base member.

6. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 1, wherein said upper planter member includes a hollow interior planting area of sufficient volume for holding and containing potting soil or dirt and the plant roots of flowers or plants to grow therein.

7. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said downwardly protruding hollow legs include an interior chamber area for containing potting soil or dirt and plant roots of flowers or plants to grow therein.

8. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 7, wherein each of said water receiving openings in each of said protruding hollow legs are of sufficient diameter being of at least ½

inch to permit water from said interior water reservoir chamber to be absorbed by wicking into the potting soil or dirt, and the plant roots within each of said interior chamber areas.

9. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first connecting means include a support base for creating a space between each of said protruding hollow legs and said bottom base wall for forming an interior water reservoir chamber being the height of said support base.

10. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 1, wherein said filling means are formed from a recess indentation on said side wall of said upper planter member being in alignment with a protruding lip of said side wall of said lower base member to cooperate for forming a funnel component for filling water into said lower water reservoir base member from any type of watering can, faucet or nozzle.

11. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 10, wherein said funnel component is sufficiently wide and said protruding lip extending sufficiently outward to accommodate any type of filling devices.

12. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 1, wherein said hollow center sleeve has a top end and a bottom end, said top end has a diameter smaller than the diameter of said bottom end, such that said hollow center sleeve tapers outwardly from said top end to said bottom end for allowing the multiple stacking of said hollow center sleeve with other hollow center sleeves of other lower base members.

13. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 12, wherein said top end of said hollow center sleeve is above the level of said upper perimeter edge of said upper planter member preventing excess water or potting soil from entering said hollow center sleeve.

14. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 12, wherein said hollow center sleeve includes an inner wall surface;

said inner wall surface includes an inner perimeter lip located adjacent to said top end of said hollow center sleeve for mounting a candle on said perimeter lip.

15. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 12, further including a stacking spacer having an upper perimeter lip and having a center opening for allowing the multiple stacking of said umbrella planter with that of other umbrella planter;

said center opening of said stacking spacer for receiving said top end of said hollow center sleeve of said other umbrella planter; and

said upper perimeter lip and said center opening for engaging said bottom base wall of said lower base member of said umbrella planter and for receiving the umbrella pole therethrough, respectively.

16. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 15, wherein said stacking spacer is molded from durable, semi-rigid plastic materials.

17. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 1, wherein said bottom planter wall of said upper planter member and said upper perimeter lip of said side wall of said lower base member defines an air space for insuring that the water level in said lower base member is always below said plurality of water ventilation slots of said bottom planter wall of said upper planter member.

18. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 1, wherein said upper planter member and said lower base member are molded from durable, semi-flexible plastic materials.

19. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 1, wherein said upper planter member has a structural configuration selected from the group consisting of a cylindrical shape, a truncated conical shape, a truncated conical shape having a side wall with a concave shape, a truncated conical shape having a side wall with a convex shape, a triangular shape, a square shape, a trapezoidal shape, a rectangular shape and a polygonal shape.

20. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plurality of downwardly protruding hollow legs are arrayed in an evenly spaced-apart configuration about said inner cylindrical wall of said pedestal section.

21. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 20, wherein said spaced-apart configuration includes a Y-shaped, an X-shaped, a cross (+)-shape, and a pattern of radiating legs.

22. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first connecting means and said second connecting means are arrayed in an evenly spaced-apart configuration conforming with each other.

23. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first stacking means includes a plurality of stacking ribs, stacking bars, stacking pins or stacking pads on said upper planter member for passing into a plurality of corresponding stacking rib openings, stacking bar openings, stacking pin openings or stacking pad openings on other upper planter members for nesting in order to allow for the multiple stacking of said upper planter member with said other upper planter members.

24. An umbrella planter having a snap-on lower water reservoir base member and a center sleeve tube for use with an umbrella-type patio table having a table top with a centrally located opening for receiving an umbrella pole of an umbrella assembly, comprising:

a) said umbrella planter including an upper planter member and a lower water reservoir base member;

b) said lower water reservoir base member including a side wall having an upper perimeter lip and a bottom base wall;

c) a hollow center sleeve connected to said bottom base wall and having a central sleeve opening for receiving the umbrella pole therethrough;

said bottom base wall including an upper surface and a lower surface;

said central sleeve opening of said hollow center sleeve is higher than said upper perimeter edge of said upper planter member in order to prevent dirt and water from entering said hollow center sleeve and in which to prevent dirt and water from coming onto the patio table;

d) said upper surface of said bottom base wall of said lower base member including first connecting means for connecting and mating said lower base member to said upper planter member;

e) said upper planter member including a side wall having an upper perimeter edge, and a bottom planter wall having a plurality of water ventilation slots;

said bottom planter wall having a centralized pedestal section connected thereto;

said bottom planter wall having an upper surface and a lower surface;

f) said pedestal section includes an inner cylindrical wall forming a sleeve receiving passageway for receiving said hollow center sleeve therein;

said inner cylindrical wall having a plurality of downwardly protruding hollow legs being integrally attached thereto;

g) each of said hollow legs includes second connecting means for connecting and mating with said first connecting means for joining together said upper planter member to said lower base member;

h) said lower surface of said bottom planter wall of said upper planter member includes third connecting means for connecting and mating said upper planter member to said upper perimeter lip of said lower base member;

i) each of said hollow legs include a water receiving opening for allowing water to enter said upper planter member; and

j) filling means for filling water into said lower base member.

25. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 24, wherein said central sleeve opening of said hollow center sleeve, further includes a hanging support device for supporting said umbrella planter from a ceiling or a wall surface.

26. An umbrella planter in accordance with claim 24, wherein said hanging support device includes a hanging support disc having three or more spaced-apart receiving openings each for receiving a hanging rope therein.

27. An umbrella planter having a snap-on lower water reservoir base member and a center sleeve tube for use with an umbrella-type patio table having a table top with a centrally located opening for receiving an umbrella pole of an umbrella assembly, comprising:

a) said umbrella planter including an upper planter member and a lower water reservoir base member;

b) said lower water reservoir base member including a side wall having an upper perimeter lip and a bottom base wall;

c) a hollow center sleeve connected to said bottom base wall and having a central sleeve opening for receiving the umbrella pole therethrough;

said bottom base wall including an upper surface and a lower surface;

d) said upper surface of said bottom base wall of said lower base member including first connecting means for connecting and mating said lower base member to said upper planter member;

e) said upper planter member including a side wall having an upper perimeter edge, and a bottom planter wall having a plurality of water ventilation slots;

said bottom planter wall having a centralized pedestal section connected thereto;

said bottom planter wall having an upper surface and a lower surface;

f) said pedestal section includes an inner cylindrical wall forming a sleeve receiving passageway for receiving said hollow center sleeve therein;

said inner cylindrical wall having a plurality of downwardly protruding hollow legs being integrally attached thereto;

g) each of said hollow legs includes second connecting means for connecting and mating with said first connecting means for joining together said upper planter member to said lower base member;

h) said lower surface of said bottom planter wall of said upper planter member includes third connecting means for connecting and mating said upper planter member to said upper perimeter lip of said lower base member;

i) said third connecting means include a plurality of lip receiving ribs or bars for adjacently connecting to said upper perimeter lip of said lower base member for additional mating and joining together of said upper planter member to said lower base member;

j) each of said hollow legs further include a water receiving opening for allowing water to enter said upper planter members; and

k) filling means for filling water into said lower base member.

28. An umbrella planter having a snap-on lower water reservoir base member and a center sleeve tube for use with an umbrella-type patio table having a table top with a centrally located opening for receiving an umbrella pole of an umbrella assembly, comprising:

a) said umbrella planter including an upper planter member and a lower water reservoir base member;

b) said lower water reservoir base member including a side wall having an upper perimeter lip and a bottom base wall;

c) a hollow center sleeve connected to said bottom base wall and having a central sleeve opening for receiving the umbrella pole therethrough;

said bottom base wall including an upper surface and a lower surface;

d) said upper surface of said bottom base wall of said lower base member including first connecting means for connecting and mating said lower base member to said upper planter member;

e) said upper planter member having a bottom planter wall;

said bottom planter wall having a centralized pedestal section connected thereto;

said bottom planter wall having an upper surface and a lower surface;

f) said pedestal section includes an inner cylindrical wall forming a sleeve receiving passageway for receiving said hollow center sleeve therein;

said inner cylindrical wall having a plurality of downwardly protruding hollow legs being integrally attached thereto;

g) each of said hollow legs includes second connecting means for connecting the mating with said first connecting means for joining together said upper planter member to said lower base member;

h) said lower surface of said bottom planter wall of said upper planter member includes third connecting means for connecting and mating said upper planter member to said upper perimeter lip of said lower base member; and

i) said planter member including first stacking means for being stackable together with other of said upper planter members having said first stacking means to form a first stack, and said lower base member including second stacking means for being stackable together with other of said lower base members having said second stacking means to form a second stack;

said first and second stacks being separate stacks.