FR3053210A1 - DEVICE FOR IRRIGATING A VEGETATION SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an irrigation device (100) for the receptacles (3) of a greening system of a wall or a wall, the receptacles (3) being inserted into a carriage (4). The device comprises a water supply column (9) provided with at least one lateral arm supporting elementary ducts (11) each arranged in close proximity to a receptacle (3), each duct being extended by an expandable nozzle ( 12) adapted to come into close contact with the receptacle (3) under the effect of the water pressure in the supply column (9). Application to the maintenance of green walls.

Description

® FRENCH REPUBLIC

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY © Publication number:

(to be used only for reproduction orders)

©) National registration number

053 210

70352

COURBEVOIE © Int Cl ⁸ : A 01 G 27/00 (2017.01)

PATENT INVENTION APPLICATION

A1

©) Date of filing: 06.29.16. ©) Applicant (s): DIRIM— FR. (© Priority: @ Inventor (s): LE ROUX DOMINIQUE. ©) Date of public availability of the request: 05.01.18 Bulletin 18/01. ©) List of documents cited in the report preliminary research: Refer to end of present booklet (© References to other national documents ®) Holder (s): DIRIM. related: ©) Extension request (s): (© Agent (s): CABINET CELANIE Company by simplified actions.

DEVICE FOR IRRIGATING A VEGETABLE SYSTEM.

FR 3 053 210 - A1 tüy) The invention relates to an irrigation device (100) for the receptacles (3) of a wall or wall vegetation system, the receptacles (3) being inserted in a carriage (4).

The device comprises a water supply column (9) provided with at least one lateral arm supporting elementary conduits (11) each disposed in the immediate vicinity of a receptacle (3), each conduit being extended by an extendable end piece ( 12) able to come into close contact with the receptacle (3) under the effect of the water pressure in the supply column (9).

Application to the maintenance of green walls.

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The technical sector of the present invention is that of buildings, constructions of works and civil engineering, more particularly the external coating and the ornamentation of such constructions using plants.

Some processes are known which propose to revegetate walls by deploying on them a thick felt lined or not with pockets, which are filled with nourishing substrates and planted. These systems require permanent irrigation and fertilization.

Thus, patent EP-2692225 describes a green wall structure in which there are provided planting substrates filled at the place of installation. There is no provision in this document for an irrigation system for these substrates.

Another green wall structure, described in patent EP-1980145A2, is in the form of a load-bearing assembly fixed on the facade and of modular trays containing a culture substrate and mounted on said load-bearing structure and fixed using studs or fingers. Again, no substrate irrigation solution is planned.

The object of the invention is to provide a device for irrigating substrates carrying plants for decorating a plant system.

The subject of the invention is therefore a device for irrigating the receptacles of a system for revegetating a wall or a wall, the receptacles being inserted in a carriage, characterized in that it comprises a supply column in water provided with at least one lateral arm supporting elementary conduits each disposed in the immediate vicinity of a receptacle, each conduit being extended by an extensible nozzle capable of coming into close contact with the receptacle under the effect of the pressure of water in the supply column.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the extendable endpiece is movable in rotation.

Advantageously, the extendable tip is movable in translation.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the device is interposed between a posterior insulating plate and an anterior insulating plate.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the rear insulating plate is provided with a longitudinal groove for receiving the supply column and at least one lateral groove for receiving the at least one lateral arm.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the front insulating plate is provided with a longitudinal groove for receiving the supply column and at least one lateral groove for receiving the at least one lateral arm, the plate of anterior insulation being moreover provided with perforations for the passage of the conduits.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the device is in the form of unitary elements whose dimensions are adapted to those of the carriages.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the unit elements are connected to each other either vertically or horizontally, each supply column is connected to the adjacent column by a tight snap-on connection.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, each end piece is provided with a closing valve brought into the open position in contact with a receptacle.

Advantageously, each receptacle is provided with a water-permeable plate on which the end piece abuts. Thus, each plant can receive the required amount of water according to the characteristics of the permeable plate when the tip is pressed. By modulating the nature of the plate or its thickness by providing several superimposed plates, the quantity of water appropriate for each plant is delivered.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the end piece comprises a core subjected to the action of a spring and cooperating with the opening of the end piece.

Advantageously, the core is integral with a hollow piston sliding in the conduit against the action of a spring.

Advantageously also, the piston sliding in a jacket screwed into the duct provided with a transverse air evacuation duct.

Advantageously also, the jacket forms a stop for stopping the translation of the hollow piston.

A very first advantage of the present invention lies in the fact that for the first time it is possible to irrigate plants that are part of a vegetation system.

Another advantage of the present invention lies in the absence of intervention at each receptacle.

Yet another advantage of the invention lies in the permanence of the irrigation device.

Yet another advantage of the device according to the present invention lies in the fact that it only uses water pressure in the column and therefore fully mechanical operation.

Yet another advantage of the present invention resides in the adaptability of the volume of watering according to the needs of each plant placed in its receptacle.

Other characteristics, the invention will be better understood from the following description of embodiments given by way of example in relation to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 represents two carriages stacked vertically and in place in the rails,

FIG. 2 represents an exploded view of the various components of the device,

FIGS. 3a and 3b show two unit elements of the device in the pre-assembly position,

FIGS. 4a and 4b show three unit elements of the device in the assembled position,

FIG. 5 represents a view of an embodiment of the extensible tip in rotation in the inactive position,

FIG. 6 represents the view according to FIG. 5 but with the endpiece in the active position,

FIG. 7 represents a view of another embodiment of the extensible end piece in translation in the hollow position, the advantages and details of the inactive plant supplement being mounted,

FIG. 8 represents the view according to FIG. 7, the end piece being in the active position,

- Figure 9 is a section showing the embodiment of the extensible tip in translation in the inactive position

FIG. 10 represents the section according to FIG. 9, the end piece being in the active position,

FIG. 11 is a section showing a detail of the endpiece in the inactive position, and

- Figure 12 shows the detail of Figure 11 but in the active position.

As indicated above, it is a question of revegetating a wall by providing for the insertion of a certain number of receptacles in which plants will be placed and irrigated.

Figure 1 shows the revegetation system 1 described in a previous application. It comprises rails 5 and 6 oriented vertically, spaced from one another and fixed to a wall 2 as well as receptacles 3 secured to a carriage 4 interposed between said rails 5 and 6. Of course, the rails can be fixed directly on the wall or on any system itself fixed on the wall.

Each carriage 4 is coupled to the rails by a system allowing them to be withdrawn with respect to these rails and their sliding with respect to these.

The carriages 4 are in the form of baskets 7 so as to be able to accommodate a plant substrate in the receptacles 3 in order to allow the development of the carriages 4 are able to move

The parallel to the rails 5 and 6 and are arranged in a column so as to stack one above the other.

In another embodiment, the rails 5 and 6 can be oriented horizontally, the carriages are then arranged in a row so as to stack one next to the other. This other embodiment is technically identical to the present embodiment described below, it is therefore not necessary to represent it. It goes without saying that the same embodiment may include trolleys oriented vertically and trolleys oriented horizontally.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the irrigation device 100 which comprises a water supply column 9 provided with at least one lateral arm 10. It can be seen in the figure that the column has five arms 10. Each arm supports elementary conduits 11 each disposed in the immediate vicinity of a receptacle 3 as explained below. Each elementary conduit 11 is extended by an extendable endpiece 12 capable of coming into close contact with the receptacle 3 under the effect of the water pressure in the supply column 9.

Column 9 is associated with two thermal insulation plates, a rear plate 13 and an anterior plate

14. These plates are for example constituted by a rigid polystyrene. The rear plate 13 is fixed directly to the wall (not shown) or else to any intermediate system.

In order to promote intimate contact and adequate positioning of the column 9, the posterior insulating plate 13 is provided with a longitudinal groove 15 for receiving this supply column and at least one lateral groove 16 for receiving the side arm 10.

The device is completed by the front insulating plate 14 also provided with a longitudinal groove 17 for receiving the supply column 9 and at least one lateral groove 18 for receiving the at least one lateral arm. The front insulating plate 14 is moreover provided with perforations 19 for the passage of each of the conduits 11.

In the figure, there is shown a column 9 provided with five lateral arms 10, and the plates 13 and 14 each provided with five lateral grooves 16 and 18 respectively.

The device is in the form of unitary elements whose dimensions are adapted to those of the carriages 3.

In FIGS. 3a and 3b, two partial unit elements 8a and 8b are shown in the pre-assembly position.

In this configuration, the column 9 has been positioned in the longitudinal groove 15 of the rear plate 13 as well as the arms 10 in the grooves 16 not visible in this figure. Then, the conduits 11 were engaged in the holes 19 of the anterior plate 14 in order to make a tight fit between the plates 13 and 14 and the column 9.

The element 8a has at one end a frustoconical opening 20 through which the end of the column 9 is present and extended by a male end piece 21a.

The element 8b has at one end opposite a frustoconical part 22 which comes to conform to the shape of the opening 20 so as to constitute the tightest possible adjustment. The end of the column 9 has a female end piece 21b.

Thus, during the assembly of the elements 8a and 8b, the parts of the column 9 of these elements are tightly connected by the introduction of the male end piece 21a into the female end piece 21b.

In FIGS. 4a (end pieces in the inactive position) and 4b (end pieces in the active position), a stack of three unit elements 8c, 8d and 8e is shown after having engaged the frustoconical part 22 in the frustoconical part 20, or the reverse , by simple translation and connected the two column parts of these unit elements. The unitary elements 8 are connected to each other either vertically or horizontally, each part of the supply column 9 is connected to the adjacent column part by a snap connection 21.

We see in the figures that the element 8d is of complete structure. It goes without saying that at the head element, the column part 9 can be connected to the water supply column of the building or installation while the column of the unitary element of base is closed by a plug. Of course, the male end piece 21 of the basic unit element can be omitted.

In an equivalent embodiment, the column part of the basic unit element can be connected to the water circuit in order to maintain equal pressure over the entire height of the irrigation installation.

According to another embodiment, the column 9 can be communicated with a water treatment tank capable of receiving nutrients for the conservation of plants.

In Figure 5, there is shown a carriage 4 disposed in front of the irrigation device 100 and we see that each conduit it is arranged in front of a receptacle 3. Each receptacle 3 is provided with a permeable plate 23 to l water on which the tip 12 abuts in the active position. Also shown is the trace of the rail 5 (or 6) on which the carriage 4 is positioned.

By active position is meant the position in which the endpiece is open, in contact with the plate 23, and the water through which the endpiece is therefore closed without contact with the plate 23.

A free space 24 is provided between the device 100 and the carriage 4 in order to allow the travel of the retractable end piece 12 between the inactive position and the active position.

The plate 23 is permeable to water, its thickness and its nature being controlled to ensure diffusion of the water according to the plant placed in the receptacle opposite. Of course, several plates can be superimposed.

As described above, each conduit is extended by a retractable tip 12 which in this embodiment is movable in rotation. This end piece is closed by a valve 25 here by a ball closing a throttle. We see that the end piece 12 is disposed at the bottom of the plate 23. Each plate 23 has a permeability adapted according to the needs of the plant disposed in the receptacle corresponding.

In Figure 6, there is shown the view according to the previous figure, but we controlled the water supply to the column 9. Under the effect of pressure, the conduit 11 is rotated against the plate 23 thus causing ball removal. The valve 25 is thus in position in at

position which flows freely inactive is through the plate 23. The position in constituted the end piece. opening distance and the water causes humidification of the plate 23 in order to irrigate the plants placed in the receptacles 3 while being in intimate contact with said plate 23.

The water supply in column 9 can be programmed in a simple way in order to reduce human intervention. Thus, the device according to the invention provides permanent irrigation of the receptacles and thus facilitates the maintenance of the revegetation system.

In Figure 7, there is shown another embodiment of the movable endpiece 12 inserted in the conduit it, the other components being identical to those described in connection with Figures 5 and 6. In this embodiment, the endpiece 12 is movable in translation and is completely engaged in the conduit there in the inactive position.

In FIG. 8, the same embodiment is shown as that illustrated in connection with FIG. 7, but the end piece 12 is completely translated and comes into contact with the plate 23. The means for closing the end piece is always brought to the open position for the passage of water, the details of which will be explained below.

In Figure 9, there is shown the other embodiment of the conduit there in communication with the column 9 whose tip is movable in translation. According to this embodiment, the conduit it is inserted into the anterior insulating plate 14 and has a grooved front part 26, a smooth rear part 27 and a transverse conduit 28 for communication with the outside. This conduit is made in the vicinity of the junction of the two parts 26 and 27.

The endpiece 12 comprises a tubular jacket 29 and a piston 30 sliding both in the conduit it and in the jacket 29.

The jacket 29 has at its free end a crown 31a and a threaded body screwed into the grooved front part 26 of the conduit il until it bears against the free end of the conduit il. The internal end of the jacket 29 delimits a stop 31b against which is disposed a seal 32 intended to cooperate with the piston 30 as will be explained below.

The piston 30 is in the form of a tubular element carrying at its free end the end piece 12 proper, at its internal end a first shoulder 33 and at its median part a second shoulder 34. The piston 30 is movable relative to the conduit 11 via the first shoulder 33 bearing against the internal wall of the conduit 11 and the second shoulder 34 bearing against the internal wall of the jacket 29. This piston 30 is also subjected to the action of a spring 35 interposed between the crown 31a and the second shoulder 34.

This figure shows the free space 24 separating the plate 23 and the conduit 11. In this inactive position, the shoulder 34 of the piston 30 is also supported against the shoulder 31b of the jacket 29.

FIG. 10 illustrates the active position of the end piece 12. In this configuration, the column 9 is put under water pressure. This pressure will drive the piston 30 in translation, the first shoulder 33 of which bears against the seal 32 against the action of the spring 35. The endpiece is then in the active position. During this translation of the piston 30, in the duct 11, the air present in the free space between the shoulder 33 and the seal 32 is expelled through the duct 28. In the final position, the shoulder 33 closes the transverse conduit 28 to prevent any loss of water pressure.

It will also be noted that the rear shoulder 33 of the piston comes to the end of its stroke in abutment against the seal 32 and that the stroke of the piston 30 in the free space 24 is equal to the length of the rear part of the piston 30.

FIG. 11 illustrates the detail of embodiment of the endpiece 12 in the inactive position and in the figure there is partially the spring 35, the jacket 29 and the piston 30. This piston 30 delimits a front compartment 36a and a rear compartment 36b separated by a partition 36c. These two compartments communicate with each other via the openings 37 in the partition 36c. In the compartment 36a, a core 38 of cylindrical-frustoconical shape is arranged to close the opening 39 of the end piece 12; this core, playing ίο the role of valve through its frustoconical part, is slidably mounted in a sheath 40 fixed to the piston 30 while being subjected to the thrust of a spring 41. In the figure, it can be seen that the core 38 closes the opening 39 while being applied to it by the spring 41.

In Figure 12, there is shown the active position of humidification of the plate 23 by the piston 30. In this position, the pressurization of water from the column 9 feeds the conduit 11 causing the translation of the nozzle 12 coupled to the piston 30. The end piece 12 then comes into intimate contact with the plate 23 to ensure its humidification.

In this configuration, the core 38 is pushed back against the action of the spring 41, which makes it possible to release the opening 39 of the end piece 12.

The operation is as follows. The system changes from the rest or inactive position shown in Figures 7, 9 and 11 to the active position shown in Figures 8, 10 and 12 when column 9 is pressurized with water to humidify the receptacles 3. The pressure water then comes to act on the partition 36c of the piston 30 which is then driven in translation and comes on the one hand into abutment on the seal 32 by means of the shoulder 33 by compressing the spring 35 as shown on Figure 9 and secondly against the plate 23. At the end of this translation, the nozzle 12 comes into contact with the plate 23 to humidify it with water.

Arrived in abutment against the plate 23, the core 38 is then pushed against the action of the spring 41 and releases the opening 39 of the nozzle 12 as shown in FIG. 12. The water present in the compartments 36a and 36b passes then through the opening 37 as shown by the arrow F and moistens the plate 23.

We see as in the previous embodiments that the device 100 operates only mechanically and requires no energy input.

In the absence of water pressure in the column 9, the spring 35 pushes the piston 30 back into the position shown in FIG. 9 and the spring 41 simultaneously pushes the core 38 back into the position shown in FIG.

It will be noted that the release of the carriage 4 relative to the rails 5 and 6 causes it to move away from the device 100 and consequently the spacing of the plates 23 relative to the end pieces 12. Under the effect of the water pressure, the valve 25 or the core 38 are driven to ensure the closure of the endpiece 12.

Claims (14)

1. Irrigation device (100) of the receptacles (3) of a wall or wall revegetation system, the receptacles (3) being inserted in a carriage (4), characterized in that it comprises a water supply column (9) provided with at least one lateral arm (10) supporting elementary conduits (it) each disposed in the immediate vicinity of a receptacle (3), each conduit being extended by an extendable end piece (12) able to come into close contact with the receptacle (3) under the effect of the water pressure in the supply column (9). 2. Irrigation device (100) of the receptacles (3) according to claim 1, characterized in that the extendable nozzle (12) is movable in rotation. 3. Irrigation device (100) of the receptacles (3) according to claim 1, characterized in that the extendable end piece (12) is movable in translation. 4. Irrigation device (100) of the receptacles (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is interposed between a rear insulating plate (13) and a front insulating plate (14). 5. Irrigation device (100) of the receptacles (3) according to claim 4, characterized in that the rear insulating plate (13) is provided with a longitudinal groove (15) for receiving the supply column (9) and at least one lateral groove (16) for receiving the at least one lateral arm (10). 6. Irrigation device (100) of the receptacles (3) according to claim 4, characterized in that the front insulating plate (14) is provided with a longitudinal groove (17) for receiving the supply column (9) and at least one lateral groove (18) for receiving the at least one lateral arm (10), the front insulating plate (14) being moreover provided with perforation (19) for the passage of the conduits ( he). 7. Irrigation device (100) of the receptacles (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is in the form of unit elements (8) whose dimensions are adapted to those of the carriages (4). 8. Irrigation device (100) of the receptacles (3) according to claim 7, characterized in that the unit elements (8) are connected to each other either vertically or horizontally, each supply column (9) is connected to the adjacent column by a sealed snap connection (21). 9. Irrigation device (100) of the receptacles (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each end piece (12) is provided with a closing valve (25) brought into position opening in contact with a receptacle (3). 10. Irrigation device (100) of the receptacles (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each receptacle (3) is provided with a permeable plate (23) on which the water end piece (12) abuts. 11. Irrigation device (100) of the receptacles (3) according to claim 3, characterized in that the end piece (12) comprises a core (38) subjected to the action of a spring (41) and cooperating with the opening (39) of the endpiece. 12. Irrigation device (100) of the receptacles (3) according to claim 11, characterized in that the core (38) is integral with a hollow piston (30) sliding in the conduit (11) against the action of 'a spring (35). 13. irrigation device (100) of the receptacles (3) according to claim 12, characterized in that the hollow piston (30) is slidably mounted in a jacket (29) screwed into the conduit (it) provided with a conduit transverse (28) air evacuation. 14. Irrigation device (100) of the receptacles (3) according to claim 13, characterized in that the jacket (29) forms a stop (31b) for the translation of the hollow piston (30). ? Λ ^Ο s Π £ 1 5 (6) FI6.7 J 8 / ^ 3 IM 11/11 Ol · '91J Fîû.fi 1Z îb <k ΑΌ Αή