Dispensing – With discharge assistant – Container with follower
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-18
2001-02-20
Derakshani, Philippe (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
With discharge assistant
Container with follower
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189743
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates generally to method and apparatus for dispensing fluid on overhead plants.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
For aesthetic as well as air quality related health reasons, a typical office or residential environment generally includes a large number of plants. Maintenance of such plants generally includes dispensing fluids on such plants regularly, including water, and liquid fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides, as well as admixtures of the same.
Plants are often placed out of the reach of a person of ordinary height. For example, containers for plants are often suspended from the ceiling or placed on the top of bookshelves or the like. Currently individuals responsible for maintaining such plants use a ladder or chair to remove such plants from their elevated position for maintenance, or alternatively use a ladder or chair to reach the plants and dispense water, and liquid fertilizers, herbicides or insecticides directly onto the plant using some form of dispenser such as a watering can. Dispensing these liquids in this fashion is not only cumbersome but also constitutes a safety hazard as there is a risk that the individuals maintaining the plants in this way might injure themselves while mounting and dismounting the ladder or pedestal. Particularly where a large number of plants need to be maintained, the risk of injury is not negligible. The risk of injury is still greater where the individuals maintaining the plants are of an agility that is less than average due to advanced age or infirmity. Furthermore, there is a risk of spillage onto the floor when dispensing liquids on overhead plants.
Various devices are known for dispensing liquids required for maintenance of plants. None, however, are known which disclose means for addressing the aforenoted problem. There is a need therefore for a fluid dispensing device particularly for use with respect to overhead plants. There is a further need for such a fluid dispensing device which is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to operate.
Numerous devices are known for dispensing liquids required for the maintenance of plants. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 216,808 issued to A. Schrader on Jun. 24, 1879 relates to a plant sprinkler in which a rose sprinkler is combined with a bulb, a flexible tube, and coupling valves, and in which a loose collar at the lower coupling valve is provided with a hook for suspending a small pail containing the water or other liquid with which the plant is to be sprinkled, so that said pail will be suspended in its proper position to the sprinkler, and can be moved from place to place and introduced among plants while the watering progresses.
U.S. Pat. No. 697,572 issued to Fred C. Hutchings on Aug. 15, 1899 relates to a sprayer whereby insect-destroying liquid may be thrown or sprayed in considerable quantities from a tank which comprises a pole having a delivery pipe, tank attached to one end of said pole, and force pump associated with said pole and tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,407,689 issued to Clyde A. Batterson on Feb. 28, 1992 relates to an implement for destroying weeds which includes not only means for cutting the root of a weed, but also means for forcibly ejecting a measured quantity of poisonous liquid into said root. Said implement includes a barrel adapted to hold liquid; disk at the lower end of the barrel and partly closing said end; nozzle member enclosing said disk and said barrel, and holding the disk in position, said disk having a central aperture, a rod reciprocable within the barrel and having a valve fast thereto, said valve being seated on the lower face of the disk when the rod is pulled upwardly; bore provide in the nozzle section and furnishing a second valve seat opposing the disk; counterbore or reduced diameter leading off from the bore; second counterbore leading off from the first counterbore and being of less diameter than the first counterbore; and discharge vent connected with the lower end of the second counterbore, said rod having an extension beyond the valve, said extension being reciprocable within the discharge vent.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,984,340 issued to Alexander Goulard and Harold G. Olena on Dec. 11, 1934 relates to an improved hand operable spray pump comprising a container for holding a quantity of liquid to be sprayed by the pump; means for attaching the pump to said container; wire support pivotally secured to the handle end of the pump cylinder, said support being of a height determined by the height of the container to which the pump is attached so that it, together with the container, forms means for maintaining the pump in a substantial horizontal position when placed on a level surface; and said support being foldable against the pump cylinder when the pump is in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,994 issued on Feb. 22, 1994 to James R. Dempsey relates to a selective liquid distribution device comprising an elongated reservoir tube member, including a top and bottom end and internal reservoir extending along the length thereof; at least a portion of the elongated reservoir tube members associated with the transparent portion of the reservoir tube, including volume identification markings for indicating a liquid volume within the reservoir tube by visual alignment of the meniscus of a column of liquid in the reservoir tube with said identification markings; dispenser valve means on the bottom end of the tube, normally closed to retain liquid within the reservoir tube member selectively opening responsive to axial force applied thereto in a direction toward the top end of the tube to permit dispensing of liquid from within the elongated reservoir tube member; filler means on the elongated reservoir and; and vent adjacent the top end of the tube and opening the internal reservoir to the surrounding atmosphere to facilitate free drainage of liquid from the reservoir responsive to opening of the dispenser valve means.
Finally, others have utilized a hose reel waterer which comprises a coiled hose that can be attached at one end to a faucet and has at the other end a hollow wand for watering plants.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention is to provide a fluid dispensing device for overhead plants.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a fluid dispensing device comprising a container for holding a fluid having a first end and second end opposite to the first end, and plunger operably associated with said container. Said container further comprises an outlet for dispensing said fluid disposed at said first end of said container; and a deflecting surface disposed adjacent to said outlet. The plunger is operable to introduce said fluid into said container and dispense said fluid from said container over said deflecting surface and through said outlet.
In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, a fluid dispensing device for overhead plants is disclosed comprising a hollow cylinder having an inner surface, a first end and a second end opposite to said first end, and plunger associated with said hollow cylinder. Said hollow cylinder further includes an outlet for dispensing said fluid at said first end of said hollow cylinder and curved nozzle disposed adjacent to said outlet. Said plunger further comprises a rod; piston attached to said rod, said piston having an outer surface, and said rod and piston being slidably mounted within said hollow cylinder; manually operable sliding means; and sealing means associated with said manually operable sliding means to substantially reduce introduction or evacuation of air or water from said hollow cylinder other than from said outlet when said fluid dispensing device is in use. Said outer surface of said piston frictionally engages said inner surface of said hollow cylinder when said rod and piston are slidably moved within said hollow cylinder. Said rod and piston are moveable in a first direction for introducing said fluid into said hollow cylinder, and in a second direction for dispensing said fluid from said hollow cylinder to said outlet w
Derakshani Philippe
Gierczak Eugene J. A.
Hy-Plant Watering Systems Inc.
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