Foldable pot with removable hook for the configuration of vertical gardens
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vertical gardening systems face challenges such as weight and size issues due to material, lack of flexibility in design, high manufacturing costs and energy consumption, and difficulties in handling and maintenance, particularly with hooking and removing plant units.
Innovation Solution
A foldable plant pot system made from a flat square structure with specific folds and cuts, allowing for easy attachment and detachment to a vertical mesh structure, efficient irrigation, and the use of minimal substrate, enabling flexible design and reduced weight, which simplifies transportation and installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional plastic plant pots with modular structures are used, then structural strength and stability are improved, but weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible sheet material to create the plant pot structure, replacing traditional rigid plastic pots. The sheet is folded and shaped to form a conical reservoir that maintains structural integrity while being significantly lighter. The flexibility of the sheet allows it to conform to the mesh structure and provides sufficient strength to hold substrate and plants without the weight of traditional plastic containers.
Solution Approach 2:
The plant pot is divided into distinct functional components formed from the sheet: a conical reservoir for substrate, a hooking system for attachment, and integrated drainage features. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently - the reservoir provides strength where needed, while the overall structure remains lightweight due to the thin sheet material.
2Ease of operation
If blanket-type systems are used, then installation simplicity is improved, but flexibility for removal and replacement is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into detachable components: individual plant pots that can be independently attached to or removed from the mesh structure. The hooking system is designed as a separate element that interfaces between the pot and mesh, enabling easy attachment and detachment without damaging any components.
Solution Approach 2:
The hooking system incorporates dynamic elements that allow for easy attachment and removal. The hook can be inserted through the mesh and secured, then later removed when plants need replacement or rearrangement, providing adaptability while maintaining installation simplicity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If plastic plant pots with multiple plants are used, then structural stability is improved, but handling and maintenance difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses individual plant pots rather than large containers holding multiple plants. Each pot is a self-contained unit with integrated stability features that engage with the mesh structure. This segmentation makes each unit lightweight and easy to handle for installation, maintenance, or replacement while maintaining structural stability through the mesh engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The stability mechanism moves from relying on the weight and size of the container to engaging with the mesh structure in a different dimension. The hooking system and support fins create mechanical engagement with the mesh, providing stability without requiring heavy pots. This allows easy handling while maintaining structural stability during operation.
4Reliability
If traditional irrigation systems are used, then water delivery is improved, but substrate and water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates excess substrate by using a conical reservoir shape that minimizes volume while maintaining plant support. The irrigation system is designed to deliver water directly to the root zone through the conical structure, reducing water consumption by eliminating overflow and waste associated with traditional flat-bottomed pots.
Solution Approach 2:
The conical reservoir creates dynamic water flow patterns that guide irrigation water efficiently to the plant roots. Water naturally flows down the conical surface to the drainage hole, ensuring complete utilization of applied water and minimizing substrate consumption. This dynamic flow pattern improves irrigation reliability while reducing waste.
Data Source
AI summary
Foldable plant pot with removable hooking for the configuration of vertical gardens that is manufactured from a foldable flat square structure manipulated by folds and cuts to obtain a conical reservoir with angular shapes. It has a hooking system that allows them to be suspended in vertical structures, preferably of the mesh type, thanks to the pressure generated by the folds of the material and which also allow it to come off when this pressure is reduced so that it can be placed elsewhere. When the plant is moved, it is not affected as its root remains intact in the conical reservoir and the stem is secured by a support ring which prevents it from dropping in the event of sudden movements. In the same way, it has containment flaps that partially close the conical reservoir and prevent the substrate from being extracted by external agents such as sudden movements, winds, birds, etc. As a whole, it is possible to work with vertical garden designs considering the plants as pixel units in order to create figures, letters, logos, etc. It is a very clean system that does not require prepared soil (clay, sand, etc.) and uses little water. The irrigation system only requires a hose with drippers at the top that distribute the water to vertical rows of the plant pot.