RU159775U1 - DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION OF PLANTS - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A device for automatic watering of plants, comprising a divider of a stream of water, equipped with outlets; an elastic tube supplying water from a water supply source to a water flow divider; dosing siphon; the evaporator clamp, consisting of a housing equipped with a stop and a water outlet, an evaporation tray equipped with a stop and a counterweight, while the evaporative tray is suspended in the evaporator clamp housing on an axis that allows the tray to swing in a vertical plane, characterized in that one of the divider outlets the water flow is directed to a metering siphon, the outlet of which, in turn, is directed to the clip-evaporator, and an elastic tube that feeds water from the water source to the water flow divider passes between the stops tray and the housing of the clamp-evaporator, while the stops are made directed towards each other, with the ability to pinch the elastic tube passing between these stops. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the water flow divider is equipped with a beam, having the form of a two-sided bucket with a swing axis in a vertical plane, providing the beam two free positions, while the rocker axis is suspended on a rotary platform, which together with the beam has the possibility of rotation in a horizontal plane around its axis, and along the radius from the axis of rotation of the platform, the divider is equipped with a crown-shaped helical guide providing rotational movement of the platform together with the beam around the axis of the platform by one step of the guide with each transition of the beam from one resting position to another.

Description

The utility model relates to agriculture and is intended for automatic irrigation of both garden and garden plants and indoor plants. The device does not include electronic and electrical products, and all parts of the device can be made of plastic by injection molding. Watering the plants with the device is made taking into account weather conditions: temperature and humidity, and when used in open ground and precipitation.

There are many technical solutions to the problem of automatic watering plants without the use of electronic and electrical devices, such as timers, solenoid valves, pumps, rain sensors and the like. Among such solutions, the most interesting are those that offer devices that work taking into account weather factors: temperature, humidity, air velocity. These factors affect the rate of moisture evaporation, both by the leaf apparatus of plants and the soil, that is, albeit indirectly, they determine the need of plants for water. In such devices, an evaporation tank or tray is used to control the frequency of irrigation, which control the moment the device starts to irrigation depending on the rate of evaporation of water from them, that is, depending on the same weather factors. Considering that rainfall can collect in the same evaporation tray, the device, when used in open ground, will also delay the start of the next irrigation cycle during prolonged rain. In other words, devices of this type allow you to automatically realize at first glance a simple, but practically impossible recommendation for other devices in your absence: “hot, sunny - water once a day, cool, cloudy - water every two, three days”. The presence of such an opportunity is a rather valuable advantage.

Patent RU 2032318 C1, A01G 27/00, published April 10, 1995, by Markov A.V. or patent RU 2187927 C2, A01G 25/16, published 08/27/2002, author Veselkov A.I. offer technical solutions for such devices. In the device, A.I. Veselkov, containing a reservoir with a siphon, the siphon is launched by tipping the launch container after it is released from the latch, the position of which is controlled by the evaporation tray. The duration of the interval between irrigation is determined by the volume of water that remains in the evaporation tray after draining the excess through an adjustable drain pipe. The amount of irrigation norm is regulated by controlling the rate of water flow into the tank after the start of irrigation and will be equal to the volume of water in the tank plus the amount of water that will have time to enter the tank before the watering stops. The rate of outflow of water from the tank must exceed the rate of flow of water into it to ensure stop irrigation. That is, the smaller the difference between the rate of outflow of water from the reservoir and the rate of flow of water into it, the greater the amount of water will go to irrigate the plants, respectively, on the contrary, the greater the difference, the less water will be irrigated. This means that in order to adjust the amount of irrigation norm, it is necessary to measure the actual flow rate of the distribution network into which the device will supply water, then calculate and set the appropriate water supply rate to the tank, which, at least, is not very convenient. In addition, if for some reason the rate of outflow of water from the reservoir decreases, this will lead to an uncontrolled increase in the amount of irrigation rate. For example, this situation is possible if droppers are used in the distribution network, which tend to gradually reduce their throughput during operation, both due to the deposition of mechanical particles and due to the growth of bacterial mucus. Without timely prophylaxis for cleaning, there may come a moment when the rate of outflow of water from the tank becomes less than the speed of filling, the siphon will be constantly filled and the device will switch to continuous watering mode.

Markov A.V. the task of regulating the irrigation rate and the duration of the interval between irrigation is easier to solve, which makes it easier and more reliable to operate its device, which is taken as a prototype. The device of Markov A.V. contains a tank with a drain pipe, the suction end of which ends with a floating labyrinth chamber. The device starts up by drowning the labyrinth chamber with a control weight, which is a counterweight to the evaporation tank. The duration of the interval between irrigation is regulated by changing the suspension arm of the evaporation tank. The speed of filling the tank with water is deliberately set so slow that the amount of irrigation rate will be determined by the level of water to which the tank will be filled, that is, the amount of water that enters the tank during its emptying will not significantly affect the amount of irrigation rate. The tank fill level is controlled by a float valve. However, in this case, the overall dimensions of the tank, and therefore the device, will be proportional to the maximum number of plants that can be watered by the device and the amount of irrigation rate per plant, which is equivalent to the need to initially put some redundancy in the dimensions of the device to expand its capabilities. That is, for example, with a single irrigation rate of one liter per plant, regardless of how many plants need to be watered in a particular situation - 5, 10 or 20 plants, the volume of the tank should be at least 20 liters. The device is able to delay irrigation during prolonged rain. However, if watering has begun and at the same time it has begun to rain, the device will still continue watering, since the evaporation tank only controls the moment it starts. This slightly reduces the efficiency of the device, but does not make it less reliable and easy to use.

A more significant problem is not associated with the device itself, but with the distribution network into which the device supplies water. It should be noted that such a problem will occur when using any device that feeds the total irrigation rate to the distribution network by gravity. After the device is activated, the total amount of irrigation water intended for irrigation of a certain number of plants, by gravity enters the irrigation network, where it must be evenly distributed between individual plants or evenly moisten the bed. If the network has free water outlets, then to ensure the same flow rate, they should be located at the same height relative to the horizon. It is possible to fulfill this condition, but it will require certain labor costs, the more so, the more difficult the site for relief and the more plants it is planned to water simultaneously or if the plants are grown in container culture. For example, containers of different heights can be used for indoor plants. Another solution to the problem is to provide for the possibility of regulating the flow of outlets, for example, adjustable droppers. But then, in addition to increasing labor costs for adjusting the flow rate of each dropper, the total cost of the irrigation system will increase. And the third option is to equip the outlets with compensated droppers, and raise the device itself to a height of at least five meters to provide additional water pressure necessary for the operation of the compensated droppers. Accordingly, if the device is connected to a supply tank, it will be necessary to raise the capacity. For this option, given the increasing requirements for water filtration, the total cost of the system will increase significantly.

The purpose of the proposed utility model is to reduce labor costs and increase the reliability of the device during operation, to achieve the universality of the use of the device for watering various types of plants: indoor, garden and garden. Achieving this goal provides a device for automatic watering of plants containing a clamp-evaporator, the body of which is equipped with a stop and a water outlet. In the case of the clamp-evaporator, an evaporation tray equipped with a stop and a counterweight is suspended on an axis that allows swinging in a vertical plane. The stops of the tray and the body are directed towards each other and have the ability to pinch the elastic tube passing between the stops. Through the tube, water from a water supply source is supplied to a water flow divider. The task of the evaporator clamp is to stop the water supply to the divider when water enters the evaporation tray and to resume the flow after water evaporation from the tray. In the divider there is a rocker in the form of a two-sided bucket-shaped tank, which is suspended on a rotary platform on its swing axis in a vertical plane, which provides the rocker with two free-standing positions. The platform together with the rocker has the ability to rotate around its axis in the horizontal plane. The radius divider from the axis of rotation of the platform is equipped with a crown-shaped helical guide, which provides rotational movement of the rocker arm with the platform. After water enters one of the half of the rocker arm by mixing the center of gravity, the rocker falls over. With each rollover, the edge of the rocker falls onto the guide, and sliding along it, provides the platform with the rocker one turn of the guide. The water from the rocker arm falls into one of the outlets that the divider is equipped with. So, step by step, the water is distributed between the outlets. One of them is directed to a dosing siphon, the volume of which determines a single irrigation rate per plant. The water outlet from the siphon, in turn, is directed to the evaporation tray of the clip-evaporator, which will stop the water supply to the divider when the siphon is triggered. Thus, the same volume of water equal to the volume of the dosing siphon will pass through each outlet. The water supply will be stopped even if rain falls into the tray in case of rain.

The drawing schematically shows a device for automatic watering of plants - Fig. 1. The device comprises a clip-evaporator 1, consisting of a housing 2 with a stop 3 and a water outlet 4; evaporation tray 5 with emphasis 6, swing axis 7, counterweight 8; elastic tube 9; water flow divider 10; dosing siphon 11. Water flow divider 10, FIG. 2 of the drawing, in turn, consists of a rocker arm 12 with a swing axis 13; rotary platform 14 with an axis of rotation 15; housing 16 with a crown-shaped helical guide 17 and outlets 18.

The device operates as follows. In the initial state, the evaporation tray 5, balanced counterweight 8, is in a horizontal position. The emphasis of the tray 6 and the emphasis of the housing 3 do not squeeze the elastic tube 9 in this position, and water from the low-pressure source of water supply freely flows to the water flow divider 10. The swing axis 13 of the rocker arm 12 is located below the center of gravity of the rocker arm, so that the rocker has two free positions . The beam is a two-sided bucket capacity. Assume that first the water will enter the left half of the rocker arm. As water draws in, the center of gravity will gradually shift to the left and eventually the beam will tip over. The left half of the beam will be emptied, and the incoming water will begin to fill the right half, which will cause the beam to tip over in the opposite direction. And the tipping process will continue as long as the water enters. The beam in the casing of the divider is suspended on a rotary platform 14 with the axis of rotation 15, which provides the possibility of rotational movement of the beam together with the platform around the axis of the platform in a horizontal plane. When tipping, the edge of the rocker falls onto a helical guide 17 located in the divider body 16 and under the influence of gravity of the water, sliding along the guide, will provide a rotational movement of the beam together with the platform by one step of the guide. The divider housing is equipped with outlets 18. Each of the outlets corresponds to its guide tooth. Thus, as long as the water enters the divider, the beam will distribute the water in equal portions between the outlets step by step, while the water flow will be divided into the number of parts equal to the number of outlets. Depending on the moment the water supply to the divider is stopped, the amount of water that passes through each outlet will differ from each other by no more than one volume of water, which is necessary for the rocker to tip over. The beam can be made of such dimensions that only 1.5-2 grams of water will be sufficient for its guaranteed tipping, that is, even with small irrigation rates, a sufficiently high accuracy of the division of the water flow will be ensured. From water outlets, water through drain pipes, which are not shown in the drawing, is directed to plants for irrigation, except for one water outlet from which water enters the metering siphon 11. After the water reaches the siphon, the water from it flows into the evaporation tray 5. Under the action gravity water, the evaporation tray will lower. The stop 6 of the tray and the stop 3 of the evaporator body will squeeze a tube 9 passing between the stops. The water supply to the divider will be stopped, respectively, and watering will be stopped. Excess water flowing from the tray, through the outlet 4 of the evaporator body, is directed to the plant or, if small irrigation rates are planned, to a container for collecting excess water. After evaporation of water from the tray, it will rise under the action of counterweight 8, the water supply to the divider will resume and a new watering cycle will begin. Through all the outlets of the divider, as mentioned above, almost the same volume of water passes. The moment of operation of the siphon, fed from one of these outlets, determines the moment of stopping irrigation. From this it follows that the volume of the dosing siphon determines the amount of water that will pass through each outlet of the divider and enter the plants. In other words, the siphon will serve as a dispenser for a single irrigation rate per plant. Accordingly, by changing the height of the suction siphon knee, the volume of this norm can be adjusted. The interval between irrigation, first of all, depends on the volume of water that should evaporate from the tray. Therefore, changing the mass of the counterweight 8 or shoulder between the counterweight and the swing axis of the tray 7 will allow you to adjust the time interval between irrigation. The heavier the counterweight or the greater the shoulder, the more water will be compensated for the volume of water, the less water must be evaporated to resume watering, the smaller the interval between waterings. When using the device outdoors, rainfall entering the evaporation tray will stop watering during a prolonged rain, even if watering has already begun. Obviously, the softer and smaller the cross section of the elastic tube 9, the less force will be required to squeeze it in order to stop irrigation, which means that the clamp-evaporator body and the evaporation tray can be more compact. In addition, a small cross-sectional tube will provide a low flow of water. The weaker the flow of water entering the beam of the divider, the smaller the beam itself can be made, respectively, the more compact the divider itself can be made. In this case, the main criterion for choosing the size of the cross section of the tube will be its ability not to get clogged with microparticles and bacterial deposits for a long time. The use of a small cross-section tube, in addition to the ability to significantly reduce the overall dimensions of the device, will significantly increase the watering time, which will be determined by the time the total irrigation norm passes through this tube, which will be divided by a divider. This means that over a long period of time, the irrigation rate will be supplied to the plants in very small portions of water equal to the volume of water needed to tilt the rocker arm. That is, the device in its characteristics will be close to drip irrigation. Only one plant, to which water is supplied from the outlet 4 of the clamp-evaporator body, will be watered with the irrigation rate for the time required to drain the siphon. The irrigation rate for this plant will be less by the amount of water that will remain in the evaporation tray. But even with irrigation rates of 0.2-0.3 liters per plant, the difference will not exceed 10%, since for a guaranteed stop of irrigation it is enough that 15-20 grams remain in the tray. water. This is provided, for example, if you use a tube 9 with a passage diameter of 2 mm, a tray 100 mm long from the swing axis 7 to the drain point of the tray and a shoulder 10 mm long between the focus of the tray 6 and the swing axis 7. Actually, to stop watering is sufficient and less water. An excess of water in the tray will be required in order to be able to adjust the interval between irrigation over a wider range by compensating for this excess counterweight 8. The proposed device design implies a fixed number of outlets, which limits the number of plants to be watered. However, the divider’s case with a diameter of 10-11 cm allows you to place up to 20 outlets in it, which is quite enough to evenly moisten even a six-meter bed or a flower bed similar in size. Accordingly, the device can simultaneously water up to twenty, for example, indoor plants. To water a smaller number of plants, it will be necessary either to reduce the irrigation rate and bring water from several outlets to the plants, or to direct water from excess outlets to an additional container to collect excess water. But this is important mainly for indoor plants grown in separate containers, since for vegetable plants in the beds it is enough to reduce the irrigation rate and evenly distribute the outputs of the irrigation pipes in the garden.

From the foregoing, the following conclusions can be drawn. The proposed device for automatic watering of plants in its irrigation characteristics is close to the characteristics of drip irrigation, while it does not contain droppers or structural elements with very small passage sections for water, which increases the reliability of the device by reducing the risk of clogging. An uneven area, containers of different height, or containers located at different heights relative to each other, the device will pour uniformly without additional labor costs for additional adjustments, since the divider provides the same water flow through each outlet. For convenient use, not only in the garden or greenhouse, but also at home, the device can be made compact enough, since its dimensions depend, first of all, on the size of the siphon, the volume of which should correspond only to the volume of a one-time irrigation rate for one plant. The ability of the device to adjust the time interval between irrigation depending on weather factors, to stop irrigation during prolonged rainfall makes the device for automatic watering of plants even more universal, which extends the range of possible applications.

Claims (2)

1. A device for automatic watering of plants, comprising a divider of a stream of water, equipped with outlets; an elastic tube supplying water from a water supply source to a water flow divider; dosing siphon; the evaporator clamp, consisting of a housing equipped with a stop and a water outlet, an evaporation tray equipped with a stop and a counterweight, while the evaporative tray is suspended in the evaporator clamp housing on an axis that allows the tray to swing in a vertical plane, characterized in that one of the divider outlets the water flow is directed to a metering siphon, the outlet of which, in turn, is directed to the clip-evaporator, and an elastic tube that feeds water from the water source to the water flow divider passes between the stops tray and the housing of the clamp-evaporator, while the stops are made directed towards each other, with the ability to pinch the elastic tube passing between these stops. 2. The device according to p. 1, characterized in that the water flow divider is equipped with a beam, having the form of a two-sided bucket with a swing axis in a vertical plane, providing the beam two free positions, while the rocker axis is suspended on a rotary platform, which together with the beam has the ability to rotate in a horizontal plane around its axis, and along the radius from the axis of rotation of the platform, the divider is equipped with a crown-shaped helical guide providing rotational movement of the platform s together with a yoke around the axis of the platform for guiding one step at each transition of the rocker from one rest position to another.

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