Flowerpot with auto-watering control

A flowerpot, which includes a pot body mounted in a transparent casing, a water chamber defined within the casing outside the pot body for keeping living fish, water animals and plants, a porous soil carrier mounted in the pot body for holding soil for growing plants, an upright locating tube for guiding outside air into a space in the pot body below the soil carrier, and a water hole for guiding water from the water chamber to the space in the pot body below the soil carrier, and a float for automatically controlling the water level in the space in the pot body below the soil carrier.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention relates to flowerpots, and more particularly to such
 a flowerpot, which comprises a pot body, a soil carrier mounted in the pot
 body for growing plants, a water chamber defined within a transparent
 casing thereof around the pot body for keeping living fish, water animals
 and plants, and means to guide water from the water chamber to the inside
 of the pot body and to control the water level in the pot body.
 When growing plants in flowerpots, the soil in the flowerpots must be
 regularly watered. However, the water content in the soil must be
 controlled within a suitable range, so as to not damage the plants. FIG. 1
 shows a flowerpot according to the prior art. This structure of flowerpot
 comprises a casing 1, a pot body 2 mounted within the casing 1 to hold
 soil for growing plants, a water chamber H defined within the casing 1
 around the pot body 2 for holding water, and a water absorbing member 3
 embedded in the soil in the pot body 2 and extended through a bottom hole
 on the pot body 2 into the water chamber H for enabling the plants to
 absorb sufficient water from the soil. This structure of flowerpot is
 still not satisfactory in function. The drawbacks of this structure of
 flowerpot are numerous as outlined hereinafter:
 1. Because the water-absorbing member 3 is embedded in the soil in the pot
 body 2, the soil may be excessively wetted, causing the roots of the
 plants to be damaged.
 2. The water-absorbing member 3 deteriorates with use quickly, thereby
 causing water unable to be delivered to the soil in the pot body
 sufficiently.
 3. The pot body has not means for guiding outside air to the roots of the
 plants in the soil in the pot body.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in
 view. According to one aspect of the present invention, the flowerpot
 comprises a pot body mounted in a transparent casing, a water chamber
 defined within the casing outside the pot body for keeping living fish,
 water animals and plants, a soil carrier mounted in the pot body for
 holding soil for growing plants. According to another aspect of the
 present invention, a guide tube is mounted in the pot body below the soil
 carrier for guiding water from the water chamber to the inside of the pot
 body for wetting the soil. According to still another aspect of the
 present invention, air guide means is provided for guiding outside air
 into the pot body for the plants, and the soil carrier has air holes
 disposed in communication with the air guide means for the passing of air.
 According to still another aspect of the present invention, valve means is
 provided for automatically controlling the water level in the space in the
 pot body below the soil carrier. According to still another aspect of the
 present invention, an air hole is provided on the topside of the water
 chamber, and an air pump motor can be used to pump air into the water in
 the water chamber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, a flowerpot in accordance with the present
 invention comprises a hollow, cylindrical, top-open casing 10, a hollow,
 cylindrical, top-open pot body 20 mounted within the casing 10, and a soil
 carrier 30 mounted inside the pot body 20. The casing 10 comprises an
 upright locating tube 11 raised from the center of the bottom wall
 thereof, and inserted into an upright locating tube 21 at the center of
 the bottom wall of the pot body 20 to hold the pot body 20 in place. The
 soil carrier 30 comprises a plurality of air vents 31, and a plurality of
 recessed top-open chambers 32. A bottom space H2 is defined in the bottom
 side of the soil carrier 30. The recessed top-open chambers 32 comprise a
 plurality of through holes 33 respectively disposed in communication with
 the bottom space H2. The casing 10 is a transparent water container,
 having a coupling flange 12 raised around the border of the top open side
 thereof. The pot body 20 comprises a rim 22 supported on the topmost edge
 of the casing 10, and a coupling flange 220 raised around the border of
 the rim 22 and hooked on the coupling flange 12 at the casing 10. After
 installation of the pot body 20 in the casing 10, a water chamber H1 is
 defined within the casing 10 around the outside wall of the pot body 20
 for keeping living fish, water animals and plants. A through hole 25 is
 made through the peripheral wall of the pot body 20 at a suitable
 elevation. A guide tube 26 is fastened to the through hole 25. The guide
 tube 26 has an outer end opened and disposed in communication with the
 water chamber H1, an inner end closed and suspended inside the pot body
 20, and a water hole 260 disposed at the bottom side near the inner end
 for guiding water from the water chamber H1 to the inside of the pot body
 20. A hollow, conical hood 27 is provided around the water hole 260,
 having a plurality of water holes 28. A float 29 is mounted inside the
 hood 27, having a valve stem 290 aimed at the water hole 260. When the
 water chamber H1 is filled up with water, water flows from the water
 chamber H1 through the water hole 260 on the guide tube 26 and the water
 holes 28 on the hood 27 to the bottom space H2 inside the pot body 20
 below the soil carrier 30. When the water level in the bottom space H2
 surpasses the elevation the hood 27, the float 29 is moved upwards with
 water to force the valve stem 290 into the water hole 260 on the guide
 tube 26, and to stop water from passing through the water hole 260.
 Because the upright tube 11 at the casing 10 is inserted into the upright
 tube 21 at the pot body 20, outside air is allowed to pass through the
 upright tubes 11 and 21 into the inside of the pot body 20.
 Referring to FIG. 3 again, the soil carrier 30 is mounted inside the pot
 body 20 and spaced above the topmost edge of the upright tube 21 in the
 pot body 20, and the guide tube 26 is suspended in the pot body 20 at a
 lower elevation than the topmost edge of the upright tube 21, therefore
 the bottom space H2 has a lower half filled with water, and an upper half
 filled with air. After installation of the soil carrier 30 in the pot body
 20, soil is put in the pot body 20 and carried on the soil carrier 20 for
 growing plants. Water flows from the bottom space H2 through the through
 holes 33 into the recessed top open chambers 32 to wet the soil, so that
 plants can absorb sufficient water from the soil. Further, because air
 circulates through the upright tube 11 at the casing 10 between the
 atmosphere and the bottom space H2, plants can obtain fresh air from the
 bottom space H2.
 Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 3 again, because the float 29 moves up and
 down with the level of water in the bottom space H2, the valve stem 290 is
 moved with the float 29 to close/open the water hole 260 subject to the
 lever of water in the bottom space H2. Therefore, the water level in the
 bottom space H2 is constantly maintained within a limited range. Because
 the level of water in the bottom space H2 is automatically controlled
 within a limited range, it is not necessary to water the plants, and a
 proper amount of water is constantly provided in the pot body 20 for the
 plants. Further, because the level of water in the bottom space H2 is
 automatically controlled within a limited range, sufficient water can be
 maintained in the water chamber H1 for keeping living fish, water animals
 and plants.
 Referring to FIG. 5 and FIGS. 2 and 3 again, the pot body 20 has a filling
 hole 23 on the rim 22 in communication with the water chamber H1. Water is
 filled into the water chamber H1 through the filling hole 23. Plug means
 may be used to close the filling hole 23. Further, an air pump motor M may
 be used, and operated to pump air into water in the water chamber H1.
 FIG. 6 shows an alternate form of the present invention. According to this
 alternate form, a spherical float 40 is mounted in the hood 27, and floats
 with water to close/open the water hole 260 on the guide tube 26.
 FIG. 7 shows another alternate form of the present invention. According to
 this alternate form, an elongated valve flap 41 is provided having one end
 pivoted to the outside wall of the guide tube 26 at the bottom side near
 the water hole 260, and a float 42 is fixedly mounted on the free end of
 the valve flap 41. When the level of water drops below a predetermined
 range, the float 42 falls with water level for enabling water to flow out
 of the guide tube 26 through the water hole 260. On the contrary, when the
 level of water surpasses a predetermined range, the float 42 floats
 upwards with water to lift the free end of the valve flap 41, thereby
 causing the valve flap 41 to close the water hole 260 on the guide tube
 26.
 While only one embodiment of the present invention has been shown and
 described, it will be understood that various modifications and changes
 could be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the
 invention disclosed.