Abstract:
A self watering system to water the roots of the vegetation with condensate from ground moisture collected within a condensate enclosure comprising an outer substantially vertical peripheral wall, an inner substantially vertical wall and an upper wall having at least two substantially flat sections inclined relative to each other and intersecting the upper portion of the outer substantially vertical wall and the upper portion of the inner substantially vertical wall at different angles each of less than ninety degrees to cooperatively form the condensate enclosure to collect moisture from the ground on the inner surface of the substantially flat sections to allow the moisture to condense into droplets to provide water to roots of the vegetation within the condensate enclosure.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     A self watering system comprising a condensate enclosure to water the roots of the vegetation with water condensed on the interior surface of the condensate enclosure. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Various systems have been developed using the principle of a solar still to condense and collect water. This principle has been specifically applied to agriculture use. Several examples are reported below. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,408 relates to a planter for seed planting comprising means for condensation and direction of the condensed water onto a limited area where the seeds are planted in a fertilized mulch. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,611,633 shows a planting receptacle comprising at least one soil containing peripheral wall portion merging with a bottom wall portion, a plurality of hollow anchor tubes extending downwardly from the bottom wall portion for anchoring the receptacle to the earth including hollow interiors in open communication with the interior of the receptacle and a plurality of tube wall apertures in each of the anchor tubes for permitting root growth from the receptacle into the earth. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,461,606 teaches a device for conserving soil moisture and nutrients for direct feeding to the roots of plants, vines and trees comprising a shield positioned as a cover for and spaced from the wall of a hole in a soil surface, a receptacle for water and other nutrients buried below the shield and spaced therefrom. The shield includes a conical central portion with a vertex at the bottom with means securing the vertex of the shield to the covering wall adjacent the opening therein so as to position the vertex directly above second aperture in the receptacle whereby condensation on the underside of the shield will trickle into the receptacle to continuously replenish the supply of liquid therein. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,436,313 describes a survival device for use for travelers in arid regions to obtain potable water from soil, plant materials and contaminated water. A sheet is disposed in a pit forming a cone with its apex. A receptacle is placed at the base of the pit under the apex. Sunlight passing through the sheet vaporizing moisture in the soil or plant material which condenses on the sloping surface of the conical sheet and flows to the apex thereof and drops into the receptacle. 
     Additional examples of the prior art are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,930,939 and 3,337,418. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a self watering system comprising a condensate enclosure including a pair of shells configured to cooperatively form the condensate enclosure to water the roots of the vegetation with condensate from ground moisture. 
     Each shell comprises an outer arcuate wall, an inner wall including an inner arcuate wall section having an inner straight wall section extending outwardly from each end portion thereof to intersect a corresponding end portion of the outer arcuate wall and an upper inclined wall to cooperatively from a condensate chamber therebetween. 
     The two shells are placed in the ground in surrounding relationship to a plant or tree extending upwardly through a central opening or aperture cooperatively formed by the two shells such that each shell forms a compartment or condensate chamber to trap the ground moisture rising to the upper inclined wall. The shells collect the condensate on the inside surfaces of the upper wall due to the “solar still” effect that feeds the root ball below. 
     The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a fuller understanding of the nature and object of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of the self watering system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of the self watering system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of the self watering system of the present invention depicting the cycle of watering vegetation partially disposed therein. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded cross-sectional side view of an alternate embodiment of the self watering system of the present invention depicting the cycle of watering vegetation partially disposed therein. 
         FIG. 5  is a detailed cross-sectional side view of the interlocking elements of the alternate embodiment of the self watering system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of another alternate embodiment of the self watering system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of still another alternate embodiment of the self watering system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a partial end view of the alternate embodiment of the self watering system of the present invention shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a top view of yet another alternate embodiment of the self watering system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a detailed view of the anchor to secure the condensate enclosure of the self watering system of the present invention in place. 
     
    
    
     Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 through 3 , the present invention relates to a self watering system generally indicated as  10  to water the roots of the vegetation with condensate from ground moisture. 
     The condensate enclosure  10  comprises a pair of substantially hemispherical shaped shells each generally indicated as  12  disposed in spaced relationship relative to each other to cooperatively form a channel C to allow rain to reach the surface of the ground  36  adjacent a plant or tree  38 . 
     As best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , each shell  12  comprises an outer substantially vertical semi-circular or arcuate peripheral wall  14 , an inner substantially vertical wall including an inner semi-circular or arcuate wall section  16  having a substantially flat inner wall section  18  extending outwardly from each end portion thereof to intersect a corresponding end portion of the outer substantially vertical semi-circular or arcuate peripheral wall  14 , and an upper wall including an outer substantially flat upper wall section  20  inclined inwardly from the upper portion of the outer substantially vertical semi-circular or arcuate peripheral wall  14  forming an obtuse angle  22  therebetween and an inner substantially flat upper wall section  24  inclined inwardly from the upper portion of the inner substantially vertical wall forming an obtuse angle  26  therebetween to intersect the outer substantially flat upper wall section  20  to form an obtuse angle  28  therebetween to cooperatively form a condensate chamber or compartment  42  therebetween. 
     A flange comprising a substantially semi-circular or arcuate outer flange portion  30  and an inner flange portion including a substantially semi-circular or arcuate inner flange section  32  having a substantially straight inner flange section  34  extending outwardly from each end portion thereof to intersect a corresponding end portion of the substantially semi-circular or arcuate outer flange portion  30  extend outwardly from the lower portions of the outer substantially vertical semi-circular or arcuate peripheral wall  14  and the inner substantially vertical flat wall  18  respectively. 
     An indicia or bead or protrusion  35  or other marker such as a strip or color or indentation may be formed on the outer substantially vertical semi-circular or arcuate peripheral wall  14  as a means to indicate the depth to which each pair of shells  12  is buried or placed in the ground  36 . 
     The angles  22 ,  26  and  28  range from about 110 degrees to about 120 degrees, from about 110 degrees to about 120 degrees, and from about 110 degrees to about 135 degrees respectively. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the two shells  12  are placed in the ground  36  in surrounding relationship to a plant or tree generally indicated as  38  extending upwardly through a central opening or aperture  40  such that each shell  12  forms a condensate chamber or compartment  42  to trap the ground moisture  44  rising to the outer substantially flat inclined upper section  20  and the inner substantially flat inclined upper wall  24  of the upper wall. 
     The shells  12  collect the moisture  44  to form condensate  46  that forms droplets  48  on the inside surfaces of the outer substantially flat upper wall section  20  and inner substantially flat upper wall section  24  due to the “solar still” effect that feed the root ball  50  below. An access port or aperture  52  normally closed by a corresponding stopper  54  allows the application of fertilizers and other chemical additives without removal of the shells  12  from the planting bed. Alternatively, a membrane  56  may be secured within the access port or aperture  52  to permit access to the interior of the condensate chamber or compartment  42 . 
     Continuous concentric beads or protrusions  58  may extend downward from the inner surface of the outer substantially flat upper wall section  20  and the inner substantially flat upper wall section  24  into the condsensate chamber of compartment  42  to contact the condensate  46  on the inner surface of the outer substantially flat upper wall section  20  and the inner substantially flat upper wall section  24  creating droplets  48  throughout the upper surfaces of condensate chamber or compartment  42 . 
     A hydro-phobic coating may be added to the inner surface of the outer substantially flat inclined upper wall section  20  and the inner substantially flat inclined upper wall section  24  to facilitate in the migration of the droplets  48  to the continuous concentric beads or protrusions  58  and to the outer substantially vertical semi-circular or arcuate peripheral wall  14  where the condensate is  46  is directed into the soil or ground  36  at the outer limits of the planting area by virtue of the enclosure geometry. A smaller amount of condensate is directed to the inner semi-circular or arcuate wall section  16  and the substantially flat inner wall section  18  around the base of the plant or tree  38 . This condensation process occurs continuously, but is generally most effective in the evening and early morning. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3  and detailed in  FIG. 10 , the substantially semi-circular or arcuate outer flange portion  30  and the inner flange portion including the substantially semi-circular or arcuate inner flange section  32  having the substantially straight inner flange section  34  include at least one aperture  57  to receive the curved portion  59  of a substantially J-shaped anchor  61  having a pointed end portion  63  to secure the shells  12  in the ground  36 . 
       FIG. 4  shows an alternate embodiment of the self water system  10  when the inner substantially vertical wall of each shell  12  is eliminated such that the shells  12  when placed around the plant or tree  38  and interlock by a pair of overlapping or interlocking elements or members  60  cooperatively form a single condensate chamber or compartment  42 . 
     By varying the configuration of the shells  12 , field/bed plantings, row plantings, and individual trees or shrubs can be accommodated. For example, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the self watering system  110  comprises a plurality of substantially X shaped interior shells each generally indicated as  112  including four legs or extensions each indicated as  114  extending outwardly from the center  115 , a plurality of substantially T shaped peripheral shells each generally indicated as  116  and a plurality of arcuate or substantially U shaped corner shells each generally indicated as  118  to cooperatively form a plurality of plant or tree openings each indicated as  120  to receive a plant or tree  38 . 
     Alternately, the peripheral shells may comprise a substantially T shaped peripheral shell  116  and at least one arcuate or substantially U shaped shell  118  formed together as a unitary or single peripheral shell. 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  depict another alternate embodiment of the self watering system  10  with similar structural elements similarly designated as the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3 . Specifically, each shell  12  comprises an outer substantially vertical semi-circular or arcuate peripheral wall  14 , an inner substantially vertical wall including an inner semi-circular or arcuate wall section  16  having a substantially flat inner wall section  18  extending outwardly from each end portion thereof to intersect a corresponding end portion of the outer substantially vertical semi-circular or arcuate peripheral wall  14 , and an upper wall including an outer substantially corrugated upper wall section  20  having a plurality of furrows and ridges each indicated as  19  and  21  respectively extending radially inward from the upper portion of the outer substantially vertical semi-circular or arcuate peripheral wall  14  forming an obtuse angle  22  therebetween and an inner substantially corrugated upper wall section having a corresponding plurality of furrows and ridges similarly indicated as  19  and  21  respectively extending radially inward from the upper portion of the inner substantially vertical wall forming an obtuse angle  26  therebetween to intersect the outer substantially flat upper wall section  20  to form an obtuse angle  28  therebetween to cooperatively form a condensate chamber or compartment  42  therebetween. 
       FIG. 9  shows a plurality of shells  12  each coupled to adjacent shells  12  by a flexible connector  62  such that the plurality of interconnected shells  12  may be contured or bent to permit shaping the shells  12  around roots of the vegetation. 
     It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description are efficiently attained and since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
     It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween. 
     Now that the invention has been described,