Moisture content indicator system for growing medium

• US 6,058,647 A
• Filed: 10/03/1997
• Issued: 05/09/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Midwest Air Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bradley S. Emalfarb
• Inventors: Emalfarb, Bradley S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Poon, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nelson, Judith A.
• Application Number:
  US08/943,651
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 47/1.01 R, 47/80, 47/81, 47/73, 47/48.5 CR, 47/79 CR, 73/73
• US Class Current: 47/1.01R
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 27/00 Self-acting watering devices, e.g. for flower-pots
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 27/008 Component parts, e.g. dispensing fittings, level indicators

Abstract

The combination of a growing medium for a horticultural product, a horticultural product within the growing medium, and a sensor having a body made up of a porous material that changes in physical appearance with a change in the amount of moisture retained by the porous material. In an operative state, the first part of the sensor body resides within the growing medium and a second part of the body remains visible to allow a user to ascertain through the appearance of the second part of the sensor the amount of moisture in the growing medium.

Claims

1. In combination:

a growing medium for a horticultural product;

a horticultural product within the growing medium; and

a sensor having a body comprising a porous material that changes in physical appearance with a change in the amount of moisture retained by the porous material,

the sensor being in an operative state wherein a first part of the sensor body resides within the growing medium and a second part of the body projects from the growing medium and remains visible to allow a user to ascertain through the appearance of the second part of the sensor body the amount of moisture in the growing medium,

the second part of the sensor body having at least a portion that simulates at least a part of at least one of an animate or an inanimate object with a contoured outer surface having a three-dimensional shape corresponding to the shape of the at least one of the animate or inanimate object,

the contoured outer surface defined by the porous material and having no chemical therein or thereon that reacts in the presence of moisture to change color,

whereby the appearance of the contoured outer surface of the second part of the sensor body corresponding to the shape of the at least one of the animate or inanimate object changes depending only upon the amount of moisture in the growing medium and thereby retained by the porous material.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the porous material defines substantially the entirety of the at least one of the animate or inanimate object.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the porous material comprises a clay material.

4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the growing medium has an upper surface and with the sensor in the operative state the second part of the body projects to above the upper surface of the growing medium.

5. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the porous material is exposed and visible on only a discrete portion of the body.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein the body is made substantially entirely from a porous material, there is a coating on part of the body, and the coating is not provided over the discrete portion of the body.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein the at least portion simulates an animate object with a feature thereon for the animate object and the discrete portion of the body coincides with the feature to highlight the feature.

8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein the feature comprises at least one of an eye and a mouth.

9. The combination according to claim 7 wherein the portion of the sensor simulates an earth worm.

10. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the sensor body is formed in the shape of an earth worm.

11. The combination according to claim 10 wherein the body is formed in a generally arcuate shape.

12. The combination according to claim 10 wherein the body has a head end and a tail end, the head end defines the first part of the sensor body and the tail end tapers to a tip which facilitates direction of the tail end of the body into the growing medium.

13. The combination according to claim 12 wherein the head end has a simulation of at least one of eyes and a mouth thereon.

14. The combination according to claim 10 wherein the body has a plurality of circumferentially extending rings thereon.

21. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the porous material has a first color in one state and the first color darkened with the porous material in a second state wherein more moisture is retained in the porous material than with the porous material in the one state.

15. A moisture sensor comprising:

a body that changes in physical appearance with a change in the amount of moisture retained by the porous material and having spaced first and second ends,

the first end of the body tapering to a tip to facilitate direction of the first body end into a medium in which moisture content is to be ascertained through the sensor,

wherein the body comprises a rigid, porous material which extends from the first end to the second end and is capable of absorbing and wicking moisture between the first and second ends,

whereby the first end of the body can be directed into a medium so as to leave the second end exposed to view outside of the medium,

whereby relative amounts of moisture in a medium within which the first end resides can be ascertained by the physical appearance of the second end,

the second end having a contoured outer surface that simulates in three dimensions at least a part of at least one of an animate or inanimate object,

the contoured outer surface being defined by the porous material and having no chemical therein or thereon that reacts in the presence of moisture to chance color,

whereby the appearance of the contoured outer surface of the second end of the sensor body that simulates the at least part of the at least one of the animate or inanimate object changes depending only upon the amount of moisture in the growing medium and thereby retained by the porous material.

16. The moisture sensor according to claim 15 wherein the at least part of the body is configured to simulate an earth worm.

17. The moisture sensor according to claim 15 wherein the entire body is configured to simulate an earth worm, and the end of the body that tapers to a tip simulates the tail of an earth worm.

18. The moisture sensor according to claim 17 wherein the body has an arcuate shape.

19. The moisture sensor according to claim 17 wherein the body has a head end with a simulation of at least one of eyes or a mouth.

20. The moisture sensor according to claim 15 wherein substantially the entire body is made from a clay material.