Modular plant protection and irrigation device

Abstract

A modular plant protection and irrigation device includes interconnecting members forming a base flange and a central raised collar. The rim of the collar defines an internal passage configured to receive an irrigation hose about an inner circumference of the collar. By means of the design, water can be efficiently dripped into the lantern ring through the hose, and therefore plants such as trees and shrubs can be protected and irrigated at the same time. The device is designed to be easy to assemble and stable to install, a concealed integrated irrigation scheme is provided, and uniform water distribution and mechanical protection of plant bases are ensured.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of horticulture and landscape design, and in particular to a device designed for the protection of plants. More particularly, the present invention relates to a modular device for protecting the base of trees, shrubs and the like from mechanical damage caused by lawn mowers, edgers and other horticultural equipment. BACKGROUND

[0002] In horticulture and landscape design, the protection of the base of plants, particularly young trees and shrubs, is a vital concern. Mechanical damage caused by lawn mowers and edgers can severely compromise the base of these plants, leading to potential health problems and slow growth. Conventional methods typically employ temporary barriers or shields which do not provide adequate protection and are cumbersome to install and maintain.

[0003] Furthermore, the dense growth of grass and other vegetation around the base of the plant can complicate maintenance efforts, requiring additional tools and time for effective management. Existing solutions typically lack a comprehensive approach to both ensuring the protection of the base of the plant from physical damage and ensuring the ease of maintenance of the surrounding area. There is therefore a need for an efficient and user-friendly solution which provides reliable protection of the plant while simplifying maintenance, thereby reducing the overall effort required to ensure the health and growth of the plant.

[0004] It will be understood that, if there is any prior art information referenced herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge of the prior art in Australia or in any other country. SUMMARY

[0005] The modular plant protection and irrigation device described is designed to protect the base of trees, shrubs and the like, while also providing a concealed integrated irrigation solution. The device comprises interconnecting components forming a base flange and a central raised collar. The rim of the collar defines an internal channel configured to receive an irrigation hose within its inner circumference, such that water can drip into the interior of the collar.

[0006] The floor of the channel can be open to allow easy insertion and securement of the hose. The rim can also include a lower inner edge at the opening of the channel configured to securely hold the hose within the channel in a press-fit engagement. Preferably, the width of the channel opening is less than 13 mm to accommodate conventional garden hoses.

[0007] The adjacent edges of the flange portion are stepped to overlap and define interlocking keys and slots which enhance the stability and ease of assembly. The collar portions can be securely interlocked together and can define adjacent rails which are joined together by a sliding snap-fit. The snap-fit can be secured in place by screws which engage the components when the rails are aligned.

[0008] The inner edge of the base flange can protrude inside the collar and is characterized by having a grounding anchor hole, thereby enabling the device to be securely anchored to the ground using concealed grounding anchors.

[0009] The edge can be defined by a separable ring that detachably engages the upper edge of the collar, defining a channel between the ring and the collar. This ring can be formed from interconnected ring components, each extending along a corresponding collar portion, with the male end of the ring component engaging with a corresponding female end, thus forming a continuous structure that conceals the hose beneath. The ring can be engaged into the collar using an external protrusion that engages with an inner groove, aligning the ring component with the corresponding collar portion to achieve proper alignment and secure attachment.

[0010] This device provides a reliable solution for plant protection and irrigation, characterized by its excellent integrated design, which facilitates easy assembly, stable installation, and efficient water supply.

[0011] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed. Brief description of the attached figures

[0012] Although any other forms may fall within the scope of this invention, preferred embodiments of this disclosure will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the modular plant protection and irrigation system is shown. Figure 2 An assembled perspective view of the device is shown; Figure 3 A perspective view showing the interconnecting components of the device; Figure 4 A side sectional view of the device is shown; and Figure 5 An enlarged view of the edge of the device is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0013] The modular plant protection and irrigation device 10 according to the preferred embodiment shown aims to protect the base of plants such as trees and shrubs, while also providing a concealed, integrated irrigation solution. Figure 1 As shown, the device 10 includes interconnecting parts 11 forming a base flange 12 and a central raised collar 14. Preferably, the device 10 is bifurcated, thus including two interconnecting parts 11 connected together. Interconnecting parts 11 of various sizes can be provided to accommodate plant stems of corresponding sizes. Preferably, the device 10 is made of durable plastic.

[0014] The base flange 12 is relatively wide to prevent grass from growing too close to the collar 14, thus allowing for easy trimming with a lawnmower without the need for an edge trimmer. In the illustrated embodiment, the width of the base flange 12 is greater than 10 cm, preferably approximately 11 cm. Further, according to the illustrated embodiment, the radius of the collar 14 is approximately 15 cm, and the height is approximately 8.5 cm.

[0015] The central raised collar 14 is characterized by having an edge 16 defining an internal channel 18 configured to accommodate an irrigation hose 20 within the inner circumference of the collar 14. This hose 20 is mounted around the collar 14 within the channel 18 to facilitate drip irrigation into the interior 22 of the collar 14. The elevated design of the hose 20 within the upper channel 18 keeps it away from the ground, thus avoiding potential contamination or ground contact interference. The hose 20 may include perforations spaced along its length, or may be made of a permeable material.

[0016] The channel 18 may define a bottom opening 24, preferably continuous around the entire periphery of the collar 14, allowing for easy insertion and securing of the hose 20 via a press-fit connection. The edge 16 may also include a lower inner edge 26 at the opening of the channel 18, configured to securely hold the hose 20 within the channel 18. Preferably, the opening width of the channel 18 is less than 13 mm to accommodate conventional garden hoses with a diameter of 13 mm. The bottom opening 24 around the entire periphery of the collar 14 ensures even watering of plants secured inside the device 10 from all directions.

[0017] Preferably, the flange portions 28 snap together. The adjacent edges 30 of these flange portions 28 may be arranged in a stepped manner to overlap, thereby defining interlocking keys 32 and grooves 34 respectively. This configuration enhances the stability and ease of assembly.

[0018] The collar portions 36 can be securely interlocked together. These collar portions 36 may define adjacent guide rails 38, which are engaged by sliding snap-fits 40. When the guide rails 38 are engaged by snap-fits 42, the snap-fits 40 can be secured in place by screws 42 that engage with the support member 43 of component 11.

[0019] In one embodiment, the inner edge 44 of the base flange 12 protrudes from the interior 22 of the collar 14 and is characterized by having ground stake engagement holes 46. These holes 46 allow the device 10 to be securely anchored to the ground by a series of concealed ground stakes (not shown).

[0020] Edge 16 may be formed of a separable ring 48, which detachably engages the upper edge 50 of collar 14, wherein a channel 18 is defined between the ring 48 and collar 14. The ring 48 itself may be composed of interconnecting ring components 52, each extending co-existing with a corresponding collar portion 36. The ends of the ring components 52 may include male ends 54 that interlock with corresponding female ends 56, thereby forming a continuous structure.

[0021] Preferably, the ring 48 is engaged in the collar 14 via an outer protrusion 58 that engages with the inner groove 60 of the collar 14. These protrusions 58 and grooves 60 align the ring component 52 and the corresponding collar portion 36, thereby ensuring proper alignment and secure attachment.

[0022] The process of using the modular plant protection and irrigation device 10 includes: selecting interconnecting components 11 of appropriate size based on the diameter of the plant stem; connecting flange portions 28 together around the plant stem to ensure proper engagement of interlocking keys 32 and grooves 34; and locking collar portions 36 together using screw-in snap fasteners 40. This construction allows the base flange 12 and the central raised collar 14 to be assembled stably and easily, effectively protecting the plant from mechanical damage. The flange 11 can be concealed under a thin layer of soil. Furthermore, the wider base flange 12 (preferably, its width is greater than 10 cm, more preferably, its width is approximately 11 cm) prevents grass from growing too close to the collar 14. This feature enables easy maintenance using a lawnmower and reduces the need for an edge trimmer. The device 10 can be securely anchored to the ground using concealed ground stakes inserted through stake engagement holes 46 located on the inner edge 44 of the base flange 12.

[0023] A separable ring 48 is attached to the upper edge 50 of the collar 14. The ring 48, composed of interconnecting ring components 52, has its male end 54 embedded in the corresponding female end 56, thus forming a continuous structure. The outward protrusion 58 on the ring 48 engages in the inner groove 60 of the collar 14, thereby aligning the ring component 52 with the collar portion 36, thus achieving proper alignment and secure attachment.

[0024] The irrigation hose 20 is then pressed into the internal channel 18 defined by the edge 16, and the lower inner edge 26 of the channel 18 secures the hose 20 to prevent displacement during use. The irrigation hose 20 can be laid between the channel 18 and the water supply device and concealed below the flange 14.

[0025] The channel 18 is designed with a bottom opening 24 that facilitates insertion and ensures that water is evenly distributed around the entire periphery of the collar 14, thereby enabling uniform irrigation of the plants.

[0026] For illustrative purposes, specific terminology has been used to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that such detailed information is unnecessary for practicing the invention. Therefore, the foregoing description of specific embodiments of the invention has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. These descriptions are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, as it will be apparent that many modifications and variations can be made in light of the foregoing teachings. The selected and described embodiments are intended to explain the principles and practical application of the invention, and thus enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and its various embodiments with various modifications suitable for the particular intended use. The following claims and their equivalents are intended to define the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A modular plant protection and irrigation device comprising interconnecting components forming a base flange and a central raised collar, wherein the edge of the collar defines an internal channel configured to mount an irrigation hose therein around the inner periphery of the collar, thereby allowing water to drip into the interior of the collar.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The bottom surface of the channel is open.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, The edge defines a lower inner edge at the opening of the channel, the lower inner edge being configured to secure the hose inside the channel.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, The width of the opening is less than 13 mm.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The flange portions of the components are snapped together.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, The adjacent edges of the flange components are set in a stepped shape to stack together and define interlocking keys and grooves respectively.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The collar portions of the components are interlocked together.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, The collar portion defines adjacent guide rails, which are joined together by snaps that slide thereon.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, When the guide rail is engaged, the buckle is screwed into the component.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The inner edge of the flange protrudes inside the collar and defines a grounding anchor hole.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The edge is defined by a separable ring that detachably engages the upper edge of the collar, and wherein the channel is defined between the ring and the collar.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein, The ring is formed by interconnected ring components, each ring component extending together with a corresponding collar portion.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, The male end of the ring component is embedded into the corresponding female end.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein, The ring is inserted into the collar.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein, The ring has an outer protrusion that engages with the inner groove of the collar.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein, The protrusions and grooves align the annular component with the corresponding collar portion.

17. A method for protecting and irrigating plants using the modular plant protection and irrigation device according to claim 1, the method comprising: The interconnecting components are assembled to form the base flange and the central raised collar; The irrigation hose is installed inside the internal channel around the inner circumference of the collar; as well as Connect the hose to the water supply device so that the irrigation hose can drip water into the inside of the collar.

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