TITLE: A liquid delivering system for efficient plant maintenance

Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates to a liquid delivery system adapted to improve watering efficiency of a plant or crop. In particular the present invention relates to a liquid delivery system, which supplies water and/or liquid nutrient from an internal source to a plant or plant crop.

Background of the Invention:

Generally, in order to optimise crop growth and viability by conventional irrigation methods, the volume of water required is very high. Often this is in the order of 100 litres per plant, per day. Hence, the water source will have to come from a flowing stream or river or from bore well. Such high rates of water consumption place a strain on water resources and may even contribute to increases in salinity levels in the soil.

With conscious efforts to conserve water and as a result of the effects on water supply by conventional irrigation methods, some alternative systems have been developed to both conserve water and meet the requirements for plant and/or crop growth.

One traditional method is spray irrigation. Spray irrigation involves the installation of a relatively wide bore water reticulation system, the provision of spray heads, and the provision of a pumping system which is generally powered by mains electricity or by an internal combustion engine. This infrastructure is relatively expensive, and is relatively labour intensive to maintain. This system of irrigation is also not very suitable for use on hilly ground, because of the variations in water pressure at different heights. If such spray irrigation systems were used on hilly ground, the variations in water pressure would in turn result in variations in spray rates at different heights.

Another system has included a length of small bore tubing incorporating a plurality of fine openings along its length of less than about 0.1 mm in diameter for drip irrigation. In such a system water is fed through a reticulation system, which in turn provides a slow drip of water to a number of plants, from the fine bore tubing. There are several

problems with this type of system. Firstly the openings are required to be fine/small because if they were of a relatively large diameter, the water pressure would decrease with progressive distance from a liquid source. In this situation plants positioned at a distance from a liquid source are likely to receive increasingly less water. Secondly, because the holes are minute, they can very easily be blocked by dirt particles or even crystallised nutrient and even the tubing itself can become blocked by nutrients that crystallize out aftershut-down of the feed system, to substantially decrease or even prevent flow therethrough. And thirdly, to prevent blockage, systems of this type incorporate complex and expensive filtration systems to filter dirt and the like from entering the hose line.

An object of the present invention therefore is to provide a useful alternative system to address some of the deficiencies of the prior art irrigation systems.

Summary of the Invention:

Accordingly in the present invention there is disclosed an irrigation system for controlling localised watering of a plant or crop including: a vessel for storing a predetermined volume of liquid, the vessel having an inlet connectable to an external liquid source to enable ingress of liquid from the external source into the vessel;

a first valve means operable within the vessel and located proximal to the inlet such that the liquid level within the vessel is maintained between a first and second predetermined liquid levels;

a liquid transfer means having a first end in communication with liquid stored within the vessel, and a second end located external to the vessel, wherein liquid from the vessel is transferred at a predetermined controlled rate to the local environment;

wherein a volume of liquid is maintained in the vessel such that as the liquid level reaches a first lower predetermined level, the first valve means is actuated to allow ingress of liquid from the external source via the inlet to the second upper predetermined level so that liquid is available for repeated transfer and

release to the local environment, wherein the maintenance of water within the vessel is cyclical.

The present invention addresses the disadvantage of the prior art by providing a system practical which (i) controls the volume of liquid delivered to a plant or crop and (ii) replenishes water supply at a predetermined liquid level. The system of the present invention allows delivery of liquid in an irrigation zone suitable for optimal take-up by a plant root system.

The first valve means can comprise (i) a support frame mounted internally of the vessel and relative to the inlet, the support frame further including an opening coincidental with the inlet and a pivot mount; (ii) an arm member pivotably mounted to the pivot mount wherein the arm member includes a stop at one end which operates relative to the inlet to close or open the inlet and (iii) a floatation member attached to the arm member distal to the pivot mount wherein in operating conditions the arm member pivots as the floatation member is urged in a direction determined by the level of liquid within the vessel to close or open the inlet to allow ingress or cessation of liquid from the external source. The floatation device urges pivot movement of the arm to close the water inlet with the stop when water within the vessel reaches the second or upper predetermined level. It is understood that when water within the vessel reaches the first lower level of liquid, the floatation device acts to open the inlet to allow liquid from the external source to enter the vessel.

The vessel can be closed by a separate closure means so that extraneous matter from the external environment cannot foul the liquid reservoir.

The irrigation system can include a locating means mounted to and extending from a position of the vessel to position the system relative to a plant such that liquid exiting the transfer means can be suitably directed to a plant's root system for effective uptake.

The vessel can be a two-part container comprising a lower reservoir part and an upper lid to prevent entry of material that would otherwise cause fouling.

The vessel can also include an internal housing for retaining the liquid transfer means in communication between the reservoir and the local (external) environment.

The floatation device can be a single floatation valve.

The irrigation system can be connected to other irrigation systems in a series.

A further advantage of the present system is that the inlet is not restricted by needing to be very small. The inlet can indeed by a conventional diameter opening which is easier to manufacture and is not subject to blockage.

The vessel can include a floor with a dependent wall(s) forming a volume for receiving/storing liquid from the external liquid source.

At least a part of the wall of the vessel can include an opening through which the liquid transfer means can extend to allow liquid transfer from the first liquid communication end to the second end located externally of the vessel wall (s).

In an alternative embodiment the floor of the vessel can include a raised platform, wherein the platform is located above the uppermost liquid level and includes an opening for receiving the second end of the liquid transfer means.

The irrigation system of the present invention can further include a second valve means located on the floor of the vessel to allow selective purging of liquid stored in the vessel. The second valve helps to minimize accumulation of particulate matter, which may otherwise cause blockages.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig.1 shows a sectional drawing of the irrigation system of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment with reference to the drawing Referring to Fig 1 there is shown an irrigation system (1) according to the present

invention. The system (1) includes a vessel element (2) having a floor (3) with dependent side walls (4) forming an internal cavity (5) for storage of liquid. The vessel is usually open at the top, however in this embodiment the top opening is covered by a closure (6) which effectively surrounds the vessel.

The vessel includes an inlet (7) which allows connection to an external liquid source via a delivery pipe/tube (8). The inlet (7) has a circular diameter of about 2mm and liquid is supplied to the inlet under pressure by means of a pressure pump positioned at or dose to the external liquid source. Generally the water/liquid pressure is supplied from the external source at between 1 to 2 psi.

The system according to figure 1 also includes a floatation valve (9) adapted to operate within the confines of the vessel. The floatation valve includes:

(a) a support frame (10) mounted on the wall of the vessel adjacent the inlet, the support frame having a pivot amount (11);

(b) an arm member (12) pivotally mounted on the pivot mount (11), the arm member further including a stop member (13); and

(c) a floatation member (14).

In operation, the floatation member (14) is raised or lowered with a corresponding liquid level within the vessel. In a first condition, with a low liquid level (not shown), the floatation member adopts a position such that the arm member (12) pivots in a clockwise direction thus urging away stop member (13) from the inlet to allow ingress of liquid. As liquid from the external source progressively reaches a predetermined liquid level, the floatation member actuates pivot movement of the arm member in an anti-clockwise direction thus urging the stop member to close the inlet. This operation being repeated as the liquid level falls to the predetermined lower level.

The vessel further includes an opening (15) through which a water/liquid transfer means (16) is threaded so that one end (17) of the liquid transfer means resides within the vessel in contact with liquid stored therein and a second end (18) is suspended proximal to a plant or plant root system.

In this embodiment, liquid in communication with end (17) of the liquid transfer

means progressively moves towards the second end (18) at a predetermined rate. As the full length of the liquid transfer means becomes saturated, liquid drips off end 18.

As can be seen, the system (1) further includes a base valve (19) located on the floor of the vessel. The base valve includes a head element (20) and a dependent stem (21). The floor of the vessel includes an opening (22) and through-bore for receiving the stem. In a closed condition, the stem is engated within the opening (22) and head element (2)) is seated over the opening. One advantage of the base valve is that particulate matter is able to be released form the vessel.

The system according to figure 1 even further includes a locating element (23), which in this embodiment is attached to a side wall of the vessel. The locating element includes a progressively narrow shaft towards end point (24). In this embodiment, end point (24) of the locating element serves to allow penetration of earth, so that the system can be positioned or repositioned so that liquid exiting the transfer means in directed towards a plant root system.

The vessel also includes an internal housing (10) in which an elongate water transferring means (11) is retained. The water means (11) in this embodiment has one end (12) in contact with the liquid within the reservoir part of the container and a second end (13) extending externally of the reservoir. Liquid is able to be transferred along the length of felt material from the one end (12) towards the second end (13) by cappilliarity. The length of the felt material ultimately becomes saturated and liquid is released from the second end (13) to fall on the earth (not shown). It is understood that the rate at which liquid is . released along the transfer means can be controlied/predetermined by different materials to meet the liquid uptake of a particular crop.

The locating element can be an integral spike (14) which is adapted to be driven into the ground, adjacent a plant, so that the liquid released may be localised near a plant root system.

The floatation valve (8) includes a float (15) which exhibits buoyancy characteristics and pivots in relation to the level of liquid within the reservoir. The valve (8) includes a stopper (16) which operates to close the inlet (7) when the liquid reservoir has reached a desired upper level.

In a first operating condition when liquid is at a lowest predetermined level the float adopts a relative position of displace the stopper from the inlet (7). In this, condition liquid from the external source enters the reservoir under presire. As the ligid level within the reservoir increases the float progressively pivots until the stopper comes to rest against the inlet (7) at a second optimum liquid level.

The advantage of the present system is that (a) it avoids blockages; (b) does not require complex/expensive filtration systems; (c) the pipes do not have to be limited in size openings; (d) the rate of irrigation can be controlled, hence can be slow without subject to blockage; (e) no pressure loss experienced when a plurality of devices are connected in series; (f) greater water conservation, since water is only able to enter the container when liquid in the container reaches a low predetermined level.