CA2146176A1 - Plant tender - Google Patents
Plant tenderInfo
- Publication number
- CA2146176A1 CA2146176A1 CA002146176A CA2146176A CA2146176A1 CA 2146176 A1 CA2146176 A1 CA 2146176A1 CA 002146176 A CA002146176 A CA 002146176A CA 2146176 A CA2146176 A CA 2146176A CA 2146176 A1 CA2146176 A1 CA 2146176A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- plant
- tender
- armature
- water
- plant tender
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
- A01G27/00—Self-acting watering devices, e.g. for flower-pots
- A01G27/005—Reservoirs connected to flower-pots through conduits
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
- A01G9/00—Cultivation in receptacles, forcing-frames or greenhouses; Edging for beds, lawn or the like
- A01G9/02—Receptacles, e.g. flower-pots or boxes; Glasses for cultivating flowers
- A01G9/022—Pots for vertical horticulture
- A01G9/024—Hanging flower pots and baskets
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
- Cultivation Receptacles Or Flower-Pots, Or Pots For Seedlings (AREA)
- Hydroponics (AREA)
- Cultivation Of Plants (AREA)
Abstract
A plant tender delivers light to the foliage and water and nutrients to the roots of a plant growing in a container and embedded in an anchoring medium contained in the container. The plant tender has an armature positioned adjacent to the plant and formed with a conduit for electrical power. A reservoir is provided in physical contact with the container, armature or anchoring medium. The reservoir supplies water and nutrients to the roots. An artificial light source is supported by the armature and irradiates the foliage. A controller establishes a duty cycle of the light source and controls both the duty cycle and the delivery of water and nutrients. In certain embodiments, the positions of the plants and lights can be adjusted, and fish are grown in symbiotic relation to the plants.
Description
.
PLANT TENDER
Field of ~he Invention This invention relates to plant tenders and ~ore particularly to a novel and highly effective plant tender that auto~atically tends plants, especially indoor plants, 'or extended periods without the attention of a hu~an attendant.
~escri~tion of the Pr~or Art Plznts are essential for many -ezsons, including human survival. In general, outdoor plants fend for the~selves, though of course under certain circumstznces they must be irrigz.2d, weeded, pruned, or other~ise tended in order to survive or in order to confor~ to hu~an designs. Fa~ crops, orchards, znd vesetable and flower ga-dens a_e exa-ples o~ outdoor plants that require, or at any rate often receive, regular tending ~y humans.
It is indoor plants, however, that re~ire the mos~ assiduous tending. Many indoor plants zre adapted to thrive with lit~le water and light, but all need some of each in order to survive, and indoors there i5 no rain and often little light. Indoor plants must therefore be watered and either plzced in a roor with a window, skylisht or other ~.eans for admitting outdoor light or irradiated with ar~ificizl light.
Despite the need to tend indoor plants, they have always been very pop~lar. People have al~zys agreed that they can provide beauty and a pleasant aro~a; and today ~any value them for their ability to absorb pollutants, thereby purifying the air.
Indoor plants now assume inc~eas2d i~portance because of the recent e~phasis on "tight~' construction of houses, office buildings and other buildings in order to conserve ene-gy.
Modern const_uction admits less ou~side air than drafty older construction, a~d indoor air pollu'ion in r.any modern buildings is often much worse than outdoor ai- pollution. The ter~ "sick-building syndro~e" (53S), has been coir.ed to identify this problem. Concern about SBS has given ne~ i~petus to indoor horticulture.
Various aids to tendinc plan~s indoors have been developed. The_e is for exa,..ple a lig:-,t sou~ce ~ounted on a telescopic support that can be extended as the plant grows, thereby keeping the light source close to the top of the plant as it grows. There are also various lighted containers within 2:1~6t7~
which plants can be fu!ly enclosed. The~e have also been proposals for zu~0~2tic irrigztion or watering of outdoor and indoor plants and auto~atic illumination of plants.
Howeve-, the-e hzs not heretof~re been provided a unitary st-uc-ure capable of tending plants for extended periods without any hur.an intervention.
An i~portant pzrt of plan; tending is supplying sufficient light. If a plant is outdoo-s, this presents no proble~. Howeve-, if the plant is indoors, it must be placed near a window and/or it must be supplied with additional light from an artificial light source. While licht f-om an artificial light sourca can be used in dark areas of a r^om to supply some of the energy re~uired for photosynthesls, incandescent light is insufficient in the range of its spectru~ and too hot to be placed near the foliage because of the potential for burning the foliage. While fluorescent light is more suitable for illuminating foliage, heretofore only long bulbs with end pronss ha~e been available, and such bulbs are usually used for a nu~ber of potted plants. Now it has been found that the new low-wattage but bright screw-in type of fluorescent bulb can be mounted in close proximity to individual plants without fear of foliage burn. Further~ore, it is possible to apply tinted heat-resistant dye coatings to the fluorescent bulb to help attain the proper 21~6176 spectrum re~,lired for plant growth. In orde- to bring the potted plant into closer proxi~ity to the lish-, movable and slidable ar~ trays or wire hooks placed on a vertical pole can be positioned close to a suitable indivldual fluo~escent reflective fix_ure. The f~xture can be held by an adjus.able arm that allows rotary move~ent as well as vertical move~.,ent and radial move~ent (i.e. the ar~ itself can be adjustable).
While the use of fluorescent tubes to supply light for plants is not new, it has been limited to horizontal structures where the ,fluorescent tube size dictated the desisn of the entire lighting mechanis~. This handicap is overcc~e in accordance with the present invention by virtue of its mobility and adjustability.
Another option for wate-ing plants involves the use of a reservoir having superabsor~ent polyme-s. This is especially ~seful when going on vacation since the polymers can absorb as much as 300 times their weight in water and can last four to five years. While it is necessary to water the roots of plants when the soil beco~es dry, usually manual wate-ing is carried out.
An i~p-ove~en_ for feeding plants provided in accc-dance with the invention can be used over extended periods of ti~e, as during vacations when no one is present to water the plznts.
.
OBJ2CT8 AND SU~Y~RY OF TH~ I~JEN~ON
An object of the invention is to provide a plant tender that re~edies the shortco~ings of earlier plan. tenders and in particular to provide a plant te.~der that can tend plants for extended periods without any hu~an intervention.
Anothe~ object of the invention is to provide a plant tender that enables plant owners to take long vacations and otherwise absent themselves from their homes and workplaces without needing to arrange with a friend or a co~ercial service to tend their plants in their absence.
Anothe_ object of the invention is to p~ovide a plant tender that can be enlisted in the battle against SBS.
Another object of the invention is to encourage the spread of indoor horticulture for its intrinsic aesthetic value.
These and other objects are attained in acco-dance with the invention by providing a plant tender for delivering light to the foliage and water and nut-ients to the roots of a plant growing in a container and e~.bedded in an ar.choring ~ediu~
contained in the container, the plant tender co~prising: an armature positioned adjacent to the plant and formed with conduit means for electrical power; a reservoir in physical contact with _5_ 214617~
at lezst one of the container, a-~zture and anchoring medium for supplying the water and nutrients to the roots; an artificial light force s~Dpo~ted by the ar~at-l_e for irradiating ~he fc'iage; and control means for es~ablishing a duty cycle of the light source and for controlling ~oth the duty cycle and the delivery of -~ater and nutrle.~ts.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TX~ D~AWING
A better understanding of t~e objects, features and advantages of the invention can be gained from a consideration of the following detailed desc~ipt_on of the preferred e~bodiments of the invention, in conjuncticn with the appended figures of the drawing, wherein corresponding reference charac~ers re.er to corresponding elemen.s or parts, and wherein:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fi_st embodiment of a plant tender constructed in accord2nce with the invention;
Fig. 2 is a pe_spective view cf a second e~bodiment of a plant tender constructed in accordance with the invention;
Fig. 3 is a pe_spec.ive view of a thlrd embodiment Oc a plant tende~ constructed in accor~ance with the invention;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a plant tender const~-~cted in acccrd2nce -~ith the invention;
Fis. 5 is a perspective vie-~ of a fif~h embodiment of a plant tender constructed in accor~ance wi~ t~e invention.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a six_h embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 7 is a perspecti~e view of a seventh e~bodiment of the invention;
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an eighth e~odi~ent of the invention;
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a ninth e~bodiment of the invention;
Fig. 10 is a pers?ective vieu of a tenth embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 11 is a perspective view of an eleventh e~bodiment of the invention.
DESC~IPTION OF T~IB PR~FERU~D EY~30DIHENTS
Fig. 1 is a perspec~ive view of 2 fi_st embodiment of a plant tender constructed in accordance with the invention. The plant tender 10 of Fig. 1 delivers lisht to the foliage and water and nutrier.ts to the roots of a plant P embedded in an anchoring mediu~ 12 contained in a container 14.
The plant tender 10 comprises zn armzture 16 positioned adjzcent to the plant P and for~ed with a conduit 15 for electrical power. The arm2ture 16 is made of s~ainless steel or a rigid plastic such as polyvinyl chloride or a polyolefin. The electrical power is supplied through a line 20 connected through~
2146i76 a timer 22 to a plug 24 that czn be inse~ted into a household electrical outlet.
A reservoir 26 is positioned adjacent to the plant P
and is in physical contac_ with at leas~ one of the contalner 14, the armature 16, and the anchoring ...edium 12. In Fig. 1, the reservoir 26 is in physical contact with the zrmature 16. The reservoir supplies water and nut-lents to the roots of the plant as described below. The reser~oir 26 has a corrugated ex~erior, which facilitates adherence the~eto of certain plants, including climbers.
Also in accordance with the invention, an a_tifici21 light source 28, for exa~ple an inc2ndescent bulb having a conventional shade, is suF?crted by the armature 16 for irradiating the plant P or other foliage tended by the plant tender.
In accordance with the inver,tion, control ~eans is provided for establishing a duty cycle of the lisht sou_ce and for controlling both the duty cycle and the delivery of water and nutrients. I~ the e~bodi..,ent of r ig. 1, the ~uty cycle of the light source 28 is esta~lished by the timer 22. A switch controlled for example by a convention21 pull chain 30 is left permanently closed, and the plug 24 is left per~znently inserted 21A617~
in its socket. The power to the light sour_e 28 is thus controlled by the timer 22, which controls a switch that is cycled between open and closed states in accordance with a predetermined program selected by a user of the apparatus. As an example, the light source 28 may have a fifty pe-cer.t duty cycle and a period of 24 hou~s. That is, the light source 28 irradiates the plant P for a pe~iod of 12 hours and then turns off for a pe_iod of 12 hours.
If the plant P is in a windowless room, the duty cycle of the light source need not be in phase with day and night. If the plant tender 10 and plant P are in a room with a window so that the plant P receives a significant a~ount of natural light, it may, in the case of some plants, be desirable to establish a duty cycle of t~e light source 28 which is in phase with the natural day-night cycle, so that, during daylight hours, the light received ~y the plant P is aus-.ented by the artifici21 light source 28, and, during the hou_s of dar~ness, the artificial light source 28 is tu~ned of'.
Of course, the reguire~ents for light depend on the charac_eristics of the individual plant, ar.d tnose experienced in growing plants will have no difficulty in establishins a proper duty cycle for the light source 28 and, if appropriate, a suitable phase relationship between the duty cycle on the one hand and the natural altern2tion bet-~een daylight and darkr.ess on the other.
Note that if the duty cycle of the light source has a period other than 24 hours, its pAase relationship with the natural cycle of daylight and da.kness will va-y.
As indicated zbove, decisions about the duty cycle and its period are not critical to the present invention, it being ùnde-s'ood that each plznt has its own requirements and that those skilled in the art of gr~wing plants will readily establish the correct para~eters.
Fig. 1 also discloses means for controlling the delivery of water and nutrients to the plant P. Specifically, a petcock or adjustable valve 32 drips water and nutrients dissolved in the water at a controllable rate through a flexible tube 33 long enough to reach or substantially re2ch the anchoring mediu~ and into the container 14 for the plant P. The flexible tube 33 is preferably employed in cases where, because of the location of the petcock, the wzter would other~ise be disc~arged at a substantial height bove tha anchoring mediu~. The use of the flexible tube 33 in such cases prevents the water from splashing off the leaves of the plant and insures delivery of the water and nutrients to the plant roots. In other embcdiments 214617~
described below, no flexible tube is needed.
The reservoir i5 repienished by a line 3~ connected to a source 36. The source 36 is prefe~ably a low-pressure source in the e~odiment of Fig. 1, so that the rzte of flow of water and nutrients can be controlled by the petcoc~ 32. If the sou.ce 36 is at high pressure, it becomes difficult to balance the flow from the source into the rese-voir 26 and the flow out of the reservoir 26 through the petcock 32. In such z czse, therefore, there may be provided a ti~er tnot shown) for controlling the source 36 to admit water into the reservoir 25 when the reservoir reaches a low level as deter3ined by a firs. sensor in the reservoir and to shut of' the source 36 when the water in the reservoir reaches a high level as determined by a second sensor in the reservoir 25. Wi~h this provision, the appa-atus of Fig.
1 can safely be connected to a high-pressure sou-ce, and the rate of delivery of wzter and nutrients can be dete~3ined by the petcoc~ 32.
The ar~atur2 16 is provided in the e-.bodiment of Fig.
1 with a hollow conduit 18' for the water line 34.
An additional containe- 38 is provided a-round the container 14 to provide security a~ainst accidental spills, etc.
The a~ature 16 encircles the second container 38 at the bottom, and the entire a?pa-atus is placed on a su~port S such as a table top or floor.
The e~bodiment of Fig. 2 is similar to that of Fi5. 1 except in several respects described below. Fi-st the ar~ature 16a is shaped diffe_en.ly to produce a dif'e-ent aesthetic affec_ and constructed so that i. can be reshaped to vary its height, and the rese~voir 26a is not connected to a source but is provided with a screw cap 40 which can be unscrewed so that water containing a solution of nutrients can be poured into the reservoir 26a. This embodiment is pe-fectly satisractory provided that the reservoir 26a is large enoush to enable the apparatus to tend the plant during the longest anticipated absence of the owner. This is a calculaticn easily made by the owner, who will nor~ally know how much w2ter is re~ulred by the plant over a period of, say, one week, and czn then select a reservoir large enough to enable the plant to be tended auto~atically during the longest proJected absence of the o~ner.
The e~bodiment of Fig. 2 can be sold with rese-voirs of different sizes and purchased by consu.mers on the basis of their own schedules and the needs of the plants to be tended.
Wherever needed, an air hole is provided to ena~le the water with its solution of nutrients to flow throu~h the petcock.
For example, in the em~odiment of Fig. Z,-an air hole 42 is provided in the cap 40. Of course, i' is wi~hin the scope of the invention to place an air hole in any other locztion where it can perfor~ its intended function, for exa~.ple elsewhere on the top of the container 26a.
The rese~voir 26a is susperded f-~ the ar~atu-e by a hook HK. Thus, in the e.~.~odiment of Fig. 2 as in that of Fig.
1, the reservoir 26a is in physical contact with the a-~ature.
The embodiment of Fig. 2 differs from that of Fig. 1 in the further respect that the embodiment of Fig. 2 inciudes a sensor SN or moisture ~eter in communication wlth the anchoring medium and connected to a cont-oller C. The petcock 32 of Fig.
1 is replaced in Fig. 2 by a solenoid-cont~olled valve 32a, and the controller C is connected to the valve 32a to cycle the valve 32a between open and closed statas in zccord2nce with the moisture content of the anchoring medium as determined by the sensor SN. Thus a relatively dry condition of the anchoring medium is detected by the sensor SN which sends an appropriate signal to the controller C. The cont-oller C decodes this signal and sends a control signal in respor.se thereto to the solenoid valve 32a, opening the valve 32a to admit wa~e_ to the anchorlng medium. When the ssnsor SN determines that the anchoring medium has reached a requisite moisture level, it sends a signal to the controller C that is decoded by the controller C. The controller 214617~
C then sends a control signal to the vzlve 32a that causes the valve to shut off the flow of water and nutrients to the anchoring mediu~.
Moisture ~eters a-e conventional and well understood by those skilled in the art. They 2re available co~mercially, as are microprocessors and other controlle_s that can respond to signals from the sensor S and generate control signals in response thereto. Solenoid v21ves are of course also conventional, well understood by those skilled in the art, and available fro~ com~ercial sources.
The precise moisture reading that actuates the valve to go to the open and closed states will of course depend on the needs of the particular plant, which a_e readily deter~inable by users of the plant tender.
In the e~.bodi~ent of Fig. 3, the reservoir 26b rests on the container for the plant and its anchoring medium and can be either a separate unit or cons_~ucted integrally with the container. Petcocks 32b placed at intervals around the lower par. of the rese-voir 26b enable water with its solution of nutrients to be distributed under the influence of g-avity at a controlled rate to the plant. A filling cap 40b provided with an air hole 42b enables water and dissolved nutrients to be 21q6I76 introduced into the reservoir 26b.
Again in the e.~bodir..ent of Fig. 3, the size of the reservoir can be adjus-ed in accordance with the needs of the plant.
In the embodi~ent of Fi~. 3, the light source 28b is a fluorescent lamp, which may be preferred to an incandescent lamp because its spectrum of light may be bet'er suited to the needs of the particular plznt being tended.
The embodi~ent o' Fig. ~ is particularly advantageous in that it e~.ploys the recently developed screw-in-type fluorescent lamps 28c that are long lasting and consume little electricity in proportion to their light output. The reservoir 26c is of a different shape and design as compared to the reservoirs described previously but zccoh?lishes the same purpose in a very satisfac_ory manne-.
In the e~bodiment of Fig. 5, a reservoir 26d is provided on the outside of the container for the plant. It can alternatively be provided on the inside or constructed integrally with the contziner. As the e~bodi~ent of Fig. S iilustrates, it is not necessary in accordznce with the invention to employ a gravity feed in order to distribute wate_ and nutrients to the 21~6176 .
plant. In the e~odiment of Fig. 5, a pump 44 is mounted on the lowe_ portion of the r~ser~olr 26d. A line 46 extends around the doughnut-shaped reservoir 26d, and u?standing dischar5e lines 48 are connected to the line 46. The pump takes in water with dissolved nutrients from the bottcm of the rese-voir 26d and pu-mps it through the line 46 so thzt it is ejec~ed from the lines 48. In this czse, no petcock is re-uired, because a timer 50 in a line 52 is ccnnected to a plug 54 which goes to a separate household electrical socket so that the timer 50 turns on to operate the pump 44 to discharge wzter and dissolved nutrients on a timed cycle which in principle may be, but in practice nor~ally is not, the sarde as t~e cycle of irradiation by the light source. The light source, being annular, enables the plant to grow through the annulus of the bulb.
Fig. 6 shows a sixth em~odlment of the invention.
Broadly speaking, in this embodi-dent, a display device is provided comp ~s~ng ve~ti~~l suppor- m~a-.s and se-o.~a-~y su??cr-means connected to the vertical support means for displaying an item. Illumination means is connec_ed to the vertical support means for illuminating the displaye~ item. At least one of the secondary support means and the i!lumination mezns is adjus.able in position vertically, radially, and angularly with respect to the vertical support means.
2~46176 More particularly, in Fig. 6, a circular base 6-1 h2s a diameter tube 6-2 and supoor.s upright merbers 6-3, 6-4, and 6-5. The uprights meet at the top of tAe s~ruc~ure. The center upright 6-4 has holde-s 6-6 supported by arms 6-7. The uprights 6-3 and 6-5 support lishts 6-~ and 6-9. Plants, bric-a-brac, etc., can be displayed on the plates 6-6 and illuminated by the lamps 6-8, 6-9.
The entire structure is optionally and preferably made adjustable. In particular, the ar~s 6-7 can be adjusted up and down on the support 6-~ and can have telescoping adjustments so that the plates 6-6 can be made close_ to or farther from the support 6-4. The ar~s 6-7 can also be pivoted angularly about the support 6-~. The lights 6-~ and 6-9 may optionally be similarly adjus.able and in particular can be made to swivel.
By this combinatlon of features, it is possible to position the lights optimally relative to the plants or other items on display.
Fig. 7 shows a seventh erbodiment of the invention.
In t~is embodiment, a display device is provided cor.p-ising vertical support means and a flsh tank supported by the vertical support means. Secondary suppor- means is supported by the vertical support means for supporting an item to be displaye~.
21~6176 Illumination means is zlso sup?or.ed by the vertical support means for illuminating the item. Fr^m another standpoint, Fig.
7 discloses a methcd of growing and displaying flora and fauna comprising the s'eps of providing a unitary display device for displaying the flor2 and fauna in close proximity to each other and feeding the flora with ~as.e products produced by the fauna.
Preferably, as illustr2'ed in Fig. 7, the fauna comprises fish.
More particularly, in Fig. 7, ar~s 7-7 support plates 7-6 for displaying items and la-.ps 7-8 are provided for illumination. All of this is suppor'ed by uprights 7-9 and 7-10 that rise from base me~bers 7-ll and 7-12, res?ectively.
At the top of the s'ruc.ure a fish tank 7-13 is mounted. The fish tank 7-13 contains water, fish, and the other usual accoutrements of an a~uarium. The waste produc's of the fish can be employed to fer.ilize the plants by using the watering system disclosed above (not specifically illustrated in Fig. 7). A fresh supply of water for the fish tank 7-13 can be provided auto~a.ically using the princi?les described above.
This provides a display th2t is at-ractive and that can be left unattended for long pe_iods even though it may incorporate animal and plant life.
214617~
In the er~odiments of Figs. 6 and 7, va-ious "reversals" can of course be ~.zde. ~or exa~ple, in Fig. 6, the lamps can be placed on the center support and the plants or bric-a-brac can ke displayed supported by the outer supports 6-3 and 6-5; and, of course, the nu~ er of upri5hts e~lployed is optional in both Figs. 6 and 7.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an eighth embodiment of the invention employing only a single vertically extending support 8-1. It rises f_om z bzse 8-2, cz-ries vertically sliding, horizontally extending arm plates 8-3 that can support items for display, and carries ad~ustable illu~ination devices 8-4 for illuminating the displayed items. The arm plates are capable of 360 rotation about the vertical support 8-1.
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a ninth e~bodiment of the invention wherein a single vertically extending suppor. 9-1 rises fro~ a base 9-2 and has vertically sliding, horizontally extending arm plates 9-3 and adjustable illumination devices g-4 connected to the ve_tic211y ex_endins support 9-1 for illuminating plants displayed on the 2r~ plates 9-3. A fish tank 9-5 is suppo-ted near the to2 of the ve_tically extending support 9-1 and provides for waterins o~ the plants via lines 9-6. These lines 9-6 can also carry fertilizer derived from the waste products of the fish.
Fig. 10 discloses a tenth em~odlment of the invention forming an outdoor ar~or 10-1. A bench 10-2 is provided to make t easy and convenient to enjoy the arbor for an extending period of time.
Fig. 11 discloses an eleventh embodiment of the invention in the form of a walk-through arbor 11-1. The arbor 11-1 is tall enough so that people can walk through it, and it is prefera~ly wide enough so that two people can walk through side-by-side. The ar~or 11-1 can of course be elongated or extended to any desired length by com.'oining multiple units each in the form of an arch, thereby forming an arch over an extended pathway.
Thus there is provided in accordance with the invention a novel a~d highly effective plant tende- that automatically tends plants, especially indoor plants, though it is also within the scope of the in~ention to employ the plant tender to tend outdoor plants. The invention is advzntageous also in displaying items other than plants and even in tending life forms other than plants. Many modifications of the prefe-red er.bodiments of the inventicn disclosed above will readily occur to _hos2 skilled in the art. Accordinglyj the invention ex_ends to all structure that falls within the scope of the appended claims.
PLANT TENDER
Field of ~he Invention This invention relates to plant tenders and ~ore particularly to a novel and highly effective plant tender that auto~atically tends plants, especially indoor plants, 'or extended periods without the attention of a hu~an attendant.
~escri~tion of the Pr~or Art Plznts are essential for many -ezsons, including human survival. In general, outdoor plants fend for the~selves, though of course under certain circumstznces they must be irrigz.2d, weeded, pruned, or other~ise tended in order to survive or in order to confor~ to hu~an designs. Fa~ crops, orchards, znd vesetable and flower ga-dens a_e exa-ples o~ outdoor plants that require, or at any rate often receive, regular tending ~y humans.
It is indoor plants, however, that re~ire the mos~ assiduous tending. Many indoor plants zre adapted to thrive with lit~le water and light, but all need some of each in order to survive, and indoors there i5 no rain and often little light. Indoor plants must therefore be watered and either plzced in a roor with a window, skylisht or other ~.eans for admitting outdoor light or irradiated with ar~ificizl light.
Despite the need to tend indoor plants, they have always been very pop~lar. People have al~zys agreed that they can provide beauty and a pleasant aro~a; and today ~any value them for their ability to absorb pollutants, thereby purifying the air.
Indoor plants now assume inc~eas2d i~portance because of the recent e~phasis on "tight~' construction of houses, office buildings and other buildings in order to conserve ene-gy.
Modern const_uction admits less ou~side air than drafty older construction, a~d indoor air pollu'ion in r.any modern buildings is often much worse than outdoor ai- pollution. The ter~ "sick-building syndro~e" (53S), has been coir.ed to identify this problem. Concern about SBS has given ne~ i~petus to indoor horticulture.
Various aids to tendinc plan~s indoors have been developed. The_e is for exa,..ple a lig:-,t sou~ce ~ounted on a telescopic support that can be extended as the plant grows, thereby keeping the light source close to the top of the plant as it grows. There are also various lighted containers within 2:1~6t7~
which plants can be fu!ly enclosed. The~e have also been proposals for zu~0~2tic irrigztion or watering of outdoor and indoor plants and auto~atic illumination of plants.
Howeve-, the-e hzs not heretof~re been provided a unitary st-uc-ure capable of tending plants for extended periods without any hur.an intervention.
An i~portant pzrt of plan; tending is supplying sufficient light. If a plant is outdoo-s, this presents no proble~. Howeve-, if the plant is indoors, it must be placed near a window and/or it must be supplied with additional light from an artificial light source. While licht f-om an artificial light sourca can be used in dark areas of a r^om to supply some of the energy re~uired for photosynthesls, incandescent light is insufficient in the range of its spectru~ and too hot to be placed near the foliage because of the potential for burning the foliage. While fluorescent light is more suitable for illuminating foliage, heretofore only long bulbs with end pronss ha~e been available, and such bulbs are usually used for a nu~ber of potted plants. Now it has been found that the new low-wattage but bright screw-in type of fluorescent bulb can be mounted in close proximity to individual plants without fear of foliage burn. Further~ore, it is possible to apply tinted heat-resistant dye coatings to the fluorescent bulb to help attain the proper 21~6176 spectrum re~,lired for plant growth. In orde- to bring the potted plant into closer proxi~ity to the lish-, movable and slidable ar~ trays or wire hooks placed on a vertical pole can be positioned close to a suitable indivldual fluo~escent reflective fix_ure. The f~xture can be held by an adjus.able arm that allows rotary move~ent as well as vertical move~.,ent and radial move~ent (i.e. the ar~ itself can be adjustable).
While the use of fluorescent tubes to supply light for plants is not new, it has been limited to horizontal structures where the ,fluorescent tube size dictated the desisn of the entire lighting mechanis~. This handicap is overcc~e in accordance with the present invention by virtue of its mobility and adjustability.
Another option for wate-ing plants involves the use of a reservoir having superabsor~ent polyme-s. This is especially ~seful when going on vacation since the polymers can absorb as much as 300 times their weight in water and can last four to five years. While it is necessary to water the roots of plants when the soil beco~es dry, usually manual wate-ing is carried out.
An i~p-ove~en_ for feeding plants provided in accc-dance with the invention can be used over extended periods of ti~e, as during vacations when no one is present to water the plznts.
.
OBJ2CT8 AND SU~Y~RY OF TH~ I~JEN~ON
An object of the invention is to provide a plant tender that re~edies the shortco~ings of earlier plan. tenders and in particular to provide a plant te.~der that can tend plants for extended periods without any hu~an intervention.
Anothe~ object of the invention is to provide a plant tender that enables plant owners to take long vacations and otherwise absent themselves from their homes and workplaces without needing to arrange with a friend or a co~ercial service to tend their plants in their absence.
Anothe_ object of the invention is to p~ovide a plant tender that can be enlisted in the battle against SBS.
Another object of the invention is to encourage the spread of indoor horticulture for its intrinsic aesthetic value.
These and other objects are attained in acco-dance with the invention by providing a plant tender for delivering light to the foliage and water and nut-ients to the roots of a plant growing in a container and e~.bedded in an ar.choring ~ediu~
contained in the container, the plant tender co~prising: an armature positioned adjacent to the plant and formed with conduit means for electrical power; a reservoir in physical contact with _5_ 214617~
at lezst one of the container, a-~zture and anchoring medium for supplying the water and nutrients to the roots; an artificial light force s~Dpo~ted by the ar~at-l_e for irradiating ~he fc'iage; and control means for es~ablishing a duty cycle of the light source and for controlling ~oth the duty cycle and the delivery of -~ater and nutrle.~ts.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TX~ D~AWING
A better understanding of t~e objects, features and advantages of the invention can be gained from a consideration of the following detailed desc~ipt_on of the preferred e~bodiments of the invention, in conjuncticn with the appended figures of the drawing, wherein corresponding reference charac~ers re.er to corresponding elemen.s or parts, and wherein:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fi_st embodiment of a plant tender constructed in accord2nce with the invention;
Fig. 2 is a pe_spective view cf a second e~bodiment of a plant tender constructed in accordance with the invention;
Fig. 3 is a pe_spec.ive view of a thlrd embodiment Oc a plant tende~ constructed in accor~ance with the invention;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a plant tender const~-~cted in acccrd2nce -~ith the invention;
Fis. 5 is a perspective vie-~ of a fif~h embodiment of a plant tender constructed in accor~ance wi~ t~e invention.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a six_h embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 7 is a perspecti~e view of a seventh e~bodiment of the invention;
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an eighth e~odi~ent of the invention;
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a ninth e~bodiment of the invention;
Fig. 10 is a pers?ective vieu of a tenth embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 11 is a perspective view of an eleventh e~bodiment of the invention.
DESC~IPTION OF T~IB PR~FERU~D EY~30DIHENTS
Fig. 1 is a perspec~ive view of 2 fi_st embodiment of a plant tender constructed in accordance with the invention. The plant tender 10 of Fig. 1 delivers lisht to the foliage and water and nutrier.ts to the roots of a plant P embedded in an anchoring mediu~ 12 contained in a container 14.
The plant tender 10 comprises zn armzture 16 positioned adjzcent to the plant P and for~ed with a conduit 15 for electrical power. The arm2ture 16 is made of s~ainless steel or a rigid plastic such as polyvinyl chloride or a polyolefin. The electrical power is supplied through a line 20 connected through~
2146i76 a timer 22 to a plug 24 that czn be inse~ted into a household electrical outlet.
A reservoir 26 is positioned adjacent to the plant P
and is in physical contac_ with at leas~ one of the contalner 14, the armature 16, and the anchoring ...edium 12. In Fig. 1, the reservoir 26 is in physical contact with the zrmature 16. The reservoir supplies water and nut-lents to the roots of the plant as described below. The reser~oir 26 has a corrugated ex~erior, which facilitates adherence the~eto of certain plants, including climbers.
Also in accordance with the invention, an a_tifici21 light source 28, for exa~ple an inc2ndescent bulb having a conventional shade, is suF?crted by the armature 16 for irradiating the plant P or other foliage tended by the plant tender.
In accordance with the inver,tion, control ~eans is provided for establishing a duty cycle of the lisht sou_ce and for controlling both the duty cycle and the delivery of water and nutrients. I~ the e~bodi..,ent of r ig. 1, the ~uty cycle of the light source 28 is esta~lished by the timer 22. A switch controlled for example by a convention21 pull chain 30 is left permanently closed, and the plug 24 is left per~znently inserted 21A617~
in its socket. The power to the light sour_e 28 is thus controlled by the timer 22, which controls a switch that is cycled between open and closed states in accordance with a predetermined program selected by a user of the apparatus. As an example, the light source 28 may have a fifty pe-cer.t duty cycle and a period of 24 hou~s. That is, the light source 28 irradiates the plant P for a pe~iod of 12 hours and then turns off for a pe_iod of 12 hours.
If the plant P is in a windowless room, the duty cycle of the light source need not be in phase with day and night. If the plant tender 10 and plant P are in a room with a window so that the plant P receives a significant a~ount of natural light, it may, in the case of some plants, be desirable to establish a duty cycle of t~e light source 28 which is in phase with the natural day-night cycle, so that, during daylight hours, the light received ~y the plant P is aus-.ented by the artifici21 light source 28, and, during the hou_s of dar~ness, the artificial light source 28 is tu~ned of'.
Of course, the reguire~ents for light depend on the charac_eristics of the individual plant, ar.d tnose experienced in growing plants will have no difficulty in establishins a proper duty cycle for the light source 28 and, if appropriate, a suitable phase relationship between the duty cycle on the one hand and the natural altern2tion bet-~een daylight and darkr.ess on the other.
Note that if the duty cycle of the light source has a period other than 24 hours, its pAase relationship with the natural cycle of daylight and da.kness will va-y.
As indicated zbove, decisions about the duty cycle and its period are not critical to the present invention, it being ùnde-s'ood that each plznt has its own requirements and that those skilled in the art of gr~wing plants will readily establish the correct para~eters.
Fig. 1 also discloses means for controlling the delivery of water and nutrients to the plant P. Specifically, a petcock or adjustable valve 32 drips water and nutrients dissolved in the water at a controllable rate through a flexible tube 33 long enough to reach or substantially re2ch the anchoring mediu~ and into the container 14 for the plant P. The flexible tube 33 is preferably employed in cases where, because of the location of the petcock, the wzter would other~ise be disc~arged at a substantial height bove tha anchoring mediu~. The use of the flexible tube 33 in such cases prevents the water from splashing off the leaves of the plant and insures delivery of the water and nutrients to the plant roots. In other embcdiments 214617~
described below, no flexible tube is needed.
The reservoir i5 repienished by a line 3~ connected to a source 36. The source 36 is prefe~ably a low-pressure source in the e~odiment of Fig. 1, so that the rzte of flow of water and nutrients can be controlled by the petcoc~ 32. If the sou.ce 36 is at high pressure, it becomes difficult to balance the flow from the source into the rese-voir 26 and the flow out of the reservoir 26 through the petcock 32. In such z czse, therefore, there may be provided a ti~er tnot shown) for controlling the source 36 to admit water into the reservoir 25 when the reservoir reaches a low level as deter3ined by a firs. sensor in the reservoir and to shut of' the source 36 when the water in the reservoir reaches a high level as determined by a second sensor in the reservoir 25. Wi~h this provision, the appa-atus of Fig.
1 can safely be connected to a high-pressure sou-ce, and the rate of delivery of wzter and nutrients can be dete~3ined by the petcoc~ 32.
The ar~atur2 16 is provided in the e-.bodiment of Fig.
1 with a hollow conduit 18' for the water line 34.
An additional containe- 38 is provided a-round the container 14 to provide security a~ainst accidental spills, etc.
The a~ature 16 encircles the second container 38 at the bottom, and the entire a?pa-atus is placed on a su~port S such as a table top or floor.
The e~bodiment of Fig. 2 is similar to that of Fi5. 1 except in several respects described below. Fi-st the ar~ature 16a is shaped diffe_en.ly to produce a dif'e-ent aesthetic affec_ and constructed so that i. can be reshaped to vary its height, and the rese~voir 26a is not connected to a source but is provided with a screw cap 40 which can be unscrewed so that water containing a solution of nutrients can be poured into the reservoir 26a. This embodiment is pe-fectly satisractory provided that the reservoir 26a is large enoush to enable the apparatus to tend the plant during the longest anticipated absence of the owner. This is a calculaticn easily made by the owner, who will nor~ally know how much w2ter is re~ulred by the plant over a period of, say, one week, and czn then select a reservoir large enough to enable the plant to be tended auto~atically during the longest proJected absence of the o~ner.
The e~bodiment of Fig. 2 can be sold with rese-voirs of different sizes and purchased by consu.mers on the basis of their own schedules and the needs of the plants to be tended.
Wherever needed, an air hole is provided to ena~le the water with its solution of nutrients to flow throu~h the petcock.
For example, in the em~odiment of Fig. Z,-an air hole 42 is provided in the cap 40. Of course, i' is wi~hin the scope of the invention to place an air hole in any other locztion where it can perfor~ its intended function, for exa~.ple elsewhere on the top of the container 26a.
The rese~voir 26a is susperded f-~ the ar~atu-e by a hook HK. Thus, in the e.~.~odiment of Fig. 2 as in that of Fig.
1, the reservoir 26a is in physical contact with the a-~ature.
The embodiment of Fig. 2 differs from that of Fig. 1 in the further respect that the embodiment of Fig. 2 inciudes a sensor SN or moisture ~eter in communication wlth the anchoring medium and connected to a cont-oller C. The petcock 32 of Fig.
1 is replaced in Fig. 2 by a solenoid-cont~olled valve 32a, and the controller C is connected to the valve 32a to cycle the valve 32a between open and closed statas in zccord2nce with the moisture content of the anchoring medium as determined by the sensor SN. Thus a relatively dry condition of the anchoring medium is detected by the sensor SN which sends an appropriate signal to the controller C. The cont-oller C decodes this signal and sends a control signal in respor.se thereto to the solenoid valve 32a, opening the valve 32a to admit wa~e_ to the anchorlng medium. When the ssnsor SN determines that the anchoring medium has reached a requisite moisture level, it sends a signal to the controller C that is decoded by the controller C. The controller 214617~
C then sends a control signal to the vzlve 32a that causes the valve to shut off the flow of water and nutrients to the anchoring mediu~.
Moisture ~eters a-e conventional and well understood by those skilled in the art. They 2re available co~mercially, as are microprocessors and other controlle_s that can respond to signals from the sensor S and generate control signals in response thereto. Solenoid v21ves are of course also conventional, well understood by those skilled in the art, and available fro~ com~ercial sources.
The precise moisture reading that actuates the valve to go to the open and closed states will of course depend on the needs of the particular plant, which a_e readily deter~inable by users of the plant tender.
In the e~.bodi~ent of Fig. 3, the reservoir 26b rests on the container for the plant and its anchoring medium and can be either a separate unit or cons_~ucted integrally with the container. Petcocks 32b placed at intervals around the lower par. of the rese-voir 26b enable water with its solution of nutrients to be distributed under the influence of g-avity at a controlled rate to the plant. A filling cap 40b provided with an air hole 42b enables water and dissolved nutrients to be 21q6I76 introduced into the reservoir 26b.
Again in the e.~bodir..ent of Fig. 3, the size of the reservoir can be adjus-ed in accordance with the needs of the plant.
In the embodi~ent of Fi~. 3, the light source 28b is a fluorescent lamp, which may be preferred to an incandescent lamp because its spectrum of light may be bet'er suited to the needs of the particular plznt being tended.
The embodi~ent o' Fig. ~ is particularly advantageous in that it e~.ploys the recently developed screw-in-type fluorescent lamps 28c that are long lasting and consume little electricity in proportion to their light output. The reservoir 26c is of a different shape and design as compared to the reservoirs described previously but zccoh?lishes the same purpose in a very satisfac_ory manne-.
In the e~bodiment of Fig. 5, a reservoir 26d is provided on the outside of the container for the plant. It can alternatively be provided on the inside or constructed integrally with the contziner. As the e~bodi~ent of Fig. S iilustrates, it is not necessary in accordznce with the invention to employ a gravity feed in order to distribute wate_ and nutrients to the 21~6176 .
plant. In the e~odiment of Fig. 5, a pump 44 is mounted on the lowe_ portion of the r~ser~olr 26d. A line 46 extends around the doughnut-shaped reservoir 26d, and u?standing dischar5e lines 48 are connected to the line 46. The pump takes in water with dissolved nutrients from the bottcm of the rese-voir 26d and pu-mps it through the line 46 so thzt it is ejec~ed from the lines 48. In this czse, no petcock is re-uired, because a timer 50 in a line 52 is ccnnected to a plug 54 which goes to a separate household electrical socket so that the timer 50 turns on to operate the pump 44 to discharge wzter and dissolved nutrients on a timed cycle which in principle may be, but in practice nor~ally is not, the sarde as t~e cycle of irradiation by the light source. The light source, being annular, enables the plant to grow through the annulus of the bulb.
Fig. 6 shows a sixth em~odlment of the invention.
Broadly speaking, in this embodi-dent, a display device is provided comp ~s~ng ve~ti~~l suppor- m~a-.s and se-o.~a-~y su??cr-means connected to the vertical support means for displaying an item. Illumination means is connec_ed to the vertical support means for illuminating the displaye~ item. At least one of the secondary support means and the i!lumination mezns is adjus.able in position vertically, radially, and angularly with respect to the vertical support means.
2~46176 More particularly, in Fig. 6, a circular base 6-1 h2s a diameter tube 6-2 and supoor.s upright merbers 6-3, 6-4, and 6-5. The uprights meet at the top of tAe s~ruc~ure. The center upright 6-4 has holde-s 6-6 supported by arms 6-7. The uprights 6-3 and 6-5 support lishts 6-~ and 6-9. Plants, bric-a-brac, etc., can be displayed on the plates 6-6 and illuminated by the lamps 6-8, 6-9.
The entire structure is optionally and preferably made adjustable. In particular, the ar~s 6-7 can be adjusted up and down on the support 6-~ and can have telescoping adjustments so that the plates 6-6 can be made close_ to or farther from the support 6-4. The ar~s 6-7 can also be pivoted angularly about the support 6-~. The lights 6-~ and 6-9 may optionally be similarly adjus.able and in particular can be made to swivel.
By this combinatlon of features, it is possible to position the lights optimally relative to the plants or other items on display.
Fig. 7 shows a seventh erbodiment of the invention.
In t~is embodiment, a display device is provided cor.p-ising vertical support means and a flsh tank supported by the vertical support means. Secondary suppor- means is supported by the vertical support means for supporting an item to be displaye~.
21~6176 Illumination means is zlso sup?or.ed by the vertical support means for illuminating the item. Fr^m another standpoint, Fig.
7 discloses a methcd of growing and displaying flora and fauna comprising the s'eps of providing a unitary display device for displaying the flor2 and fauna in close proximity to each other and feeding the flora with ~as.e products produced by the fauna.
Preferably, as illustr2'ed in Fig. 7, the fauna comprises fish.
More particularly, in Fig. 7, ar~s 7-7 support plates 7-6 for displaying items and la-.ps 7-8 are provided for illumination. All of this is suppor'ed by uprights 7-9 and 7-10 that rise from base me~bers 7-ll and 7-12, res?ectively.
At the top of the s'ruc.ure a fish tank 7-13 is mounted. The fish tank 7-13 contains water, fish, and the other usual accoutrements of an a~uarium. The waste produc's of the fish can be employed to fer.ilize the plants by using the watering system disclosed above (not specifically illustrated in Fig. 7). A fresh supply of water for the fish tank 7-13 can be provided auto~a.ically using the princi?les described above.
This provides a display th2t is at-ractive and that can be left unattended for long pe_iods even though it may incorporate animal and plant life.
214617~
In the er~odiments of Figs. 6 and 7, va-ious "reversals" can of course be ~.zde. ~or exa~ple, in Fig. 6, the lamps can be placed on the center support and the plants or bric-a-brac can ke displayed supported by the outer supports 6-3 and 6-5; and, of course, the nu~ er of upri5hts e~lployed is optional in both Figs. 6 and 7.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an eighth embodiment of the invention employing only a single vertically extending support 8-1. It rises f_om z bzse 8-2, cz-ries vertically sliding, horizontally extending arm plates 8-3 that can support items for display, and carries ad~ustable illu~ination devices 8-4 for illuminating the displayed items. The arm plates are capable of 360 rotation about the vertical support 8-1.
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a ninth e~bodiment of the invention wherein a single vertically extending suppor. 9-1 rises fro~ a base 9-2 and has vertically sliding, horizontally extending arm plates 9-3 and adjustable illumination devices g-4 connected to the ve_tic211y ex_endins support 9-1 for illuminating plants displayed on the 2r~ plates 9-3. A fish tank 9-5 is suppo-ted near the to2 of the ve_tically extending support 9-1 and provides for waterins o~ the plants via lines 9-6. These lines 9-6 can also carry fertilizer derived from the waste products of the fish.
Fig. 10 discloses a tenth em~odlment of the invention forming an outdoor ar~or 10-1. A bench 10-2 is provided to make t easy and convenient to enjoy the arbor for an extending period of time.
Fig. 11 discloses an eleventh embodiment of the invention in the form of a walk-through arbor 11-1. The arbor 11-1 is tall enough so that people can walk through it, and it is prefera~ly wide enough so that two people can walk through side-by-side. The ar~or 11-1 can of course be elongated or extended to any desired length by com.'oining multiple units each in the form of an arch, thereby forming an arch over an extended pathway.
Thus there is provided in accordance with the invention a novel a~d highly effective plant tende- that automatically tends plants, especially indoor plants, though it is also within the scope of the in~ention to employ the plant tender to tend outdoor plants. The invention is advzntageous also in displaying items other than plants and even in tending life forms other than plants. Many modifications of the prefe-red er.bodiments of the inventicn disclosed above will readily occur to _hos2 skilled in the art. Accordinglyj the invention ex_ends to all structure that falls within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (34)
1. A unitary plant tender which induces photosynthesis by artificial light and allows for foliage growth, said plant tender comprising:
at least one armature formed with at least one vertically extending elongate hollow member;
a plant tender lamp;
means mounting said lamp on said armature for continuously adjustable vertical and horizontal rotary positioning and for a swivel movement;
electric power leads extending through said hollow member and connected to said lamp;
a plant support for supporting a plant; and means mounting said support on said armature for continuously adjustable vertical and horizontal rotary positioning;
whereby said lamp and said support can optimize photosynthesis and foliage growth through a combination of adjustments of said lamp and said plant support that optimize the intensity and direction of the light flux supplied to said plant.
at least one armature formed with at least one vertically extending elongate hollow member;
a plant tender lamp;
means mounting said lamp on said armature for continuously adjustable vertical and horizontal rotary positioning and for a swivel movement;
electric power leads extending through said hollow member and connected to said lamp;
a plant support for supporting a plant; and means mounting said support on said armature for continuously adjustable vertical and horizontal rotary positioning;
whereby said lamp and said support can optimize photosynthesis and foliage growth through a combination of adjustments of said lamp and said plant support that optimize the intensity and direction of the light flux supplied to said plant.
2. A unitary plant tender according to claim 1 wherein said armature is formed with at least two vertically extending elongate hollow members connected together to form an arch, there being at least one plant tender lamp and at least one plant support mounted on said vertically extending members.
3. A unitary plant tender according to claim 1 wherein said armature is formed with at least four vertically extending elongate hollow members connected together to form a walk-through arbor, there being at least one plant tender lamp and at least one plant support mounted on said vertically extending members.
4. A plant tender for delivering light to the foliage and water nutrients to theroots of a plant growing in a container and embedded in an anchoring medium contained in the container, the plant tender comprising:
at lease one armature positioned adjacent to the plant and formed with conduit means for electrical power;
a reservoir in physical contact with at least one of the container, at least onearmature and anchoring medium for supplying the water and nutrients to the roots;
an artificial light source supported by said at least one armature for irradiating the foliage; and control means for establishing a duty cycle of the light source and for controlling both the duty cycle of the light source and for controlling both the duty cycle and the delivery of water and nutrients.
at lease one armature positioned adjacent to the plant and formed with conduit means for electrical power;
a reservoir in physical contact with at least one of the container, at least onearmature and anchoring medium for supplying the water and nutrients to the roots;
an artificial light source supported by said at least one armature for irradiating the foliage; and control means for establishing a duty cycle of the light source and for controlling both the duty cycle of the light source and for controlling both the duty cycle and the delivery of water and nutrients.
5. The plant tender as in Claim 4, wherein said light source comprises a bulb having an annular shape, whereby the plant can grow through the annulus of the bulb.
6. The plant tender as in Claim 4, wherein said at least one armature is made of a rigid plastic.
7. The plant tender as in Claim 4, wherein said at least one armature is made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyolefin, and stainless steel.
8. A plant tender as in Claim 4, wherein said at least one armature has a height that is adjustable.
9. A plant tender as in claim 4, wherein said reservoir is supported by said at least one armature.
10. A plant tender as in claim 4, wherein said conduit means further comprises a conduit for water.
11. A plant tender as in claim 4, wherein said at least one armature means extends substantially vertically and wherein said conduit means includes at least one conduit for water, at least one conduit for nutrients and at least one conduit for electrical power.
12. A plant tender as in claim 4, wherein said at least one armature comprises a first conduit for water and nutrients and a second conduit for electrical power.
13. A plant tender as in claim 4, wherein the water and nutrients are fed by gravity through a controllable valve.
14. A plant tender as in claim 4, wherein the water and nutrients are supplied to the roots by means of a pump and wherein said control means includes a timer for controlling the operation of said pump.
15. A plant tender as in claim 4, wherein said control means comprises a moisture sensor for sensing the moisture level of the anchoring medium and at least one valve means responsive to the sensed level of moisture for controlling the delivery of water and nutrients.
16. A plant tender as in claim 4, wherein said at least one armature extends vertically and said reservoir and said artificial light source are in physical contact with each other and in a vertically stacked relation to the plant.
17. A plant tender as in claim 4, wherein said artificial light source comprisesa plurality of light bulbs.
18. A plant tender as in claim 4, wherein said light source comprises an incandescent bulb.
19. A plant tender as in claim 4, wherein said light source comprises a fluorescent bulb.
20. A plant tender as in claim 4, wherein said light source comprises a screw-in-type fluorescent bulb.
21. A plant tender as in claim 4, wherein said at least one armature extends substantially vertically.
22. A plant tender as in claim 4, in the form of an arch high enough to form a walk-through arbor.
23. A plant tender as in claim 4, in the form of a walk-through arbor comprising a plurality of vertically extending support means forming an elongate arch over a pathway.
24. A plant tender as in claim 4, further comprising a plant supported by an arm plate, the plant growing in soil in a container for anchoring said plant, said soil containing a superabsorbent polymer for holding water to feed said plant for extended periods.
25. A display device comprising:
at least one vertical support means;
at least one secondary support means connected to said vertical support means for displaying an item; and at least one illumination means providing illumination to said at least one vertical support means for illuminating the displayed item; wherein:
said at least one secondary support means and said at least one illumination means being adjustable in position vertically, radially, and angularly with respect to said at least one vertical support means.
at least one vertical support means;
at least one secondary support means connected to said vertical support means for displaying an item; and at least one illumination means providing illumination to said at least one vertical support means for illuminating the displayed item; wherein:
said at least one secondary support means and said at least one illumination means being adjustable in position vertically, radially, and angularly with respect to said at least one vertical support means.
26. The display device as in claim 25, wherein said display device is a plant tender.
27. The display device as in claim 25, wherein said display device is an etagere.
28. The display device as in claim 25, further comprising:
an aquatic tank supported by said at least one vertical support means.
an aquatic tank supported by said at least one vertical support means.
29. A display device as in claim 25, in the form of an arch high enough to form a walk-through arbor.
30. A display device as in claim 25, in the form of a walk-through arbor comprising a plurality of vertically extending support means forming an elongate arch over a pathway.
31. A display device as in claim 25, comprising a plant supported by an arm plate, the plant growing in soil in a container for anchoring said plant, said soil containing a superabsorbent polymer for holding water to feed said plant for extended periods.
32. A method of growing and displaying flora and fauna comprising the steps of:
providing a unitary display device for displaying the flora and fauna in close proximity to each other; and feeding the flora with waste products produced by the fauna.
providing a unitary display device for displaying the flora and fauna in close proximity to each other; and feeding the flora with waste products produced by the fauna.
33. A method according to claim 32, wherein the fauna comprises fish.
34. The plant tender as in claim 4, wherein said reservoir for supplying water and nutrient to the plants comprises an aquatic fish tank.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002146176A CA2146176A1 (en) | 1995-04-03 | 1995-04-03 | Plant tender |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002146176A CA2146176A1 (en) | 1995-04-03 | 1995-04-03 | Plant tender |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2146176A1 true CA2146176A1 (en) | 1996-10-04 |
Family
ID=4155556
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002146176A Abandoned CA2146176A1 (en) | 1995-04-03 | 1995-04-03 | Plant tender |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2146176A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN102379222A (en) * | 2011-06-24 | 2012-03-21 | 东莞巨扬电器有限公司 | a flower pot lamp |
-
1995
- 1995-04-03 CA CA002146176A patent/CA2146176A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN102379222A (en) * | 2011-06-24 | 2012-03-21 | 东莞巨扬电器有限公司 | a flower pot lamp |
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