Abstract:
A unit that directs water and air to roots of a plant includes a hollow sleeve having a wall member that defines an internal cavity therein with an open top and an open bottom. The unit has at least one hole formed in the wall member. The unit further includes an emitter having a first end and a second end, the first end being disposed through a selected hole in the wall member and being engaged to the wall member and a conduit coupled to the second end of the emitter.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to watering and aerating, and more particularly to a device and method for watering and aerating plants.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Compacted soil is widely recognized as a significant threat to urban trees and shrubs as it inhibits the root systems of plants from absorbing oxygen, water and nutrients. It consequently weakens the plants so that they become more susceptible to disease and damage from insects. It is also known that while the “tap roots” of a tree may extend several feet below the surface of the soil, the “feeder roots” that are primarily responsible for the absorption of oxygen, water and nutrients are typically found within the first two to eight inches of soil.  
         [0003]     Several devices have been developed in an effort to provide the roots of plants with oxygen, water or nutrients to aid in overcoming the effects of soil compaction. However, many of these devices are expensive to manufacture, time consuming to assemble, or both. Many of these devices involve the use of numerous pieces and the forming of complicated geometries. This results in both higher cost and longer assembly times. Many of these devices are also not readily adjustable.  
         [0004]     Accordingly, it is desirable that a technician have an apparatus and method for use of such an apparatus that allows for watering and aeration in an effective manner that is both cost and time efficient.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     In one form, the present teachings provide a system for directing water, nutrients and air to the root system of a plant. The system may include an elongated hollow housing having a wall member with at least one hole that permits water and air to be transmitted therethrough and which defines an internal cavity with an open top and an open bottom. The system may further include an emitter having one end engaged to the wall of the hollow housing and the other end connected to a conduit.  
         [0006]     Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a view of a combination watering and aerating unit constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the unit being illustrated installed in the soil and operatively associated with the roots of a tree;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a portion of the combination watering and aerating unit of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken along the line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the combination watering and aerating unit of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a side view of an alternately constructed sleeve. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0013]     The following description of the preferred embodiment is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.  
         [0014]     With reference to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, a combination watering and aerating unit is constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is generally indicated by reference numeral  10 . The unit  10  is illustrated to be installed in the soil  12  proximate the feeder roots  14  of an exemplary plant  16 , such as a tree. The unit  10  can include a sleeve  18 , an emitter  20 , and a conduit  22 .  
         [0015]     The sleeve  18  can have an open top  24 , an open bottom  26 , and a wall member  28  with at least one hole  30  therethrough. The sleeve  18  can be generally tubular in shape with a central cavity  32 . The wall member  28  may be formed with a porosity or mesh that permits oxygen, water and/or nutrients to flow therethrough. The porosity or mesh may be sized and/or shaped to control or inhibit the migration of soil  12  that surrounds the exterior thereof into the central cavity  32 .  
         [0016]     With reference to  FIGS. 2 through 4 , the sleeve  18  can include first and second sets of rod members  66  and  68 , respectively. The first set of rod members  66  can be aligned generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve  18  and the second set of rod members  68  can be coupled to and helically disposed about the first set of rod members  66  to thereby define a series of holes  70  between the first and second sets of rod members  66  and  68 . The sleeve  18  may further include a series of markings  80  spaced apart from an end of the sleeve  18  at predetermined distances. The markings  80  may be made from paint, ink or another suitable substance. These markings may be used for easier determination of emitter  20  depth at installation.  
         [0017]     In the particular example provided, the emitter  20  is a barbed connector (union) with a first end  42 , which may be inserted into the conduit  22 , a second end  44 , which may be inserted into an associated hole  70  in the sleeve  18  to thereby attach the emitter  20  to the sleeve  18  at a desired location, and a body  45 , which is disposed between the first and second ends  42  and  44 . A flow channel  50  extends through the body  45  of the emitter  20 . The flow channel  50  may be formed with a relatively small orifice  38  through which water may be metered (i.e., dispense water at a predetermined flow rate).  
         [0018]     The first and second ends  42  and  44  may be configured in any convenient manner that facilitates the connection of the emitter  20  to the sleeve  18  and the conduit  22 . In the particular example provided, the first and second ends  42  and  44  include a barbed connection  46 . The barbed connection  46  can include a conical section  46   a  and a cylindrical portion  52  that is disposed between the body  45  and the conical section  46   a . The size of the barbed connection  46  can be selected on the basis of the size of the holes  70  in the sleeve  18 . In the particular example provided, a ¼″ hose barb is employed for each of the barbed connections  46 . It will be appreciated that the size of the barbed connections  46  may be the same, as is illustrated, or may be different, depending on the size of the holes  70  and the conduit  22 .  
         [0019]     The conduit  22  can be formed of a suitable tubular material, such as polyethylene or vinyl or and can be employed to couple the emitter  22  to a source of water ( FIG. 1 ).  
         [0020]     The emitter  20  can be attached to the sleeve  18  by inserting the barbed connection  46  of the emitter  20  through a selected one of the holes  70  in the wall member  28 . The construction of the sleeve  18  is such that the rod members of the first and second sets of rod members  66  and  68  that are adjacent the selected hole  40  elastically deflect outwardly from the barbed connection  46  as the barb of the barbed connection  46  is inserted and thereafter contract about the cylindrical portion  52  of the barbed connection  46  to thereby fixedly but removably couple the emitter  20  to the sleeve  18 . The sleeve  18  may be compressed in an area proximate to the selected hole  40  to enlarge the size of a selected one of the holes  70  in order to more easily accommodate the insertion of the emitter  20 .  
         [0021]     The assembly of the unit  10  is fast and it allows for quick and easy adjustment to a variety of depths. One of the advantages of the current invention over the prior art is that it has fast assembly and adjustment times.  
         [0022]     With reference to  FIG. 5 , an alternately constructed sleeve  72  is shown wherein the first set of rod members  74  are aligned generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve  72  and the second set of rod members  76  extend generally circumferentially about the longitudinal axis and are coupled to the first set of rod members  74  to thereby define a series of holes  78  between the first and second sets of rod members  74  and  76 .  
         [0023]     It will be appreciated that the sleeve  18  of  FIG. 4  and the sleeve  72  of  FIG. 5  may be configured such that the second set of rod members  68 ,  76  may be disposed either radially outwardly of the first set of rod members  66 ,  74  or radially inwardly of the first set of rod members  66 ,  74 . Alternatively, the first set of rod members  66 ,  74  and second set of rod members  68 ,  76  could intersect one another and thus be neither radially inwardly nor outwardly extending from one another. The sleeve  18 ,  72  may be comprised of plastic, rubber, or any other material that is somewhat flexible and generally resilient to environmental conditions. These are merely a few examples of possible configurations of the sleeve  18 ,  72  and as those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate from this disclosure, the sleeve  18 ,  72  may take many other forms as well. In this regard, the sleeve  18 ,  72  may be formed with a porosity or mesh, as previously mentioned, as long as there is a way for the emitter  20  to engage the wall member  28 , while still allowing water and nutrients to flow therethrough.  
         [0024]     With renewed reference to  FIG. 1 , the assembled unit  10  (e.g., sleeve  18 , emitter  20  and conduit  22 ) may be installed in the ground proximate a plant  16  by drilling a hole in the soil  12  or creating a hole of a desired depth in the soil  12  near the plant  16  by some other means and thereafter placing the unit  10  in the hole. The depth of the unit  10  in the hole may be adjusted as necessary to place the open top  24  of the sleeve  18  at or above the level of the soil  12  (to promote aeration) and to place the emitter  20  at a desired level relative to the level of the soil  12 , which can be at or above the level of the soil  12 .  
         [0025]     The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.