Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Including supply holder for material – Follower in holder
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-22
2003-12-30
Hwu, Davis (Department: 3643)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Including supply holder for material
Follower in holder
C239S321000, C239S581200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06669113
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to plant watering devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to plant watering devices that provide water to plants located in hard-to-reach locations. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to plant watering devices that do not need immediate connection to a water source, or to an external power source.
To properly care for plants, it is necessary to provide water to the plant's soil and to spray the plant's leaves at periodic intervals. Many portable watering devices have been developed in an attempt to assist persons in carrying water to the plants and plant's soil. For example, “house” plant watering is normally accomplished through the use of a pitcher or similar water carrying vessel that is tilted by the user to deliver water to a plant. Unfortunately, watering pitchers are not well constructed for delivering water to hanging plants, or to plants which are situated in locations that are difficult to access. In addition, manually held pitchers are not well suited for plants which have foliage extending beyond the perimeter of the plant's container. In order to deliver water to the plant container, the user must penetrate the foliage with the pitcher, or position the pitcher directly above the plant container, and pour the water through the foliage. This process can result in plant damage, or significant spilling of water.
Additional plant watering devices have been developed which incorporate hand operated or electrically driven pumps for pumping water to plants. These systems are typically extremely complicated and expensive to manufacture. Moreover, the electrically driven watering devices require expensive batteries, or an electrical outlet to be located within the vicinity of the plants which need to be watered.
Another common method for watering plants incorporates the use of a watering hose connected to a pressurized water source such as a traditional water spigot. Unfortunately, watering hoses can be very heavy, and are limited by their lengths such that plants a distance greater than the length of the hose from a watering spigot, cannot be watered.
None of the above described watering devices are well suited for watering plants in hard-to-reach places. Moreover, none of these plant watering devices typically provide a means for measuring the amount of water to be supplied to plants.
Thus, it would be highly desirable to provide a plant watering device that supplies water to plants located in hard-to-reach places.
It would also be desirable to provide a plant watering device that can be controlled to accurately supply a desired amount of water to plants.
In addition, it would be desirable to provide a plant watering device that is portable and that does not require electrical power or direct connection to a water source.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, in accordance with the invention, I provide a plant watering device that includes an elongate hollow tube having a central cavity. The hollow tube is preferably constructed of a substantially translucent material, such as a translucent acrylic plastic or polycarbonate plastic. In addition, the hollow tube preferably includes a plurality of markings identifying volumetric measurements reflecting the amount of water located within the hollow tube. The elongate hollow tube of the present invention is at least twenty four inches long. Even more preferably, the elongate hollow tube is thirty inches long, or even significantly longer.
The elongate hollow tube includes a first end having an opening. Connected to the opening is a flexible fluid carrying hose in fluid communication with the elongate hollow tube. The flexible hose has a proximal end and distal end, with the proximal end being connected to the elongate hollow tube's opening. The portable watering device further includes a nozzle secured to the distal end of the flexible hose. Preferably, the nozzle includes an impedance valve for impeding unintentional release of water from the plant watering device.
The plant watering device also includes a piston located within the hollow tube's central cavity. The piston is connected to a handle by a rod so that manual manipulation of the handle causes the piston to slide along the length of the elongate hollow tube. Preferably, the piston includes an O-ring positioned around its periphery to form a seal with the inner sidewalls of the elongate hollow tube.
In operation, water is drawn into the elongate hollow tube by first positioning the nozzle within a freestanding water source, such as a bucket or sink full of water. The plant water device's handle is then pulled rearwardly to force the piston from the distal extremity of the hollow tube towards the hollow tube's proximal extremity. Water is thereby suctioned from the water source through the flexible hose and into the elongate hollow tube. To water plants, a person simply places the watering device's nozzle adjacent to plant soil or plant leaves and forces the plant watering device's handle, rod and piston towards the elongate tube's distal extremity. The movement of the piston forces water from the hollow tube through the flexible hose and out the nozzle. Due to the length of the hollow tube and flexibility of the hose, the nozzle can be positioned adjacent to extremely difficult to reach places.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the nozzle is detachable from the flexible hose so that nozzles of various constructions can be attached to the flexible hose depending on the plants that need to be watered, and the flexible hose is detachable from the elongate hollow tube so that the flexible tube may replaced. In an additional embodiment of the invention, the plant watering device further includes an extension pipe which may be attached and detached to the watering device between the elongate hollow tube and flexible hose for extending the overall length of the plant watering device.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a manually operated plant watering device that enables persons to water plants in hard-to-reach places.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a plant watering device that can accurately supply a desired amount of water to a plant.
These and other more specific objects and advantages of the invention would be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings.
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Drummond & Duckworth
Hwu Davis
LandOfFree
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