Good neighbor house plant watering system

• US 5,511,341 A
• Filed: 03/09/1995
• Issued: 04/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Payne, Jessica
• Original Assignee: Payne, Jessica
• Inventors: Payne, Jessica
• Primary Examiner(s): Raduazo, Henry E.
• Application Number:
  US08/401,112
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 47/79 V, 47/79 C, 47/48.5 G, 47/48.5 R, 47/48.5 CR, 239/379, 239/302, 239/373
• US Class Current: 47/79
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 27/003 Controls for self-acting watering devices

Abstract

An automatic house plant watering system is provided allowing the user to control a constant slow flow of irrigating water to house plants during the extended absence of the user. User adjustable valves control the gravity outflow of water from a reservoir in the preferred embodiment, and a perforated threaded reservoir fill plug having a central bore for air pressure regulation is used to expose the fill hole and also for controlling atmospheric air inflow to the reservoir as an additional means of controlling the outflow of water. The user thus control irrigation flow by adjusting the at least one outflow valve and also by adjusting air inlet through the threaded fill plug. Conical ridged nipples on the at least one irrigation water outflow valve provides a friction fit for suitable flexible tubing to conduct water to individual plants to be watered. The present invention may be provided with casters, pull handles, a rolling cart, an air pump for positive reservoir air pressure, and a lamp mounting bracket.

Claims

1. A user-adjustable house plant irrigation system, comprising:

a. an air-tight water reservoir having a removable fill plug, the fill plug having means for adjusting the inlet of atmospheric air into the reservoir;

the water reservoir further having

b. at least one water outflow valve having means for user adjustability; and

the irrigation system further having

c. means for transferring water from the outflow valve to a houseplant to be irrigated; and

wherein further

the means for adjusting the inlet of atmospheric air is a fill plug having threaded relationship with a matching threaded receptacle aperture in the reservoir, for user rotation of the threaded fill plug between a fully closed air tight position and a fully open position for refilling the reservoir with water, such that fill plug rotation positions intermediate between full open and full closed permit user control of flow of atmospheric air into the reservoir.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one water outflow valve adjustability means comprises user-controlled flow adjustment means.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the user-controlled flow adjustment means comprises a valve handle.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the at least one outflow valve further comprises means for sealably accepting irrigation tubing.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the at least one outflow valve means for sealably accepting irrigation tubing comprises a conical ridged nipple for watertight friction grasping of irrigation tubing attached to the nipple.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the reservoir is further provided with a plurality of casters for convenient rolling of the reservoir to a desired location.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the reservoir is further provided with at least one carrying handle.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the threaded fill plug comprises a bottom, the fill plug having a bore therein extending longitudinally from the bottom, the bore having an open bottom and a sealed top permitting free entry and exit of atmospheric air to and from the bottom of the bore;

and the fill plug further having

at least one radially disposed airflow channel disposed within the fill plug, the at least one airflow channel extending radially from the circumference of the fill plug to the fill plug bore, the at least one radially disposed airflow channel being in airflow communication with the fill plug bore and with the ambient atmosphere at the fill plug circumference, for permitting air flow through the at least one air flow channel to and from the fill plug bore.

9. The device of claim 8, the threaded fill plug having at least two airflow channels extending radially from the circumference of the fill plug to the fill plug bore, wherein the at least two radial airflow channels are vertically spaced apart in relation to the fill plug bottom.

10. The device of claim 9, having at least one bracket for mounting a lamp thereon.

11. The device of claim 10, further having an air pump, for creating positive air pressure in the reservoir air space above the water level therein.

12. The device of claim 11, further being combined with a rolling cart comprising a convenient system of elevation for the reservoir.

13. The device of claim 7, wherein the threaded fill plug is substantially solid.