GB2215574A

GB2215574A - Plant watering device

Info

Publication number: GB2215574A
Application number: GB8806226A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roy Harvey Hupfield; Peter William Sumner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-03-16
Filing date: 1988-03-16
Publication date: 1989-09-27
Anticipated expiration: 2008-03-16
Also published as: GB2215574B; GB8806226D0

Abstract

A plant watering device 10 comprising a housing 11 to be buried in soil adjacent the roots of plants and containing a cruciform liquid-absorbent element 15 which is dosed with liquid e.g. water, through an inlet 14 of the housing 11, the opening of said inlet 14 being controlled by a flat plate-like valve 17 seated on the element 15 to face the inlet 14 and to close the same upon expansion of the element 15 when the latter absorbs liquid. Portions of the element 15 protrude through respective openings 16 in the housing 11 so that liquid can be taken up from the element 15 by the roots through the soil over a period of time determined by the needs of the surrounding plants. <IMAGE>

Description

PLANT WATERING DEVICE This invention concerns watering devices for plants, in particular potted plants.

Most plants, and more especially potted plants, need watering at regular intervals failing which they wither and die. Unfortunately, either they are neglected until it is too late or they are overwatered which is just as detrimental to their well being as not being watered at all. Potted plants ideally should be watered at regular intervals and be given only as much water as they need.

However this is an extremely difficult thing to achieve and is probably impossible if the owner goes away for any length of time and cannot make arrangements for anyone to water the plants. The usual solution to this dilemma is to stand the base of the pot in a bowl or a saucer of water. The disadvantage of this is that the water in the bowl or saucer tends to evaporate, especially if the bowl -or saucer is on a window sill in direct sunlight, before it is fully absorbed by the soil.

An object of the present invention is to provide a watering device which does not have the aforesaid disadvantage and which can deliver liquid (e.g. water) to the soil around roots of the plant as and when needed by the plant over an extended period of time without frequent monitoring of the device.

With this object in view the present invention provides a watering device, primarily but not exclusively for potted plants, comprising a housing, which can be buried in soil, and a liquid absorbent element contained in the housing and adapted to project through one or more openings in the housing so as to be in contact with the soil, the housing also having a liquid inlet with a valve for regulating the flow of liquid to the absorbent element, and thus indirectly from said element to the soil, the absorbent element being co-operable with the valve such that the operation of the valve is governed by the expansion and contraction of the absorbent element upon the latter's absorption and release of liquid respectively.

Advantageously, the housing is in two parts consisting namely of a circular base and a cylindrical cover which are a screw-fit or a press-fit.

The absorbent element may be of plastics sponge and have a cruciform shape such that its four limbs can protrude through four respective openings in the cover of the housing.

The valve is most suitably a flat plate of circular shape so that it can be disposed on top ofthe absorbent element and face the end of the liquid inlet where the latter opens into the interior of the housing and is - truncated to provide a valve seat against which the valve abuts in the valve's closed position.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, it being understood that the drawing is illustrative and not limitative of the scope of the invention.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the watering device of the invention; and Fig. 2 is a part cross-sectional view of the embodiment of Fig 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the preferred embodiment of the watering device shown therein is denoted generally by the reference numeral 10 and comprising a hollow housing 11 which is in two parts, namely a circular base 12 and a cylindrical cover 13. The base 12 and the cover 13 can be a screw-fit or a press-fit.

The housing 11 is of a plastics material and is approximately one inch in diameter.

The housing 11 has a liquid inlet 14 which communicates with its interior and is in the form of a tube or pipe which is integral with and extends vertically from the otherwise planner top surface of the cover 13.

In the interior of the housing 11 is a liquid absorbent element 15 made of any material which can readily absorb liquid (e.g. water), this material being, for example, plastics sponge. The element 15 is cruciform shape and sits on the housing's interior floor which is provided by the base 12. Due to its shape the absorbent element 15 has four limbs. To enable these limbs to protrude from the housing 11, the cover 13 of the housing 11 has four equally-spaced openings 16 in its side wall. The limbs are a snug fit in the openings 16.

Also in the interior of the housing 11 is a valve 17 for the inlet 14, which valve 17 can be of the same material as the housing 11 and which is in the form of a flat plate advantageously of circular shape but which may be of any other shape if required. The plate-form valve 17 is disposed on the centre of the absorbent element 15 so as to be opposite the end of the inlet 14, said end being truncated to form a circular valve seat 18 against which the valve 17 abuts in its closed position.

Figure 2 shows the valve 17 in its normally open position which occurs when the absorbent element is dry or when it has absorbed relatively little liquid.

In order that the nature of the present invention is fully understood its mode of use will now be described.

As the primary purpose of the device is to water potted plants, the housing 11 is buried in the soil in the plant pot (not shown) so as to be near the roots of the plant but at the same time with the liquid inlet 14 projecting above the soil. Liquid e.g. water, is then poured into the inlet 14 and flows passed the normally open valve 17 and is absorbed by the liquid absorbent element 15.

Of course the inlet 14 can have secured thereto a pipe (not shown) from a reservoir of liquid such as a drip device which delivers one drop of liquid every three minutes. If such a pipe sealingly engages the inlet 14, the inlet 14 can be total buried in the soil.

As the absorbent element 15 takes up liquid entering the inlet 14 it expands by a small but significant amount until eventually the plate-form valve 17 abuts the valve seat 18 thus closing the inlet 14 and stopping the flow of liquid to the absorbent element 15.

It will be recalled that the four limbs of the absorbent element 15 project through respective openings 16 in the cover 13 of the housing 11 which means that the limbs are in contact with the soil. Thus as the absorbent element 15 absorbs liquid this liquid is in turn absorbed via the limbs of the element 15 into the soil and thereafter into the roots of the plant. Usually the soil absorbs the liquid slower than the absorbent element 15 receives it from the inlet 14 allowing the element 15 to expand with liquid and eventually close the valve 17. When the valve 17 is closed the element 15 can no longer absorb liquid but, of course, liquid is still to be absorbed from the limbs of the element 15 by the soil. Therefore eventually the element 15 contracts and the valve 17 disposed thereon moves away from the valve seat 18 opening the valve so that liquid is once again allowed to flow from the inlet 14 into the interior of the housing to be absorbed by the element 15 and eventually through the limbs of the element 15 into the soil. As long as there is liquid entering the interior of housing 11 through the inlet 14 the latter cycle will continue to repeat itself.

The liquid can be ordinary tap water or it can be a mixture of soil and/or plant nutrients. In fact the liquid can be a medium for carrying any valuable matter to the soil and plant.

The invention is not restricted to the precise details as aforedescribed and variations may be made thereto within the scope of the invention. Thus, the tube or pipe providing the inlet 14 could be constructed to provide a small but permanently attached reservoir for liquid, for example by the free end of the inlet being flared. The absorbent element may be of any shape other than cruciform shape so long as a part thereof protrudes from the housing so that it can be in contact with the soil.

Although the device of the invention has been described with reference to its use in watering potted plants it could equally be utilised for watering outdoor plants e.g. in a garden.

Thus, a number of the device of the invention could be arranged in one or more rows in the soil, each device being connected to a branch line of a common liquid feed pipe.

Claims

1. A watering device,- primarily but not exclusively for potted plants, comprising a housing, which can be buried in soil, and a liquid absorbent element contained in the housing and adapted to project through one or more openings in the housing so as to be in contact with the soil, the housing also having a liquid inlet with a valve for regulating the flow of liquid to the absorbent element and thus indirectly from said element to the soil, the absorbent element being co-operable with the valve such that the operation of the valve is governed by the expansion and contraction of the absorbent element upon the latter's absorption and release of liquid respectively.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the housing is in two parts consisting namely of a circular base and a cylindrical cover which are a screw-fit or a press-fit.

3. A device as claimed in Claims 1 or 2 wherein the absorbent element is a plastics sponge and has a cruciform shape such that its four limbs protrude through four respective openings in the cover of the housing.

4. A device as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the valve is a flat plate of circular shape and is disposed on top of the absorbent element to face the end of the liquid inlet where the latter opens into the interior of the housing and is truncated to provide a valve seat against which the valve abuts in the valve's closed position.

5. A watering device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.