Source: {"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"}

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a device for introducing lawn care chemicals into an irrigation system, and in particular, to a pressurized container which is compatible with a main water supply line for dispersing fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides through a sprinkler system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The proper treatment and care of lawns is highly desirable to prevent destruction from insects and deterioration from malnutrition. The mixture and application of treatment solutions, however, is a time consuming procedure that requires close attention to chemical-water ratios and their distribution. Since proper care equates to scheduled maintenance, many lawns and gardens become neglected, resulting in unnecessary refurbishing costs. Moreover, lawns, gardens, and vegetation still fall victim to improper maintenance, despite consistent care when poorly balanced solutions are administered.
The prior art contemplates numerous devices for dispersing materials that tend to be too complicated, ineffective, or expensive to be commercially reasonable. U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,913, issued to Riding, teaches a water treatment device for dissolving solid water soluble chemicals, such as fertilizers, into an irrigation system. The Riding device directs water into an upright container having an inlet pipe located above an outlet pipe, wherein both pipes are tied into the supply line. The supply pipe directs a stream of water into the container, over pellets, and back into the main line. This device, however, is only designed for solid chemicals, is easily clogged, and maintains no feature for controlling concentration. As a result, lawns are susceptible to inadequate protection from solutions that are too diluted and to damage from highly concentrated solutions.
The fertilizer container disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,512, issued to Craig, feeds water from a supply line into the top of a fertilizer container, downwards over the fertilizer, and through an outlet bore. However, the outlet perforations disclosed in Craig easily clog, causing non-uniform flows of fertilizer are released from the container.
U.S Pat. No. 4,898,202, also issued to Craig as a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,512, introduces a fertilizer container for sprinkler systems that employs an external container, a pressurized chamber, and a plurality of tubes. Water percolates through the chamber and over the fertilizer, lifting a concentrated solution upward then down through tubes and into an outlet bore. Unfortunately, undissolved particles clog the tubes or even pass through the tubes, allowing undiluted chemicals to burn vegetation. Furthermore, since this system passes water directly through the fertilizer, it is not adequate for liquid chemicals or for controlling concentrations.
A variety of other systems presently known in the art which have attempted to introduce chemicals into a water supply line have resulted in complicated, awkward, and inefficient design. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,847, issued to Hodges, U.S. Pat. No. 3,943,960, issued to Syrenne, U.S. Pat. No. 3,118,462, issued to Pannutti, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,855,323, issued to Sirch incorporate complex valves, intricate linkages, and expensive fittings to disperse and apply chemicals. These designs employ an overabundance of hardware which increase manufacturing cost, consumer price, and maintenance fees. Furthermore, these complicated designs tend to be unreliable and inefficient. As a result, the foregoing have met with little consumer approval.
While the aforementioned devices disclose various designs to introduce water solvent chemicals into a main water line, no such device teaches the benefits of a low profile design capable of accurately introducing chemicals into a water sprinkler system for distribution in lawn care. Furthermore, these devices tend to concentrate only on solid additives that do not always adequately dissolve and that tend to cause blockage. Therefore, there exists a need for a system that automatically filters fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides into a sprinkler system in a convenient, efficient manner. This invention is intended to address and solve these problems, which are not adequately resolved by the prior inventions.