GB2310992A

GB2310992A - Controlled watering device

Info

Publication number: GB2310992A
Application number: GB9605133A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mandy Ann Alsop
Original assignee: BRB PLASTICS Ltd
Current assignee: BRB PLASTICS Ltd
Priority date: 1996-03-11
Filing date: 1996-03-11
Publication date: 1997-09-17
Also published as: GB9605133D0

Abstract

A watering device in the form of a closed water container 12 comprises at least one aperture 17A in a wall of the container, the aperture or apertures 17A being of a size such that with water in the container there is a controlled flow of water, through the aperture or apertures for an extended periods, and a controllable vent 23 into an upper part of the container whereby a controlled leakage of air can be allowed into the container to replace and thereby regulate the liquid flowing out of the container by way of the or each aperture. Typically the controllable vent is calibrated to enable a reproducibly controlled leakage of air to be established to the interior of the container.

Description

CONTROLLED WATERING DEVICE This invention relates to a controlled watering device.

Growing plants need a supply of water. This can be provided by directing water as a stream to a supporting medium for the plant or as a spray onto the plant. Typically water for this purpose can be supplied from a reservoir by way of a watering can or a hose. Watering can be either virtually continuous or periodically repeated.

Automatic watering systems are available involving the provision of supply piping from a water supply together with outlet dispensers in the form on nozzles, sprinklers or controlled leakage systems and means for regulating water supply from the piping to the dispensers. Such systems are widely used for horticultural applications but are expensive to install and the cost of such an arrangement may not be justifiable or possible in a domestic application. Typically if occupants of a house are absent for an extended period then any plants in the house will need to be watered by somebody else and such a person may not be able or willing to undertake regular watering.

According to the present invention there is provided a watering device in the form of a closed water container for location in the vicinity of a plant or plants to which water is to be supplied, the container having: 1 at least one aperture in a wall of the container at a position above the region but below a major part of the container the aperture or apertures being of a size such that with water in the container above the level of the aperture or apertures there is a controlled flow of water, whether as a liquid or a spray through the aperture or apertures for an extended period; 2 a controllable vent into an upper part of the container and above a location for a free water surface within the container whereby a controlled leakage of air can be allowed into the container to replace liquid flowing out of the container by way of the or each aperture.

According to a first preferred version of the present invention the container is Cshaped in plan view and the or at least one aperture is provided on the inner concave face of the C shape.

According to a second preferred version of the present invention or the first preferred version thereof the or each aperture is provided with a closure device.

According to a third preferred version of the present invention or any preceding preferred version thereof the watering device is substantially fabricated from plastics material.

According to a fourth preferred version of the present invention or any preferred version thereof the watering device includes means whereby the container and/or the controllable vent can be coupled to a remote source such as of water or of operational control.

In the case of the present invention and the preferred embodiments reference is made to a device for dispensing water. In many applications it will be sufficient to dispense tap or naturally occurring water such as rain, well or spring water.

However the invention also lends itself to dispensing water containing additives for a variety of purposes such as for promoting growth, resisting plant diseases or resisting insect infestation. Hereafter reference to dispensing water should be taken to include water containing material for such purposes.

Apart from dispensing water to a supporting medium for a plant the invention also lends itself to dispensing water in the form of a spray.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying line drawings of a watering device of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view from beneath; Figure 2 is a perspective view of part of the device viewed from above; Figure 3 of a sectional elevation of section ffl-ffl of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is of components for insertion in the device.

The drawings variously show a watering device 11 is made up of a hollow container 12 of about 1.5 litre water capacity in the form of a letter C with a central opening 10.

The container 12 has a flat lower working face 13 with three integral projections 14, 15, 16 by means of which the device 11 is located on a supporting surface. The projections 14-16 are readily formed in moulding the container. Extending nipples 17, 18 project downwardly from the face 13. Nipple 17 contain a nozzle aperture 17A of ? mm diameter. Nipple 18 likewise contains a nozzle aperture 18A of similar size to nozzle aperture 17A.

With the container 12 upright and vertical in its normal working position as shown in Figure 3 the nozzles 17A, 18A lie a distance below the lower working face 13 which face is in turn a distance H below nominal full water level 19 of the container 12. The projections 14, 15, 16 extend sufficiently far from the outside of face 13 and beneath the nipples 17, 18 to ensure the apertures 17A, 18A are located well above support medium of any plant with which the device 11 is to be used. This provides for the avoidance of either aperture 17A, 18A being inadvertently obstructed by medium or other material in the vicinity of the plant.

Upper face 20 of the container 12 (Figure 2,3) incorporates an aperture 21 through which the container 12 is filled with water to a normally full level 19. The aperture 21 is in use closed by means of a bung 22 in bore 22A of which is fitted a controlled leak unit 23 (see also Figure 4) which comprises a fixed base tube 23 into which is screwed a hollow threaded stem 24 fixed to knob 25. The base tube 23 incorporates an air vent 26 and hollow stem 24 an aperture 27 whereby air can pass into (and out of) the container 12. The relative position of the air vent 26 and aperture 27 is readily and reproducibly set by operation of the knob 25. When the knob is screwed fully home air vent 26 and the aperture 27 are isolated from one another so enabling the leak unit 23 to be used to isolate the interior of the container from ambient air for as long as some water remains in the apertures 17A, 18A.

The plan form of the container 12 is that of a letter C with a gap A and the central open volume 10. The gap A enables the container 12 to be placed in the vicinity of a plant to be watered. The container is then pushed to enable the container 12 by way of gap A to slide past the stem or stems of a plant so that the stem or stems are located in volume 10.

For use container 12 of watering device 11 is filled with water to level 19. The unit 23 is then closed so preventing the egress of any water from the container by way of apertures 17A, 18A. The full container is then placed on the ground so as to be supported by projections 14,15,16 in the region of a stem of a plant to be supplied with water and is then pushed so that aperture A slides past the plant stem and locates the container 12 with the plant stem in the central volume 10. The knob 25 is then turned so as to open leak unit 23 provide an appropriate size overlap of vent 26 and aperture 27 so as to enable the contents of the container to flow in a controlled matter through apertures 17A, 18A into the growing medium supporting the plant in volume 10.

In this instance the diameter of the or each aperture 17A, 18A is chosen along with a setting for controlled leak unit 22 so as to provided a water flow such that the time for the water level in the container 12 to fall from level 19 to empty in about three weeks.

The container 12 of the exemplary embodiment is C-shaped. However the invention is applicable to any shape of container. Typically a long narrow container can have one or more nipples and corresponding apertures to nipples 17 and aperture 17A along one or both sides to enable the container to be located in a central location with adjacent plants on both sides for watering.

The described embodiment mentions water being dispensed over a period of three weeks. A leak unit similar to leak unit 22 can be calibrated to provide for the ready setting of a flow rate for a particular application.

The present invention provides a cheap and simple watering device readily used for providing a plant with a closely controlled supply of water, with or without additives, over an extended period.

The specific embodiment refers to a watering device 11 used on its own and in which the leak unit 22 is set at a predetermined position and the device 11 then left to act on its own. However if necessary more than one such device can be regulated to a greater or lesser extent remotely. Thus a leak unit corresponding to unit 11 can be used with a motor operated arrangement allowing the leakage rate to be set by remote control or periodically changed if required (including terminating flow altogether). In addition the container can be linked to a source of water so as to provide for periodic re-charging of the container. In the course of filling either the leak unit can be switched to vent the container or a sperate vent can be provided for opening in either case to prevent over-pressuring of the container.

Claims

CLAIMS 1 A watering device in the form of a closed water container for location by way of a region of the container in the vicinity of a plant or plants to which water is to be supplied, the container having:

1 at least one aperture in a wall of the container at a position above the region but below a major part of the container the aperture or apertures being of a size such that with water in the container above the level of the aperture or apertures there is a controlled flow of water, whether as a liquid or a spray through the aperture or apertures for an extended period;

2 a controllable vent into an upper part of the container and above a location for a free water surface within the container whereby a controlled leakage of air can be allowed into the container to replace liquid flowing out of the container by way of the or each aperture.

2 A watering device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the controllable vent is calibrated to enable a reproducibly controlled leakage of air to be established to the interior of the container.

3 A watering device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the container is C-shaped in plan view and the, or at least one, aperture is provided on an inner concave face of the C shape.

4 A watering device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the or each aperture is provided with a closure device.

5 A watering device as claimed in any preceding claim fabricated substantially from plastics material.

6 A watering device as claimed in any preceding claim including means whereby the container and /or the controllable vent can be coupled to a remote source such as of water or operational control.

7 A watering device as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.