DE202011106556U1 - Device for the central and controllable supply of plants with water or nutrient solutions in any number of interconnected planters - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for the central and controllable supply of plants with water or nutrient solutions in any number of interconnected planters, characterized in that they are structurally divisible so that in each case a planting area (12) for the planting substrate (9) with the plants (10) and there is an area for the individual supply of the plant with water (13), which is controlled by a control unit (4) from a locally separated storage vessel (2), on the one hand with an inlet (1) and on the other hand with an integrated overflow (3) , receives (8) water or nutrient solution (7) up to a freely adjustable overflow level (5) to supply the plants via a capillary-active material via a disconnectable connection (6) and discharges excess water via a system return (11).

Description

Plants need not only light and nutrients for good growth, but also the right amount of water, depending on the physiological need for water, as well as a well aerated soil.

The greening of outdoor and indoor areas is often done by means of planters, which due to their limited size only a limited supply of water for the plants and thus need to be watered at regular intervals. This easily creates stressful situations for the plants due to excessive or insufficient irrigation.

By too wet soil, the roots can die off due to lack of oxygen, with too little water dry up the plants. The water requirement of plants varies greatly during the day and season, but the water supply is limited in planters only, also can be caused in the planters in the outdoor area by rain waterlogging.

To solve the irrigation problem, various technical systems have already been developed, such as that in utility models DE 20 2004 002 122 U1 described irrigation system, as it could find in planters use.

These and other irrigation systems already established on the market have the following problems:

Supply of plants by means of ceramic sensors:

These are placed in individual plant boxes in the root zone of a plant, irrigated but the soil surface. They have a casting head with membrane at the top. Negative pressure, which arises when the substrate dries, the integrated pinch valve opens the water supply, with sufficient water supply, the valve is closed again. Several sensors can be connected to each other and fed from a water reservoir, which is 1 m higher per 10 m hose length. This requires high, above-ground reservoirs for large green areas. Crystallized nutrient salts can override the filigree automatic control relatively quickly. The ceramic sensors with their casting heads and hoses are clearly visible between the plants and thus prone to theft and vandalism. Irrigation through droplets on the surface of the substrate causes loss of water due to evaporation, which leads to an increased demand for water. For the irrigation of large plants in large planters very many sensors would be needed.

Row and final droppers, drip irrigation:

The drippers are superficially arranged and connected by small tubes. Water is conveyed from a reservoir or pump to drippers. The working pressure of the dropper is generally about 1500 cm water column, with 1000 cm water column working pressure should be guaranteed. This presupposes in most cases a pressure control, or corresponding height differences between planters and reservoirs. The system does not allow demand-based supply or only by combination with correspondingly many soil moisture sensors, individual supply lines and irrigation computers. Here, too, drippers and hoses would be clearly visible, and evaporation losses also occur here. Crystallizing nutrient salts are also used in this case, the nozzles, according to the cleaning needles are included with some providers. The cleaning of many droppers is associated with a lot of time.

These systems are technically complex produced, hardly repair in case of failure and thus costly. They also require high expenses for the production of new, or the retrofitting of existing planters.

There are only a few approaches to solving the dewatering problem. Most planters are provided at the bottom with holes that are intended to dissipate the excess water. However, this means that the bottom edge of the vessel must first be saturated with water before the vessel can deliver excess water. This saturation can already cause root damage.

These problems are solved with the features listed in the protection claim 1.

With the invention it is achieved that a great many planters can be supplied centrally and maintenance-free with water and nutrients. The supply of plants happens visually inconspicuous, reliable and steadily directly in the root zone. Thus, the amount of water evaporating from the substrate surface is minimized and all water is used to supply the plants. Large plants are also effectively irrigated in planters with this invention. In this case, very different physiological water requirements can be realized, ie these planters can be planted with different plants of different demands. In the system can both rainwater reservoirs as well as conventional Domestic water connections are integrated. It is thus suitable both for the greening of indoor and outdoor areas, as well as large planters, as well as small.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 202004002122 U1 [0004]

Claims (5)

Device for the central and controllable supply of plants with water or nutrient solutions in any number of interconnected planters, characterized in that they are structurally divisible structured so that in each case a planting area ( 12 ) for the plant substrate ( 9 ) with the plants ( 10 ) as well as an area for the individual supply of the plant with water ( 13 ), which is controlled by a control unit ( 4 ) from a locally separate storage vessel ( 2 ), on the one hand with an enema ( 1 ), on the other hand with an integrated overflow ( 3 ), via a disconnectable connection ( 6 ) Water or nutrient solution ( 7 ) up to a freely adjustable overflow level ( 5 ) for supplying the plants with a capillary active material ( 8th ) and excess water via a system return ( 11 ) dissipates. Control unit ( 4 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that it can be connected to reservoirs or house connections and a device for regulating the water level, z. B. a float valve, the connected planters ( 12 + 13 ) provides a constant water level ( 7 ). Planters ( 12 + 13 ) characterized in that they divide horizontally each a planting area ( 13 ) for the plant substrate ( 9 ) with the plants ( 10 ) and a reservoir area for the individual supply of the plants with water ( 12 ) exhibit. Reservoir area ( 13 ), characterized in that it has an uncoupled connection on the inlet side ( 5 ) separable with the control unit ( 4 ) or another planter is connected and the outlet side via a freely adjustable overflow ( 5 ) with another planter or the system return ( 11 ) connected is. Planting area ( 12 ) characterized in that it comprises the plant substrate ( 9 ) and the plants ( 10 ) and the substrate at the lower end via a capillary active material ( 8th ) Water with an adjustable hydraulic potential <0 cm water column from the reservoir area ( 7 ). The negative pressure ensures that, in addition to the water-filled pores, there are also sufficient air-filled pores which ensure the supply of oxygen to the roots. In dry weather, the constant hydraulic potential at the lower edge ensures optimum supply of the plants with water and air. In the case of precipitation-induced waterlogging excess water from the planting area is derived capillary into the reservoir area.

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