Combination Plant Holder and Light Globe

Hanging baskets for plants or flowers are well known articles of decoration. Overhead light fixtures and wall fixtures with downwardly shining light are also well known illuminating devices. Insofar as is known, the two functions of plant holder and light globe have never been combined into a single article of manufacture where there is a downwardly shining light, although the mere thought of such a combination would probably be considered highly desirable by most persons who enjoy having plant life around them.

The only combined plant holder and lamp that is known is U.S. Design Pat. No. 247,356 to Wright, but this is merely a floor standing ornamental structure not an overhead light as comprehended in the present invention.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel plant holder. It is another object of this invention to provide a novel light globe. It is still another object of this invention to provide a fixture that both serves as a hanging plant holder or a wall attached plant holder and as a light globe. Still other objects will become apparent from the more detailed description which follows.

This invention relates to a combination plant holder and light globe comprising a vessel having a closed bottom, an open top, and a centrally located recess in the closed bottom extending upwardly into the central interior of the vessel to define a toroidal space opening upwardly and closed downwardly, said vessel being adapted to contain an earth growing plant therein in the toroidal interior of the vessel; said recess at its top including an electric light bulb fixture and being adapted to form an encircling globe for an electric light bulb.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the vessel has a plurality of spaced vents around its closed bottom and a ring-shaped drip catcher is spaced downwardly from the closed bottom to catch any water coming out of the vents. In another preferred embodiment the globe portion of the article has a layer of heat insulation adjacent the lamp to protect against heat buildup in the plant.

The novel features believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view looking downward into the plant holder of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view looking upward into the light globe of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the combination of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken at 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a plant holder employing fluorescent light bulbs; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a plant holder attached to a vertical wall.

The features of this invention can best be appreciated by reference to FIGS. 1-4 of the attached drawings.

In general, the invention is a bowl-shaped vessel 20 having an open top 21, a closed bottom 22, and upper rim 23, and a central conical projection 24 extending upward from the closed bottom 22 to the top 38 of the structure 24 above the upper rim 23. The volume 37 between the outer walls of vessel 20 and the walls of projection 24 form a toroidal space for holding a plant, e.g., ivy which can hang over rim 23 and downward as far as is desirable.

The inside of projecting structure 24 is a recess 25 with a large opening to adjacent closed bottom 22 and a small opening at upper end 38. In this recess 25 is placed a light bulb to shine its light downward. In general, it is preferred that light globe wall 34 have a reflective surface 36 and that a layer 35 of heat insulation material be applied to wall 34 to prevent any excessive heat buildup in wall 34 that might damage the plant in space 37. Insulation layer 35 should be next to wall 34 and reflective layer 36 on the outside of insulation layer 35.

Preferably, vessel 20 is hung from an overhead support, such as a chain 39. In order to make such a support safe, it is recommended that the bottom link of the chain 39 be attached to an adapter 29 having a half link 30 welded thereto. Adapter 29 may also have rigidly affixed to its lower surface a light socket 31 adapted to receive the screw threads of a light bulb 26. Adapter 29 may be fitted with a lateral ledge 40 extending radially outward to receive a corresponding inward projecting ledge 41 on upper end 38 of projection 24. It should be recognized that there may be other connecting means for hanging vessel 20 from chain 39, e.g., by screw thread connection to permit vessel 20 with its plant to be removed from socket 31 and bulb 26 for cleaning, watering, fertilizing, or the like. A splined connection could also be used whereby vessel 20 could be turned with respect to adapter 29 until the lands in vessel 20 can slide vertically through the grooves in adapter 29 to separate the two. A "splined connection" is one involving two contacting surfaces, usually both being cylindrical, wherein each surface is machined to produce a plurality of spaced parallel grooves separated by a plurality of spaced parallel lands; the lands of one surface slidably fitting into the grooves of the other surface.

In preferred structure closed bottom 22 is punctured with a plurality of vents 27 passing through the wall of bottom 22 to permit excess water to drain away from the plant roots. To accommodate the drippage, a ring cover 28 is suspended slightly below vents 27. Cover 28 should be attached to vessel by any suitable means including screws, bolts, hooks, etc. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, strips 33 extend across the top of cover 28 at several spaced locations and are adhesively attached to the outside of bottom 22. Heat welding or an additive glue may be employed for such a purpose.

An optional feature is to include a transparent ring opening 47 to permit light from bulb 26 to shine through and illuminate the plant from the interior. Interesting light effects can be produced in this fashion. This can be accomplished by merely eliminating coatings 35 and 36 at the general location desired, when the vessel is made of transparent plastic. If the vessel is made of opaque material, a passageway can be cut through the wall at this location and covered by transparent plastic film, sheet, or glass.

In FIG. 5 there is shown another embodiment of this invention. Vessel 20 is generally rectangular in shape, and ring cover 28 is also rectangular in order to catch dripping from vents in the closed bottom of vessel 20. Recess 25 is also rectangular in order to accommodate two fluorescent light bulbs 42 as the light source. Plant 44 is in the toroidal interior of vessel 20, which is suspended from above by chains 39. It is, of course, entirely acceptable to form vessel 20 into any shape, whether it be curved or angular, so long as it can accommodate a central structure 24 for a lamp globe. The vessel may be rectangular and central structure 24 be a smoothly contoured conical arrangement; or vice versa, the outer vessel 20 may be curved as circular, elliptical, or the like, while the recess 25 is angular, as rectangular, triangular, star shaped, or the like.

In FIG. 6 there is shown a combination plant holder and light globe which has a plant 45 growing out of the upper open end of vessel 20, and a recess 25 for a light bulb at the bottom of vessel 20. In this instance the combination is affixed to a vertical wall by bracket 43 instead of being suspended from chains. Light 46 shines downward from this design as it does in all others of this invention. There is no cover 28 in this design. In place thereof a small plastic pot to hold the plant and to contain the water drippage may be used to fit into the open top of vessel 20.

It will be appreciated that vessel 20 may be molded in plastic as a single one-piece article, or it may be fabricated by fastening various preshaped parts to each other. Vessel 20 may be made of metal, wood, plastic, glass, or a woven basket construction (if a suitable water proof liner is also employed).

While the invention has been described with respect to certain specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that many modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended, therefore, by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.