Planting container and planting container system for planting on balconies or terraces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing planting containers are not flexible, stable, or easily combinable, and they have high manufacturing and assembly costs, limiting their use and versatility for balconies, terraces, and gardens.
Innovation Solution
The design includes an inner tub with fasteners for attaching frame members, reinforcement elements for stability, and an attachment system that allows for easy combination of containers, using materials like wood, plastic, or metal, with a water outlet to prevent water accumulation, and dimensions optimized for space efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If planting containers are made as single-piece units, then manufacturing is simple, but they cannot be combined with other containers and lack flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The planting container is divided into separate components: an inner tub and frame elements. The inner tub contains the planting medium while frame elements provide structural support and enable connection to other containers. This segmentation allows multiple containers to be combined into larger configurations while keeping individual components simple to manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame elements serve multiple functions: they provide structural reinforcement to the inner tub, create a stable framework for the planting container, and enable connection to other planting containers through attachment points. This multi-functionality increases versatility without significantly complicating the design.
2Volume of moving object
If planting containers are made larger to provide more planting space, then planting capacity increases, but stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Large planting containers are achieved by combining multiple smaller inner tubs within a common frame structure, rather than creating one large unstable container. This allows the system to provide large planting capacity while maintaining stability through the distributed frame structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The planting container uses a composite structure combining the inner tub (for containing planting medium) with frame elements (for structural support and stability). This composite design provides both the volume needed for planting and the structural integrity for stability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If frame elements are added to improve stability and combinability, then structural performance improves, but manufacturing and assembly cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is divided into separate modular frame elements that can be manufactured independently and assembled to the inner tub. This segmentation allows for standardized production of simple components, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while still providing the necessary structural support and combinability.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If water outlet is positioned higher above the floor, then water accumulation is prevented, but drainage efficiency may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The water outlet position is optimized within a specific range (10-70mm above the floor) to balance two competing requirements: being high enough to prevent water accumulation that could cause root rot, but not so high that it reduces drainage efficiency. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between preventing harm and maintaining productivity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a planting container (10) for planting on balconies, terraces, gardens, or paved areas, comprising at least one inner tray (1) with a base (2) and at least four side walls (3a, 3b). All side walls (3a, 3b) of the inner tray (1) include fastening elements (4) for attaching frame elements (5) or side walls (31-35) of other inner trays (1). The planting container (10) particularly includes at least one, in particular three, preferably four, frame elements (5) for closing off the planting container (10) on the outside.