DE102017108236A1 - Plant vessel with a level measuring device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a plant vessel with a shell, which surrounds an interior space for the roots of a plant and / or a plant substrate and / or plant soil and / or an inner pot, and with a level measuring device. The plant vessel is characterized in that the level measuring device has a float arranged movably in the interior and a display arranged outside the interior, the float and the display being operatively connected by means of magnetic force.

Description

The invention relates to a plant vessel with a shell, which surrounds an interior space for the roots of a plant and / or a plant substrate and / or plant soil and / or an inner pot, and with a level measuring device.

In particular, plant containers for hydroponic plants often have a level measuring device in the form of a riser, in which a float is arranged. Such level measuring device have the disadvantage that the position of the float is often not directly read, because the measuring tube is covered by parts of plants.

Out DE 20 2006 000 586 U1 a water level measuring device is known, which consists essentially of a holder or guide and a measuring tube. The measuring tube can be lowered through the holder to the bottom of the water collecting vessel. The water level in the measuring tube corresponds exactly to the surrounding level of the water in the plant vessel or the surrounding planter. If the upper end of the measuring tube is closed with a finger, this level remains in the measuring tube when it is pulled out and can be read. However, it is particularly inconvenient to first have to pull out of the plant vessel with a finger held measuring tube in order to read the water level can.

Out DE 1 934 409 A is a container for a Hydropplanzenkultur, with a Nährflüssigkeitsgefäß and with at least one filling substrate and the plant receiving, removable from the Nährflüssigkeitsgefäß insert, which is designed as a plant roots enclosing culture vessel known. The vessel walls of the insert are set up near the bottom for the passage of nutrient fluid into the root area. The Nährflüssigkeitsgefäß has a liquid indicator.

For this purpose, the wall of the Nährflüssigkeitsgefäßes includes a bottom upwardly extending window through which a float can be observed. The production of containers with a sealed, transparent window is disadvantageously very expensive. In addition, it is visually unattractive to the viewer that the usually dirty-looking irrigation water is permanently visible through the window.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a plant vessel with an easily realizable and reliable working level measuring device.

The object is achieved by a plant vessel, which is characterized in that the level measuring device has a movably arranged in the interior float and a display disposed outside the interior of the display, wherein the float and the display are operatively connected by magnetic force.

The invention has the very special advantage that information about the current fill level from the interior of the plant vessel can be easily and reliably transmitted to the outside. This particular without components must be passed through the shell of the plant vessel and without the shell needs to have special windows.

In addition, the invention has the very special advantage that the display can be arranged in a region of the plant vessel, which is also clearly visible when a lush growing plant covers the upper opening area of the plant vessel. In that regard, the invention over the embodiments in which a riser with a float up the top of the plant vessel opening, the particular advantage of much better visibility. In addition, it is advantageously avoided that the usually dirty looking irrigation water, which is in the plant vessel, is visible to the outside.

The plant vessel preferably has at least one magnet, in particular at least one permanent magnet.

It has been found that mechanically advantageous and reliable working embodiments can be realized, in which at least one permanent magnet is present whose north-south axis is arranged in a plane parallel to the bottom of the plant vessel. In particular, in such an embodiment, a movement of the shimmer can be particularly reliable and reproducible by magnetic force on a movable component of the display, in particular a pointer, transmitted, which is discussed below in more detail.

In general, it can be advantageously provided that a movement of the float is transmitted by magnetic force to a movable component of the display. The movable component may in particular be a movable, in particular rotatable, mounted pointer.

In a particular embodiment, a permanent magnet formed as a disc magnet is present. A disc magnet is a magnet in the shape of a cylinder, in particular a circular cylinder whose surface area is substantially larger than its thickness, the north South axis is preferably oriented in the direction of thickness. In particular, the display may identify a permanent magnet formed as a disc magnet.

Particularly advantageous is an embodiment in which the display, in particular a pointer of the display, has a permanent magnet formed as a disc magnet whose north-south axis is arranged in a plane parallel to the bottom of the plant vessel.

Such a design has the particular advantage that the pointer can be made slender in the horizontal direction, so that it does not or only slightly protrudes outwards.

In addition, such a design has the particular advantage that the provided with the permanent magnet component of the display particularly well a movement of the float, which in turn can advantageously even have a permanent magnet follow.

Alternatively or additionally, it can also be provided that a permanent magnet formed as a bar magnet is present. A bar magnet has an elongated, in particular cylindrical, shape, wherein the north-south axis is preferably aligned along the longitudinal extension direction. In particular, it can be advantageously provided that the float has such a bar magnet.

Of particular advantage is an embodiment in which the north-south axis of the bar magnet is arranged in a plane parallel to the bottom of the plant vessel, because such a movement of the float can be transferred particularly well and reliably to the display.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, at least one magnet, in particular permanent magnet, is present, which is designed as a wheel or as a roller or as a ball and which rolls on a surface, in particular on a surface of the shell of the plant vessel, when the filling level changes. Alternatively, a magnet may also be present, which is arranged in a designed as a wheel or as a role or as a ball member, which rolls on a surface, in particular on a surface of the shell in a change in the level. These embodiments have the particular advantage that a friction of the moving components, such as the pointer or the float, is largely avoided relative to immovable components.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, at least one magnet is present, which is designed as a wheel or as a roller or as a ball and which moves in a change in the level in a guide tube, in particular rolls on the wall of the guide tube. Alternatively or additionally, at least one magnet may be present, which is arranged in a formed as a wheel or as a role or as a ball member which moves in a change in the level in a guide tube, in particular rolls on the wall of the guide tube. The guide tube may in particular be an at least partially transparent guide tube of the display.

For example, the float may be formed as a styrofoam ball, which includes a permanent magnet, while an externally mounted on the side wall of the shell of the plant vessel metal ball acts as a pointer. With an increase in the level of the float rolls on the inside of the side wall of the shell upwards and takes due to the magnetic force on the outside of the shell rolling and acting as a pointer ball with. The user can then close from outside the vertical position of the ball to the current level.

As will be explained in more detail below, the invention can be implemented, for example, such that the float or the display has a permanent magnet, while the respective other component has a material that is not permanent magnetic, but the magnetic field in the field of the permanent magnet Effect unfolds.

For example, can be advantageously provided that the float is firmly connected to a permanent magnet or at least partially formed as a permanent magnet, while a movable component of the display, in particular a pointer, a diamagneten or is formed as a diamagnet. Conversely, it is of course also possible that the float is firmly connected to a diamagnet or at least partially formed as a diamagnet, while a movable member of the display, in particular a Pointer, has a permanent magnet or is designed as a permanent magnet.

Analog can also be provided that the float is fixedly connected to a permanent magnet or at least partially formed as a permanent magnet, while a movable component of the display has a paramagnet or is formed as Paramagnet. Conversely, it is also possible that the float is firmly connected to a Paramagneten or at least partially formed as Paramagnet, while a movable component of the display, in particular a pointer, has a permanent magnet or is designed as a permanent magnet.

Particularly advantageous embodiments are those in which not only a single permanent magnet is present, but in which both the float and a movable component of the display, in particular a pointer, each have a permanent magnet. In such embodiments, the coupling of float and display is particularly good.

The permanent magnets of the float and display can be arranged and aligned so that they attract each other. Such designs have the particular advantage of a good coupling between float and display. However, in such embodiments, it is often necessary to take into account the fact that friction occurs in the area of the bearing and guiding of the moving parts, in particular due to the attractive force acting on the moving parts, which necessitates a special friction compensating construction of the necessary bearings and guides can.

Especially with regard to the mentioned problem of friction, it is therefore of very particular advantage to arrange and align the permanent magnets of float and display so that they repel each other. In this way, particularly low-friction constructions are advantageously possible, which allow a particularly accurate display of the level, in particular even small level changes.

The float can for example be guided linearly displaceable.

Particularly advantageous is an embodiment in which the float is pivotally mounted about an axis of rotation. Such a design has the particular advantage that the float can be stored with a simple construction particularly low friction.

The float may for example have a movably mounted hollow body. At and / or in the hollow body, a magnet, in particular a permanent magnet, be attached. Alternatively or additionally, it may also be provided that the hollow body is filled with a buoyant material, for example with closed-cell foam. It is also possible that the float at least partially consists of a buoyancy material, in which the magnet or magnetic particles are incorporated.

As already mentioned, the display can have a movably mounted pointer. In particular, it can be advantageously provided that the display has a pointer rotatably mounted about an axis or that the display has a pointer which is designed and arranged in the manner of a clock hand. Alternatively, it is also possible that the display has a linearly displaceable guided pointer. In particular, as already mentioned, it can be advantageously provided that the pointer has a magnet or is formed from magnetic material.

The shell of the plant vessel preferably includes a side wall and a bottom. Preferably, the display is arranged on the outside of the shell, while the float is separated by the side wall in the interior of the plant vessel.

The shell may advantageously have a holder for a, in particular movable storage of a pointer. For example, the shell may have a, in particular horizontally, outwardly projecting pin on which a pointer, in particular latching, can be plugged in such a way that the pointer is rotatable relative to the shell. It is also possible that the shell is constructed in several parts, wherein a component of the shell has a holder for a, in particular movable, storage of a pointer. Such a design has the particular advantage that the different parts of the shell can be produced with ease of removal by injection molding.

In an advantageous embodiment, the display has a scale. The scale may for example be arranged on the outside of the shell or be made together with the shell in one piece. The scale may for example be designed in the form that the level is displayed in arbitrary units, because it usually does not depend on the user to find out how many liters of irrigation water are actually filled. However, it is also possible that the level measuring device is performed calibrated. However, it is already sufficient for many applications when the level measuring device has no scale and the user indicates the current level by the pointer position alone.

In particular, the scale may advantageously have a minimum level mark indicating to the user when refilling of irrigation water is required, and / or a maximum level mark indicating to the user when refilling of irrigation water is required.

In a particular embodiment, the shell has a recess in which the pointer is rotatably mounted. The recess may for example be formed as a trough, which is so deep that the pointer is not or not substantially outwardly over the remaining outer contour of the shell protrudes. In this way, the pointer is particularly well protected against external influences and against damage.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the plant vessel, a separating floor parallel to a bottom of the shell is arranged in the interior. Preferably, the bottom and the separating tray are aligned horizontally when the plant container is used as intended. Particularly advantageous is an embodiment in which the dividing floor can be removed from the shell. For example, the dividing floor may have supporting legs which rest on the bottom of the shell of the plant vessel and which maintain the distance between the dividing floor and the bottom of the shell. As an alternative or in addition, it is also possible for the separating tray to rest on a projection of the sleeve projecting into the interior.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the float is movable, in particular rotatably mounted on the separating tray. In addition, it can be advantageously provided-alternatively or additionally-that the float is movably mounted between the separating tray and the bottom of the casing. These embodiments have the particular advantage that the float is always located in an area that remains free of potting soil and plant substrate, so that always a good mobility of the float is guaranteed. In addition, a removability of the partition with the rotatably mounted float has the particular advantage that the components arranged in the interior of the level measuring device are easy, especially for inspection or repair, accessible.

The separating bottom preferably has openings for irrigation water, which are dimensioned and / or formed such that no plant soil and no plant substrate can pass through.

In an advantageous embodiment, the plant vessel has a water filling tube aligned in particular perpendicular to the bottom of the shell. This can for example be attached to the dividing floor. The water filling tube advantageously makes it possible to fill irrigation water directly into the area below the separating bottom without the irrigation water having to pass through the plant soil or the planting substrate. In this way, it is advantageously achieved that the amount of filled casting liquid can be read directly on the display and does not have to wait until the casting liquid has seeped through the plant soil or plant substrate.

Preferably, the plant vessel is designed as a non-electrical plant vessel. Alternatively or additionally, it can be advantageously provided that the display operates nonelectrically and / or that the plant vessel has no electrical sensor, and / or that the plant vessel has no components connected to an electrical energy source, and / or that the plant vessel does not have an electrical energy source, in particular no battery or rechargeable battery, and / or that the plant vessel has no reed switch and / or that the plant vessel has no electrical lines or electrical cables.

In a particular embodiment, the float and the display are operatively connected to each other solely by magnetic force.

In the drawing, the subject invention is exemplified and shown schematically and will be described with reference to the figures below, wherein the same or equivalent elements are also provided in different embodiments, usually with the same reference numerals. Showing:

1 a first embodiment of a plant vessel according to the invention in an external view,

2 the first embodiment with insight into the interior,

3 a detailed view of a second embodiment of a plant vessel according to the invention,

4 a detailed view of a third embodiment of a plant vessel according to the invention,

5 a detailed view of a fourth embodiment of a plant vessel according to the invention,

6 a detailed view of a fifth embodiment of a plant vessel according to the invention, and

7 a detailed view of a sixth embodiment of a plant vessel according to the invention.

1 shows a first embodiment of a plant vessel according to the invention 1 with a shell 2 that has a side wall 3 and a floor 4 having. The case 2 surrounds an interior 5 for the roots 6 a plant 7 what's special in 2 can be seen.

2 shows that in the interior 5 a dividing floor 8th which is parallel to the ground 4 is arranged.

The plant vessel has a level measuring device 9 on. The level measuring device 9 has a movable in the interior 5 arranged floats 10 on. The swimmer 10 includes a permanent magnet 11 , The swimmer 10 is at the free end of a lever 12 arranged, by means of a pivot bearing 13 rotatably on the dividing floor 8th is attached. If no casting liquid 14 in the plant vessel 1 is filled, the float is in the extended position drawn. Once pouring liquid 14 is filled in the plant vessel, floats the float 10 on (dashed line of the float 10 and the lever 12 ).

The level measuring device 9 also has an ad 15 with a pointer 16 and a scale 17 on. The pointer 16 is about a rotation axis 18 rotatable on the shell 2 stored and includes a permanent magnet 19 , The permanent magnet 11 of the swimmer 10 and the permanent magnet 19 of the pointer 16 are preferably arranged and aligned so that they repel each other.

If there is no pouring liquid in the plant container, the pointer is located 16 in the extended position drawn. If pouring liquid is poured into the plant vessel, the movement of the floating float will 10 by magnetic force on the pointer 16 transfer. Once the maximum set level is reached, the pointer is located 16 in the dashed line position ( 1 ).

3 shows a detailed view of a second embodiment of a plant vessel according to the invention 1 , In this embodiment, the float is 10 spherical and includes a spherical permanent magnet 11 , The pointer 16 is by a ball 20 made of a magnetizable material, such as iron. Becomes pouring liquid 14 filled, the swimmer roll 10 and the ball 20 on different sides of the sidewall 3 the shell 2 upwards, with the float 10 the ball 20 entrains by magnetic force.

4 shows a detailed view of a third embodiment of a plant vessel according to the invention 1 , In this embodiment, both the pointer 16 , as well as the schematically drawn float 10 movably mounted. The pointer 16 includes a wire 21 made of magnetizable material, while the float 10 a disk magnet designed as a permanent magnet 22 includes, its north-south axis parallel in one to the ground 4 arranged parallel plane.

5 shows a detailed view of a fourth embodiment of a plant vessel according to the invention 1 , This embodiment differs from that in FIG 4 illustrated embodiment in that also the pointer 16 a further disc magnet designed as a permanent magnet 23 having. The disc magnet 22 of the swimmer 10 and the further disc magnet 23 of the pointer 16 are arranged and aligned so that they attract each other.

6 shows a detailed view of a fifth embodiment of a plant vessel according to the invention 1 , This embodiment differs from that in FIG 5 illustrated embodiment in that the disc magnet 22 and the further disc magnet 23 are arranged and aligned so that they repel each other. Such a design is particularly favorable in terms of friction-free storage of the float 10 and the pointer 16 , When pouring liquid is poured into the planter, the floating float floats upwards 10 with his disc magnet 22 the other disc magnet 23 of the pointer 16 horizontally offset upwards by the magnetic repulsion.

7 shows a detailed view of a sixth embodiment of a plant vessel according to the invention 1 , This embodiment differs from that in FIG 6 illustrated fifth embodiment in that the float 10 a bar magnet designed as a permanent magnet 24 includes, its north-south axis in one to the ground 4 arranged parallel plane.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

 planter

2

 shell

3

 Side wall

4

 ground

5

 inner space

6

 root

7

 plant

8th

 separating base

9

 Level measuring device

10

 swimmer

11

 permanent magnet

12

 lever

13

 swivel

14

 casting liquid

15

 display

16

 pointer

17

 scale

18

 axis of rotation

19

 permanent magnet

20

 Bullet

21

 wire

22

 Scheibenmagnet

23

 Another disc magnet

24

 bar magnet

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 202006000586 U1 [0003]
• DE 1934409 A [0004]

Claims (21)

Plant vessel with a shell that surrounds an interior for the roots of a plant and / or a plant substrate and / or potting soil and / or an inner pot, and with a level measuring device, characterized in that the level measuring device is a movably arranged in the interior float and outside the Interior arranged display, wherein the float and the display are operatively connected by magnetic force. Plant vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that a. a movement of the float by magnetic force on a movable component of the display, in particular a pointer, will transmit, and / or that b. at least one magnet is present, and / or that c. at least one permanent magnet is present, and / or that d. at least one permanent magnet is present, the north-south axis is arranged in a plane parallel to the bottom of the plant vessel. Plant vessel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a. a permanent magnet formed as a disk magnet is present, and / or that b. the display has a permanent magnet formed as a disc magnet, and / or that c. the display has a permanent magnet formed as a disc magnet, the north-south axis of which is arranged in a plane parallel to the bottom of the plant vessel. Plant vessel according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a. a permanent magnet formed as a bar magnet is present, and / or that b. the float has a permanent magnet formed as a bar magnet, and / or that c. the display has a permanent magnet formed as a bar magnet, the north-south axis of which is arranged in a plane parallel to the bottom of the plant vessel. Plant vessel according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a. at least one magnet is provided which is designed as a wheel or as a roller or as a ball and which rolls on a surface, in particular on a surface of the casing, when the filling level changes, or in that b. at least one magnet is present, which is arranged in a formed as a wheel or as a roll or as a ball member which rolls in a change of the level on a surface, in particular on a surface of the shell, or that c. at least one magnet is provided which is designed as a wheel or as a roller or as a ball and which moves when the filling level in a guide tube, in particular a transparent guide tube of the display, or d. at least one magnet is provided which is arranged in a formed as a wheel or as a roll or as a ball member which moves in a change in the level in a guide tube, in particular a transparent guide tube of the display. Plant vessel according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a. the float is fixedly connected to a permanent magnet or is at least partially designed as a permanent magnet, while a movable component of the display has a diamagnet or is designed as a diamagnet, or that b. the float is firmly connected to a diamagnet or at least partially formed as a diamagnet, while a movable member of the display has a permanent magnet or is designed as a permanent magnet, or that c. the float is fixedly connected to a permanent magnet or at least partially designed as a permanent magnet, while a movable component of the display has a paramagnet or is formed as Paramagnet, or that d. the float is firmly connected to a paramagnet or at least partially formed as a paramagnet, while a movable component of the display has a permanent magnet or is designed as a permanent magnet. Plant vessel according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that both the float and a movable component of the display each have a permanent magnet. Plant vessel according to claim 7, characterized in that a. the permanent magnets are arranged and aligned so that they attract each other, or that b. the permanent magnets are arranged and aligned so that they repel each other. Plant vessel according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the float is mounted pivotably about an axis of rotation. Plant vessel according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the float is guided linearly displaceable. Plant vessel according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that a. the float has a movably mounted hollow body and / or that b. the float has a movably mounted hollow body, on and / or in which a magnet, in particular a permanent magnet, is attached and / or that c. the float has a movably mounted hollow body which is filled with a buoyancy material, in particular with closed-cell foam, and / or that d. the float buoyancy material in which a magnet or magnetic particles are incorporated. Plant vessel according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that a. the display has a movably mounted pointer or that b. the display has a pointer rotatably mounted about an axis or that c. the display has a pointer which is designed and arranged in the manner of a clock hand, or that d. the display has a linearly displaceable guided pointer. Plant vessel according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that a. the indicator and the float are separated by the cover or that b. the level measuring device does not comprise a component extending through the casing. Plant vessel according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that a. the shell has a holder for a, in particular movable, storage of a pointer, or that b. the shell is constructed in several parts, wherein a component of the shell has a holder for a, in particular movable, storage of a pointer. Plant vessel according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the display has a scale and / or that the display has a scale arranged on the shell and / or that the shell is made together in one piece with a scale of the display. Plant vessel according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that a. the shell and / or at least one component of the shell is produced as an injection-molded component and / or that b. the shell and / or at least one component of the shell is produced as an injection-molded component by means of an injection mold which has no slides, and / or that c. all components of the shell as injection molded components, wherein the injection molds for producing the injection-molded components produced have no slide. Plant vessel according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that in the interior of a parallel to a bottom of the shell separating floor is arranged and / or that in the interior a horizontal separating tray is arranged. Plant vessel according to claim 17, characterized in that the float is movably mounted on the separating tray and / or that the float is movably mounted between the separating tray and the bottom of the sleeve. Plant vessel according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the plant vessel has a, in particular perpendicular to the bottom of the shell aligned, water filling tube and / or that on the separating bottom a, in particular aligned perpendicular to the bottom of the shell, water filling tube is attached. Plant vessel according to one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that the separating floor has legs, which stand on a bottom of the shell of the plant vessel and maintain the distance between the separating bottom and the bottom of the shell. Plant vessel according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that a. the plant vessel is designed as a non-electrical plant vessel and / or that b. the display is non-electric and / or that c. the plant vessel has no electrical sensor, and / or that d. the plant vessel has no components connected to an electrical energy source, and / or that e. the plant vessel has no electrical energy source, in particular no battery or rechargeable battery, and / or that f. the plant vessel has no reed switch and / or that g. the plant vessel has no electrical leads or electrical cables and / or that h. the float and the display are operatively connected only by magnetic force.

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