Plant husbandry – Receptacle for growing medium – Irrigator
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-24
2001-04-24
Poon, Peter M. (Department: 3643)
Plant husbandry
Receptacle for growing medium
Irrigator
Reexamination Certificate
active
06219969
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of horticultural devices and is particularly concerned with a plant containerizing and watering device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Plants of various sorts are being used increasingly in various situations and environments such as dwellings and work environments to beautify the appearance of the area. However, the proper irrigation of plants and especially indoor potted plants, has long been a problem, particularly in situations wherein the plants must remain unattended for prolonged periods of time.
Horticultural experts agree that a preferred method of water and feeding potted plants is by soil capillary action. The well-known capillary action depends on the phenomenon caused by the adhesion of water molecules to a given surface due to surface tension. In the case of plant watering, soil will draw water by capillary action.
Several advantages are provided by such a method. First, watering by use of a sub-irrigated reservoir, particularly by capillary action allows the plant owner to water the plant less frequently. Second, elimination of overhead watering prevents pesticides and other useful products from being washed off the leaves increasing their effective half-life. Third, by using capillary action soil nutrients remain in the soil. Fourth, due to inverted leaching certain compounds such as salt which are harmful to the plant when concentrated near roots will steadily move out of the primary root zone as fresh water rises out of the reservoir. Fifth, overall, plant watering by capillary action creates a beneficial environment for the plant by increasing the humidity level around the plant's foliage.
Some prior art devices have been specifically designed for plant watering by capillary action. However, many of such prior art system are unduly complicated and thus cannot be produced at a reasonable cost.
Another critical problem with prior sub-irrigation plant watering system is the inability to supply sufficient amounts of oxygen to the soil and plant root structure. Indeed, some of the devices do not allow oxygen around the saturated soil and consequently roots deteriorate.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved plant watering system. Advantages of the present invention include the fact that the proposed system provides an inexpensive and simple plant growing system which provides a proper amount of water and oxygen to the plant so as to eliminate the harmful effect caused by over or under watering.
The proposed system provides for a built-in reservoir allowing controlled dispensing of watering liquids. The reservoir although being capable of containing a relatively large volume of water so as to provide for superior autonomy is strategically positioned so as not to deter the crucial esthetical aspect of the overall watering system. In fact, the internal components of the watering system even though the latter provides for relative long autonomy is strategically positioned so as to be concealed at least partially from the viewer's eyes.
One of the main advantages of the present invention resides in that in at least one embodiment the device is specifically adapted to allow for self-watering of the growing mediun contained therein and contact of the latter with surrounding air. In one specific embodiment, the device is configured so as to allow for contact with surrounding air not only about its base wall but also its peripheral walls so as to increase the overall contact surface with surrounding air.
Another advantage resides in that the proposed device allows an intended user to grow the plant in a first environment such as a greenhouse in an inner container part of the device and then transfer the plant within the inner container into an outer container more suitable for transportation and retail. The growing medium remaining inside the inner container reduces the risks of damage to the plant associated with conventional transplanting methods. The advantages associated with the self-watering and peripheral air contact are maintained whether the second container is inserted or not within the first container.
Also, the proposed device has a built-in means for facilitating insertion and withdrawal of the second container to and from the first container. Still further, the proposed device has a built-in means for facilitating insertion and withdrawal of a removable liquid reservoir to and from the inner container. The proposed device provides a convenient removable reservoir adapted to be filled with a suitable irrigation liquid that can be easily filled through a step or ergonomical steps.
The device has a built-in valve system that allows the removable reservoir to selectively empty into a fixed reservoir from which the growing medium may draw the appropriate amount of irrigation liquid. The level within the fixed liquid reservoir is maintained at a relatively constant level by mere static design characteristics thus eliminating complex moving parts so as to reduce the overall manufacturing cost and increase the reliability of the system.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a plant containerizing and watering device for containing a plant growing medium and facilitating irrigation of the growing medium by a liquid, the device comprising in combination a first container, the first container defining a first base wall and a first peripheral wall extending from the first base wall; a second container, the second container defining a second base wall, the second base wall having at least one base wall venting aperture extending therethrough; the second container being configured and sized so as to be at least partially insertable within the first container with the first base wall and the second base walls maintained in a predetermined base wall spaced relationship relative to each other by a base wall spacing means extending therefrom, the first and second base walls defining a base reservoir volume therebetween; a trough extending outwardly from the second base wall, the trough being provided with at least one trough aperture extending therethrough, the though being configured and sized so that the at least one trough aperture is positioned within the base reservoir at a trough aperture distance from the second base wall when the first and second base walls are in the base wall spaced relationship relative to each other; a removable reservoir for containing a variable volume of the liquid, the removable reservoir being configured and sized so as to be at least partially and removably insertable within the second container; a valve means in fluid communication with the removable reservoir for, when the removable reservoir is in an operational position within the second container, selectively and automatically transfering a transfer volume of the liquid from the removable reservoir to a relatively constant volume of the liquid contained within the base reservoir volume so that the surface of the relatively constant volume of the liquid is maintained at a relatively constant base reservoir liquid level that allows fluid communication with the at least one trough aperture while being spaced from the second base wall, whereby when a fraction of the relatively constant volume of the liquid is soaked up through the at least one trough aperture by a capillary action of the growing medium contained in the second container the valve means transfers a corresponding volume of the liquid from the removable reservoir to the base reservoir volume.
Preferably, the removable reservoir includes a removable reservoir base wall and a removable reservoir peripheral wall together defining a removable reservoir hollow enclosure for containing the variable volume of the liquid; a removable reservoir pouring spout extending integrally from the removable reservoir peripheral wall substantially opposite the removable reservoir base wall, the pouring spout defining a pouring aperture and being in fluid communication with the hollow enclosure for allowing discharge of a portion of th
Gellner Jeffrey L.
Poon Peter M.
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