Rain gauge

A rain gauge that is resistant to damage from freezing water. The gauge includes a collector defining an open top vessel with a closed bottom for collecting water. The collector includes a plurality of tapered and curved sidewalls with curved corners connecting the sidewalls, the curved sidewalls having a direction of curvature and the curved corners having a direction of curvature opposite the direction of curvature of the curved sidewalls. The curved sidewalls tend to flex sufficiently when water collected therein freezes and expands, and thereby resists breakage from freezing of collected water.

FIELD

This disclosure relates to rain gauges. More particularly, this disclosure relates to rain gauges that are both aesthetically pleasing and resistant to breakage from cycles of freezing and thawing.

BACKGROUND

In many climates, rainfall is more prevalent than snow in the Winter. These climates feature mostly above freezing weather, with periods of below freezing temperatures. In these climates, most people do not winterize and bring in items such as rain gauges, as it is desired to know the rainfall amounts. In the event a sustained period of freezing temperatures is experienced, rain gauges left out typically will undergo multiple cycles of freezing, thawing, refreezing and, over time break because of this.

The present disclosure advantageously provides a rain gauge structures that are both aesthetically pleasing and resistant to breakage from cycles of freezing and thawing.

SUMMARY

The above and other needs are met by rain gauges configured to resist breakage in conditions where they experience repeated cycles of freezing and thawing.

In one aspect, rain gauges according to the disclosure include a collector defining an open top vessel with a closed bottom for collecting water. The collector includes a plurality of tapered and curved sidewalls with curved corners connecting the sidewalls.

The curved sidewalls have a direction of curvature and the curved corners have a direction of curvature opposite the direction of curvature of the curved sidewalls. The curved sidewalls tend to flex sufficiently when water collected therein freezes and expands, and thereby resists breakage from freezing of collected water.

The collector may also include a three-dimensional projection rising from the bottom of the interior of the collector, and decreasing in dimension as a function of height. The projection cooperates with the upwardly expanding dimension of the collector attributable to its taper and tends to force expanding ice upwards in the collector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference toFIGS. 1-6, there is shown a rain gauge10according to one embodiment of the disclosure. The rain gauge10is configured to be both aesthetically pleasing and to resist breakage in freezing weather, including conditions in which the rain gauge experiences repeated cycles of freezing and thawing.

The rain gauge10includes a water collector12, a cap14, a float16, and a ground mount18, all preferably of molded plastic construction. Also shown is a post mount20that may be used in place of the ground mount18. The components of the rain gauge10are desirably of molded plastic construction.

The water collector12is advantageously configured to be both aesthetically pleasing and to resist breakage in weather conditions in which the rain gauge experiences repeated cycles of freezing and thawing. The water collector12is generally an elongate cylinder having an open top22and a closed bottom24. The collector12is of molded plastic construction. The plastic utilized for the collector12is desirably opaque, and preferably clear. The cap14is friction fit onto the rim of the open top22to provide additional aesthetics.

The collector12includes a plurality of tapered and curved sidewalls26a,26b, and26c. All of the sidewalls may be curved, but it is preferred that one of the sidewalls be a tapered and planar sidewall26d. The planar sidewall26dis preferred for ease of reading the measurement level of water collected in the collector12.

It will be appreciated that the collector12, while shown having four sidewalls, could be made having fewer or more sidewalls. An alternate embodiment shown inFIGS. 7-13shows a collector having more sidewalls, and another alternate embodiment of a collector shown inFIG. 14has fewer sidewalls.

Returning toFIGS. 1-6, curved corners28a-28dconnect the sidewalls26a-26d. At least one of the sidewalls, such as the planar sidewall26dmay include indicia, such as lines30, denoting the rainfall amounts. For example, each of the lines28indicates one inch and numerals indicating the inches may be included also. The float16may be provided as by a of hollow plastic air or foam filled ring that floats on water in the collector12and is visible through the collector12so that a user may see the float16adjacent the lines30to quickly tell the amount of water in the collector12to indicate the rainfall amount.

The collector12is configured to have both curved corners and curved sidewalls. It has been observed that this structure provides a structure that will tend to flex sufficiently when water stored therein freezes and expands, and thereby resists breakage.

Conventional structures do not flex sufficiently to resist breakage. The curvature of the sidewalls26a-26cis preferably concave, with the curvature being inwardly into the collector12. In conjunction with concave sidewalls, the curvature of the corners is convex, or opposite of that of the sidewalls, with the curvature being outwardly of the collector12.

Another feature of the gauge structure that serves to render the collector12resistant to breakage during freezing is providing a three-dimensional projection rising from the bottom of the interior of the collector, and decreasing in dimension as a function of height.

In this regard, a three-dimensional projection in the form of a cone32is shown located at the interior of the closed bottom24. Without being bound by theory, it is believed that the cone28cooperates with the upwardly expanding dimension of the collector12attributable to its taper and tends to force expanding ice upwards in the collector12. The cone28may be either hollow or solid.

A mounting projection34preferably extends from the bottom24of the collector12. The projection34is ring shaped and may friction fit into a mounting structure such as the ground mount18or the post mount20to vertically support the collector12to serve as a rain gauge.

Turning now toFIGS. 7-13, there is shown an alternate embodiment of a water collector50for providing a water collection rain gauge according to the disclosure. The collector50is both aesthetically pleasing and to resist breakage in freezing weather, including conditions in which the rain gauge experiences repeated cycles of freezing and thawing. The collector50may be configured to include a cap, measurement, a float, and mounts in the manner of the rain gauge10if desired.

The collector50has an open top and a closed bottom, with a plurality of tapered and curved sidewalls52a-52g, and preferably one tapered and planar sidewall52hfor location of measurement indicia. Curved corners54a-54hconnect the sidewalls52a-52h. At least one of the sidewalls, such as the planar sidewall52hmay include indicia denoting the rainfall amounts.

The collector50is configured to have both curved corners and curved sidewalls, it has been observed that this structure provides a structure that will tend to flex sufficiently when water stored therein freezes and expands, and thereby resists breakage. Conventional structures do not flex sufficiently to resist breakage.

The curvature of the sidewalls52a-52cis preferably concave, with the curvature being inwardly into the collector50. In conjunction with concave sidewalls, the curvature of the corners is convex, or opposite of that of the sidewalls, with the curvature being outwardly of the collector50.

Another feature of the gauge structure that serves to render the collector50resistant to breakage during freezing is providing a three-dimensional projection rising from the bottom of the interior of the collector, and generally decreasing in dimension as a function of height.

The collector50includes a three-dimensional projection in the form of a pyramid56is shown located at the interior of the closed bottom of the collector50. The pyramid56may have wholly continuous surfaces or be a plurality of end to end joined ramps58as shown. The ramps58meet at a peak60that may be flat or preferably conical or tapered.

The pyramid56may be molded in a manner to provide cross-shaped recess62at the exterior of the bottom of the collector50that is suitable for receiving a corresponding shaped surface of a mount for mounting the collector50to maintain it in an upright orientation for use as a rain gauge.

Without being bound by theory, it is believed that the pyramid56cooperates with the upwardly expanding dimension of the collector50attributable to its taper and tends to force expanding ice upwards in the collector50. It will be appreciated that various a three-dimensional projection shapes may be configured to rise from the bottom of the interior of the collector, and decrease in dimension as a function of height.

Turning now toFIG. 14, there is shown yet another embodiment of a water collector70for providing a water collection rain gauge according to the disclosure. The collector60is both aesthetically pleasing and to resist breakage in freezing weather, including conditions in which the rain gauge experiences repeated cycles of freezing and thawing. The collector60may be configured to include a cap, measurement, a float, and mounts in the manner of the rain gauge10if desired.

The collector60has an open top and a closed bottom, with a plurality of tapered and curved sidewalls62a-62b, and preferably one tapered and planar sidewall62cfor location of measurement indicia. Curved corners64a-64cconnect the sidewalls62a-62c. At least one of the sidewalls, such as the planar sidewall62amay include indicia denoting the rainfall amounts.

The collector60is configured to have both curved corners and curved sidewalls. It has been observed that this structure provides a structure that will tend to flex sufficiently when water stored therein freezes and expands, and thereby resists breakage. Conventional structures do not flex sufficiently to resist breakage. The curvature of the sidewalls62a-62bis preferably concave, with the curvature being inwardly into the collector60. In conjunction with concave sidewalls, the curvature of the corners is convex, or opposite of that of the sidewalls, with the curvature being outwardly of the collector60.

The collector60may also preferably include a three-dimensional projection rising from the bottom of the interior of the collector, and decreasing in dimension as a function of height.

Rain gauges according to the disclosure are advantageously resistant to breakage from cycles of freezing and thawing, and to have aesthetically pleasing appearances.