Plant Irrigation Device With Permeable Mat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing irrigation systems face challenges such as high water wastage due to evaporation and runoff, uneven water distribution to plant roots, and the need for complex manufacturing processes and materials that hinder soil gas exchange.
Innovation Solution
The development of an irrigation device comprising a support structure with a drip tube and a permeable mat that surrounds the plant, allowing for even water distribution to the roots while preventing weeds and allowing air and water permeability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If hand watering with hoses or buckets is used, then water is delivered directly to plants preventing waste, but it is very time consuming and labor intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The irrigation system is designed to water plants automatically without human intervention. The timer-controlled pump draws water from the water supply and distributes it through hoses to plants, allowing the system to serve itself and eliminating the need for manual watering while conserving water.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical watering with an automated system using a pump, timer, and control circuit. The pump mechanically delivers water through the system, and the timer electronically controls the pumping operation, substituting human labor with mechanical and electronic systems.
2Productivity
If sprinklers are used to simulate rainfall, then large areas are watered with little effort, but water is wasted through evaporation and wind drift
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of distributing water uniformly across a large area like sprinklers, the system delivers water locally to specific plant locations. The hoses are positioned to direct water flow precisely where plants need it, preventing evaporation and wind drift while maintaining high productivity.
3Loss of substance
If drip irrigation systems are used, then water is saved and evaporation is reduced, but water is not evenly distributed to roots resulting in uneven root development
Solution Approach 1:
The irrigation system divides the water distribution into multiple segments through several hoses connected to the main water supply. Each hose can be independently positioned and controlled, allowing water to be distributed evenly to multiple plants or root zones, ensuring uniform root development while maintaining water conservation.
4Ease of manufacture
If standard drip emitters are used, then water is delivered to plant bases, but the drippers are easily clogged and require great maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and eliminates the vulnerable drip emitter components that are prone to clogging. Instead of using standard drip emitters, the patent uses a pump-driven hose system that delivers water directly to plants without requiring fragile emitters, thereby removing the source of maintenance problems while maintaining system simplicity.
5Object-affected harmful factors
If plastic mulch is used, then weed control and water evaporation prevention are improved, but soil gas exchange is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses flexible hoses that can be positioned around plants instead of continuous plastic mulch. These flexible hoses allow water and air to pass through to the soil, maintaining soil gas exchange while still providing weed control and evaporation prevention in the immediate plant area where the hoses are positioned.
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 effectively reduces water wastage, ensures uniform root development, and maintains a healthy soil microbe environment by allowing air and water permeability, while being simple and cost-effective to manufacture and install.
Implementation Method 1
A drip tube is attachable to the support and has a series of spaced apart apertures or water emitters along a length thereof to permit water to exit the drip tube and into the ground surrounding the plant
Implementation Method 2
A mat may be disposable between the support and the ground. The mat may be water permeable
Data Source
AI summary
A plant irrigation device includes a support that surrounds a plant and provides an opening through which the plant extends. A drip tube is attached to the support and connectable to a water source. The drip tube has a series of spaced apart apertures or water emitters along a length thereof permitting water to exit the drip tube and into the ground surrounding the plant.