Decomposable Plant Container With Segmented Rings
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Solution Overview
Problem
The agricultural and horticultural industries rely on plastic pots that are not biodegradable, making them unsuitable for direct transplantation into the ground and inefficient for transportation due to their structural integrity requirements and assembly needs.
Innovation Solution
A plant container made from decomposable fiber materials with self-locking mechanisms, allowing for automated processing, modular assembly, and direct soil transplantation, featuring a vertical wall, bottom panel, and ring-shaped support elements that can be shipped and assembled as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If synthetic plastic pots are used to ensure structural integrity for automated processes, then the pots can withstand heat and moisture during handling, but they cannot degrade and decompose for direct transplantation into the ground
Solution Approach 1:
The pot is divided into multiple detachable rings that can be separated and planted individually. Each ring maintains structural integrity during handling through self-locking mechanisms, then can be decomposed and planted separately to enable direct transplantation without removing the plant
Solution Approach 2:
The pot material transitions from synthetic plastic to biodegradable fiber-based material. This parameter change allows the pot to maintain sufficient structural integrity for automated handling while enabling natural decomposition after planting, resolving the contradiction between strength and decomposability
2Reliability
If synthetic plastic pots are shipped fully assembled to maintain structural integrity, then the pots are ready for immediate use, but they take up valuable space during transportation and storage
Solution Approach 1:
The pot is segmented into multiple rings that can be nested within each other during transportation, dramatically reducing the volume occupied. The rings are designed with self-locking mechanisms that allow quick assembly at the destination, maintaining readiness for use while optimizing transportation space efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The pot rings are designed to nest within each other when not in use, similar to nested dolls. This nesting capability allows multiple pots to be compacted into a small space during shipping and storage, then quickly assembled when needed, resolving the contradiction between readiness and transportation efficiency
3Duration of action of stationary object
If bio-plastic pots are used to reduce decomposition time, then the pots degrade faster in the ground, but the length of time is still generally too long to allow for direct planting in the ground
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the pot into separate rings, each ring can be planted independently. This segmentation allows the planting process to begin immediately without waiting for decomposition, as the rings are small enough to be directly incorporated into the soil. The self-locking mechanism allows the rings to be easily separated and planted while maintaining plant stability
Solution Approach 2:
The pot rings are designed as disposable biodegradable components that are meant to be left in the ground after planting. Their short functional life cycle (from use to decomposition) is optimized for direct planting applications, where they provide temporary support during handling and then naturally decompose in the soil, eliminating the need for removal
Data Source
AI summary
A plant container may include a vertical wall surrounding a plant receiving recess and having vertically aligned slot sets. The plant container may have a bottom including a panel, and panel tabs extending from a periphery of the panel. The panel tabs are to be received by a lowermost vertically aligned slot set. The plant container may include a ring having ring tabs on an inner radial edge, and the ring tabs may be received by a respective vertically aligned slot set.