JPH0684836U - Moisture detector - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To make it possible to automatically detect the appropriate time for hydration in plant cultivation such as potting. Further, it can be used for the work of detecting the limit time of 3% wetness in the work of drying powder and the like. [Structure] A power supply box 1 for loading a battery 3 is provided in a main body having a shape that can be inserted into the soil, and a pair of electrode rods 2 for measuring an electric resistance value in the soil between them is provided below the power supply box 1.
Is connected to the control unit 4 at the upper side, and the control unit 4 is provided with a sensing element or an alarm signal using a reference resistance value obtained by measuring the electric resistance value of the soil containing the water content necessary for plant growth. When it is detected that the electric resistance value between the pair of electrodes 2 inserted in the soil is larger than the reference resistance value, the light emitting diode 14 of the alarm unit is connected to the control unit 4 by the alarm signal. Alternatively, the speaker 15 is operated to emit light and make a voice to inform the user of the timing of hydration.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 This device can detect the presence or absence of water contained in soil and cultivated materials such as potted plants and notify a certain limit, or a fixed-time dry state of moisture content of general powders. The present invention relates to a moisture detector that detects and notifies.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Water supply is essential for potted cultivation of plants. However, if water is used too much, it may hinder the growth of plants or cause root rot and die, and even if water is not replenished, the same phenomenon may occur, making it difficult to manage water. There are many plants. Usually, even if there are many or many types of potted plants, the water supply in such potted plants is generally watered without seeing the soil surface wetness. is the current situation. However, this is not appropriate because it causes excessive water to be poured into the flowerpot where the soil surface is dry but the interior soil is moist.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 For this reason, there is a strip-shaped moisture detector that has a reinforcing material that discolors due to moisture on both sides of the paper material that absorbs moisture. Therefore, the wetness of the soil surface sucked up by the paper material due to the capillary phenomenon can only be judged by the discoloration of the reinforcing material, and the moisture near the roots in the soil cannot be detected. In addition, this paper quality has problems that it will not discolor when it gets old, and that when it gets cold, the capillary phenomenon deteriorates and it is not possible to properly absorb moisture. In addition, there is a defect that the water content of vegetation such as water moss is inaccurate.

In view of the above, the present inventor has conducted a study to achieve sufficient control of water and humidity in potted cultivation, especially in orchids that are difficult to cultivate, as a result of the study that the presence or absence of humidity is a major factor in growth and flowering. It is the invention of the invention.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The first invention is a body having a shape that can be inserted into soil or water moss, and a pair of electrodes provided at the bottom of the body for measuring the electric resistance value in the soil between each other. And the electrical resistance of the soil, including the amount of water and humidity required for plant growth, increases as the soil or water moss dries, and the electrical resistance increases, and the moisture content is 3% or less The second aspect of the present invention comprises a control unit that outputs an alarm signal when it is detected as a dangerous state that lacks water necessary for the growth and survival of plants, and an alarm unit that operates according to the alarm signal. In the first invention, the alarm unit is composed of a light emitting unit and a voicing unit, and an alarm is provided to keep moisture and humidity in the soil at 3% or more at all times.

[0006]

[Action]

 The moisture detecting device of the present invention is such that the end portions of the pair of electrodes having a constant distance between the electrodes are deeply inserted into the soil of 3 to 10 cm in a flowerpot or the like and permanently placed, and the electric resistance in the soil measured by the pair of electrodes is measured. When the moisture content (humidity) is detected to be 3% or less based on the value, an alarm signal is issued to activate the alarm part, and the timing of supplementing water to the flowerpot etc. can be known by the light emission of the light emitting part or vocalization. it can.

[0007]

【Example】

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a moisture detector incorporated in a kappa-shaped molded body, and FIG. 2 is a front view thereof. In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a power supply box in which the electrode rods 2 and 2 are in contact with each other, and two batteries 3 are loaded therein. A control unit 4 is connected to the upper portion of the power supply box 1, and the control unit 4 is connected to the light emitting diode 14 of the alarm unit or the speaker 15.

Although not clearly shown in the figure, the control unit 4 incorporates a resistance value storage element, a transmitter, a voice signal generator, and the like. An electrode with a fixed distance between the electrodes is inserted into the soil such as a flower pot, and the resistance value is constantly measured and monitored when the moisture content in the soil (humidity) becomes, for example, 3% or less. Since the moisture content in the soil differs depending on the plant, it is advisable to change the method of selecting the resistance value so that the moisture according to the plant can be maintained.

[0009] To give a concrete example of the above, a plant that needs to be replenished with water when the water content in the soil of the flowerpot becomes 3% or less (weight% of the water content with respect to the weight of the soil containing water) In the case where the resistance value at which the water content in the soil is 3% or less is 100 KΩ when an electrode rod having a distance between electrodes of 5 mm and an exposed electrode length of 10 mm is inserted into the soil, etc. Then, a sensing element having this 100 KΩ value as a reference resistance value is incorporated.

Then, when the electrode rod side of the moisture detector is inserted into the soil of a flowerpot that actually has moisture, the resistance value corresponding to the amount of moisture in the soil is input to the resistance value sensing element of the control unit over time. The alarm signal is generated by the transmitter of the control unit and the voice signal generator when the value approaches 100 KΩ and the moisture content (moistness) is 3% or less. The connected light emitting diodes emit light, and the voice (for example, water please) input to the voice signal generator is emitted from the speaker, which is the voice generator.

Therefore, it is possible to automatically know the timing of water supply suitable for the plant such as the potted plant by the alarm such as the light emission and the vocalization, and after that, the water is exhausted or the excess water is supplied by the repetition. Without causing the plants to grow and bloom properly. In addition, when the powder or the like is dried at a certain level, it can be useful for tasks such as recognition of a certain period of drying time.

In addition, in the above case, when it is desired to emit either the light emission or the utterance for the water replenishment timing, a changeover switch may be provided between the sensing element of the control unit and the transmission device or the sound generation device. However, the configuration may be such that either one of the alarm units is provided.

As described above, if the water detecting device of the present invention is used, (1) it can be inserted deep into the soil, so that it is difficult to freeze, and water detection is extremely sensitive and accurate. Since it does not emit light or utter a voice except when the resistance value reaches 0, it is economical with little battery consumption. (3) It is stable in cold and high temperature environments because it is not affected by temperature changes. .

The above-mentioned embodiment diagrams show a moisture detecting tool incorporated in a kappa-shaped molded body made of synthetic resin, and the body of this molded body comprises a face portion 11, a body portion 12, and a leg portion 13. Then, the face portion 11 above the body portion 12 and the leg portion 13 below are both detachably fitted, and the power supply box 1 for loading the battery 3 is arranged in the body portion 12 and the upper face thereof is arranged. The control unit 4 is built into the unit 11. Further, the electrode rods 2, 2 are incorporated in the leg portion 13, and the battery in the power supply box 1 can be exchanged by attaching and detaching the leg portion 13. In the figure, 14 is a light emitting diode incorporated in the eyeball of the face 11, 15 is a speaker incorporated in the abdomen of the body 12, 16 is a shell, and 17 is a head dish.

As described above, the figure shows an example of the moisture detector of the present invention incorporated into a kappa-shaped molded body, but the shape of the molded body is not limited to this.

[0016]

[Effect of device]

 As explained above, the moisture detector of the present invention should have the reference resistance value when the amount of moisture in the soil of a plant such as a potted plant is reduced and needs to be replenished as a sensing element in the control unit. When this resistance is inserted into the soil and the measured resistance value becomes larger than the reference resistance value, it detects that the water content is 3% or less and issues an alarm as the necessity of water supply. Therefore, the warning enables the water to be appropriately replenished, and the plants can be successfully grown and flowered without fear of water withdrawal or excessive water replenishment. It can also be used for industrial applications where it is necessary to constantly monitor the decrease in water content, such as powder that limits water content.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a moisture detector of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the moisture detector of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Power supply box 2 Electrode rod 3 Battery 4 Control part 11 Face part 12 Body part 13 Leg part 14 Light emitting diode 15 Speaker

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A main body having a shape that can be inserted into the soil, a pair of electrodes provided at the bottom of the main body for measuring an electric resistance value between the soil and the like, and necessary for growing plants. It measures the electric resistance value of soil, etc. containing the amount of water to be used, and outputs an alarm signal when the electric resistance value of soil etc. becomes large and the soil approaches a dry state and the moisture content rate is 3% or less A moisture detecting tool comprising a control unit that operates and an alarm unit that operates according to the alarm signal. 2. The moisture detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the alarm unit includes a light emitting unit and a vocalizing unit.