JP2005341896A - Water supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a water supply device automatically supplying water to the water absorbing body of a flowerpot with an easy structure, maintaining always constant quantity of water supply, and adjusting quantity of water supply to be maintained according to the kind and growth stage of a plant to be raised. <P>SOLUTION: This water supply device 1 supplying water to the water absorbing body of the flowerpot is such one that a water supply tank 4 is formed as a closed chamber and connected to a water-conveyance member 5, at least two opening water supply holes 6a and 6b are set on a water-receiving plate 3 in the water-conveyance member 5, and the opening positions of the water supply holes 6a and 6b are separately set in a vertical direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a water supply device for automatically supplying water to a moisture absorber such as a flower pot.

Conventionally, a technique has been known in which a flower pot is provided with a water container and a water supply port, and water is supplied by infiltrating moisture into the flower pot via a water-absorbing fiber (see [Patent Document 1]).
Moreover, the technique of supplying water | moisture content by inserting the water supply pipe | tube provided with the capillary tube in the soil in a flowerpot using a capillary phenomenon is known (refer [patent document 2]). According to these technologies, water is automatically supplied to the flower pot, so that people do not have to do watering frequently, and even if they are absent during a long trip, there is no need to water them. .

JP 2002-330633 A JP 2000-50752 A

However, in the water supply technique described in Patent Document 1 described above, the following points have not been considered. That is, it took time and effort to automatically supply water to the flower pot. Specifically, fibers had to be prepared in advance in the flower pot. And it was necessary to provide a separate intake for supplying water from the water supply port to the flowerpot itself, and there was a lack of versatility.
On the other hand, in the water supply technique described in Patent Document 2 described above, the following points have not been considered. That is, each time the flower pot is automatically supplied with water, a water pipe must be inserted into the soil. Moreover, it cannot always be said that the water supply amount according to the kind of plant to grow and the stage of growth is maintained.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and the problem to be solved by the present invention is to automatically supply water to a water absorber such as a flowerpot with a simple configuration, and to always supply a constant amount of water. The amount is to be maintained. Furthermore, in addition to the said subject, it exists in adjusting the water supply amount maintained according to the kind of plant to grow, and the stage of growth.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention takes the following means.
First, the first invention is a water receiving tray for supplying water to a moisture absorber such as a flower pot, a water supply tank for storing water for supplying water to the water receiving tray, and attached to the water receiving tray adjacent to the water receiving tray. A water supply member that guides the water in the water supply tank into the water tray, and supplies the water in the water tank into the water tray, wherein the water tank is formed as a sealed chamber, and The water guide member is connected to the water guide member. The water guide member is provided with at least two water supply openings that open to the water tray, and the opening positions of the water supply openings are spaced apart in the vertical direction. It is characterized by that.

  According to the first invention, the water supply tank is connected to the water guide member, whereby water can be supplied from the water guide member into the water tray. In addition, when the water supply tank is formed as a closed chamber, atmospheric pressure is not applied to the water supply tank when water is supplied to the water tray, so that excessive supply of water can be prevented. While the atmosphere is shut off in the water supply tank, water can be supplied from these water supply ports to the water tray by air flowing in from at least two water supply ports that open to the water tray. When the supply into the water tray continues, the water supply port whose opening position is the lower position among the water supply ports provided apart in the vertical direction is blocked by the rise of the water level in the water tray. When this supply continues, the water supply opening whose opening position is the upper position is also blocked by the rise of the water level, and the supply of water into the water tray is stopped. The water stored in the water tray is consumed by absorption and natural evaporation of a water absorber such as a flower pot placed there, and conversely, the level of water consumed is lowered. When the water level drops, a gap is formed at the upper water supply port, and water is supplied again into the water tray. By repeating the supply and consumption of water in this way, water is automatically supplied to a moisture absorber such as a flowerpot, and the water level in the water tray is kept at the height of the water supply port at the upper position to absorb moisture. The amount of water supply to the body can be maintained.

  Here, the “moisture absorber such as a flower pot” in the present invention refers to an attachment medium (for example, absorbent cotton or sponge) for planting a plant container such as a flower pot or a plant or vegetable that absorbs water by adding soil or the like. It points to that. For example, as shown in FIG. 1A, when a flower pot 2 is used as a moisture absorber, water is smoothly absorbed by providing a hole 22 near the center of the bottom surface. Moreover, if the net body 23 having a predetermined shape is placed in the hole portion 22 in advance, the elution of the soil in the flower pot 2 into the water tray is reduced. Furthermore, various types of flower pots such as a round pot type shown in FIG. 1A and a long-angle pot type shown in FIG.

  Moreover, in order to simplify the structure of a water supply apparatus, it is preferable that there are two water supply openings provided in a water receiving tray. This is because there is only one water supply port that determines the water level in the water tray, and the water level position can be easily controlled. For example, when it is used for a foliage plant that requires a large amount of water supply at all times, the height of the water supply port at the upper position may be set higher than the bottom of the water tray.

Next, a second invention is characterized in that in the water supply apparatus according to the first invention described above, an openable / closable lid capable of injecting water is provided at a position above the water supply tank. .
According to the second aspect of the invention, water can be easily replenished, and the atmosphere in the water supply tank can be shut off.

Next, a third invention is the water supply apparatus according to the first invention or the second invention described above, wherein the water supply opening provided at the lower position of the water tray is from the position near the lowermost position of the water guide member to the water tray. It is characterized by being disposed in the lowermost vicinity position.
According to the third aspect of the invention, even when the water in the water supply tank cannot be completely supplied into the water tray and remains in the water guide member slightly, the water supply port provided at the lower position in the absorption capacity of the moisture absorber This remaining water can be consumed via That is, there is no wasted water in the water guide member, and the water once put in the water supply tank can be effectively used until the end.

Next, 4th invention is the water supply apparatus which concerns on either of the above-mentioned 1st invention to 3rd invention, In the state which the water supply opening provided in the upper position of the said water saucer protrudes inside the said water saucer It is provided, and the protruding part is arranged to be curved downward.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the water level at which the supply of water into the water tray is stopped can be adjusted at the height position of the water supply port curved downward. That is, the amount of water supply maintained in the water tray can be adjusted according to the type of plant to be grown and the stage of growth.

Next, a fifth invention is characterized in that, in the water supply apparatus according to the above-mentioned fourth invention, the protruding portion is removable.
According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the water level at which the supply of water into the water tray is stopped can be easily changed by adopting a configuration in which the protruding portion can be removed. For example, when the amount of water supply may be small according to the growing season of the plant, the height from the bottom of the water tray to the water inlet is set low by the protruding part, and a large amount of water supply is required The water level can be adjusted by changing the height of the water supply port to be higher so that the amount of water supply is increased by removing the protruding portion at the time.

The present invention can obtain the following effects by taking the above-described means.
First, in the first invention, water can be automatically supplied to the flower pot with a simple configuration. That is, it is possible to automatically supply water without taking a special effort to a moisture absorber such as a flower pot. Moreover, the required water supply amount can be maintained by the supply and consumption of water.
Next, according to the second aspect of the invention, since the water supply tank is provided with a sealable opening / closing lid, it is easy to replenish water when the water in the water supply tank decreases or disappears. In particular, it is effective when cultivating a plant that consumes a large amount of water.
Next, according to the third aspect, water hardly remains in the water guide member, so that the water in the water supply tank can be supplied into the water tray to the end. Moreover, when replenishing water, clean water is easily supplied.
Next, according to the fourth aspect of the invention, since the protruding portion provided inside the water tray is formed to be curved downward, the water level can be adjusted to stop the supply of water into the water tray. .
Next, according to 5th invention, since the protrusion part becomes a structure which can be removed, adjustment of the water level which stops supply of the water into a water receiving tray becomes easy. Therefore, the effect that versatility spreads to various plants with different growth processes and required water supply amounts can be expected.

  The water supply apparatus according to the present invention is a water supply apparatus that can automatically supply water by placing a water absorber such as a flower pot in a water receiving tray, and can maintain the required water supply amount. Therefore, it is suitable for use in plants with different water supply amounts depending on the growing season and houseplants that require a relatively large amount of water supply.

  Moreover, when the said water supply apparatus requires sunlight occasionally depending on the kind of plant to grow, it is preferable to set it as the magnitude | size which can carry a person. It is particularly suitable for use in plants that grow well when exposed to sunlight outdoors. On the other hand, when cultivating indoors, the humidification effect in a room | chamber interior can also be acquired by natural evaporation of the water in a water receiving tray.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[First Embodiment]
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the water supply apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a front view of the water supply apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a right side view of FIG. 3 viewed from the right. As shown in FIG. 2, the water supply apparatus 1 which concerns on 1st Embodiment collects the water tray 3 for supplying water to moisture absorbers, such as a flowerpot, and the water for supplying water to the water tray 3 A water supply tank 4 and a water guide member 5 that is attached adjacent to the water tray 3 and guides the water in the water tank 4 into the water tray 3 are provided. The water supply device 1 is configured such that the water in the water supply tank 4 is supplied into the water tray 3 through the water guide member 5. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a stationary plate 9 is attached to the lower surface of the water supply apparatus 1 so as to be parallel to the grounding surface on which the water supply apparatus 1 is stationary. This makes it possible to place a moisture absorber such as a flowerpot in a stable state, and it is convenient because it can be easily held.

  The water tray 3 has a size and shape so that a moisture absorber such as a flowerpot can be placed. In the present embodiment, the water tray 3 has a size of about 20 cm × 30 cm. As this water receiving tray 3, general-purpose pot receiving trays having different depths can be used depending on the required amount of water such as plants to be cultivated. Moreover, the water receiving tray 3 is formed of a plastic material so that the water supply port 6 can be easily processed and provided. If a lightweight plastic is used as the plastic material, it becomes lighter when carried and the convenience is improved.

  As shown well in FIG. 3, the water supply tank 4 is a sealed chamber formed integrally by a water storage part 4 a for accumulating water and a water injection part 4 b for injecting water into the water guide member 5. The water storage section 4a has a substantially rectangular box shape and can store a large amount of water, and therefore is suitable particularly when water supply is required for a long time such as when it is absent for a long time. Moreover, when using the transparent and visible material which can visually recognize the reduced amount of water when forming the water storage part 4a, it is possible to grasp the water supply time in advance and to improve the appearance of the interior. In addition, when a commercially available used plastic bottle is used as such a water supply tank 4, there is an economic advantage.

  On the other hand, the water injection section 4 b is fitted into the water guide member 5 and connected thereto, thereby enabling water supply into the water tray 3. Therefore, according to the water supply apparatus 1 in this Embodiment, the special components, adhesives, etc. for mutually connecting the water supply tank 4 and the water guide member 5 are not required. Moreover, the water supply tank 4 can be replaced by being fitted and connected to the water guide member 5 of the water supply tank 4.

  Moreover, the water supply tank 4 is formed as a sealed chamber, and no atmospheric pressure is applied to the water supply tank 4 when water is supplied to the water tray 3. For this reason, the supply of water into the water tray 3 can be stopped by closing a water supply port 6b described later. An openable / closable lid 4 c that can inject water and is hermetically sealed is provided above the water supply tank 4. As a result, it is possible to seal the water supply tank 4 even when it is replenished with water from the open / close lid 4 c in a state where the water supply tank 4 is connected to the water guide member 5. No atmospheric pressure is applied. Moreover, in order to make it easy to seal the inside of the water supply tank, it is preferable to employ a seal method for installing the opening / closing lid. In addition to the sealing method, various installation methods such as a screw method and a fitting method can be employed.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the water guide member 5 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with a synthetic resin in order to ensure the strength of the water supply tank 4 in the direction of gravity. Examples of the resin include resins such as polypropylene, polyvinyl alcohol, and polyvinyl chloride, and two or more kinds may be mixed and used. Two water supply ports 6a and 6b that open are provided on the inner side surface of the water tray 3, and the opening positions thereof are spaced apart in the vertical direction. The water supply port 6 a whose opening position is the lower position communicates with the water guiding member 5, so that the water in the water supply tank 4 is supplied into the water tray 3. The size of the opening of the water supply port 6a is larger than that of the water supply port 6b whose opening position is the upper position. Thereby, since most of the water supplied into the water tray 3 is supplied from the water supply port 6a, the water is supplied smoothly. Moreover, the water supply port 6b is connected with the water guide member 5 similarly to the water supply port 6a, and when the water level in the water receiving tray 3 rises to the height position, the water supply port 6b is closed and the supply of water is stopped. Thereby, the quantity of the water in the water receiving tray 3 is kept constant. Therefore, according to the water supply apparatus 1 in the present embodiment, the water supply ports 6a and 6b are arranged apart from each other in the vertical direction to automatically supply water to a moisture absorber such as a flower pot while maintaining a constant water supply amount. be able to.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the water supply device 1 according to the second embodiment as viewed from the side. As shown in FIG. 5, a flower pot 2 in which a plant 21 is planted is placed in the water tray 3 of the water supply apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment. A hole 22 is provided in the bottom surface of the flower pot 2 so that water in the water tray 3 can be absorbed smoothly.

  The water supply port 6b provided in the upper position of the water receiving tray 3 is provided in a state of protruding from the inner side surface of the water receiving tray 3, and the protruding portion 6c is arranged curved by a bending portion 6d. Thereby, the water level at which the supply of water into the water tray 3 stops can be adjusted by setting the length from the curved portion 6d to the water supply port 6b. That is, the amount of water supply to be maintained can be adjusted according to the type of plant that grows and the stage of growth. As in the first embodiment, when the water supply port 6b is closed, the supply of water into the water tray 3 is stopped. If the protruding portion 6c is formed of a flexible member and can be bent freely, the water level can be adjusted to stop the water supply into the water tray 3 even if the bending angle is different. Is possible.

  The protrusion part 6c becomes a structure which can be removed from the upper connection part 53 which connects the water guide member 5 and the water tray 3 upwards. In the present embodiment, when the protruding portion 6c is attached, the water level at which the supply of water into the water receiving tray 3 stops is the water supply port 6b. However, when the protruding portion 6c is removed, the water level becomes the water in the upper connecting portion 53. It becomes the front end opening 6e at the front end on the tray side. That is, the water level at which the supply of water in the water tray 3 is stopped can be easily changed by removing the protruding portion 6c. Further, if various kinds of projecting portions 6c having different lengths are prepared, the water level can be adjusted appropriately by replacing them.

  The water supply port 6 a provided at the lower position of the water tray 3 is formed to be disposed from the position near the lowermost position of the water guide member 5 to the position near the lowermost position of the water tray 3. Thereby, since it is less likely that water accumulates at the bottom of the water guide member 5, the supplied water can be consumed without waste. Furthermore, the lower connection part 54 which connects the water guide member 5 and the water receiving tray 3 in the downward direction is arranged in parallel to the ground plane. Thereby, the water supplied in the water tray 3 can be consumed more efficiently.

  The water injection part 4b of the water supply tank 4 is provided with a narrow port 41 for performing water injection into the water guide member 5 little by little. Thereby, since the water injection into the water guide member 5 is performed gently, it becomes easy to maintain the amount of water supplied into the water tray 3.

A partition member 51 and a thin tube 52 are provided inside the water guide member 5. When the partition member 51 is provided, the water poured from the water supply tank 4 once accumulates in the partition member 51, and the accumulated water slowly flows down through the thin tube 52. That is, when the thin tube 52 is provided, the water supply to the water receiving tray 3 is performed slowly.
In addition, since it is the same as that of the water supply apparatus 1 in 1st Embodiment mentioned above except the point mentioned above, it abbreviate | omits.

The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and can be implemented in various other forms.
For example, in the first embodiment, the size of the water tray 3 is about 20 cm × 30 cm in length and width. However, in the rectangular water tray 3 having a size of about 1 m in length and width, instead of a flower pot, absorbent cotton is used. -It may be applied to a simple kitchen garden or the like by planting vegetables such as radishes, which is said to be a moisture absorber such as a sponge.
Moreover, in the said 2nd Embodiment, although the example which mounts the single flower pot 2 in the water receiving tray 3 was shown, the case where a several flower pot is mounted may be sufficient.

It is a perspective view which shows an example of the flowerpot applied to this Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the water supply apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a front view which shows the water supply apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is the right view which looked at the water supply apparatus shown in FIG. 2 from the right. It is a schematic cross section which shows the water supply apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Water supply apparatus 2 Flower pot 3 Water receiving tray 4 Water supply tank 4a Water storage part 4b Water injection part 4c Opening-closing lid 5 Water conveyance member 6 Water supply port (6a, 6b)
6c Protruding part 9 Static plate

Claims (5)

A water receiving tray for supplying water to a moisture absorber such as a flower pot, a water supply tank for storing water for supplying water to the water receiving tray, and water in the water supply tank attached adjacent to the water receiving tray A water supply device for introducing water into the water tray, and supplying water from the water tank into the water tray,
The water supply tank is formed as a sealed chamber and connected to the water guiding member,
The water supply device is characterized in that at least two water supply openings that open to the water tray are provided in the water guide member, and the opening positions of the water supply openings are provided apart in the vertical direction. The water supply device according to claim 1,
A water supply apparatus, characterized in that an upper and lower lid capable of injecting water is provided at a position above the water supply tank. The water supply device according to claim 1 or 2,
The water supply apparatus provided in the lower position of the said water tray is arrange | positioned and arrange | positioned from the lowermost vicinity position of the said water conveyance member to the lowermost vicinity position of the said water tray. A water supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The water supply port provided in the upper position of the said water receiving tray is provided in the state protruded inside the said water receiving tray, The protrusion site | part is curved and arrange | positioned below, The water supply apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. The water supply device according to claim 4,
The water supply device, wherein the protruding portion is configured to be removable.

Images