Patent Publication Number: US-2022217932-A1

Title: Lid For Container For Hydroponic Plant Growth

Description:
NONPROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION 
     Not applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is generally directed to a lid for use on a container for hydroponic plant growth. Conventional hydroponic plant containers include a receptacle for containing the plant. The receptacle is apertured and is received in a container filled with water, so that the receptacle holding the plant is immersed in water entering the receptacle from the water filled container. 
     In order to accurately monitor the water level in the container, the receptacle holding the plant is removed from the container. 
     In the alternative, a separate monitor for the water level in the container must be provided and immersed in the container each time the water level in the container is to be checked. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a lid for a water container for hydroponic plant growth overcoming the need to remove the receptacle holding the plant, or inserting a separate water level monitor in the container, to monitor the water level within the container. 
     In accordance with the present invention, an apertured receptacle for holding a plant is attached to, or integrally formed with, a lid for the container and extends downwardly from an opened central portion of the lid into the water filled container. 
     A water level monitoring device is fixedly and directly mounted to, or is integrally formed with, an outer peripheral flange portion of the lid to become a part of the lid structure. Accordingly, the water level monitor is conjointly movable together with the lid. 
     Once the lid is mounted to the top of the water container, the receptacle holding the plant is received in the water in the container, while a portion of the water level monitoring device on the lid extends into the container and is immersed in the water within the container. 
     Thereafter, the water level in the container can be monitored by the monitoring device extending from the lid into the container without removing the lid from the container and without employing any separate monitoring device. This feature of the invention is significant if the water container is formed from a nontransparent material which would require removal of the lid to visually observe the water level within the container. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a side elevational view in section of the assembled plant container in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective partial cut away side elevational view of the lid for the plant container illustrated in  FIG. 1  before the water level monitoring device has been mounted to the lid of the plant container; and 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of the lid illustrated by  FIG. 2  as seen from the top. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  of the drawing illustrates an assembled plant container for hydroponic plant growth in accordance with the present invention. 
     A water container is generally designated by reference numeral  2 . A removable lid for the water container is generally designated by reference numeral  4 , while an apertured cup for holding a plant is generally designated by reference numeral  6 . The cup, which is preferably integrally formed with the lid, extends downwardly from the lower surface of an opened central portion of the lid and into the container  2  so that water from the container enters the cup through the apertures in the cup. 
     A water level monitoring device assembled directly on the lid and fixedly mounted thereto is generally designated by reference numeral  8 . The monitoring device is formed from a float tube designated by the reference numeral  10 , a sight tube  12  formed from a transparent plastic material, and a float rod  14  having an indicator tip  16  at the top end thereof and a buoyant float ball  18  at the bottom end thereof. The float rod is received within the assembled sight tube and float tube such that the indicator tip is received within the upper sight tube and the float ball is received within the lower float tube. 
     The monitoring device  8 , as shown in its assembled configuration, is fixedly and directly mounted to an outer peripheral flange portion  20  of the lid such that the sight tube  12  and the float tube  10  are in fluid communication with each other, and the float rod  14  is freely movable between the sight tube and the float tube. Since the water level monitoring device in its assembled configuration is fixedly and directly mounted to the flange of the lid, it is conjointly movable together with the lid. 
     A mounting flange  32  extends upwardly from the upper surface of the outer peripheral flange  20  of the lid, and a mounting flange  34  extends downwardly from the lower surface of the outer peripheral flange  20  of the lid. The mounting flange  32  surrounds an upper mounting element  24  (as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) for mounting the sight tube  8  to the upper surface of the lid, and the mounting flange  34  surrounds a lower mounting element  26  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ) for mounting the float tube  10  to the lower surface of the lid. 
     The bottom end  22  of the float tube  10  is opened so that water from the water container  2  freely flows into the float tube through the opened bottom of the float tube. 
       FIG. 2  of the drawing is a side elevational view of the lid  4  of the plant container before the water level monitoring device is mounted thereon. The apertured cup  6  for holding a plant extends downwardly from the lower surface of the lid  4 . An upper tubular mounting element  24  surrounded by an upper mounting flange  32  extends upwardly from the upper surface of the flange  20  of the lid, while a lower tubular mounting element  26  surrounded by a lower mounting flange  34  extends downwardly from the lower surface of the flange  20  of the lid. The bottom of the sight tube  12  is mounted to the upper mounting element  24  and upper mounting flange  32 , while the top of the float tube  10  is mounted to the lower mounting element  26  and the lower mounting flange  34 . In this manner, the sight tube  12  extends above the flange  20  of the lid, and the float tube  10  extends below the flange  20  of the lid, when the monitoring device is mounted to the lid as illustrated by  FIG. 1 . 
     The upper and lower tubular mounting elements  24  and  26  as well as the flange  20  of the lid have openings in axially alignment with each other so that the float rod is freely movable between the sight tube and the float tube through the axially aligned openings. The diameter of the opening in the upper mounting element  24  is smaller than the diameter of the indicator tip  16 , while the diameter of the opening in the lower mounting element  26  is smaller than the diameter of the float ball  18 . In this manner, the indicator tip at the top of the float rod  14  remains in the upper sight tube, and the float ball at the bottom of the float rod  14  remains in the lower float tube, as the float rod moves axially between the inside of the float tube and the inside of the sight tube. 
     An opened tube  28  is defined in the flange of the lid to provide the ability to install a snap-in hose fitting. An opening  30  is defined in the flange of the lid to provide for air circulation in and out of the container  2  when the lid  4  is mounted to the container. Both openings can also be used to add water to the container without removing the lid from the container. 
       FIG. 3  of the drawing is a top perspective view of the lid illustrated by  FIG. 2  showing the apertured plant holder cup integrally extending downwardly from the opened center region of the lid  4 , as well as the upper mounting element  24  and its surrounding upper mounting flange  32 , the snap-in hose opening  28 , and the air flow opening  30  in the outer peripheral flange portion  20  of the lid  4 . A smaller opening  36  provides a vent for equalizing air pressure within the container  2  as the rod  14  moves up and down within the float tube  10 . 
     In operation, the assembled water level monitor  8  is fixedly mounted to the flange  20  of the removable lid  4 . When the lid  4  is placed atop the water container  2  as shown by  FIG. 1 , the float tube  10  is immersed in water in the container  2 . Water in the container enters the cup  6  holding a plant if the water level in the container is sufficiently high. Water from the container also enters the float tube  10  from the open bottom  22  of the float tube to control the position of the buoyant float ball  18  within the float tube. The position of the float ball in the float tube controls the position of the indicator tip  16  at the top of the indicator rod relative to the transparent sight tube. When the water level in the container is high, and thus the water level in the float tube is high, the position of the indicator tip at the top of the float rod will be high. When the water level in the container is low, and thus the water level in the float tube is low, the position of the indicator tip at the top of the float rod will be low. Thus, visual observation of the position of the indicator tip in the transparent float tube indicates the relative level of water in the container. Gradient indicia can be applied to the sight tube to provide a more precise indication of the water level in the container. 
     The water level monitor as disclosed and illustrated herein provides a simple and economic manner of monitoring the water level in a container for hydroponic plant growth. The monitoring device is fixedly mounted directly to a removable lid for the container, thereby becoming part of the lid structure so that it is unnecessary to remove the monitor from the lid when the lid is removed from the container since the monitoring device is conjointly movable with the lid. 
     The components of the plant container disclosed herein are formed from conventional materials such as PVC plastics, while the float ball is formed from conventional buoyant materials such as foam. 
     The discussion of the best modes for carrying out the invention in conjunction with the drawings of this patent application, as disclosed and illustrated herein, is intended to be illustrative only and not restrictive of the scope of the invention, that scope being defined by the following claims and all equivalents thereto.