Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-02
2001-03-06
Wu, Daniel J. (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S691600, C340S693500, C047S079000, C073S073000, C324S696000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06198398
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to soil moisture monitoring device. More particularly, the invention relates to a device which warns a caretaker that a plant requires watering, and further indicates when the plant is in grave need of watering.
It is well known that in order for plants to survive, they need water. In particular, the soil in which they are planted must remain moist. Failure to provide the plant with adequate moisture will effect the lifespan of the plant, and will prevent it from reaching its potential. The most intuitive way to keep the soil moist is to water the plant periodically. However, the frequency of watering required to keep the soil moist varies with the environment in which the plant is growing. The soil moisture content can even vary between two potted plants positioned right alongside each other. Accordingly, the plant caretaker must continually manually check the soil of each plant to see if it is in need of watering.
Automatic plant watering devices are available to automate the task of plant watering. However, these devices typically work using timers. Since the soil moisture can depend on so many factors, including atmospheric temperature and humidity, it is usually difficult to predict what an appropriate watering interval will be. Accordingly, such an automatic plant watering system would usually end up watering the plant either too frequently or too infrequently.
Several devices have been proposed which indicate the adequacy or inadequacy of soil moisture. For Example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,417 to Behob et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,678 to Lohoff; U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,098 to Meyer; U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,445 to Burrows and U.S. Pat. No. 4,931,775 to Sheriff all disclose different systems which indicate when the soil is too dry and/or too moist. However, these devices fail to warn the caretaker of the severity of the situation.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to produce a device for monitoring the soil of a plant which indicates to a caretaker when the plant needs to be watered. Accordingly, the invention senses a low moisture condition in the soil, and provides indication by means of a flashing light upon presence of such a condition.
It is another object of the invention to provide a device for monitoring the soil of a plant which indicates how severely the plant needs to be watered. Accordingly, as the soil becomes progressively dryer, the indicating light flashes more rapidly.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for monitoring the soil which is self-contained, so that it may be easily installed in a potted plant, or conveniently moved between several potted plants for measuring or monitoring the moisture level of several such plants.
The invention is a moisture monitoring device, for use in monitoring the soil moisture level of a potted plant, comprising a tubular housing having a proximal end and a distal end. A moisture sensor is located at the distal end, which is ordinarily submerged within the soil of the potted plant. An indicating LED is located at the proximal end, which is normally visible above the soil of the potted plant. A blinker circuit is located within the housing and is capable of controlling illumination of the indicating LED. The moisture sensor modulates the blinker circuit such that as the soil moisture level decreases, the blinker circuit causes the indicating LED to flash more rapidly.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3916678 (1975-11-01), Lohoff
patent: 4020417 (1977-04-01), Brehob et al.
patent: 4130012 (1978-12-01), Lockerby et al.
patent: 4184445 (1980-01-01), Burrows
patent: 4931775 (1990-06-01), Sheriff
patent: 5428348 (1995-06-01), Gault
Goldstein & Canino
Wu Daniel J.
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