Multi-Functional Garden Tool
20170021486 ยท 2017-01-26
Inventors
Cpc classification
B25G3/30
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B25F1/02
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
A01G29/00
HUMAN NECESSITIES
B25G3/26
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
B25F1/02
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
A01G29/00
HUMAN NECESSITIES
Abstract
A multi-functional garden tool having a first elongated cylindrical member and a second elongated cylindrical member. The elongated cylindrical members being configured and structured to receive water or such other aqueous liquids from an aqueous liquid source such that a user can apply the water, or other aqueous liquids, below a soil surface into the root zone of either potted plants or to garden plants. Additionally, the first and the second elongated cylindrical members of the multi-functional garden tool are configured and structured to give a user the ability to detachably attach a variety of tool heads to perform certain gardening tasks.
Claims
1. A multi-functional garden tool comprising: a first elongated cylindrical member having a length from about 8 inches to about 16 inches; a second elongated cylindrical member having a length from about 36 inches to about 48 inches; wherein each of said elongated cylindrical members being designed and structured to permit the flow there through of at least one aqueous liquid from at least one aqueous liquid source, each of said elongated cylindrical members having an upper end designed and structured to receive the at least one aqueous liquid from the at least one aqueous liquid source, a beveled lower end designed and structured to penetrate a soil and to disperse the at least one aqueous liquid therefrom, at least one side wall extending therefrom and connecting the upper end and the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical members, a gripping means encircling and affixed to the upper end of the first and second elongated cylindrical members for gripping the multi-functional garden tool, a plurality of vertically aligned apertures having a plurality of diameters from about inch to about inch, said plurality of vertically aligned apertures being configured and structured to disperse the at least one aqueous liquid beneath a soil surface into a plant root zone, wherein said plurality of vertically aligned apertures being located within the side wall and extending a length upward from the beveled lower end of each elongated cylindrical member, wherein the diameters of the plurality of vertically aligned apertures decrease uniformly from a point away from the beveled lower end, said plurality of vertically aligned apertures further comprising a first pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures, wherein said first pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures being designed and structured to receive a removable fastener means there through, a female connecter means affixed to the upper end of each elongated cylindrical member for detachably attaching the upper end of each elongated cylindrical member to the at least one aqueous liquid source, a detachably attachable valve means to control the flow of the at least one aqueous liquid, said valve means having a male end being designed and structured to engage the female connector means of the elongated cylindrical members and a female end being designed and structured to engage the at least one aqueous liquid source; and at least one tool head to cultivate the soil being designed and structured to be detachably attached to the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical members, said at least one tool head comprising an elongated neck being designed and structured to receive a length of the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical member, and a second pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures located on the elongated neck, wherein said second pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures being designed and structured to receive the removable fastener means there through, wherein when the first pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures of the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical member are in a coaxial alignment with the second pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures of the elongated neck of the tool head the removable fastener means is inserted there through to detachably attach the at least one tool head to the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical member, wherein the tool head is selected from the group consisting essentially of a hand trowel, a rake, a shovel, a weeder, a hoe, a bulb planter, a pick, a cultivator, and a limb pruner; and a bumper member encircling and affixed to the second elongated cylindrical member to assist with the removal of soil lodged within the beveled lower end of the second elongated cylindrical member, wherein the bumper member being positioned adjacent to the plurality of vertically aligned apertures on the second elongated cylindrical member.
2. A multi-functional garden tool comprising: a first elongated cylindrical member having a length from about 8 inches to about 16 inches; a second elongated cylindrical member having a length from about 36 inches to about 48 inches; wherein each of said elongated cylindrical members being designed and structured to permit the flow there through of at least one aqueous liquid from at least one aqueous liquid source, each of said elongated cylindrical members having an upper end designed and structured to receive the at least one aqueous liquid from the at least one aqueous liquid source, a beveled lower end designed and structured to penetrate a soil and to disperse the at least one aqueous liquid therefrom, at least one side wall extending therefrom and connecting the upper end and the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical members, a gripping means encircling and affixed to the upper end of the first and second elongated cylindrical members for gripping the multi-functional garden tool, a plurality of vertically aligned apertures having a plurality of diameters from about inch to about inch, said plurality of vertically aligned apertures being configured and structured to disperse the at least one aqueous liquid beneath a soil surface into a plant root zone, and being located within the side wall and extending a length upward from the beveled lower end of each elongated cylindrical member, wherein the diameters of the plurality of vertically aligned apertures decrease uniformly from a point away from the beveled lower end, said plurality of vertically aligned apertures further comprising a first pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures, said first pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures being designed and structured to receive a removable fastener means there through, a female connecter means affixed to the upper end of each elongated cylindrical member for detachably attaching the upper end of each elongated cylindrical member to the at least one aqueous liquid source, a detachably attachable valve means to control the flow of the at least one aqueous liquid, said valve means having a male end being designed and structured to engage the female connector means of the elongated cylindrical members and a female end being designed and structured to engage the at least one aqueous liquid source; and at least one tool head to cultivate the soil and being designed and structured to be detachably attached to the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical members, said at least one tool head having an elongated neck, said elongated neck designed and structured to receive a length of the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical member, and a second pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures located on the elongated neck, said second pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures being designed and structured to receive the removable fastener means when the first pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures of the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical member are in a coaxial alignment with the second pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures of the elongated neck of the tool head.
3. The multi-functional garden tool of claim 2, wherein said plurality of vertically aligned apertures are arranged as staggered pairs of horizontally opposing apertures.
4. The multi-functional garden tool of claim 2, wherein said removable fastener means comprising a detent ring pin dimensioned and structured to engage the coaxially aligned first pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures and second pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures to detachably attach the at least one tool head to the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical member.
5. The multi-functional garden tool of claim 2, wherein the beveled lower end of said second elongated cylindrical member comprising a bumper member to assist with the removal of soil lodged within the beveled lower end of the second elongated cylindrical member, wherein the bumper member being positioned adjacent to the plurality of vertically aligned apertures on the second elongated cylindrical member.
6. The multi-functional garden tool of claim 2, wherein the detachably attachable valve means is a ball valve.
7. The multi-functional garden tool of claim 2, wherein the tool head is selected from the group consisting essentially of a hand trowel, a rake, a shovel, a weeder, a hoe, a bulb planter, a pick, a cultivator, and a limb pruner.
8. The multi-functional garden tool of claim 2, wherein said first elongated cylindrical member is about 12 inches in length.
9. The multi-functional garden tool of claim 2, wherein said second elongated cylindrical member is about 42 inches in length.
10. The multi-functional garden tool of claim 2, wherein the first and second elongated cylindrical members are manufactured from aluminum.
11. The method of using a multi-functional garden tool comprising the steps of: providing a multi-functional garden tool comprising: a first elongated cylindrical member having a length from about 8 inches to about 16 inches, a second elongated cylindrical member having a length from about 36 inches to about 48 inches, wherein each of said elongated cylindrical members being designed and structured to permit the flow there through of at least one aqueous liquid from at least one aqueous liquid source, each of said elongated cylindrical members having an upper end designed and structured to receive the at least one aqueous liquid from the at least one aqueous liquid source, a beveled lower end designed and structured to penetrate a soil and to disperse the at least one aqueous liquid therefrom, at least one side wall extending therefrom and connecting the upper end and the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical members, a gripping means encircling and affixed to the upper end of the first and second elongated cylindrical members for gripping the multi-functional garden tool, a plurality of vertically aligned apertures having a plurality of diameters from about inch to about inch, said plurality of vertically aligned apertures being configured and structured to disperse the at least one aqueous liquid beneath a soil surface into a plant root zone, and being located within the side wall and extending a length upward from the beveled lower end of each elongated cylindrical member, wherein the diameters of the plurality of vertically aligned apertures decrease uniformly from a point away from the beveled lower end, said plurality of vertically aligned apertures further comprising a first pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures, said first pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures being designed and structured to receive a removable fastener means there through, a female connecter means affixed to the upper end of each elongated cylindrical member for detachably attaching the upper end of each elongated cylindrical member to the at least one aqueous liquid source, a detachably attachable valve means to control the flow of the at least one aqueous liquid, said valve means having a male end being designed and structured to engage the female connector means of the elongated cylindrical members and a female end being designed and structured to engage the at least one aqueous liquid source, and at least one tool head being designed and structured to be detachably attached to the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical members, said at least one tool head having an elongated neck, said elongated neck designed and structured to receive a length of the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical member, and a second pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures located on the elongated neck, said second pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures being designed and structured to receive the removable fastener means when the first pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures of the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical member are in a coaxial alignment with the second pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures of the elongated neck of the tool head; selecting an elongated cylindrical member having a length to provide the at least one aqueous liquid from the at least one aqueous liquid source to a potted plant, said elongated cylindrical member having a detachably attachable valve means; attaching the at least one aqueous liquid source to the detachably attached valve means; inserting the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical member into the plant root zone of the potted plant; supplying the at least one aqueous liquid to the plant root zone of the potted plant; removing the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical member from the plant root zone of the potted plant; or, selecting an elongated cylindrical member having a length to provide the at least one aqueous liquid to a garden plant; attaching the at least one aqueous liquid source to the female connector means, the at least one aqueous liquid source including a pistol grip garden sprayer; inserting the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical member into the plant root zone of the garden plant; supplying the at least one aqueous liquid to the plant root zone of the garden plant; removing the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical member from the plant root zone of the garden plant; or, selecting an elongated cylindrical member having a length to appropriately cultivate a potted plant; selecting a tool head to cultivate the potted plant; inserting a length of the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical member into the elongated neck of the tool head; coaxially aligning the first pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures of the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical member with the second pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures located on the elongated neck of the tool head; securing the tool head to the elongated cylindrical member by inserting the removable fastener means there through the coaxially aligned first pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures and the second pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures; cultivating the potted plant; or, selecting an elongated cylindrical member having a length to appropriately cultivate a garden plant; selecting a tool head to cultivate the garden plant; inserting a length of the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical member into the elongated neck of the tool head; coaxially aligning the first pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures of the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical member with the second pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures located on the elongated neck of the tool head; securing the tool head to the elongated cylindrical member by inserting the removable fastener means there through the coaxially aligned first pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures and the second pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures; cultivating the garden plant.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein said plurality of vertically aligned apertures are arranged as staggered pairs of horizontally opposing apertures.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein said removable fastener means comprising a detent ring pin dimensioned and structured to engage the coaxially aligned first pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures and second pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures to detachably secure the at least one tool head to the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical member.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein the beveled lower end of said second elongated cylindrical member comprising a bumper member to assist with the removal of soil lodged within the beveled lower end of the second elongated cylindrical member, wherein the bumper member being positioned adjacent to the plurality of vertically aligned apertures on the second elongated cylindrical member.
15. The method of claim 11, wherein the detachably attachable valve means is a ball valve.
16. The method of claim 11, wherein the tool head is selected from the group consisting essentially of a hand trowel, a rake, a shovel, weeder, a hoe, a bulb planter, a pick, a cultivator, and a limb pruner.
17. The method of claim 11, wherein said first elongated cylindrical member is about 12 inches in length.
18. The method of claim 11, herein said second elongated cylindrical member is about 42 inches in length.
19. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second elongated cylindrical members are manufactured from aluminum.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0034] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are set forth below. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Other objects, features, and aspects of the present invention are disclosed in the following detailed description. It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the present invention.
[0035] In describing the various figures herein, the same reference numbers are used throughout to describe the same material, apparatus, or process pathway. To avoid redundancy, detailed descriptions of much of the apparatus once described in relation to a figure is not repeated in the descriptions of subsequent figures, although such apparatus or process is labeled with the same reference numbers.
[0036] As seen in reference to
[0037] Referring to
[0038] Continuing to refer to
[0039] Referring to
[0040] Now referring to
[0041] Referring to
[0042] Referring to
[0043] Now referring to
[0044] Continuing to refer to
[0045] As shown in
[0046] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the first elongated cylindrical member 11 has a length of about 12 inches, and the second elongated cylindrical member 21 has a length of about 42 inches. The length of each elongated cylindrical member 11, 21 being measured from the beveled lower end 13, 23 of the elongated cylindrical member 11, 21 to the upper end 12, 22 of the elongated cylindrical member 11, 21 excluding the female connector means 18, 28 and the valve means 19, 29 being attached thereto.
[0047] Another embodiment of the present invention includes first and second elongated cylindrical members 11, 21 that are manufactured from 16 gauge aluminum pipe and having an interior diameter of about inches and an outside diameter of about inches. It should be recognized that other embodiments of the present invention may include larger diameter tubing manufactured from aluminum, as well as other metals and plastics, capable of providing elongated cylindrical members having sufficient strength and rigidity to perform the tasks for which the present invention is directed.
[0048] In still another embodiment of the present invention as shown in
[0049] The present invention also includes a method of using a multi-functional garden tool 10 depicted in
[0050] In a preferred embodiment of the above method, the plurality of vertically aligned apertures are arranged as staggered pairs of horizontally opposing apertures.
[0051] In one embodiment of the above method, the removable fastener means comprising a detent ring pin dimensioned and structured to engage the coaxially aligned first pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures and second pair of horizontally opposing fastener apertures to detachably secure the at least one tool head to the beveled lower end of the elongated cylindrical member.
[0052] In another embodiment of the above method, the beveled lower end of said second elongated cylindrical member comprising a bumper member to assist with the removal of soil lodged within the beveled lower end of the second elongated cylindrical member, wherein the bumper member being positioned adjacent to the plurality of vertically aligned apertures on the second elongated cylindrical member.
[0053] In one embodiment of the above method, the detachably attachable valve means is a ball valve.
[0054] In a preferred embodiment of the above method, the tool head is selected from the group consisting essentially of a hand trowel, a rake, a shovel, a weeder, a hoe, a bulb planter, a pick, a cultivator, and a limb pruner.
[0055] In another preferred embodiment of the above method, the first elongated cylindrical member is about 12 inches in length.
[0056] In yet another preferred embodiment of the above method, the second elongated cylindrical member is about 42 inches in length.
[0057] In a preferred embodiment of the above method, the first and second elongated cylindrical members are manufactured from aluminum.
[0058] The present invention provides a number of benefits and attributes for users of garden devices. Such benefits and attributes include, but are not limited to the features listed below, One beneficial feature of the present invention is a user's ability to direct a proportional amount of an aqueous liquid, most commonly water, below the soil surface directly to a plant root zone without over-watering the plant or producing wasteful water run-off. This attribute is accomplished by having apertures of different diameters for the dispersion of the aqueous liquids strategically placed on the elongated cylindrical member of the present invention. The specific placement of smaller diameter apertures on the elongated cylindrical member of the present invention provides for a small volume of aqueous liquid to be dispersed just below the soil surface. Similarly, the placement of the larger diameter apertures at the lower end of the elongated cylindrical member of the present invention provides for a larger volume of aqueous liquids to be dispersed at or now the plant root zone. Additionally, the design and structure of the present invention allows a user to accurately apply an aqueous liquid above or below the soil surface. This proper placement of an aqueous liquid helps to prevent of watering of unwanted weeds and other undesirable plants. Also, the cylindrical void that remains once the elongated cylindrical member of the present invention is withdrawn from the soil is a simple means to provide limited aeration to the soil and to a plant's root zone.
[0059] Another key attribute of the present invention is its ease of use due to its simple design and an absence of complex interaction between device components. The simple design of the present invention also helps to minimize manufacturing costs. The multi-functional garden tool easily converts from one tool to another tool with the manipulation of only a simple pin-type fastener to effect the transformation. The interchangeability of the tool heads eliminates the need to have multiple single purpose tools, which in turn reduces the costs associated with owning multiple single purpose tools. Furthermore, the conversion from a cultivation tool to a watering tool only requires the removal of any tool head followed by the connection of the device to an aqueous liquid source via traditional male-female connectors. The relative compact size of the present invention's individual components facilitates its transportation of from site to site. Finally, the size, simple design, and structure provides a multi-functional garden tool that can be used with both potted plants as well as garden plants.
[0060] Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described using specific terms, devices, and methods, such description if for illustrative purposes only. The words used are words of description rather than of limitation. It is to be understood that changes and variations may be made by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit or the scope of the present invention. In addition, it should be understood that aspects of the various embodiments may be interchanged, both in whole, or in part. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the invention should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.