Patent Abstract:
A plant watering system adapted to be communicated with a controlled pressurized water source for watering plants growing in a planting area. The system includes a water flow conduit having a first annular portion disposed in a horizontal disposition circumscribing the planting area and a cover ring disposed about and maintaining the first portion of the conduit in place about the planting area. The cover ring defines a plurality of inwardly facing cutout areas at circumferentially spaced locations thereon. A plurality of water outlet nozzles communicate with and project from the first portion of the conduit through the cutout areas in the cover ring for directing water from the conduit onto the planting area. A second portion of the conduit communicates with the first portion through one of the cutout areas in the cover ring and communicates the first portion with the pressurized water source.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a new plant watering system that is highly efficient, versatile and visually unobtrusive. The system is adaptable for use with potted plants of varying size, as well as trees and shrubs growing in the ground. The system also is adaptable for use with a wide variety and combinations of spray, drip and misting nozzles for different applications, obviates the need to hand-water and eliminates the unsightliness and safety hazard presented by garden hoses extending about one&#39;s yard. The watering system of the present invention also substantially reduces the over-watering of some plants and under-watering of others that frequently result from the use of conventional sprinkler systems and can provide separate and different types of watering for different plants growing in a common pot. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Briefly, the watering system of the present invention comprises a water flow conduit formed of a rubber or plastic material and having a first horizontally disposed annular portion circumscribing the planting area, a second projecting leg portion that communicates the annular portion of the conduit with a controlled pressurized water supply and a plurality of nozzles that are carried by the annular portion of the conduit in a spaced disposition and communicate with the conduit interior for delivering the desired water flow to plants. An annular cover ring is provided to fit about and secure the annular portion of the water flow conduit in place about the upper end of a pot or about a tree or shrub growing in the ground. 
   In one embodiment, the watering system of the present invention is used with potted plants and the annular portion of the conduit is sized to correspond to the upper end of a conventional pot and is positioned adjacent that end. A leg portion of the conduit projects upwardly through the bottom of the pot and communicates an external pressurized water supply with the annular portion of the conduit. A plurality of nozzles are carried by and communicate with the interior of the annular portion of the conduit for directing water therefrom to the plants growing within the pot in a desired drip, mist or spray pattern. A cover ring preferably extends about the upper edge of the pot, the annular portion of the flow conduit and the nozzles projecting therefrom so as to secure the conduit in place on the pot and provide the system with an attractive appearance without interfering with the water flow therefrom. 
   Alternatively, a particularly configured pot can be provided having a channel formed at or adjacent the pot&#39;s upper end for securing the annular portion of the water flow conduit at the upper end of the pot. Appropriately positioned slots would be provided in the inner channel wall to accommodate the flow nozzles and a cover ring may or may not be employed depending upon the desired appearance. A second vertically projecting leg can be added, as desired, to the water flow conduit that communicates with the annular portion thereof and extends upwardly therefrom so as to deliver a misting spray to the upper end of a tall plant or small tree growing in the pot. 
   In a modified form of the present invention adapted for use with pots containing an annular array of flowers, herbs or other small plants, the cover ring extending about the upper edge of the pot the annular portion of the water flow conduit includes an inwardly disposed annular tray depending therefrom that has a generally U-shaped cross section so as to define a trough disposed about a central opening. The trough is adapted to be filled with potting soil such that an annular array of flowers or other small plants can be planted therein. Spaced cutout areas are provided in the upper end portion of the outer sidewall of the trough to accommodate the fluid flow nozzles extending inwardly therethrough from the annular portion of the water conduit. Thus water and/or fertilizer can be directed through the nozzles to the annular plant array growing in the U-shaped trough formed by the tray independently of a spray, drip and/or mist directed to a small tree or shrub growing in the main body of the pot and extending upwardly through the central opening in the tray. Alternatively, the U-shaped trough could be disposed about and depend from the outer side of the cover ring to provide the annular array of plants about the outboard side of the upper end of the pot. 
   For shrubs and trees growing in the ground, the annular portion of the water flow conduit is carried by a ring having a depending annular skirt portion adapted to project into the ground about and spaced from the shrub or tree for water containment and weed control. A plurality of openings are provided in the upper portion of the ring enabling nozzles to project therethrough and communicate with the annular portion of the water flow conduit for directing the desired water flow to the shrub or tree. A conventional water inlet valve is provided in the outer sidewall of the annular portion of the water conduit for communication of the conduit with a pressurized water supply via a length of flexible conduit. As with the prior embodiments, an upstanding vertically projecting leg can be communicated with the annular portion of the water flow conduit for directing a water flow through a spray or misting nozzle at the upper end of the tree or shrub. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of the plant watering system of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the first embodiment of the plant watering system of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken along the line  3 — 3  in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional side view of a first embodiment of the present invention showing the use of the invention with a flower pot having a channel formed in the upper edge thereof to help retain the annular portion of the water conduit in place on the flower pot. 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the first embodiment of the invention in place on a flower pot and in fluid communication with a water line. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a modified form of the water flow conduit employed in the first embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6A  is a sectional view taken through the line  6 A— 6 A in  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention including an annular flower tray for use on a flower pot. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the present invention with one of the sections removed to illustrate the modular construction thereof. 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the present invention illustrating the underside thereof and the attachment of the annular portion of the water flow conduit to the cover ring. 
       FIG. 10  is a side view of the second embodiment of the present invention with a portion of the flower pot broken away and illustrating the use thereof with an elevated misting element. 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention adapted for use with plants growing in the ground. 
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a semicircular section of the third embodiment of the present invention showing the securement of the annular portion of the water flow conduit to the cover ring. 
       FIG. 13  is an enlarged partial perspective view of an end portion of one of the sections of the third embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The embodiment of the plant water system  10  of the present invention illustrated in  FIGS. 1–6  is adapted for use with a conventional flower pot  12  and comprises a water flow conduit  14 , a cover ring  16  and a plurality of water outlet nozzles  18 . The water flow conduit  14  includes a first annular horizontal portion  20  defining an annular configuration for circumscribing the planting area in pot  12  and a second vertically extending leg portion  22  for communicating the annular portion of the conduit with a conventional controlled source of pressurized water (not shown) as will be described. The annular portion  20  of conduit  12  is preferably formed of a flexible weather-resistant rubber or plastic material such as that commonly used in plant drip irrigation systems and known by the common descriptor “micro tubing”. Such conduit typically defines an outer diameter of about 0.25 in., although larger conduit could be employed. In this embodiment of the invention, the annular portion  20  of the water flow conduit is sized so as to circumscribe a circular area having a diameter substantially equal to that defined by the upper edge  12 ′ of the pot  12  with which the watering system  10  is to be used.  FIGS. 6 and 6A  illustrate the use of an alternative larger conduit configuration. Larger diameter circular conduit could, of course, also be employed. 
   The leg portion  22  of the water flow conduit is preferably formed of the same 0.25 in. diameter material as the annular horizontal portion and communicates the interior of the annular portion  20  of the conduit with a controlled pressurized source of water (now shown). As seen in  FIG. 5 , the depending leg portion  22  of conduit  14  communicates with the horizontal annular portion  20  via a standard coupling  24 , extends downwardly therefrom substantially adjacent the pot wall and communicates at its lower end  22 ′ with a water supply line  26  via coupling  28 . Supply line  26  is preferably formed of the same material as the horizontal and vertical portions  20  and  22  of water flow conduit  14  and extends from coupling  28  to the center of the pot  12  and downwardly through the center hole  29  in the bottom of the pot and radially outwardly therefrom, preferably through an opening  30  formed in an annular base wall  31  provided at the bottom of the pot from which line  26  extends to a conventional water flow control valve (not shown). Alternatively, the water flow conduit  14  could extend through one of a plurality of small holes  29 ′ located about the perimeter of the bottom of the pot as shown in  FIG. 2 . Also, conduit  14  could include a lower generally horizontally disposed section extending from coupling  28 , through the center hole  29  in the bottom of the pot and through opening  30  where the extended end of the section would be coupled to the water supply line  26 . Other ways of extending the water flow conduit  14  out of the flower pot  12  could also be employed. 
   A plurality of water outlet nozzles  18  are carried by and preferably equally spaced about the annular portion  20  of conduit  14 . Nozzles  18  can communicate with the interior of conduit portion  20  by means of a threaded connection or a bayonet-type connection. Nozzles  18  can define a desired spray pattern, function as a mister or as a drip irrigation nozzle, depending on the desires of the user. An example of a spray nozzle used in the present invention is marketed under the name DripMaster, model no. 61035W, by Orbit Irrigation Products, Inc., located in Bountiful, Utah. An adjustable drip nozzle suitable for use in the present invention is marketed by Dig Irrigation Products of Vista, Calif. under the model designation B02B. 
   The cover ring  16  is preferably formed of a durable plastic-type material and defines an inverted generally U-shaped flange  32  adapted to extend over and about the upper edge portion  12 ′ of the pot  12  and hold the annular horizontal portion  20  of the water flow conduit  14  in place on the pot (see  FIG. 3 ). Slots or otherwise configured openings  34  are provided in the interior wall  32 ′ of flange  32  at uniformly-spaced intervals about the cover ring  16  to accommodate the fluid flow nozzles  18  and the coupling  24  between conduit portions  20  and  22 . Slots  34  can be either preformed at varying intervals about the cover ring or be of the punch-out type wherein a plurality of slot locations are circumscribed with suitable scoring such that the material interior of the scorings can be easily knocked-out by the user to define the nozzle access slots at the desired locations. 
   When used with a small potted tree or shrub, it may be desirable to provide a misting element above the plant. This is easily accomplished with the present invention by simply adding a second vertical leg portion  40  that communicates with the water flow conduit  14  through one of the slots  34  in the interior sidewall of cover ring  16  via a conventional coupling  42 . In such applications, the coupling  42  could simply replace one of the fluid flow nozzles  18  or be added in addition to the plurality of fluid flow nozzles carried by the annular portion  20  of conduit  14 . A mister  44  would be provided at the upper end of the second leg portion  40  of the water flow conduit  14  as seen in  FIG. 5 . 
   If desired, a flower pot could be particularly configured for use with the plant water system. An example of one such pot is shown in  FIG. 4 . As seen therein, pot  13  could define an annular groove  15  in the upper end thereof to accommodate the horizontal portion  20  of conduit  14 . If a deeper groove is used, a plurality of slots or other apertures could be provided in the inner sidewall of the groove to accommodate the water outlet nozzles  18 . Alternatively, scoring for such areas could be provided as in the prior embodiment. While the groove would hold the water conduit in place, a suitably sized and configured cover ring  19  could be provided to extend around and about the upper end of the pot for aesthetic reasons. 
   A second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 7–10  that is adapted for use in pots to irrigate separately an annular array of flowers, herbs or other small plants growing about a different type of plant, i.e., a small tree or shrub. For such applications, the cover ring  16  of the prior embodiment is replaced with a cover ring  50 . Cover ring  50  includes a radially projecting upper flange portion  52  that extends over and about the upper edge  12 ′ of the flower pot  12 , an annular exterior depending flange  54  that cooperates with an outer annular sidewall  56  of cover ring  50  to hold the annular horizontal portion  20  of the water flow conduit  14  therebetween and an inner annular side wall  57  that cooperates with outer wall  56  to define generally U-shaped annular trough portion  58  that extends about a central opening  60 . This U-shaped trough portion  58  of the cover is provided with a plurality of drainage holes  59  in the bottom thereof and carries the soil within which flowers, herbs or other small plants are planted in an annular array. The remainder of the pot  12  is also filled with potting soil and a small tree or shrub is preferably planted therein that extends upwardly through the central opening  60  defined by cover ring  50  (see  FIG. 10 ). Again, the water flow conduit  14  can be formed of micro tubing, although, if desired, the annular horizontal portion  20  could be formed of a somewhat less flexible and larger diameter plastic material. It should be noted that such a configuration, absent the annular trough portion  58 , could be utilized as an alternative configuration for the cover ring  16  of the prior embodiment. 
   To accommodate a small tree or shrub, the cover ring  50  is preferably formed in two sections  50   a  and  50   b  so that the tree or shrub can be planted in the pot and the cover ring  50  can be positioned about the trunk portion thereof. Preferably, each of the cover ring sections  50   a  and  50   b  is provided with an end wall  51  and  53  to contain the soil therein and prevent water leakage between the abutting ends of the two cover ring portions. Cooperating lock tabs  51 ′ and slots  53 ′ are provided in the end walls  51  and  53  for aligning and securing the two ring sections together in a press fitment. Tabs  51 ″ and slots  53 ″ are also preferably provided in the ends of the flange portions  52 ′ defined by the cover ring sections  50   a  and  50   b  as is illustrated in  FIG. 8  (only one ring section  50   a  being shown). Other attachment and alignment means also could be employed in addition to or in lieu of the aforesaid tabs and slots. As with cover ring  16 , openings  70  are provided in the upper end portions of the outer wall portion  62  of cover ring  50  to accommodate the plurality of spaced nozzles  18 . Again, openings  70  can be preformed or fabricated so as to be knocked out as needed. Thus, cover ring  50 , cooperates with the water flow conduit  12  and nozzles  18  in the same manner as cover ring  16  and is adaptable for use with a second vertically projecting leg  40  for providing a mister  44  above the tree or shrub growing through the central opening  60  (see  FIG. 10 ). 
   In use, after the two sections  50   a  and  50   b  of the cover ring  50  are placed in an abutting relationship (see  FIG. 9 ), the horizontal annular portion  20  of the water flow conduit is pressed into place between sidewall  56  and flange  54 , or as in  FIG. 9 , between side wall  56  and securement tabs or fingers  55  provided on flange  54 . Because the centrally disposed shrub or small tree will be planted in the pot prior to the positioning of the cover ring  50  on the pot, the horizontal conduit portion  20  is pressed into place about the joined cover ring portions and the extended ends of conduit portion  20  are then joined together in a conventional manner to form the annular conduit. 
   The plant water system of the present invention is also adaptable for use with shrubs and trees growing in the ground. As seen in  FIGS. 11–13 , such a modified form of the invention comprises a cover ring  80 , generally constructed in multiple sections to enable the ring to be placed about the tree or shrub. In the configuration of cover ring  80  shown in the drawings, two such sections are utilized. In general, the larger the diameter of the cover ring  80 , the greater the number of sections the ring comprises. Each ring section  80   a  comprises an upper radially extending flange portion  82  for concealing the water flow conduit and a depending skirt portion  84  that is adapted to extend into the ground and function as a water dam and weed deterrent. The water flow conduit employed with ring  80 , like the annular horizontal portion  20  of the prior embodiments is preferably formed of flexible micro tubing and is extended about the upper end of the skirt portions  84  of the ring sections and the ends joined together after the ring sections are joined together in an annular array as will be described. Segments of the conduit portion  20  are then held in place on the ring by retention members  85  on depending flanges  86  as in the prior embodiment. 
   To secure the individual ring sections together, each section may be provided with a vertically extending channel  88  at one end thereof and a vertically extending rib  90  at the other end of the section. The channels and ribs are configured so as to define a mating relationship upon the rib at the end of one section being slided into the channel at the end of an adjacent section. The interlocking ribs and channels would maintain the ring sections in an adjacent disposition providing structural integrity for the ring. Again, other means for securing and aligning the ring sections together could be employed. Additionally, outwardly extending recessed areas  93  are preferably provided in the flange portion  82  (see  FIG. 13 ) that are adapted to receive correspondingly-sized overhanging portions (not shown) in the flange portion of the adjacent ring section to provide a relatively seamless appearance. 
   Because the ring  80  is generally formed in multiple sections, it may be desirable to mold or extrude an arcuate segment of the annular water flow conduit into each ring section  80   a . In such a configuration, each ring section  80   a  would have a hollow arcuate conduit segment integrally formed therewith between the juncture of the skirt and flange portions  84  and  82  of the ring section. Such a conduit configuration would have the appearance of the conduit segment  20   a  shown in  FIG. 13 , but the ring section employing such an integrally formed conduit should employ a differently configured ring securement mechanism (horizontal attachment numbers as opposed to vertical channels  88  and ribs  90 ) to accommodate conventional conduit attachment insert (not shown) in the ends of the conduit segments  20   a  so that the ring assembly will not leak. A vertical attachment mechanism like that shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13  would not accommodate such inserts. 
   As with the prior embodiments, support ring  80  is provided with either preformed or punch-out slots  94  adjacent the upper ends of the skirt portion  84  thereof to accommodate a plurality of fluid flow nozzles  18  and enable the nozzles to communicate with the water flow conduit  92  positioned on the outboard side of slots  94 . As with the prior embodiments, the ring  80  also is adaptable for use with a vertical arm extension to provide a mister atop the tree or shrub growing within the ring. Because ring  80  is not situated above the ground as are the prior embodiments when carried by a pot, a vertically projecting leg portion is not required to communicate the horizontally disposed annular water flow conduit  92  with a controlled pressurized source of water. Instead, the supply line  26 ′ communicates the pressurized supply of water directly with the annular water flow conduit carried by support ring  80  through a conventional press fit connector  95 . 
   In addition to use with other ring sections as above-described, a single section  80   a  could be used with a finite length of micro tubing or other conduit and one or more water outlet nozzles (preferably of the drip type) on, for example, a hillside below a shrub, tree or small planting area to water the plant/area and provide a water dam. Typically, a plurality of such ring sections would be utilized on a hillside and the conduits therein would be joined together, in series, by lengths of micro tubing. Other changes and modifications may be made in carrying out the present invention, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Insofar as such changes and modifications are within the purview of the appended claims, they are to be considered as part of the present invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0