The pot plant stand includes: a water container storing water in a bottom; a plant pot inserted into the water container; and a fan absorbing the air in an upper space between the water container and the plant pot, and the plant pot includes: a partition wall dividing an interior of the plant pot into a planting section and a vent section at a height position lower than an outer wall of the plant pot, and having no air permeability; an air hole communicating the vent section with the upper space at a position lower than an upper edge of this partition wall and higher than the water level of the water stored in the water container; and water holes communicating the planting section, the vent section and the bottom of the water container with one another at a position lower than the water level of the water stored in the water container.
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[0001] This application is based upon Japanese patent applications Serial Nos. 2002-152780, filed May 27, 2002 and 2002-354737 filed Nov. 28, 2002.
[0002] Not applicable
[0003] Not applicable
[0004] 1. Field of the Invention
[0005] The present invention relates to a pot plant stand which has an air cleaning function. More particularly, the present invention relates to a pot plant stand which cleans the air by causing the air to pass through natural or artificial soil which holds the roots of plants, and to an exchangeable plant pot used therefor.
[0006] 2. General Background of the Invention
[0007] It is known that microorganisms multiply in the soil in which a certain plant is planted decompose or destroy toxins in the air. Pot plant stands for cleaning the air using them have been proposed. The pot plant stand proposed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-166388 is comprised of a plant pot, a water container which contains the pot, and a fan which causes the air to pass through the soil of the plant pot. The plant pot has a water hole provided on the bottom thereof, and a plurality of air holes provided at equal height positions on the upper portion of the peripheral wall thereof. The water container has an opening, into which the plant pot is inserted, provided on the upper surface thereof, and supports the inserted plant pot while giving spaces around the plant pot and on the bottom of the plant pot. The air inlet of the inlet tube of the fan is opened to the upper portion of the water container. A flexible ring seal having an inner peripheral edge and an upper edge in contact with the outer periphery of the inserted plant pot is provided on the upper portion of the water container.
[0008] In the pot plant stand, if the plant pot in which a plant is planted is inserted into the water container, and water is poured into the plant pot, then surplus water flows from the water hole into the water container and the water level can be checked by a water-level gauge. When the fan is rotated, the air in the room is absorbed from the upper surface of the soil in the plant pot, passed through the interior of the soil and through the air hole, the upper surface of the water container and the inlet tube, absorbed by the fan, and discharged again into the room. When exchanging one pot plant for another, it suffices to take out the plant pot and to put a plant pot in which a new plant is planted.
[0009] The pot plant stand with the above-stated structure requires only small installation space and simple operation for the exchange of plants. The pot plant stand described in this document is also comprised of a light source (an incandescent lamp) which illuminates the plant planted in the plant pot to thereby accelerate photosynthesis, and which sterilizes the air discharged from the fan into the room.
[0010] In this document, protection measures for protecting the soil put in the plant pot from being overflowed from the water hole and the air holes are also described. As the protection measures for the air hole, many small holes from which the soil does not flow out are provided, a mesh filter is attached, and a hood-like shield collar is provided inside the air hole.
[0011] A similar pot plant stand is described in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3041734. The pot plant stand described in this document differs from that described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-166388 in that soil is also filled into a water container according to the above-stated structure and transparent holes for causing the air and water to pass through are provided in the periphery and the entire bottom of a plant pot.
[0012] The water stored in the bottom of the water container
[0013] To avoid this problem, the fan is driven intermittently to prevent the moisture content of the soil from excessively transpiring, or the air is caused to pass through only the upper portion of the soil away from the plant root so as not to dry the soil in which the plant root is struck. These methods, however, deteriorate the air cleaning function of the microorganisms in the soil.
[0014] Further, according to Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3041734, the soil is also filled into the water container around the plant pot. Due to this, when the plant as well as the plant pot is exchanged for another, it is necessary to grub up the soil around the plant pot. Compared with the stand wherein no soil is filled into the surrounding of the plant pot, it takes labor to conduct the plant pot exchange operation.
[0015] In summary, the present invention seeks to attain a pot plant stand which allows exchanging a plant pot for another without the need to grub up soil around the plant pot, which causes the air in large quantities to pass through the soil in which many microorganisms cleaning the air live and which contains much moisture to thereby allow effective air cleaning, which prevents a plant from being killed even if the air passes through the soil continuously, which is easy to maintain, and which has an air cleaning function.
[0016] A preferred embodiment would include a pot plant stand having an air cleaning function according to the invention which solves the problems, includes: a water container storing water in a bottom; a plant pot inserted into the water container while closing an upper surface opening of the water container; and a fan absorbing the air in an upper space formed between the water container and the plant pot, and the plant pot includes: a partition wall dividing an interior of the plant pot into a planting section and a vent section at a height position lower than an outer wall of the plant pot, and having no air permeability; an air hole communicating the vent section
[0017] An additional embodiment includes a pot plant stand having an air cleaning function according to the invention, includes: a water container storing water in a bottom; a plant pot supported by the water container while dipping a bottom of the plant pot with the water stored in the water container and closing an upper surface opening of the water container; and a fan communicated with an upper space of the water container, characterized in that the plant pot includes: a partition wall dividing an interior of the plant pot into a planting section and a vent section, and having no air permeability; a water hole communicating the planting section with the bottom of the water container under a water surface of the water stored in the water container; communication holes communicating the planting section with the vent section under the water surface; and an air hole formed at a position right on the water surface of the water stored in the water container, and communicating the vent sections with the upper space of the water container, in that the water hole and the air hole comprises protection means for protecting leakage of soil in the plant pot, and in that the planting section and the vent section of the plant pot are filled with the soil.
[0018] An additional embodiment includes a plant pot used for the above-stated pot plant stand according to the present invention, which includes: a partition wall dividing an interior of the plant pot into a central planting section and a surrounding vent section at a height position lower than an outer wall, and having no air permeability; an air hole penetrating the outer wall at a position lower than an upper edge of the partition wall; and water holes penetrating a base plate of the plant pot, a bottom of the partition wall and/or a bottom of the outer wall to thereby communicate the planting section, the vent section and an exterior of the plant pot with one another at a position lower than the vent hole.
[0019] Further, a plant pot according to the invention includes: a partition wall dividing an interior of the plant pot into a planting section and a vent section, and having no air permeability; a water hole penetrating a base plate of the planting section; water holes communicating the planting section with the vent section on a bottom of the plant pot; and an air hole communicating the vent section with an exterior of the plant pot at a position higher than the water holes, characterized in that the planting section and the vent section of the plant pot are filled with soil.
[0020] The water holes of the plant pot having the above-stated structure can be provided in the bottom of the partition wall, the bottoms of the planting section and the vent section, or the bottoms of the planting section and the side wall of the vent section, and they can be provided in plural or in combination. The vent holes are preferably provided as many vertical slits or small holes distributed vertically and horizontally in the lower portion of the outer wall. Among the slit or small holes, those under the water surface of the water contained in the water container serve as air holes and those on the water surface serve as air holes. The partition wall preferably has such a height as to be lower than the outer wall so as not to appear on the upper surface of the soil when filling the soil into the plant pot.
[0021] It is necessary that water and the air are held in the soil in which phanerophytes are rooted. The root of an ordinary phanerophyte is rotten and the phanerophyte is withered if it is held for long time with its root dipped into water. In the soil of the plant pot having the bottom dipped with water, the water that is sucked up by the capillary action as well as the air are being held. If the air is caused to pass through the soil which holds the water and air in this state, then the water transpires, the water content of the soil decreases, and the plant root cannot absorb sufficient water.
[0022] According to the pot plant stand of the present invention, when the fan is driven to cause the room air to pass through the soil of the plant pot, the air does not pass through the central or planting section of the plant pot defined by the partition wall. Due to this, the water in the soil of the central or planting section through which the root of the plant grows is not taken out by the pass-through air. Even if a large quantity of air constantly passes through the soil, the plant does not wither away because of the dried soil.
[0023] On the other hand, organic matters produced in the central or planting section and microorganisms multiplied therein are diffused into the water and active even in the soil of the peripheral or vent section. The soil on the water surface of the vent section is deprived of moisture content by the pass-through air one after another, and new water rises and enters the soil by the capillary action. Thanks to this action, the air which passes through the peripheral or vent section is always affected by the action of the microorganisms in the soil, thus obtaining an effective air purification action.
[0024] It is preferable that the water is caused to pass through the soil as near the water surface as possible, and it is, therefore, desirable that the air holes are opened to the portions right on the water surface of the water contained in the water container. This water surface moves up and down by the repetition of supply and transpiration of water. Therefore, if the vertical slits or small holes distributed vertically and horizontally are provided in the lower portion of the outer wall, those on the water surface among the slits or small holes act as air holes. Consequently, even if the water surface moves up and down, the most preferable vent state can be obtained.
[0025] It is preferable that the height of the partition wall is such that the partition wall does not appear on the surface of the soil filled into the plant pot. In addition, for the smooth movement of the organic matters and microorganisms, it is considered that the air holes are preferably provided in the bottom of the partition wall.
[0026] For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein:
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[0037] An outer flange
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[0042] When the water container
[0043] The ring-like cover
[0044] When pouring water into the plant pot installed in the water container
[0045] If the pot plant stand with the above-stated structure is installed in a room and the fan
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[0048] According to the pot plant stand in this second embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the fan
[0049] The pot plant stand according to the present invention can be used as a partition for defining a smoker-permitted reception room provided on a non-smoking floor or as a smoke divider (smoker's table) in a smoking corner. In this case, as shown in
[0050] In this example, three plant pots
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[0052] In the pot plant stand, if the plant pot
[0053] The pot plant stand with the above-stated structure requires only small installation space and simple operation for the exchange of plants. The pot plant stand described in this document is also comprised of a light source (an incandescent lamp)
[0054] In this document, protection measures for protecting the soil put in the plant pot
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[0102] The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.