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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
First Claim
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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.

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