Water Storage Device Lateral Feedthrough for Capillary Line Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing watering devices for potted plants often require laborious threading of water transport lines into peripherally closed passages, making them difficult to connect and potentially damaging the fibrous material.
Innovation Solution
A water storage device with a lateral opening for easy connection of the water transport line, featuring a flat strip made of fibrous material and a tubular casing, where the passage is offset radially and has an expandable opening facilitated by an elastically deformable edge web, allowing easy insertion and secure holding of the water transport line without snagging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the passage is peripherally closed, then the device structure is simple and watertight, but the connection of water transport line becomes laborious and may damage the fibrous material
Solution Approach 1:
The passage transitions from a static closed structure to a dynamic structure with an expandable opening. The edge web is designed to be elastically deformable, allowing the opening to expand during insertion and return to its original closed state afterward, thus providing both ease of connection and watertight seal.
Solution Approach 2:
The geometric parameter of the passage opening is changed dynamically. The opening expands from a narrow state to a wider state during insertion, then returns to its original size. This parameter change allows the passage to accommodate the water transport line easily while maintaining structural integrity and watertightness.
2Reliability
If the passage opening is narrow, then the watertight seal is maintained, but the insertion of water transport line becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The passage opening is designed as a dynamic structure that can change its size. The edge web with elastic deformation capability allows the opening to expand temporarily during insertion and then return to its original narrow state, providing both easy insertion and maintained watertight seal.
3Ease of operation
If the edge web is made elastically deformable, then the opening can expand for easy insertion, but the structural strength may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The edge web is designed as a flexible thin-walled structure that can elastically deform. This flexible design allows the opening to expand for easy insertion while the elastic properties ensure the structure returns to its original shape, maintaining sufficient structural strength through material elasticity rather than rigid construction.
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 simplifies the connection and handling of the water transport line, preventing damage and ensuring reliable water delivery to the plant substrate while maintaining a watertight seal, enhancing user convenience and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
Water transport lines made of fibrous material have long been known for watering potted plants, which transport water from a reservoir counter to gravity to a higher planting substrate in a planter by the action of the capillary effect
Data Source
Figure 1~3(B)
AI summary
The invention relates to a potted plant watering device comprising a water transporting line (WL) which runs from a water storage container (VB) to a plant substrate (ES). The water transporting line is led through a feedthrough (HD, HA) in the water storage device, in particular in a lid arrangement (DA) of the water storage device, and the feedthrough (HD, HA) is designed as a recess which matches the cross-sectional shape of the water transporting line (WL, HU) and which is elongated in particular in a circumferential direction of the edge line (RA) of the lid arrangement (DA). The feedthrough is provided with an opening (EO) to the free edge (RA) at one end of the longitudinal extension of the feedthrough. An edge lip (RS) which radially delimits the feedthrough along the majority of the feedthrough length is advantageously elastically deformable such that the opening (FO) can be expanded by bending the free end of the edge lip (RS), and the water transporting line (WL) can be removed out of or inserted into the feedthrough transversely to the longitudinal direction of the water transporting line. When the water transporting line (WL) is inserted, the outer edge of the edge lip (RA) runs substantially flush with the edge circumferential line (RA) of the water storage device or the lid arrangement (DA) thereof.