GB2193072A

GB2193072A - Capillary matting for use in supplying water and nutrients to plants

Info

Publication number: GB2193072A
Application number: GB08617229A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Philip Perrin
Original assignee: Synthetic Substrates Ltd
Current assignee: Synthetic Substrates Ltd
Priority date: 1986-07-15
Filing date: 1986-07-15
Publication date: 1988-02-03
Also published as: GB8617229D0; GB2193072B

Abstract

A capillary matting for transmitting water and/or nutrients to plants, comprising a body (32) of expanded, semi-rigid, substantially hetero-cellular plastics material having an upper region (34) of relatively low density which exhibits relatively low capillarity and on which, in use, one or more plant containers or trays can be placed, and a lower region (36) of relatively high density which is formed integrally with said region of low density (12) and which exhibits higher capillarity than said low density region. The body can be in the form of a generally planar lamina whose two opposite surfaces are defined by the regions of relatively high and relatively low density, respectively. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Capillary matting for use in supplying water and nutrients to plants The present invention is concerned with capillary matting for use in supplying water and nutrients to plants.

Capillary matting is used beneath seed and plant containers/trays for transmitting water and nutrients to the roots of plants, for example, via one or more holes in the bases of such containers/trays. A wide variety of materials has been used for such capillary matting, including fibrous plastics and fibrous natural materials and hetero-cellular (i.e. opencelled) plastics materials, such as phenolics or polyurethanes. In the latter case, the cellular plastics used have always been of uniform, relatively low density (e.g. of the order of 7.5 kgs/m3) .

A problem with low density cellular materials of this type is that they exhibit relatively low capillarity and therefore need to be immersed to a considerable proportion of their height in order to transmit the required quantities of water and nutrients. However, when so immersed the bottom portion of the material tends to become waterlogged. This has disadvantages both with regard to the deleterious effect on plant roots coming into contact with the waterlogged portion of the matting and with regard to the inefficient use of water and heat energy.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a capillary matting in which the disadvantages of the known cellular plastics matting are reduced.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a capillary matting for transmitting water and/or nutrients to plants, comprising a body of expanded, semi-rigid, substantially hetero-cellular plastics material having an upper region of relatively low density which exhibits relatively low capillarity and on which, in use, one or more plant containers or trays can be placed, and a lower region of relatively high density which is formed integrally with said region of low density and which exhibits higher capillarity than said low density region.

Preferably, the body is in the form of a generally planar lamina whose two opposite surfaces are defined by said regions of relatively high and relatively low density, respectively.

The invention is described further hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of one embodiment of a capillary mat in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 2 is a section on the line -A-A in Fig.

1.

The embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is in the form of a generally planar disc 10, a major part 12 of which is formed of a low density cellular foam material, such as polyurethane foam or an expanded phenolic. The underside of the low density part 12 carries a portion 14 of relatively higher density formed, for example, by subjecting one surface of the low density material to selective heat treatment in a heated press. Preferably, at least the underside surface of the higher density part 14 is formed with a pattern of ridges 16 and recesses 18 (for example as shown in Fig. 1) so that when the disc is placed on a flat surface in the orientation shown in Fig. 2, contact is made with said flat surface by said ridges 16. The upperside surface 20 of the disc can be plain or profiled/patterned as required.

Although shown as a disc, the matting could have any desired peripheral configuration dependent on the size and shape of the plant trays or containers with which it is to be used.

In one practical example, the low density part 12 had a density of the order of 7.5 kgs/m3 and the higher density part 14 had a density of 125 kgs/m3.

1. A capillary matting for transmitting water and/or nutrients to plants, comprising a body of expanded, semi-rigid, substantially hetero-cellular plastics material having an upper region of relatively low density which exhibits relatively low capillarity and on which, in use, one or more plant containers or trays can be placed, and a lower region of relatively high density which is formed integrally with said region of low density and which exhibits higher capillarity than said low density region.

2. A capillary matting as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body is in the form of a generally planar lamina whose two opposite surfaces are defined by said regions of relatively high and relatively low density, respectively.

3. A capillary matting as claimed in claim 2, wherein the exposed underside surface of the higher density region is formed with a pattern of ridges and recesses.

4. A capillary matting as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the upperside surface of the lower density region is plain or is profiled/patterned.

5. A capillary matting as claimed in claim 2, 3 or 4, in the form of a generally planar disc.

6. A capillary matting as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the low density material is a polyurethane foam or an expanded phenolic foam. I 7. A capillary matting as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the densities of the low and higher density regions are of the o - der of 7.5 kgm/m3 and 125 kgs/m3, respectively.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Capillary matting for use in supplying water and nutrients to plants The present invention is concerned with capillary matting for use in supplying water and nutrients to plants. Capillary matting is used beneath seed and plant containers/trays for transmitting water and nutrients to the roots of plants, for example, via one or more holes in the bases of such containers/trays. A wide variety of materials has been used for such capillary matting, including fibrous plastics and fibrous natural materials and hetero-cellular (i.e. opencelled) plastics materials, such as phenolics or polyurethanes. In the latter case, the cellular plastics used have always been of uniform, relatively low density (e.g. of the order of 7.5 kgs/m3) . A problem with low density cellular materials of this type is that they exhibit relatively low capillarity and therefore need to be immersed to a considerable proportion of their height in order to transmit the required quantities of water and nutrients. However, when so immersed the bottom portion of the material tends to become waterlogged. This has disadvantages both with regard to the deleterious effect on plant roots coming into contact with the waterlogged portion of the matting and with regard to the inefficient use of water and heat energy. It is an object of the present invention to provide a capillary matting in which the disadvantages of the known cellular plastics matting are reduced. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a capillary matting for transmitting water and/or nutrients to plants, comprising a body of expanded, semi-rigid, substantially hetero-cellular plastics material having an upper region of relatively low density which exhibits relatively low capillarity and on which, in use, one or more plant containers or trays can be placed, and a lower region of relatively high density which is formed integrally with said region of low density and which exhibits higher capillarity than said low density region. Preferably, the body is in the form of a generally planar lamina whose two opposite surfaces are defined by said regions of relatively high and relatively low density, respectively. The invention is described further hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of one embodiment of a capillary mat in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 2 is a section on the line -A-A in Fig. 1. The embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is in the form of a generally planar disc 10, a major part 12 of which is formed of a low density cellular foam material, such as polyurethane foam or an expanded phenolic. The underside of the low density part 12 carries a portion 14 of relatively higher density formed, for example, by subjecting one surface of the low density material to selective heat treatment in a heated press. Preferably, at least the underside surface of the higher density part 14 is formed with a pattern of ridges 16 and recesses 18 (for example as shown in Fig. 1) so that when the disc is placed on a flat surface in the orientation shown in Fig. 2, contact is made with said flat surface by said ridges 16. The upperside surface 20 of the disc can be plain or profiled/patterned as required. Although shown as a disc, the matting could have any desired peripheral configuration dependent on the size and shape of the plant trays or containers with which it is to be used. In one practical example, the low density part 12 had a density of the order of 7.5 kgs/m3 and the higher density part 14 had a density of 125 kgs/m3. CLAIMS

6. A capillary matting as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the low density material is a polyurethane foam or an expanded phenolic foam. I

7. A capillary matting as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the densities of the low and higher density regions are of the o - der of 7.5 kgm/m3 and 125 kgs/m3, respectively.

8. A capillary matting substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.