ARRANGEMENT FOR AUTOMATIC SUPPLY OF WATER TO INDOOR PLANTS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a watering bag for automatic supply of water to plants, such as indoor plants. The watering bag comprises a water inlet region, a water reservoir, and a water outlet region, wherein the water inlet region comprises an opening for leading water to the water reservoir, and wherein the water outlet region comprises a friction inducing arrangement for leading water from the water reservoir to the surroundings in a controlled manner.

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. A watering bag for automatic supply of water to plants, the watering bag comprising: 1) a water inlet region, 2) a water reservoir, and 3) a water outlet region, wherein the water inlet region comprises an opening for leading water to the water reservoir, and wherein the water outlet region comprises a friction inducing arrangement for leading water from the water reservoir to the exterior of the watering bag in a controlled manner.

15. A watering bag according to claim 14, wherein the watering bag comprises a pair of polymer foils being welded together.

16. A watering bag according to claim 14, further comprising one or more releasable binding means being adapted to secure the watering bag to a plant and/or to close the water inlet region.

17. A watering bag according to claim 14, wherein the water reservoir is capable of housing between 1 and 4 litres of water.

18. A watering bag according to claim 14, wherein the water reservoir is capable of housing between 2 and 3 litres of water.

19. A watering bag according to claim 14, wherein the water reservoir is capable of housing around 2.3 litres of water.

20. A watering bag according to claim 14, wherein the friction inducing arrangement is dimensioned to provide one droplet of water at least every 60 seconds.

21. A watering bag according to claim 14, wherein the friction inducing arrangement is dimensioned to provide one droplet of water at least every 45 seconds.

22. A watering bag according to claim 14, wherein the friction inducing arrangement is dimensioned to provide one droplet of water at least every 30 seconds.

23. A watering bag according to claim 14, wherein the friction inducing arrangement comprises a plurality of welded dots.

24. A watering bag according to claim 23, further comprising a folding region at which the watering bag is adapted to fold when positioned on the soil.

25. A watering bag according to claim 24, wherein the folding region is defined by a number of welded dots.

26. A watering bag according to claim 14, wherein the friction inducing arrangement comprises a mesh having a predetermined permeability.

27. A watering bag according to claim 26, wherein the permeability of the mesh is at least partly given by an openness of the mesh, said openness being in the range 2-10%.

28. A watering bag according to claim 26, wherein the permeability of the mesh is at least partly given by an openness of the mesh, said openness being in the range 2-6%.

29. A watering bag according to claim 26, wherein the permeability of the mesh is at least partly given by an openness of the mesh, said openness being in the range 2-4%.

30. A watering bag according to claim 26, wherein the permeability of the mesh is at least partly given by an openness of the mesh, said openness being around 2%.

31. A watering bag according to claim 26, wherein the mesh is secured to the watering bag using an adhesive, said adhesive defining a lower passage to the mesh.

32. A watering bag according to claim 31, wherein through-going holes are provided in the watering bag in relation to the lower passage.

33. A watering bag according to any of claim 26, further comprising an upper passage arranged on the mesh.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The present invention will now be described in further details with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a watering bag applying a first water friction type,

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a watering bag applying a second water friction type,

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a watering bag applying a third water friction type,

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a watering bag with releasable binding strips,

[0025] FIG. 5 shows a watering bag with released binding strips,

[0026] FIG. 6 shows a close-up of a preferred embodiment of the present invention,

[0027] FIG. 7 shows the preferred embodiment of the present invention in full scale, and

[0028] FIG. 8 illustrates a watering bag in use.

[0029] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms specific embodiments have been shown by way of examples in the drawings and will be described in details herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] In its most general aspect the present invention relates to a simple and effective solution involving a watering bag. By placing the watering bag in the pot of an indoor plant an automatic watering process will take place over a predetermined time period.

[0031] The principle underlying the invention is a disposable polymer bag, where water is filled in at the top. The polymer bag has a reservoir for approximately 2.3 liters. An arrangement of water traps/barriers are integrated at the bottom of the polymer bag. The water traps/barriers add friction to the water flow.

[0032] At the very bottom part of the bag, a small tuned opening is processed, where the amount of water dripping out can be controlled in a very accurate manner.

[0033] The water bag is manufactured by heat welding two polymer foils together using a heat welding tool having the bag's geometry as well as the selected design of the water traps/barriers.

[0034] The bag should be empty after 7-10 days of watering. The positioning of the bag on top of the soil in the pot reduces the evaporation of water from the soil and thereby save water for the plant's survival.

[0035] The watering bag according to the present invention is suitable for mass production and thereby very cost efficient.

[0036] The size and weight of a single water droplet is determined by the surface tension of water, the density of water and to as minor degree the temperature of the water. One droplet of clean fresh water typically has a weight of 40 mg and thereby a volume of 40 mm.sup.3

[0037] From this knowledge one can set up the following calculations:

10 days=10246060 sec=864.000 sec

1.6 L=1600 cm.sup.3=1.600.000 mm.sup.3.

1 droplet=40 mm.sup.3=40 mg.

[0038] Thus, the amount of droplets in 1.6 L equals 1.600.000/40=40.000 droplets. Moreover, the number droplets per second is then 40.000/864.000=0.0463 which corresponds to one droplet every 22 seconds.

[0039] The water traps/barriers integrated at the bottom of the polymer bag may be implemented in various ways. FIG. 1 shows a polymer bag 100 having a reservoir 103, a water outlet 102 and a channel 101 forming the water traps/barriers between heat welded regions 104. FIG. 2 shows a more complicated water trap/barrier 201 between heat welded regions 204. Similar to FIG. 1 the embodiment 200 depicted in FIG. 2 has a reservoir 203 and a water outlet 202.

[0040] Another embodiment 300 of the present invention is depicted in FIG. 3. This embodiment comprises a water inlet 301, a reservoir 302 and water traps/barriers 303 being formed by a plurality of welded dots 304. The water inlet 301 is defined between welded portions 305, 306, 310 and 311. Similarly, the reservoir 302 is defined between welded portions 307 and 308. The dotted line 309 indicates where the watering bag is intended to fold when it is positioned on the soil of the indoor plant.

[0041] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment 400 of the present invention comprising a water inlet 401, a reservoir 402 and water traps/barriers 403 being formed by a plurality of welded dots 404. The water inlet 401 and the reservoir 402 are defined between welded portions 407, 408, 412, 413 and 409, 410, respectively. Again, the folding of the watering bag is marked as 411. In addition, two releasable binding strips 405, 406 are defined by perforated lines.

[0042] As illustrated in FIG. 5 the releasable binding strips 505, 506 may be at least partly detached from the bag so that they form a pair of binding strips that can be used to secure the bag to the indoor plant. Similar to FIG. 4 the watering bag shown in FIG. 5 also comprises a water inlet 501, a reservoir 502 and water traps/barriers 503 being formed by a plurality of welded dots 504. The folding line 507 is depicted as well.

[0043] The embodiment depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5 is made of a Low Density Poly Ethylene (LDPE) foil which as a high surface energy that reduces the amount of air bubbles. The thickness of the foil is 60 m and the foil itself is semi-transparent having a green color. The capacity of the watering bag is approximately 2.3 liter.

[0044] The water outlet (not shown in FIGS. 3-5) of the watering bag is around 0.2 mm. Typically two water outlet holes are made in one process using a 0.2 mm needle with a sharp tip.

[0045] FIG. 6 shows a preferred implementation of the water outlet region. As depicted in FIG. 6a a plurality of holes 602 are provided through the side 601 of the polymer bag. In FIG. 6a only one side of the polymer bag is depicted. The diameter of the holes 602, the number of holes as well as the density of the holes may be varied in order to adjust the amount of water that can escape through the holes 602. As an example 25 holes having a diameter of 0.35 mm may be provided within a circular area having a diameter of 10 mm. In fact the holes 602 may be provided in both sides of the polymer bag in that this would ease the manufacturing process significantly.

[0046] Still referring to FIG. 6a a mesh 604 is provided between two adhesive members 603, 605. The adhesive member 603 is adapted to secure the mesh 604 to the side 601 of the bag via its adhesive properties on both sides. This is indicated by the arrow 606. The adhesive member 603 has an opening 608 which may cover the same area as the holes 602 in the side 601 of the polymer bag. The adhesive member 605 has an opening 607 which defines the permeability of the water outlet region. The larger the opening 607 the larger the overall permeability through the water outlet region. The adhesive member 605 may be implemented by providing a layer of ink directly to the mesh 604. This layer of ink should leave an opening 607 to ensure a predetermined permeability through the water outlet region.

[0047] The mesh 604 may be manufactured of a woven polyester-based material. However, the mesh 604 may be manufactured of non-woven materials as well. However, the mesh must be manufactured of a non-water absorbing material in order to secure a certain amount of permeability of the mesh 604. Typically, an acceptable permeability of the mesh 604 is provided by an openness of the mesh material between 2% and 10%.

[0048] Referring now to FIG. 6b the adhesive members 611, 613 have secured the mesh 612 to the side 609 of the polymer bag. The holes 610 in the polymer bag 609 prevent that air bubbles block the passage through the mesh 612. Thus, the holes 610 act as a filter for air bubbles.

[0049] FIG. 7 shows the overall design of a preferred watering bag 700. As seen the watering bag 700 has a reservoir 701 and a water inlet region 703 being defined by welded structures 702. Two splits 706, 707 are provided in the watering bag 700 in order to provide binding or closing strips. The water outlet region of FIG. 6 is positioned near the center of the reservoir 701 with 704 being the adhesive and 705 being the mesh.

[0050] FIG. 8 illustrates how the watering bag 803 is adapted to be positioned directly on the soil 802 of an indoor plant 801, and how water leaks into the soil in the region 804.

[0051] The watering bag will automatically provide 2.3 liters of water to the indoor plant in a period of 7-10 day depending of room temperature, light conditions etc. In terms of manufacturing the watering bag is manufactured by heat welding of two pieces of foils together.