Carrier for plant starter pots

Abstract

A carrier for use with a plurality of plant holders has a platform having a top, a bottom and an inner region, the inner region of the platform includes a plurality of container engaging portions integral with the inner region of the platform, each container engaging portion defines an opening through the platform. A rim member is integral with the inner region of the platform and extends around the platform for providing rigidity to the platform.

1 . A carrier for use with a container having a plurality of holders such as plant starter pots, the carrier comprising: 
 a platform having a top, a bottom, and an inner region, the inner region of the platform including:    a plurality of container engaging portions integral with the inner region of the platform, each container engaging portion defining an opening through the platform; and    a rim member integral with the inner region of the platform and extending around the platform for providing rigidity to the platform.    
     
     
         2 . A carrier as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the platform includes apertures through the platform at opposite ends of the platform; and the carrier further comprises: 
 a handle comprising a strap, the strap having opposite ends and aperture engagement structure at opposite ends of the handle for the attachment of the handle to the platform.    
     
     
         3 . A carrier as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each container engaging portion has a plurality of tabs integral with the inner region of the platform for releasably engaging plant holders.  
     
     
         4 . A carrier as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the container engaging portions are longitudinally spaced on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the inner region of the platform.  
     
     
         5 . A carrier as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the container engaging portions are square shaped.  
     
     
         6 . A carrier as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of tabs of the container engaging portions are separated by voids.  
     
     
         7 . A carrier as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of tabs of the container engaging portions are downwardly directed towards the center of the openings in the container engaging portions.  
     
     
         8 . A carrier a's recited in  claim 3 , wherein the perimeters of the tabs of the container engaging portions are X-shaped.  
     
     
         9 . A carrier as recited in  claim 3 , wherein each of the container engaging portions has four tabs.  
     
     
         10 . A carrier as recited in  claim 1 , wherein partial score lines are provided on the top surface of the platform along the intersection of the tabs and the inner region of the platform.  
     
     
         11 . A carrier as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the rim member is downwardly directed away from the platform.  
     
     
         12 . A carrier as recited in  claim 1 , wherein partial score lines are provided on the top surface of the platform along the intersection of the inner region of the platform and the rim member.  
     
     
         13 . A carrier as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said aperture engagement structure for connecting the handle to the apertures in the platform include pronged handle ends, the pronged handle ends having a groove that enables the pronged handle ends to engage the apertures at opposite ends of the platform and thereby attach the handle to the carrier.  
     
     
         14 . A carrier as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is composed of a polymeric material.  
     
     
         15 . A carrier as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, polyethylene (PET), high density polyethylene (HDPE), and nylon polymer.  
     
     
         16 . A container carrier comprising: 
 a platform having a top, a bottom, and an inner region, the inner region of the platform including;    a plurality of container engaging portions integral with the inner region of the platform, each container engaging portion defining an opening through the platform and having a plurality of tabs integral with the inner region of the platform for releasably engaging plant holders;    a plurality of plantable pots respectively housed within the individual container engaging portions in the platform; and    a rim member integral with the inner region of the platform and extending around the platform for providing rigidity to the platform.    
     
     
         17 . A container carrier as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the platform has opposite ends and apertures through the platform at such opposite ends thereof: 
 a handle comprising a strap, the strap having opposite ends and aperture engagement structure on such opposite strap ends for engaging the apertures at opposite ends of the platform for the attachment of the handle to the platform.    
     
     
         18 . A container carrier as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the container engaging portions are longitudinally spaced on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the inner region of the platform.  
     
     
         19 . A container carrier as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the container engaging portions are square shaped.  
     
     
         20 . A container carrier as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of tabs of the container engaging portions are separated by voids.  
     
     
         21 . A container carrier as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of tabs of the container engaging portions are downwardly directed towards the center of the openings in the container engaging portions.  
     
     
         22 . A container carrier as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the perimeters of the tabs of the container engaging portions are X-shaped.  
     
     
         23 . A container carrier as recited in  claim 16 , wherein each of the container engaging portions has four tabs.  
     
     
         24 . A container carrier as recited in  claim 16 , wherein partial score lines are provided on the top surface of the platform along the intersection of the tabs and the inner region of the platform.  
     
     
         25 . A container carrier as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the rim member is downwardly directed away from the platform.  
     
     
         26 . A container carrier as recited in  claim 16 , wherein partial score lines are provided on the top surface of the platform along the intersection of the inner region of the platform and the rim member.  
     
     
         27 . A container carrier as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said aperture engagement structure comprises pronged handle ends, the pronged handle ends having a groove that enables the pronged handle ends to engage the apertures at opposite ends of the platform to thereby attach the handle to the carrier.  
     
     
         28 . A container carrier as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the plantable pots housed within the individual container engaging portions in the platform are shaped such that they have a wider upper portion than lower portion.  
     
     
         29 . A container carrier as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the carrier is composed of a polymeric material.  
     
     
         30 . A container carrier as recited in  claim 29 , wherein said polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, polyethylene (PET), high density polyethylene (HDPE), and nylon polymer.  
     
     
         31 . A method for manufacturing a carrier for use with a plurality of holders, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a substantially planar sheet of flexible material;    forming an inner region of a platform from the sheet of flexible material;    forming a plurality of openings through the inner region of the platform that are longitudinally spaced on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the inner region of the platform, each opening having one or more voids extending from the perimeter of the opening, the voids defining one or more tabs surrounding the opening;    forming a rim member that surrounds the platform and is integral with the inner region of the platform;    severing the rim member and the inner region from the sheet of flexible material;    downwardly bending the tabs defined by the voids extending from the perimeter of openings; and    downwardly bending the rim member.    
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising the steps of scoring the top surface of the platform along the intersections where the tabs connect to the inner region of the platform and scoring the top surface of the platform along the intersections where the rim member connects to the inner region of the platform.  
     
     
         33 . A method for manufacturing a carrier in accordance with  claim 31 , and further comprising the steps of: 
 forming apertures through the platform, the apertures being formed at a predetermined distance from each other at opposite ends of the platform;    forming a handle with pronged ends from the sheet of flexible material; and    severing the handle from the material.    
     
     
         34 . A carrier for transporting a plurality of plant holders produced in accordance with the method of  claim 31 .  
     
     
         35 . A carrier for transporting a plurality of plant holders produced in accordance with the method of  claim 31 .  
     
     
         36 . A container carrier comprising: 
 a platform having a top, a bottom, and an inner region, the inner region of the platform including a plurality of container engaging portions integral with the inner region of the platform, each container engaging portion defining an opening through the platform for releasably engaging plant holders, and the platform defining a central aperture for receiving and retaining a handle end.    
     
     
         37 . The container carrier of  claim 36 , and further comprising a handle, the handle having opposed ends, one end having a gripable portion and the opposite end having a detent mechanism for engaging the aperture in the platform.