Drip ring for plant irrigation

Abstract

An irrigation device includes a hollow element having an at least partially closable opening and having a substantially open and optionally closable annular shape, one end of the hollow element having, at the opening, an outward radial extension to form a counter-curve defining a guiding section with a concavity different from the concavity of the remaining annular element. The device further includes a tubular element inserted or insertable in the hollow part of the annular element and provided with a plurality of openings to enable the dripping of a liquid when such liquid is introduced at one end of the tubular element, the opposite end being closed or closable with a plug or connectable to the first end with a connector.

Claims

1. A device for irrigating plants comprising: a channel element of annular shape shaped as a ring and interrupted or interruptible at a point of the ring to define two ring ends, the two ring ends being spaced or spaceable apart to define an opening of the ring in a circumferential direction, and one of the two ring ends of the channel element at the opening having an extension in a direction that is radially external to an annular plane of the channel element; and a tubular element inserted or insertable in a channel of the channel element, the tubular element being provided with a plurality of openings to enable a dripping of a liquid when the liquid is injected at one end of the tubular element, an opposite end of the tubular element being closed or closable with a plug or connectable to a liquid inlet end with of a three-way connector.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the channel element is open at at least one of the end sides at the two ring ends, further comprising one or more oscillating elements for closing at least one of the two ring ends and/or at least one or more limited segments of an open side of the channel element, wherein the one or more oscillating elements are connected to a side of one of two walls laterally delimiting the channel element or are connected to a back wall of the channel element with a hinge and are swinging towards a wall of the channel element opposite to a wall of the hinge, and wherein ends of the oscillating elements opposite to the hinge and a co-operating wall of the channel element are provided with co-operating members of mutual attachment so that each oscillating element can be brought into an open position of a corresponding opening of the channel element and alternatively into a closed position of the corresponding opening, from which the oscillating element is optionally detachable.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein one end of the channel element is shaped as a counter-curve defining a guiding section having a concavity different from a concavity of a remainder of the channel element'

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein, when inserted into the channel element, the tubular element is positioned with the closed or closable end at an end of the channel element.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein one end of the channel element comprises a closing cap elastically constrained to a body of the channel element so as to be swingable and positioned to close the tubular element.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein said closing cap is mounted on the oscillating element of the end of the channel element at a position, on a face of the oscillating element, facing an inside of the channel element.

7. The device according to claim 3, wherein the guiding section comprises an overrun appendix to guide the tubular element along a path in a plane not parallel to the annular plane of the channel element.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the channel element in open configuration is made by joining two or more circular segments reciprocally constrained in swing zones present at ends of the two or more circular segments so as to enable a reciprocal swing within a single geometrical plane.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the swing of the two or more circular segments enables a reciprocal arrangement of the two or more segments so that the two ends of the channel element are adjacent to each other when the device is positioned in a closed working condition and the two ends of the tubular element are connected with a connecting member.

10. The device according to claim 3, wherein a free end of the guiding section of the channel element has a vertical engagement element for connection between the tubular element and a feed tube of the device, the vertical engagement element being elastically constrained to a body of the channel element so that the body of the channel element is rotatable and engaged in the tubular element.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the vertical engagement element is monolithic or connected to the channel element.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the channel element has a plurality of support elements of the tubular element, the support elements comprising removable channel closure elements to define and delimit at least one closed section of the channel element within which a corresponding portion of the tubular element is enclosed.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the support elements for the tubular element are mutually independent and connected to an edge of the channel element to be engageable and disengageable with an opposite edge of the channel element so as to form independent removable channel closure elements.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein the channel element has a back wall and two U-shaped side walls, the supporting elements for the tubular element comprising L-shaped fins monolithic with the channel element and shaped as an extension of a side wall, an opposite side wall having corresponding coupling extensions for elements acting as hooks to retain the L-shaped fins in a closed position of a channel defined by the channel element when each L-shaped fin is brought into contact with a corresponding coupling extension.

15. The device according to claim 14, further comprising support feet for insertion into a soil to be irrigated to hold the device firmly in position.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the support feet comprise conical or truncated conical protuberances removably attachable to the channel element.

17. The device according to claim 15, wherein the support feet are constrained to, or monolithic with, the support elements of the tubular element.

18. The device according to claim 15, wherein the support feet protrude from a wall opposite the L-shaped fins adapted for closing the channel so that, when a free part of the L-shaped fins is brought to engage on an edge of the channel element, the support feet are arranged to be perpendicular to the channel element.

19. The device according to claim 14, wherein the channel element has openings on the back wall of the channel element.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein the openings are provided in correspondence of the L-shaped fins closing the channel element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The features of the invention and the advantages derived from it will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the attached figures, wherein:

[0025] FIG. 1 shows an axonometric view of the lower part of the open ring channel element of a device according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0026] FIG. 2 shows the same view as the previous figure with a tubular element inserted into the channel element.

[0027] FIG. 3 shows the device of the preceding figures with fins supporting the tubular ring element in the closed position of the channel of the annular element.

[0028] FIG. 4 is a view of the upper part of the device of the preceding figure showing the openings on the back wall of the channel according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0029] FIGS. 5a, 5b, 5c represent line views of a form of the invention, with top, side and bottom views, respectively.

[0030] FIG. 5d is a detail enlargement of part of FIG. 5b.

[0031] FIG. 6 is a three-dimensional line view of the preceding figures.

[0032] FIG. 7 is a bottom view of a variant wherein the channel of the annular element is composed of two circular segments presented in a partially open position.

[0033] FIG. 8 shows a variant of the previous figure where the annular element channel is composed of three circular segments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0034] With reference to the figures, the device according to an embodiment of the invention comprises a channel element 1 of substantially open annular shape. The channel element 1 comprises a flattened back wall 101 with perimeter side walls 201, 201′ parallel and arranged to form an open circular crown, i.e. without a circular sector (shown in hatched form in the figures) having a given angular extent.

[0035] The invention relates to a device for irrigating plants intended to be placed at the base of various types of plants comprising plants with woody stems of a given cross-section, which is partially or completely (in the case of the closed ring) surrounded at the base of the ground by the ring subject matter of the invention. The skilled person in art will have no difficulty in adapting the concepts expressed herein to similar shapes such as polygonal or elliptical shapes as an alternative to the circular shape described herein.

[0036] An open annular channel with a U-shaped cross-section such as that shown in the figures is the preferred form, although any configuration capable of providing a box-like element open on one side and arranged along a circumferential arc may be validly employed within the scope of the present invention. A further example may be a V-shaped configuration in which the perimeter walls are directly in contact with each other without interposition of the bottom element.

[0037] One end 301 of the channel element 1 at the opening has a radial extension outward to form a counter-curve 401 defining a guiding section with different concavity than the concavity of the remaining annular element. This prolongation 401 causes the channel element 1 to assume a profile approaching that of an interrogative point.

[0038] In an embodiment not shown by the figures, the guiding end 401 of the annular element 1 has a coupling element for connecting the end 103 of the tubular element 3 with a device supply tube (not shown in the figures). This coupling element can be made so as to be aligned with the end 103 of the tubular element (and therefore tangent to the irrigation ring at the point where the tubular element 3 ends) or made with an arched or V-bend shape preferably forming an angle of 90° so that the coupling can be oriented towards the external supply pipe according to a plurality of orientations freely settable during assembly of the irrigation ring. For example, the connector of the supply pipe could be oriented towards the centre of the ring or diametrically opposite or even vertically or obliquely to the ring extension plane. This facilitates the bypassing of any edge of the vessel to which the device is applied, or in general allows the supply pipe to be accompanied by the device connection, avoiding bending of the flexible elements and the consequent reduction of the water flow rate at the ground distribution openings.

[0039] The end 501 opposite the guiding end 401 of the annular element 1 has a closing cap 2 elastically constrained to the body of the annular element 1 so as to be rotatable and positioned to close a tubular element 3 which is inserted into the channel of the annular element 1 as shown in

[0040] The tubular element 3 is provided with a plurality of apertures to allow a liquid to drip out when said liquid is introduced at an end 103 of the tubular element 3.

[0041] The annular channel element 1 has a plurality of supporting elements 4 of the tubular element 3 which, in the specific example shown in the figures, are mutually independent and stably connected to an edge 201 of the annular element 1 to be engageable/disengageable with the opposite edge 201′ of the annular element 1 so as to form independent removable elements 4 of the channel closure.

[0042] In the specific embodiment shown in the Figures wherein the channel element 1 has a back wall 101 and two side walls 201, 201′ in the form of a U, the support elements for the tubular element 3 comprising L-shaped fins 41 made of piece with the annular element in the form of an extension of a side wall 201, the opposing side wall 201′ having corresponding extensions 601 for elements acting as a hook to hold the fins 41 in the closed position of the channel when each fin is brought to interfere with the corresponding hook extension.

[0043] The device according to the invention may advantageously comprise conical or truncated conical protuberances 5 attachable to the ring element 1 to form support feet suitable for being embedded in the soil to be irrigated to hold the device stably in position.

[0044] In the example shown in the figures, the support feet 5 protrude from the wall opposite the side of the L-shaped fins 41 which close the channel so that, when the free part of the fins is brought to engage on the edge of the annular element 201′, the feet 5 are arranged substantially perpendicularly to the annular element 1. In this way, by closing the fins, the fixing of the tubular element 3 and the positioning of the feet 5 in the operating mode is simultaneously ensured.

[0045] The annular element 1 may also advantageously have openings 6 on the bottom wall 101 of the channel to facilitate the assembly of the device and to allow visual inspection of the tubular element 3 during operation.

[0046] The view of FIG. 4 shows a configuration wherein the openings 6 are located at the supporting elements 4 closing the channel. Such openings can, of course, be positioned in any position and be of any number and size.

[0047] FIG. 5d shows an embodiment detail according to a variant wherein the feet have a central body of prismatic shape 50 on the surface of which are arranged gripping fins 502 oriented at an angle of less than 90° with respect to the vertical and intended to be inserted into the ground acting as retaining elements of the ring to the ground. In this embodiment, the central body 50 is hollow and has opposing openings intended to house a sheet of flexible material which, passing through the hollow body, gives rise to two retaining fins 502 and 502′.

[0048] FIG. 7 shows a further possible embodiment of the invention, which can be realised in any combination or sub-combination of the other constituent features, wherein the channel element 1 is realised as an assembly of two circular sectors 11, 12 connected in a zone of reciprocal engagement 202 which could be a hinge orthogonally arranged in the plane in which the channel body 1 is articulated; alternatively, similarly to some embodiments relating to the closure plug 2 and the support elements 4, it is possible that the two circular sectors 11 and 12 are interconnected along an elastic edge on the two opposing faces of said sectors.

[0049] The concept of the realisation of the channel body 1 in two sectors can be generalised to more than one sector, which may have similar or different angular openings as shown in FIG. 8, and it is in any case possible that the entire channel body 1 is realised in one piece and then partial cuts are subsequently made in the intrados areas 203 so as to segment the single body into two or more circular sectors. In this case, the various sections are hinged to each other by means of one or more film hinges 202 and 204 consisting in the wall or in a section of a predetermined length of the radially outer lateral wall of the channel profile which is not crossed by the cut.

[0050] A variant may provide for fastening elements in position of the various articulated segments of the channel element, which may be realised to the channel body 2 and the feet.

[0051] The feet may be realised as hook-like extensions fixed to one end of one of the two adjacent channel elements and anchorage housings of the opposite end realised angled or curved, such as one or more holes in a row to each other according to a longitudinal direction of the adjacent segment.

[0052] Alternatively, said fasteners in segment positions may also be separate elements provided with engagement terminals each of which cooperates with a corresponding engagement seat in a corresponding segment.

[0053] Advantageously, the embodiment which implements the features just described makes it possible to obtain a device of variable width which can be more easily adapted to plant stems of different cross-sections, which can be arranged at arbitrarily chosen radial distances from the stem, and which can facilitate positioning around the plant by temporarily diverting the circular sectors which comprise the channel body 1.