BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

For plants to flourish they must be provided with the correct amount of moisture. Providing a plant with too little or too much fluid will compromise its growth and life span.

The correct amount of fluid varies not only among different types of plants but with the particular environment in which the plant is growing, it is a time consuming and laboured process to manually supply the necessary fluids. An automatic device providing the necessary moisture to the plant is therefore highly desirable, especially if the fluid is dispensed on demand.

Fluid dispensing plant containers fall into different categories. Some use fluid administered by pipes, some have porous inner containers where the fluid seeps through the container wall. Others have a reservoir located in the base of the container which relies on capillary action or fabric wicks to deliver the fluid to the growing media from the reservoir. None of these designs use hydrostatic pressure and buoyancy aiding fluid delivery or a delivery valve.

Some self-regulating automatic dispensing planters incorporate vacuum sealed reservoirs located within the container wall, using a sensor located within the growing media to activate the flow of fluid through apertures in the bottom of the planter. It is essential that the flexible stopper used to fill the reservoir is tightly sealed thus maintaining the vacuum within.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a self-regulating planter which overcomes or at least minimises problems with the known arrangements set out above and provide a design both simple in operation and production.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus and in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a buoyancy operated automatic self-watering planter comprising a valve located between an inner receptacle and an outer receptacle. With the valve open, fluid from a reservoir located between said receptacles is dispensed aided by hydrostatic pressure through an aperture located in the base of the inner receptacle.

With this arrangement, it is possible to provide a planter which uses a separate inner receptacle and has no vacuum requirement, using a simple weight activated valve rather than moisture sensors as the method of control.

The proposed design is fully automatic and self-regulating, preferably dispensing fluid from a reservoir via a valve only when the receptacle containing the growing media and plants drops in weight due to evaporation and plant fluid demand. Preferably the valve closes when the receptacle containing the plant and media increases to a certain weight due to the intake of fluid. Preferably the valve operates regularly when air temperatures are high, rarely in cool and/or wet conditions. Thus, it can be appreciated that the plant growing media therefore will have a consistent moisture level irrespective of climatic conditions as long as there is fluid in the reservoir.

Various materials may be used in the manufacture of said receptacles, preferably polymers such as polymethyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, acrylic, polyester or styrene acrylonitrile copolymer, which are all solid and translucent.

Similarly, various materials offer excellent sealing properties for the valve, such as Nitrile NBR, Chloroprene, Fluoroelastomers FPM/FKM.

In use, the planter of the present invention allows easy assessment of fluid content due to the translucent nature of the outer receptacle. Indeed, the fluid content of the entire planter can be assessed as the moisture content of the growing media is always consistent as long as there is fluid within said reservoir, the minor variable being the weight of the plants.

In use, the planter lends itself to a variety of environments, be it a planter that hangs by means of chains as with a hanging basket, affixed to walls, or free standing planters located on the floor or upon furniture. The planter will also locate itself into a variety of stands utilising the protrusion on the outside of the outer receptacle for alignment.

A variety of shapes may be used, be it cylindrical, conical, hexagonal, square, etc, all using the floating inner receptacle and valve design.

In the example of a hanging planter placed indoors, say a conservatory, the user would benefit from the knowledge that there would be no spillage as is the case with wire type hanging planters.

Many free standing planters of the type used commercially in offices, restaurants and the like, are usually large by nature having no visual means to observe fluid levels bringing the problem of uncertainty regarding the moisture content of the growing media resulting in unhealthy plants; often growing plants are replaced with plastic plants such is the problem with fluid control.

Fluid addition to planters is usually from above, the present invention reverts this insofar that fluids are introduced from below resulting in the planter being saturated in the lower part and drier in the top section of the planter. This embodiment allows considerably reduced evaporation to atmosphere from the media surface. This could be deemed as a water saving feature.

In use, the planter of the present invention being of the type described could negate the requirement of a translucent outer receptacle allowing, possibly more aesthetic materials of a non-translucent nature. A transparent tube could be attached to the side of the planter entering beneath; this would provide indication of fluid level within the reservoir and by default the moisture content of the inner receptacle. Alternatively, a floating dipstick could indicate when the reservoir level is low or empty.

In use, the addition of plant food could be measured as said food could be introduced directly into the reservoir avoiding the possibility of spillage if introduced to the planter conventionally from above. The invention allows the option of multiple planters being watered from one source should connection be made by lengths of tubing; fluid would cascade from planter to planter until all reservoirs are replenished. This system could easily be automated by fitting a simple ballcock valve to the final planter.

If used as a hanging container, the present invention would save fluid spills due to zero leakage, unlike some hanging containers where excessive spills are unavoidable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the planter seen from above in accordance with the present ^' invention.

Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the planter in section in accordance with the present invention with the valve closed.

Figure 3 shows an embodiment of the planter in section in accordance with the present invention with the valve open.

Figure 4 shows an alternative shaped planter seen from above.

Figure 5 shows the planter from Figure 4 in section.

Figure 6 shows an alternative shaped planter seen from above.

Figure 7 shows the planter from Figure 6 in section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to Figures 1 to 7, there is shown a planter comprising:

An Inner Receptacle (1) manufactured from injection moulded plastic having an Aperture (a) in its base.

An Outer Receptacle (2) manufactured from injection moulded plastic having a Depression or a Raised Ring (b) located centrally inside for positioning of the Valve (3) made from a suitably flexible material. The shape of the Depression/Raised Ring (b) and the Valve (3) may be varied.

Three Cut Outs (h) are equally spaced around the periphery of the Flange (d) for the option of suspending the invention in a similar manner to a hanging basket.

A Raised Ring (f) is located centrally inside the Inner Receptacle (1 ) for the accommodation of a loose fitting Disc (5) which covers the Aperture (a) preventing blockages from aggressive root systems. One or a plurality of contoured cut-outs in the flange of the Inner Receptacle (i) represents the Fluid Inlets (e). Note that the Disc (5) has been omitted on some diagrams for clarity.

In use, the Inner Receptacle (1 ) containing plants and plant Growing Media (g) is placed inside the Outer Receptacle (2), allowing the underneath of the Inner Receptacle (1 ) to make contact with the Valve (3). Fluid is then introduced into the Fluid Inlet (e) thus filling the Reservoir (c).

One of two events now occurs depending on the fluid level in the Reservoir (c) and the moisture content of the Growing Media (g).

Referring to Figure 2, if the moisture level of the plant Growing Media (g) is high, the Valve (3) remains closed until such time that the contents of the Inner Receptacle (1 ) decreases in weight.

Referring to Figure 3, if the moisture level of the plant Growing Media (g) is low, the Inner Receptacle (1) and its contents will float allowing fluid ingress through the Aperture (a) and into the plant Growing Media (g); this action increases the content weight of the Inner Receptacle (1) which eventually lowers onto the Valve (3) inhibiting fluid flow.

In addition to the reservoir supply contained in the Reservoir (c) there is the option of overfilling said Reservoir (c) should circumstances dictate that the planter will be unattended for an unusual period of time. This will see the Inner Receptacle (1 ) float substantially within the Outer Receptacle (2) fully saturating the Growing Media (g) until fluids reduce naturally with the Inner Receptacle (1) seating itself back on the Valve (3). At this point the Reservoir (c) is still full of fluid allowing considerable time before more fluid is required to be added to said Reservoir (c).

Should the material of the Outer Receptacle (2) be of a non-translucent nature the level of the Reservoir (c) may be determined by either a floating Dipstick (6) as shown in Figure 5 or a Tube (6) exiting from the base or near the base of the Outer Receptacle (2) as shown in Figure 7

Should the planter be used outdoors the Storm Drain Screw (4) may be loosened before or during excessive wet conditions allowing excess fluids in the Inner Receptacle (1 ) to freely drain. The reservoir is now disconnected from the Inner Receptacle (1 )

Whilst in the freely draining condition the filled or partly filled Reservoir (c) becomes an 'Inner Receptacle Weight Indicator' insofar that when the Reservoir (c) drains to empty through the Storm Drain this indicates that the Inner Receptacle (1) has reduced in weight and lifted off the Valve (3) signalling to the user that the Storm Drain Screw (4) should now be closed and the Reservoir (c) replenished. A secondary indicator is a tell-tale wet patch on the dry ground below the planter

The planter has now reverted back to its standard automatic operating condition and the Reservoir is now reconnected to the Inner Receptacle (1 )