RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2018902660 filed 23 July 2018, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a system for irrigating plants and the like, and in particular, to an irrigation system capable of delivering water and other nutrients to a plant via the plants root system so as to minimise evaporation and wastage of water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most conventional irrigation systems for gardens and the like, employ a hose connectable to a water source with the hose having holes provided at intervals along its length. The holes may be fitted with regulators to control the amount of water flowing from the hole and the water may be delivered as a drip or stream to the base of the plant or by way of sprinklers or the like. The type of fluid delivery will be largely dependent upon the garden conditions and plant requirements.

Irrespective of the manner in which the water is delivered to the plants, an unfortunate result of most irrigation systems is that the amount of water penetration into the soil can vary considerably, and is largely dependent upon the nature of the soil make-up in which the plants are growing, ranging from clay to sand based, and various combinations in-between. As a result, many irrigation systems merely deliver water to the surface of the plant or to the ground surface around the plant. In soil conditions that prevent fast seepage of water into the subsoil, there is a risk that in hot conditions a large proportion of the water will evaporate before it is able to seep into the ground. This can deprive the plant of liquid at a most crucial time of the plants lifecycle. Such a condition also promotes the tendency for the plant’s roots to seek to find any water it can along the soil surface. Where roots rise to be located adjacent a surface of the soil, a shallow root base for the plant is created, making the plant susceptible to sub optimum growth, high winds and root surface damage. Water probes may be used to provide an indication of water penetration into the soil and water content of the soil below the ground surface; however, in most cases this is impractical due to the size of the garden or plantation and the number of plants requiring measurement.

As a large amount of water and nutrients are taken through a plant’s root system it is important that any irrigation system is capable of not only delivering water capable of penetrating the ground surface, but to also deliver a controlled amount of fertilizer and other nutrients for take-up by the plant, as required.

Thus, there is a need to provide a system for irrigating plants that delivers water and/or other required nutrients to a suitable ground depth to be taken up by a plant’s root system thereby minimising water wastage. The above references to and descriptions of prior proposals or products are not intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the above prior art discussion does not relate to what is commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION

The invention according to one or more aspects is as defined in the independent claims. Some optional and/or preferred features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

Accordingly, in one aspect of the invention there is provided an irrigation device for facilitating plant growth, comprising:

a head portion connectable to a fluid supply;

an elongate body portion in fluid communication with the head portion and configured to be at least partially located below a ground surface to deliver fluid below the ground surface adjacent the plant;

wherein, the head portion comprises a fluid chamber into which the fluid from the fluid supply is received for release to the elongate body portion. In one embodiment, the head portion further comprises an infusion chamber for receiving a fertilizer/nutrient material, the infusing chamber being located within or adjacent the fluid chamber to infuse the fluid with the fertilizer/nutrient material as the fluid passes from the head portion into the elongate body portion.

In one embodiment, the infusion chamber may be configured to receive the fertilizer/nutrient material in a granulated or powder form. In another embodiment, the infusion chamber is configured to receive a basket into which the fertilizer/nutrient material contained.

The head portion may further comprise a control valve for controlling the release of fluid from the fluid supply into the fluid chamber where the fluid contacts the infusion chamber to facilitate infusion of the fluid with the fertilizer/nutrient material. The control valve may be configured to penetrate into a hose passing through the head portion, the hose being in fluid communication with the fluid supply for delivering the fluid under pressure to the head portion. The control valve may be controllable to vary the amount of fluid being delivered from the hose to the fluid chamber.

In another embodiment, the head portion may further comprise one or more connectors for attachment to a hose in fluid communication with the fluid source for delivering fluid to and/or from the head portion. The fluid chamber may be in fluid communication with the one or more connectors to receive fluid from the fluid supply. The fluid chamber may have an outlet having a valve member seated therein, the valve member being operable to control the flow of fluid from the fluid chamber into the elongate body portion.

The infusion chamber may be located beneath the outlet such that fluid released from the fluid chamber flows over the infusion chamber. The infusion chamber may comprise a plurality of slots or vents for facilitating entry of the fluid released from the fluid chamber into the infusion chamber to facilitate infusion of the fluid with the fertilizer/nutrient material present within the infusion chamber. The infusion chamber may have an open end for releasing fluid infused with the fertilizer/nutrient material to the elongate body portion for delivery to the plant.

The elongate body portion may comprises one or more holes for delivering the fluid below the ground surface adjacent a root system of the plant. The one or more holes may be located adjacent a distal end of the elongate body portion. The elongate body portion may be modular to vary a length of the elongate body portion so as to vary a depth of delivery of the fluid below the ground surface.

In one embodiment, the fluid may be water.

Accordingly in another aspect of the invention there is provided an irrigation system for the subterraneous supply of fluid to a plurality of plants comprising:

a plurality of irrigation devices comprising a head portion connectable to a fluid supply and an elongate body portion in fluid communication with the head portion; wherein, the head portion comprises a fluid chamber into which the fluid from the fluid supply is received for release to the elongate body portion; and

a hose connectable with a fluid supply and between the head portions of each irrigation device so as to deliver fluid from the fluid supply to each irrigation device;

wherein, the elongate body portion of each irrigation device is configured to be at least partially located below a ground surface adjacent a plant so as to deliver fluid below the ground surface to the plant directly to a root zone of the plant.

In an embodiment of this aspect of the invention, each irrigation device comprises an infusion chamber for receiving a fertilizer/nutrient material, the infusing chamber being located within or adjacent the fluid chamber to infuse the fluid delivered by each irrigation device with the fertilizer/nutrient material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be better understood from the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments, in which:

Fig. 1 is a simplified view of an irrigation system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of an irrigator view of the irrigation system of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the irrigator of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the irrigator of Fig. 2 in use;

Fig. 5 is a an enlarged cross-section view of the head portion of the irrigator of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a side view of a flow regulator for use with the irrigation system of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of an irrigator in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a side view of the irrigator of the embodiment of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is an exploded view of the irrigator of the embodiment of Fig. 7; and Fig. 10 is an enlarged view depicting an embodiment of how the water delivered by the irrigator of Fig. 7 becomes infused with nutrient/fertilizer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, an irrigation system 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present is shown. The irrigation system 10 generally comprises a hose or pipe 14 that is connected to a water supply, such as a mains water tap 15. Water is supplied, under pressure, from the tap 15 to travel along the length of the hose or pipe 14. The pressure of the water supply is generally determined by the degree of flow emanating from the tap 15 or may be controlled by inserting a flow control valve and non-return valve adjacent the connection of the hose or pipe 14 to the tap 15.

A plurality of irrigators 16 are positioned along the length of the pipe 14 so as to be adjacent a plant 12 that is to receive water. Each irrigator 16 is able to engage with the pipe 14 such that water travelling through the pipe 14 is received by the irrigator 16 for delivery to the adjacent plant 12. In the embodiment as shown, the irrigator 16 may resemble a hollow stake member that is inserted into the ground 5 adjacent the plant 12 to be watered. The irrigator 16 may also provide some support to the plant 12 in its early stage of the plant’s growth, or may be simply positioned adjacent a base of a mature plant 12. Water from the pipe 14 is released into the hollow body of the irrigator 16 for release into the soil surrounding the plant 12. The distal or buried end of the irrigator 16 has at least one hole formed therein such that water entering the irrigator 16 can be released into the soil 5 to be taken up by the root system of the adjacent plant. It will be appreciated that in the embodiment as depicted in Fig. l, the irrigators project at least partially from the ground 5 such that hose 14 extends over the surface of the ground 5. However, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments the irrigators 16 and the pipe 14 may be partially or fully buried beneath the ground surface such that they are largely invisible to the naked eye.

Figs 2 and 3 show front and side views of the irrigators 16 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the irrigators 16 general comprise a head portion 20 and an elongate body portion 30. The head portion 20 has a rear slot 22 into which the hose 14 is received. The slot 22 is configured to receive and retain the hose 14 and to allow the hose 14 to slide within the slot 22 such that the location of the irrigator 16 along the length of the hose 14 can be easily varied. As will be described in more detail below, the head portion 20 is substantially hollow with the interior of the head portion 20 accessible by way of a hinged lid 21.

The body portion 30 of the irrigator is substantially hollow such that water can be delivered from an outlet provided in the hose 14 to substantially fill the internal body portion 30. At least one outlet 32 is provided adjacent an end of the body portion 30 to provide an egress path for the water to flow from the hollow body portion into the surrounding soil to be taken up by the root systems of the surrounding plants. The at least one outlet 32 may be one, or a plurality of holes formed in the body portion 30 adjacent the end thereof or along the length thereof, depending upon the requirements of the irrigation system.

In the embodiment as depicted in Figs. 2 - 4, the body portion 30 is shaped to have a spiked end to facilitate penetration of the irrigator 16 into the soil for use. It will be appreciated that the depth of penetration of the body portion 30 into the soil will determine the depth of moisture penetration about the root system of the plant. As such, prior to insertion, a hole may be created to receive the body portion 30 in order to more readily control the desired depth of insertion and thus moisture penetration.

The manner in which the water is delivered from the hose 14 and into the body portion 30 is shown in Fig. 4. In this regard, upon insertion of the hose into the slot 22 provided in the head 20 of the irrigator 16, the irrigator is able to be positioned along the length of the hose 14 where the hose is then pierced to form an outlet. The water in the hose 14 will then flow in a controlled manner from the outlet into an open space or water chamber where it is to be directly incident upon a fertiliser tab 40 which is located within the water chamber below the hose and extends on an angle to substantially span the opening between the head portion 20 and the body portion 30. The amount of water flowing from the hose and into the water chamber may be controlled by way of a flow regulator mounted within the outlet of the hose 14, and the degree of flow may vary from a drip to a spray, depending on the requirements of the system.

The water exiting the hose 14 is able to either flow directly from the water chamber into the hollow body portion to be released adjacent the plant’s root system, or is caused to pass over an infusion chamber incorporating the fertilizer tab 40 to entrain nutrients therein. In the latter situation, the water dissolves or absorbs the fertiliser such that the fertiliser ingredients become infused within the water. The type of fertiliser used may vary depending upon the requirements of the plants using the irrigation system and may comprise a slow release powder, tablet or crystal form which can be readily infused in the water as the water is caused to pass over the fertiliser. The fertiliser may comprise an NPK mixture which delivers nitrogen (N), Phosphate (P) and Potash (K) based nutrients into the surrounding soil. Alternatively the fertiliser may be an acid or an alkali to alter the pH value of the surrounding soil. Various other nutrient and fertiliser forms are also envisaged for use with the present invention. As the fertiliser tab 40 of the infusion chamberwill be consumed as it is used, the tab 40 may comprise a tongue 41 or similar indicator which extends from the upper end of the fertiliser tab 40 and outside of the hinged lid 21 of the head portion 20 to provide a visual cue to the user of the usage rate of the fertiliser. In one form the tab 40 functions due to the fertiliser tab 40 being drawn lower into the body portion 30, under gravity, as it is consumed. This causes the length of the tongue 41 extending from the hinged lid 21 to also retract thereby providing the user with an indication as to whether replacement of the fertiliser tab 40 as required. To replace the fertiliser tab 40, the user can simply open the hinged lid 21 and remove the used fertiliser tab 40 and replace it with a new fertiliser tab 40. Referring to Fig. 5, one embodiment of a flow regulator 50 for use with the present invention is depicted. In this embodiment, the flow regulator 50 is inserted through a front wall of the hose 14, such that the water is caused to flow from an end of the regulator 50 and forward of the hose 14 to deliver the dripping water directly into the open water chamber and onto the body of the fertiliser tab 40. The water then flows down the fertiliser tab 40 and into the hollow body portion 30 as shown, for delivery out the end of the body portion 30

As is more apparent from Fig. 6, the flow regulator 50 has a penetration end 51 that is configured to penetrate the wall of the hose 14. The penetration end 51 has a sharp tip 53 which can be simply pressed into the hose to penetrate the hose to form the initial opening in the hose. A screw thread 55 is also provided on the penetration end which has a sharp leading edge such that as the regulator 50 is rotated into the hole in the hose 14 formed by the tip 53, the leading edge of the screw thread cuts the hose 14 to create a larger opening in the hose 14. A collar 54 extends from the body of the flow regulator to define an end point of penetration of the penetration end 51. The collar 54 also forms a seal about the penetration end 51. A plurality of holes 52 are formed in the penetration end 51 between the screw threads 55, as shown. The holes 52 provide an egress path of water from the hose 14 to the outlet 58 of the flow regulator.

The flow regulator 50 also has an outlet end 56 which comprises a simple valve means 57 which controls the volume of water passing through the flow regulator 50. The outlet 58 provides a point of egress of the water which enables the water flow to be controlled so as to be directed over the fertiliser tab 40 as it passes from the head portion 20 of the irrigator 16 to the body portion 30. The valve 57 may also act as a non-return valve, preventing liquid from entering the hose pipe, should the pressure drop, which can create a vacuum that seeks to suck water from the irrigator back into the main hose pipe. It will be appreciated that the manner in which the hose 14 is penetrated to release water therefrom can be achieved in a variety of different ways. In one form the head portion 20 of the irrigator 16 may comprise a piercing member which acts to pierce the hose 14 as it is mounted within the slot 22 to create the outlet in the hose 14. An alternative embodiment of an irrigator 60 for use with the system 10 of Fig. 1 of the present invention is depicted in Figs 7 - 10. The irrigator 60 essentially functions in the same manner as irrigator 16 of Figs. 1 - 5, in that it is configured to be embedded in soil adjacent a plant 12 to be watered to deliver water, which may or may not be infused with fertilizer, to the roots of the plant 12. The irrigator 60 comprises a head portion 62 having water ingress/egress ports 66 for receiving a supply of water therein from a hose 14. The ingress/egress ports 66 are configured to receive hose connectors 67, typically by way of mating screw threads, to facilitate connection to the hose 14 as shown. The ends of the hose connectors 67 are configured to be received within the end of the hose 14 to engage therewith, and may comprise O-rings or similar sealing means to facilitate sealing engagement between the hose 14 and the head portion 62 of the irrigator 60. In this arrangement, the hose connects to the ingress/egress ports formed on opposing sides of the head portion 62 such that the space between the ports 66 in the head portion defines a water chamber 75 as depicted in Fig. 8. The lower end of the head portion 62 of the irrigator 60 engages with a stem connector 63 by way of a snap or interference fit, as can be more readily received in Fig. 9. The stem connector 63 has an intermediate stem portion 64a and a distal stem portion 64b and is in the form of a pipe or tube that extends from the head portion 62 when fitted thereto. The intermediate stem portion 64a and the distal stem portion 64b are configured to be positioned within a prepared hole located adjacent the plant to be watered and are not configured to be forcibly inserted to penetrate the ground surface. Such a configuration enables the irrigator 60 to be more strategically configured within the soil to better target delivery of the water to the roots of a plant. A plurality of holes 65 are formed in the intermediate stem portion 64a and the end of the distal portion 64b to deliver the water therefrom. The stem connector 63, intermediate stem portion 64a and distal stem portion 64b may be made as an integral stem or as modular elements fitted together to form the stem. By having these elements as individual modular pieces, the extension of the stem can be varied to achieve a variety of different watering depths as required by the user. The irrigator 60 is also able to infuse the water delivered with a fertiliser in a similar manner to irrigator 16 described above. In this regard, the head portion 62 comprises an introducer inlet 68 that is configured to receive the fertilizer material. The introducer inlet 68 is in the form of a tubular opening formed in the head portion 62 that extends into an open space formed below the water chamber 75. The fertilizer material is typically in a powder or granulated form and is loaded into a basket 69. The basket 69 is substantially tubular in configuration and is shaped to fit into the introducer inlet 68 such that the end of the basket is aligned below the water chamber 75. The basket 69 typically has a plurality of slots or vents 76 formed along the length of the basket to extend at least partially around the periphery thereof. The slots or vents 76 provide a means for water passing from the water chamber 75 to pass into the interior of the basket 69 to contact the fertilizer material contained therein such that the water becomes infused with the fertiliser material as it passes through.

The manner in which the irrigator 60 delivers water for infusion with the fertilizer material is depicted in Fig. 10.

As shown, when the basket 69 is inserted into the introducer inlet 68, the end of the basket 69 extends in a downward manner below the water chamber 75. As previously discussed, the water chamber 75 is located between the ingress/egress ports 66 and receive a constant supply of water via the hose 14. A control valve 71 extends through the water chamber 75 and is located within a valve seat 70. An upper and lower recess is formed in the water chamber 75 through which the valve 71 passes. The valve 71 has an elongate body with a pair of seal members 72, in the form of O-rings, located thereon and vertically spaces apart such that when the valve 71 is located in the valve seat 70 the seal members 72 act to seal the upper and lower recesses in the water chamber 75.

By adjusting the valve 71 such that it is raised from the valve seat 70, as is shown in Fig. 10, the valve body 71 is raised to open the lower recess formed in the water chamber 75. This can be achieved by performing a screw action to rotate the valve 71 one or two turns, which is enough to raise the seal member 72 out of engagement with the lower recess, thereby causing water to pass therethrough. The opening of the recess need only be slight to allow water to drip from the chamber 75 and onto the surface of the basket 69. As the vents/slots 76 formed in the basket are located immediately below the recess of the water chamber 75, the water is able to pass into the basket 69 and contact the granules of fertilizer material present therein. This will cause the granules to be infused into the water which can pass out of a perforated end of the basket 69 and into the stem portions 63, 64 for delivery to the soil.

The control valve 71 can be used to vary the amount of water that flows from the water chamber onto the basket 69. It will be appreciated that by raising and lowering the valve 71 such that the seal member 72 is raised and lowered into and out of the lower recess of the water chamber 75, the flow of water in the system can be simply adjusted to suit a variety of different operating conditions. In this regard, the irrigator 60 can be used to drip feed the root system of a plant as well as to saturate the root system, depending on the plant’s nutritional requirements.

It will be appreciated that over time the fertilizer material will become consumed at which point the basket 69 can be simply removed from the introducer inlet 68 and refilled as required. The basket may have a hinged lid as shown to avoid contaminants and debris from entering the system. It will also be appreciated that the size of the basket and the type of fertilizer material it contains may vary. In this regard, the basket 69 could be provided in a variety of different shapes and sizes to suit a variety of different shaped and sized irrigators 60 and in some forms, the basket may be formed integral with the introducer inlet 68.

It will be appreciated that the irrigation system of the present invention provides a simple and effective means for delivering water and/or fertilizer/nutrients below the soil surface such that it can be consumed by the root systems of plants and is less likely to be evaporated or lost. The system is modular to enable the depth of water delivery to be varied in accordance with the plant’s requirements. Such a system ensures a more water efficient irrigation system and provides a simple and effective means to introduce a variety of nutrients and fertilizers into the soil substructure. Throughout the specification and claims the word“comprise” and its derivatives are intended to have an inclusive rather than exclusive meaning unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. That is, the word “comprise” and its derivatives will be taken to indicate the inclusion of not only the listed components, steps or features that it directly references, but also other components, steps or features not specifically listed, unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the methods of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.