This invention relates generally to gardening accessories and relates, more particularly, to means and methods with which fertilizer and other nutrients are delivered to a plant for growth and with which the flow rate of water to the plant can be controlled.
During the growth of a plant in a controlled environment, such as in a greenhouse or planter, water and plant nutrients are delivered to the plant to keep the plant vital and growing. For this purpose, a water line, such as a garden hose, can be used to conduct water from a source, such as water faucet, to the plant, and nutrients are often delivered manually to an area of the soil adjacent the plant.
It would be desirable to provide a means by which plant fertilizer or other nutrients can be delivered to the plant as water is also delivered to the plant.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved system enabling plant nutrients to be delivered to the plant when water is delivered to the plant so that both water and nutrients are delivered to the plant simultaneously.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system embodying a soaker hose for dispensing nutrients and water relatively evenly over a targeted area adjacent a plant or plants to be fed.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a system which is connectable to a water supply conducted from a source and for delivering nutrients to the plant at a controlled, or metered, rate.
Yet another object is to provide such a system enabling a user to make adjustments to the flow of water to the plant without requiring that such adjustments be made to the water flow at the source, such as at a water faucet.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a system which is uncomplicated in structure, yet effective in operation.
This invention resides in a nutrient and water-dispensing system through which water and nutrients are delivered to a plant.
The system includes a receptacle having an interior into which water-soluble nutrients can be placed and including an inlet port into which water is permitted to flow into the interior of the receptacle from a source and an outlet port through which water and dissolved nutrients are permitted to exit the interior of the receptacle for delivery of water and dissolved nutrients to a plant. The system also includes a dispensing head connected to the outlet port of the receptacle for distributing water and nutrients which exit the receptacle over a target area adjacent the plant. The dispensing head includes a) a conduit ring including at least one section having perforated sidewalls through which water and dissolved nutrients are permitted to seep and b) an intermediate conduit arrangement joined intermediate the outlet port of the receptacle and the conduit ring for conducting water and dissolved nutrients from the receptacle into the conduit ring at multiple locations therearound which are disposed at spaced intervals around the conduit ring. With the intermediate conduit arrangement joined between the outlet port of the receptacle in such a manner, water and dissolved nutrients which exit the outlet port of the receptacle flow in sequence through the intermediate conduit arrangement and then through the conduit ring before being distributed over the target area through the sidewalls of the at least one section of the conduit ring.
a is an elevational view of an exemplary tee-connector utilized in the system of the present invention.
Turning now to the drawings in greater detail and considering first
The hanging planter 24 includes an open-topped container 30 having a bottom 31 and cylindrical sidewalls 32 for holding dirt or potting soil 17 and within which a plant 18 is transplanted for growth out the bottom thereof. A hanger system 34 includes a plurality of cables 36 which are securable at one (i.e. the lower) end thereof to the container sidewalls 32 adjacent the upper edges thereof. The other (i.e. the upper) ends of the cables 36 are gathered at a hook 37 for suspending the planter 24 from an elevated structure 16.
Also associated with the container 30 is a cover, or top member 39 (best shown in
It will be understood that the depicted planter 24 is intended to provide one example of a class of planters with which the nutrient and water-dispensing system 20 embodying features of the present invention can be utilized. A planter 24 can, for example, take the form of a common planter in which a plant can be grown out the top thereof, a container having a side port (or ports) through which plants can be grown out the sides thereof, or a stand-supported planter (as is illustrated in
With reference still to
With reference to
The conduit network 40 also includes a downstream conduit portion 56 which is joined to the nutrient-holding receptacle 50 so as to extend downstream of the receptacle 50. The depicted conduit portion 56 includes a dispensing head, or means 60, through which water and dissolved nutrients which exit the receptacle 50 are dispensed over a target area and an intermediate conduit arrangement 57 which extends between the nutrient-holding receptacle 50 and the dispensing head 60.
The intermediate conduit arrangement 57 includes a hose section 58 having an end 62 which is joined directly to the receptacle 50 and a linear arrangement 80 of conduits for joining the conduit ring 74 to the opposite end, indicated 64, of the hose section 58. For purposes of connecting the end 64 of the hose section 58 to the linear conduit arrangement 80, the system 20 includes a tee-connector 66 (best shown in
As best shown in
Within the depicted conduit ring 74, there are provided two conduit sections 82, 84 of substantially equal length and which are arranged in a circular form and which are joined to one another at the ends thereof by way of a pair of tee-connectors 66a, 66b. More specifically, each end of the one conduct section 82 is joined to one arm 68 of the tee-connector 66a or 66b, and one end of the other conduit section 84 is joined to the other arm 70 of the tee-connector 66a or 66b so that the conduit ring 74 assumes its circular (e.g.
It is a feature of the depicted system 20 that each conduit section 82 or 84 includes a series of perforations 88 along the length thereof through which water or dissolved nutrients which are directed into the conduit 82 or 84 are permitted to seep. In this connection, the conduit sections 82 or 84 have sidewalls 86 which extend between its ends, and these sidewalls 86 define perforations 88 which, upon exposure to a pressurized fluid (above a threshold level) contained within the conduit sections 82 or 84, permit the passage of the fluid therethrough. Thus, when water and dissolved nutrients are directed into the conduit sections 82 or 84 of the dispensing head 60 by way of the receptacle 50, the water and dissolved nutrients are permitted to seep (i.e. be discharged from) the conduit sections 82, 84 by way of the perforations 88. An example of a conduit which has been found to be well-suited for use as either of the conduit sections 82, 84 is in the form of a hose (i.e. a flexible tube constructed of an elastomeric material) commercially available under the trade designation Soaker Hose from Aquarius Manufacturing Ltd of Lancashire, England.
It also follows from the foregoing that water is delivered to the conduit ring 74 at locations which are spaced (and preferably substantially regularly spaced) around the conduit ring 74 and, more specifically, at diametrically-opposed locations thereon. It is believed that by delivering water to multiple locations which are spaced around the conduit ring 74, the water and dissolved nutrients which are carried by the water from the receptacle 50 are discharged relatively evenly over the length of the conduit sections 82, 84. In other words, by providing multiple, spaced locations about the conduit ring 74 at which the internal water pressure within the conduit sections 82, 84 is the highest, the water flows into (and through) the conduit sections 82, 84 from those multiple locations thereabout. In the depicted dispensing head 60 of the depicted embodiment 20, the internal water pressure is at its highest within the tww-connectors 66a and 66b so that the water flows along the sections 82, 84 from the tee-connectors 66a and 66b. Consequently, the distribution of water and dissolved nutrients out through the sidewalls 86 of the conduit sections 82, 84 is believed to be relatively even along the length of the conduit sections 82, 84 and is thereby distinguishable from a situation in which water is delivered to conduit ring at only a single location therearound.
With reference to
Furthermore, there is associated with the receptacle 50 and flow control means 52 port means, generally indicated 115, which accommodates the attachment of a corresponding conduit portion 54 or 58 in-line with the receptacle 50 and flow control means 52 for delivery of a flow of water therethrough. More specifically, the port means 115 includes an inlet port 117 disposed on the upstream side of the flow control means 52 which permits the attachment of the exit end, indicated 49, of the conduit portion 54 to the flow control means 52. In the depicted embodiment 20, the inlet port 117 is sized to be received by the exit end 49 when the exit end 49 is directed endwise over the inlet port 117 to a snug-fitting relationship thereabout.
The port means 115 also includes an outlet port 119 disposed on the side of the compartment 105 opposite the inlet port 117 which permits the attachment of the inlet end, indicated 62, of the hose section 58 (of the conduit arrangement 57) to the receptacle 50. In the depicted system 20, the outlet port 119 is sized to be received by the inlet end 62 as the inlet end 62 is directed endwise onto the outlet port 119 to a snug-fitting relationship thereabout. Furthermore, each of the inlet and outlet ports 117 and 119 is preferably provided with a barbed outer surface, as shown in
The removable cap 111 of the receptacle 50 includes a platen cover portion 121 and cylindrical sidewalls 123 which extend downwardly (as viewed in
To ensure a tight seal between the surfaces of the cap 111 and the compartment 105, the receptacle 50 preferably includes a flat washer 127 constructed, for example, of elastomeric material which is positionable along the edge of the compartment top so that when the removable cap 111 is tightened about the compartment 105, the washer 127 is tightly sandwiched between the top of the compartment 105 and the underside of the cover portion 121.
It follows that the removable cap 111 provides a user with access to the interior 101 of the receptacle 50. For use of the system 20 (and while the flow of water through the receptacle 50 is shut off), the cap 111 is removed from the compartment 105 and then fertilizer 103 or other plant nutrients (which may be in solid or liquid form and, in either case, is water soluble) is placed within the interior 101 of the receptacle 50. The cap 111 is then replaced upon the compartment 105 to cover, and thereby close, the top thereof, and the water flow through the receptacle 50 is turned ON. As water is permitted to be routed into the receptacle 50, the nutrients mix with (i.e. dissolve within) the water flow so that water which subsequently exits the receptacle 50 through the outlet port 119 carries with it the dissolved fertilizer toward the dispensing head 60.
An example of a fertilizer which has been found to be suitable for use as the fertilizer 103 with the system 20 is a water soluble granular fertilizer available under the trade designation Tomato Plant Food from the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company of Marysville, Ohio.
As mentioned above and with reference again to
The flow control valve 136 of the depicted flow control means 52 is a ball-type, infinitely-variable valve whose position within the body 132 of the flow control means 52 can be adjusted between a fully ON orientation (as is illustrated in phantom in
Exemplary dimensions of various components of the system 20 are provided here as follows: The outer diameter of the removable cap 100 of the receptacle 50 can be about 2.25 inches; the depth of the cap 100 can be about 1.2 inches; the wall thickness of the cap 100 can be about 0.070 inches; the outer diameter of the compartment 86 of the receptacle 50 can be about 2.125 inches; the depth of the compartment 86 can be about 1.1 inches; each of the conduit portions 54 and 58 can be provided by a plastic hose having an outer diameter of 0.25 inches; the ports 117 and 119 (with the barbed connectors associated therewith) are sized to be snugly accepted by the conduit portions having the 0.5 inch outer diameter; the length of the hose section 58 is about 8.0 inches; the outer diameter of each conduit section 82 or 84 is about 0.25 inches; and the diameter of conduit ring 74 is about 4.75 inches.
As mentioned earlier and with reference again to
It follows from the foregoing that a water and nutrient-delivery system 20 has been described with which water and nutrients can be delivered to a planter 24. Furthermore, there is incorporated within the system 20 a nutrient-holding and flow control system 22 including a receptacle 50 into which a user can deposit fertilizer or other plant nutrients for delivery to the planter 24 with water from a source 42 and a flow control mean 52 through which the user can control the rate of flow of water through the receptacle 50. Thus, the receptacle 50 and flow control means 52 provides a convenient and uncomplicated means by which water and fertilizer or other nutrients can be delivered simultaneously to the container 30 of the planter 24 at a metered rate and allows a user to control the flow rate of water through the receptacle means 50 and into the container 30 without having to control the water flow at the faucet 44.
It is envisioned that the aforedescribed system 20 is particularly well-suited for delivering liquid fertilizer (which is poured into the receptacle means 50) to the container 30 at a relatively slow rate, and provides a user with an alternative to known, more-costly greenhouse watering and feeding drip systems. In other words, because the system 20 need not involve the relatively sophisticated equipment commonly associated with greenhouse watering and feeding drip systems, such as can involve timers, nutrient barrels, water lines and pumps, the system 20 is advantageous in this respect. Furthermore, the system 20 is relatively easy to use in that fertilizer can be deposited or poured within the receptacle means within a few seconds, uses water pressure to deliver the nutrients directly to the plant, and because the nutrients are delivered to a targeted area (by way of the conduit ring 74), reduces nutrient waste.
It will be understood that numerous modifications and substitutions can be had to the aforedescribed embodiment 22 without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, although the system 20 has been shown and described as including a single conduit ring 74 for dispensing water and nutrients relatively evenly over a single target area, such as atop the potting soil 17 of the planter 24, a system which embodies the features of the present invention can be used for delivering water and dissolved nutrients to multiple target areas. For example, there is illustrated in
Furthermore, although the receptacle 50 of the aforedescribed system 20 has been shown and described as including a screw-on cap 111, a receptacle embodying features of the present invention can include a snap-on cap which is capable of being attached to the remainder of the receptacle in a snap-fitting relationship therewith.
It will also be understood that the invention described herein can be embodied within a dispensing system (e.g. like that of the embodiment 20 described and shown herein) standing alone or within a dispensing system (e.g. like that of the embodiment 20 described and shown herein) in combination with a planter to which the water and nutrients and desired to be delivered by way of the dispensing system.
Accordingly, the aforedescribed embodiment 20 is intended for the purpose of illustration and not as limitation.
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 12/380,317, filed Feb. 26, 2009 and entitled NUTRIENT-HOLDING AND FLOW CONTROL SYSTEM FOR IN-LINE CONNECTION WITH WATER FLOW TO PLANTS OR PLANTERS, and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 12380317 | Feb 2009 | US |
Child | 12590431 | US |