AU620839B2 - An apparatus for humidifying the foliage of plants - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1 COM PLETE SPECIFICATIONs

(ORIGINAL)

Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority Related Art: APPLICANT'S REFEREaICE: JFF/ P 281 '-Name(s) of Applicant(s): Eric Bruce Ptivett 'Address(es) of Applicant(s): Portion Nooitgedacht 88, District Krugersdorp, Transvaal, SOUTH AFRICA.

,Add.ress for Service is:- PHILLIPS ORMNsDE FITZPATRICK Patent and 7-ade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA Complete Specification for the invention entitled: "AN APPARATUS FOR MIUIDIFYING THE FOLIAGE OF PLANTS".

Our Ref 120847 POP Code: 1503/95390 Th. following statement is a full descrl dion of this invention, including the best method of performing it known iapplicant(s):t 1 i *0 *2 I2 BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION i g THIS invention relates to apparatus for use in the care of plants, including seedlings.

South African patent 84/7055 describes a plant irrigation aparatus including a timer and displacement pump. The apparatus operates in such a manner that water, containing S: appropriate plant nutrients if required, is periodically pumped to a container in which plants are situated. At the end of a pumping cycle, the water is able to drain back into a reservoir. In this way, it is ensured that the plants do not have excess water and do not stand in stagnant water.

Y" It is all very well to supply the roots of plants periodically with water and the necessary nutrients. However it is known that most plants grow particularly well if their leaves and foliage are exposed to moist air.

An object of the present invention is to provide for the humidifying of plants as well as watering thereof.

3- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Al A/tv iiy i b e 4'er{l flovlk Plant car. apparatusAaccordin to the invention comprises a container having a bottom, one or more side walls and a perforated top adapted to support plant pots in such a manner that the bottoms of the pots are inside the container and above the bottom of the container, an absorbent member locatable at the bottom of the container beneath the bottoms of the pots, water supply equipment operating in use, during periodic pumping cycles, to pump water into the container C"O such that the absorbent member is wetted and, during S" drainage cycles between the pumping cycles, to drain water out of the container, whereby during each pumping cycle, plants in the pots are humidified by air moistened by evaporation and displaced from the container through the perforations in the top thereof by the incoming water, and during each drainage cycle, air is drawn into the container by the action of the water draining therefrom, and the plants are subsequently humidified by air moistened by evaporation from the wetted absorbent member and escaping )from the container through the perforations in the top thereof.

Preferably, capillary means are provided to transport water pumped into the container upwardly into the plant pots. Such means may take the form of wicks resting on the absorbent member and entering the pots through openings in the bottoms of the pots.

In one version of the invention, heating means may be included to warm up the water in order to promote DL0 evaporation and the humidifying effect.

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4 In a preferred form of the invention, each perforation is sized to receive the body of a plant pot, the plant pot having upper edges operatively resting on the periphery of the corresponding perforation, in such a way that an air gap is formed between the plant pot and the periphery of the perforation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates apparatus of the invention in schematic fashion.

0© DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT .o 9 94 In the drawing, the numeral 10 indicates a plant container which has a bottom 14, side walls 16 and a top 18 which is supported on the upper edges of the side walls by means of flanges 20. The top 18 is formed with a series of S perforations 22 each of which is sized to receive the body of a plant pot 24, typically but not necessarily of the conventional, frusto-conical shape. As illustrated, the plant pots 24 fit through the perforations in the top 18 and i are supported by virtue of their upper edges resting on the U periphery of the corresponding perforation. The fits *fees: i between the upper edges of the plant pots and the corresponding perforations are relatively loose to allow for the formation of an air gap. The bottoms 26 of the pots are spaced above the bottom 14 of the container Located on the bottom 14 of the container 10 is an absorbent pad 28, typically a porous sheet of material such as felt or the like. Short, absorbent wicks 30 are inserted through 5 r openings in the bottoms of the pots 24 and rest on the pad 28.

Water is supplied to the container by means of a pumping apparatus i.ndicated generally with the refererence numeral 32. This pumping apparatus is described in detail in the specification of South African patent 84/7055. The pumping apparatus comprises an electric air pump 34 controlled by a timer unit 36 supplied with power via wires 38. When the pump is operational under the control of the timer unit, it \Opumps air through a pipe 40 into a reservoir 42 containing S water treated with appropriate plant nutrients. The S: incoming air bubbles up through the water, aerating it and displacing it through a pipe 44 leading to the container S from below.

eo 0 After a predetermined period of time, the timer unit switches off the pump 34 and the water 46 in the container is able to drain back into the reservoir under gravity 0 through the pipe 44, air being displaced from the reservoir and venting to atmosphere via a vent pipe 48.

0: oiooo Means are provided for controlling the level of water which exists in the container 10 at the end of the pumping cycle.

These means are described in detail in the specification of 0000 South African patent 84/7055. In the present case, it will be seen that the highest water level is just beneath the bottoms 26 of the plant pots 24, with the absorbent pad 28 immersed in the water.

Water is transported by capillary action through the wicks into the soil contained in the plant pots 24 and surrounding the roots of the plants 50 in the pots. In this way the plants 50 receive their main water supply. When the 6drainage cycle commences, the water drains back into the reservoir 42, leaving the pad 28 in a wet state so that the capillary action continues.

As indicated previously, it is known that plants are assisted in their growth if their foliage is supplied with moist, humidifying air. The illustrated apparatus provides for a regular supply of humidifying air. In the first place, at the commencement of each pumping cycle, there will be a volume of air above the pad 28 which contains moisture by virtue of evaporation from the pad. As water is pumped into the container the moist air is forcibly displaced and V leaves the container through the perforations 22 around the S* plant pots 24. The moist air flows upwardly around the S foliage of the plants as indicated by the arrows 52. The supply of moist air continues while there is still water in the container 10, in this case by convection of the air upwardly through the perforations and around the plant foliage.

S When the drainage cycle commences, air is drawn into the :_,&)container through the perforations as indicated by the arrows 54, by the water draining from the container. The incoming air is moistened by evaporation from remaining free j water and from the water retained by the pad 28. At the end of the drainage cycle, the direction of airflow through the perforations is reversed as the drainage of water decreases to a negligible amount, and moist air in the container is then able to escape from the container by convection alone.

The humidifying effect can be improved by the provision of a -Qheater for the water 46 which will increase the rate of evaporation and hence elevate the water content of the air r ji 1; j1 ii

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fr 7 in he container. The heater may be situated in the reservoir 42 or in the container 10, or in the vicinity of the reservoir or container.

Apparatus such as that described above will be eminently suitable for use indoors in dry areas, particularly areas which are air-conditioned. Besides promoting attractive plant growth by efficient watering and humidifying, the apparatus has the advantage that the water when in the reservoir and the container is not exposed to light and \Q hence will not support algae.

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S S *s 0* 0 Because the illustrated apparatus serves both a watering and humidifying function, it is anticipated that the plants will prosper for long periods of time without attention.

Another advantage of the illustrated embodiment is the fact that it is possible to vary a plant display quickly and easily merely by re-arranging the plant pots in the top 18.

The top 18 itself may be readily removed and replaced with other tops having different colours or different patterns or sizes or shapes of perforations for supporting pots of varying shapes and sizes.

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Claims (3)

1. 3. -Me Plant -ea*e7 apparatus as clainied in claim 2, in which the capillary means takes the form of wicks resting on the absorbent member arnd entering the pots through openings in the bottoms of the pots. -iY~lllti~iii~L~^U3 L irl-.ii- r t 9
2. 4. -Pl2ant 4ar--~apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which heating means is included to warm up the water in order to promote evaporation and the humidifying effect. PI:Ant caroAapparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which each perforation is sized to receive the body of a plant pot, the plant pot having upper edges operatively resting on the periphery of the corresponding S perforation, in such a way that an air gap is formed between i the plant pot and the periphery of the perforation.
3. 6. 6.Ae Plant- carei apparatus substantially as herein described with I reference to the accompanying drawing. DATED: 11 Janaury, 1989. 0, PHIELIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK ATTORNEYS FOR: ERIC BRUCE PRIVETT *V H I A