Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02480958 2007-03-28
COMBINATION GARDENING RACK
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a combination gardening rack and, more
specifically, to a combination gardening rack that is able to adjust the
height of the
horizontal level between layers, thereby allowing a user to adjust the height
based
on the growth of the plant.
Description of the Prior Art
A combination gardening rack of the prior art, as shown in FIG. 6, consists
of several frame members (a), several combining connectors (b) and a hood (c);
the frame members (a) further subdivide into vertical frame members al,
horizontal frame members a2, a top frame member a3 and frame boards a4.
Every vertical frame member al can connect to more vertical frame members al,
while every combining connector (b) has vertical and horizontal connecting
holes
b1 and b2, which, do not lead and connect to each other. The hood (c) is made
of
plastic or netting to wrap over the rack.
With an assembly based on the structure described above, the height
between two-frame boards a4 is limited and fixed by the length of the vertical
frame members al. However the distance cannot be adjusted after assembly.
Different plants have different heights so the fixed height frame boards
design of
the prior art cannot meet the different height requirement of a variety of
plants.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide a combination
gardening rack that is able to adjust the height of the horizontal level
between
layers, thereby allowing a user to adjust the height based on the growth of
the
plant.
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It is another object for the invention to provide a combination gardening
rack in which the combining connector has two horizontal connecting holes on
two
sides of each hollow vertical connecting hole and formed in one body of the
same
material, or four independent vertical connecting holes on the four corners of
the
rack.
It is still another object for the invention to provide a combination
gardening
rack in which a threaded diameter-reducing collar extends from the bottom of
the
vertical connecting hole of the combining connectors and a threaded locking
nut is
integrated with the threaded collar to lock or loosen the combining connector.
In order to achieve the objective set forth, a combination gardening rack in
accordance with the present invention comprises several frame members, several
combining connectors and a hood. The major feature of the present invention is
that the combining connectors have vertical and horizontal connecting holes
with
the same diameter, with the vertical connecting hole extending through the
combining connector. A threaded diameter-reducing collar extends from the
bottom of the vertical connecting hole and a threaded locking nut is
integrated with
the threaded collar.
With an assembly based on the structure described above, users can apply
the threaded collars and locking nuts to assemble the frame members and the
combining connectors together at any height on the vertical frame members,
thereby allowing the height between the layers of the rack to be adjusted.
Certain exemplary embodiments may provide a combination gardening
rack comprising: a hood to cover said combination gardening rack; a plurality
of
vertical frame members connected to said hood; a plurality of horizontal frame
members; and a plurality of combining connectors joining said plurality of
vertical
and horizontal frame members, wherein each of said combining connectors
comprise vertical and horizontal connecting holes, and wherein each of said
vertical connecting holes extends through said combining connector, and
wherein
a threaded diameter-reducing collar extends from the bottom of each of said
vertical connecting holes and receives a threaded locking nut, and wherein a
selected one of said plurality of vertical frame members is received into a
selected
one of said vertical connecting holes for locking engagement.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accomplishment of the above-mentioned objects of the present
invention will become apparent from the following description and its
accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 4 is another application view of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is an assembly view of a further embodiment of the present
invention; and
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the prior art.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the present invention comprises
several frame members 10, several combining connectors 20 and a hood 30. The
major feature of the present invention is that the combining connectors 20
have
vertical and horizontal connecting holes 21, 22 with the same diameter, with
the
vertical connecting hole 21 extending through the combining connector 20. A
diameter-reducing collar 23 extends out from the bottom of the vertical
connecting
hole 21 and a locking nut 24 is integrated with the diameter-reducing collar
23.
Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the frames 10 of the combination gardening
rack I subdivides into several vertical frame members 11, several horizontal
frame members 12, a top frame 13 and several frame boards 14. The length of
the vertical frame members 11 is close to the length of the rack, while the
external
diameter of the vertical frame members 11 corresponds to the internal diameter
of
the vertical connecting holes 21 of the combining connectors 20. The combining
connectors 20 (as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG.3) are horizontal rod shaped in the
present application, with a vertical connecting hole 21 and a horizontal
connecting
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hole 22 positioned on each end of the combining connectors 20. The diameter-
reducing collar 23 is on the bottom of the vertical connecting hole 21 and the
locking nut 24 is integrated with the diameter-reducing collar 23.
Several vertical relief cuts 231 are on the bottom of the diameter-reducing
collar 23, with threads 232 above the vertical relief cuts 231. The locking
nut 24 is
in round shape, with another set of threads 241, corresponding to the threads
232,
formed inside the locking nut 24. A protruding inner circumference 242 is
formed
in the bottom of the locking nut 24. During locking, threads 232 engage
threads 241 and the protruding inner circumference 242 presses the diameter-
reducing collar 23 to change the diameter and lock the diameter-reducing
collar 23 onto vertical frame member 11.
With an assembly based on the structure described above, every layer
uses the horizontal connecting holes 22 of two combining connectors 20 and
four
vertical frame members 11 pass through the vertical connecting holes 21. Pairs
of
horizontal frame members 12 are then inserted into the pair of corresponding
horizontal connecting holes 22. After adjustment of the horizontal position,
users
can fix the structure with the locking nuts 24 integral to the diameter-
reducing
collars 23. Another layer can then be assembled following the same procedure
to
form a rectangular structure. The rack is complete after the top frame 13, the
frame boards 14 and the hood 30 are assembled. In use, users can loosen and
lock the four locking nuts 24 of one layer and the height of that layer can be
adjusted by moving it along the four vertical frame members 11.
FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show another exemplary embodiment where the
combining connector 20 is modified into two orthogonal horizontal connecting
holes 22 (Y and Z-axis directions) on two sides of the hollow vertical
connecting
hole 21 (X-axis direction). A threaded diameter-reducing collar 23 and a
locking
nut 24 are positioned beneath the vertical connecting hole 21. To assemble the
structure, four vertical frame members 11 are inserted into the vertical
connecting
holes 21 of the combining connectors 20 and horizontal frame members 12 are
inserted into the corresponding horizontal connecting holes 22. After
adjustment
of the horizontal position, users can fix the structure with the locking nuts
24
integral to the threaded diameter-reducing collar 23. To complete another
layer
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assembly, the same procedure is followed to complete the structure of the rack
of
the present invention.
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and
described in detail, it will be readily understood and appreciated that
numerous
omissions, changes and additions may be made without departing from the spirit
and scope of the invention.
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