Capillary Watering Device with Opaque Hood and Transparent Level Window
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing watering devices for potted plants using capillary water transport lines face challenges in preventing algae growth and efficient water level control, while ensuring reliable water supply and easy maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A hood-shaped cover for the water reservoir made of non-transparent material with a transparent control area, incorporating a fixing device for the capillary water transport line and a refill opening that can be closed manually, allows for effective prevention of algae growth, easy level monitoring, and secure water supply without detaching the line from the soil substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the cover is made non-transparent to prevent algae growth, then algae growth is prevented, but visual level control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is designed with differentiated transparency: the main cover body is made non-transparent to prevent algae growth, while a specific control area is made transparent to enable visual water level monitoring. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying different optical properties to different regions of the same component.
2Ease of operation
If the water reservoir is made transparent for level control, then visual level control is enabled, but algae growth is promoted
Solution Approach 1:
The water reservoir is designed with a localized transparent control area that allows visual level monitoring, while the rest of the reservoir remains opaque to prevent algae growth. This selective transparency application enables both functions simultaneously.
3Reliability
If the capillary water transport line is fixed securely in the water tank, then reliable water supply is ensured, but maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing device employs a movable clamp that can be shifted between a clamping position (securing the water transport line for reliable operation) and a release position (allowing easy removal for maintenance). This dynamic positioning capability resolves the contradiction between secure fixation and easy maintenance.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the cover is designed to support the planter, then structural stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is designed to perform multiple functions: it covers the water reservoir, provides a support surface for the planter through an integrated support leg, and includes the transparent control area for level monitoring. By merging these functions into a single component, structural stability is achieved without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution prevents algae growth, facilitates easy visual level control, ensures reliable water supply even at low water levels, and allows for maintenance without disturbing the water transport line, enhancing the operational efficiency and usability of the irrigation device.
Implementation Method 1
Due to the capillary effect within the fibrous material, water is transported at a low flow rate from the reservoir via the strand of fibrous material to the soil substrate
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a watering device operating according to drip watering effect, having a capillary water transport line (WL) made of a fibrous material, which transports water from a reservoir to an end substrate (ES) of a plant pot (TO). According to the invention, a water reservoir (WB) is covered with a hub-shaped covering (BD) which forms a support surface for the plant pot (TO) having an upwards facing surface. Said covering (BD) is preferably non-transparent to light, and as a result the water reservoir (WB), in the preferred embodiment, is made of a homengenous, transparent plastic material. By means of a recess in a lateral wall of the non-transparent covering (BD), in particular via a projection of the water reservoir (WB) protruding outwards through the recess, the filling level of the water reservoir (WB) can be checked easily.