Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Including supply holder for material – To be mixed – dissolved or entrained in a flowing liquid...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-11
2004-12-07
Nguyen, Dinh Q. (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Including supply holder for material
To be mixed, dissolved or entrained in a flowing liquid...
C239S317000, C239S500000, C137S268000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06827292
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fertilizer dispenser and a system which uses the fertilizer dispenser, for watering a garden and, in particular, to a two chambered fertilizer dispenser mixes the fertilizer with the water and which can be used with a system, which can be provided in a kit, which directs seepage watering to shrubs and trees while preventing watering of areas of the garden not requiring water and which system also simultaneously permits controlled fertilization of the shrubs and trees being watered.
2. Prior Art and Objects
One of the best ways to water plants, trees and shrubs is by slow soaking the ground around the plant, tree or shrub. Hoses which permit such slow soaking by seepage through the pores of the hose, rather than through orifices, are known. However, even running a soak hose through a garden still wastes water when the desire is to water specific plants, shrubs and trees and not the spaces between the plants, shrubs and trees.
Various equipment has previously been provided for watering purposes and for fertilization purposes. The Hruby, Jr. patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,091,401, shows a sprinkler system for a collection of plants in a garden or area. Water is sprayed onto each plant but no soak hose is shown. Spaced nozzles mounted on a solid conduit provide a spray onto specific plants. The device must be custom made for each garden to assure the presence of a nozzle at the location of the shrub or tree to be watered and thus the device lacks flexibility.
The Nelson patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,185,397, is an individual spraying device. Two versions are shown, one of which opens and closes like a clamp while the other is a fixed unit. This device is a spray and not a soak device and is intended expressly to spray the underside of the leaves of the plants.
The Overbey patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,357 teaches a fertilizer injection system for an irrigation system but not a garden soaking system. However, Overbey provides for a pump downstream of the fertilizer unit thus providing suction to the fertilizer unit which is not part of this invention.
The Cattaneo et. al. patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,791 is directed to a irrigation system that compensates for pressure drop in an extended watering line. It provides sporadic spraying by filling a reservoir and then releasing the retained water. These features are also neither taught nor claimed in this invention.
The Leap patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,111 shows two short lengths of watering hose extending from a valve to wrap around a tree. The two short lengths of watering hose have apertures to permit water flow. A supply hose would be connected to the valve. This invention uses a continuous watering hose which is connected in series and not in parallel.
These patents do not disclose multiple soaker units connected in series with a device for supplying fertilizer to the plants, shrubs and trees being watered. In particular, a system that can be produced in an inexpensive kit form with multiple lengths of soaker hose and a fertilizer dispenser that mixes the fertilizer with the water for use with the watering system.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a system for simultaneously watering a series of plants, shrubs and trees.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a system for simultaneously watering a series of plants, shrubs and trees that is readily capable of being sold in a kit form.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a system for simultaneously watering a series of plants, shrubs and trees that includes a fertilizer dispensing unit.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a system for simultaneously watering and fertilizing a series of plants, shrubs and trees that is economical and dependable.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a fertilizer dispenser for providing fertilization while watering.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide a fertilizer dispenser that is dependable and economical.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art based upon the description of the preferred embodiment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A fertilizer dispenser is provided to be used in series between a water source and soak hoses. The flow into the fertilizer dispenser enters the fertilizer dispenser towards the top of a fertilizer vessel in which fertilizer is placed and flows out of the fertilizer vessel at the base of the fertilizer vessel mixed with the fertilizer. Means are provided to prevent the back flow of fertilizer into the water supply and to prevent flow back into the fertilizer vessel. The fertilizer vessel is separated by a baffle into two compartments, namely an inlet compartment where the fertilizer is placed, and an outlet compartment which continues the mixing of the water and the fertilizer before discharging the mixture. The flow of water into the fertilizer vessel is divided with one part of the flow being directed into the inlet compartment and the balance of the flow is directed into the outlet compartment. Comparatively short but variable lengths of soak hose are also provided to be wrapped about a plant, shrubs and trees. Supply hoses are connected in series to the soak hoses.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3091401 (1963-05-01), Hruby, Jr.
patent: 3185397 (1965-05-01), Nelson
patent: 3669357 (1972-06-01), Overby
patent: 3992813 (1976-11-01), Freshel
patent: 4176791 (1979-12-01), Cattaneo et al.
patent: 4210624 (1980-07-01), Price
patent: 4347224 (1982-08-01), Beckert et al.
patent: 4729399 (1988-03-01), Wetzel et al.
patent: 4778111 (1988-10-01), Leap
patent: 5121882 (1992-06-01), Skidmore
patent: 5823430 (1998-10-01), Clark et al.
Catalog—Soarer Hose.
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