Irrigation device and system

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an irrigation device and irrigation system. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a weep or tear type irrigation device and irrigation system.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention is directed to an irrigation device and irrigation system. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a weep or tear type irrigation device and irrigation system. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Currently, there exists a wide variety of different devices and systems for irrigating lawns, flower beds, bushes, trees, crops and various other types of plants. [0003] There exists conventional garden hoses made of a flexible plastic or rubber hose material having a male connector on one end and a female connector at an opposite end. This hose material is made to be water impenetrable so that water does not leak from the hose as it passes from one end to the other, and serves as a conduit for conveying water from point A to point B. Another conventional hose available is a soaker type hose having a male connector at one end and female connector at an opposite end. The hose material of the soaker type hose is purposely conf...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] A third object of the present invention is to provide an irrigation device including a flexible soaker hose in combination with a support connected to the flexible soaker hose to allow the configuration of the flexible soaker hose to be changed from one substantially fixed configuration to another substantially fixed configuration.

[0021] The present invention is directed to an irrigation device. More specifically, tile present invention is directed to an irrigation device configured to direct water to the roots of plants and minimize the loss of water to runoff, drainage and / or evaporation.

[0022] The irrigation device according to the present invention can be utilized to irrigate plants, bushes, shrubs, trees, crops and any other type of plant in need of irrigation. Preferably, the irrigation device according to the present invention is utilized above ground to minimize the installation time, and in some applications the removal time necessary for unassembly (i.e. for example when used with annual crops). However, the irrigation device according to the present invention can also be utilized below ground, and for example can be buried under the soil or placed within a shallow narrow trench and then buried.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, the irrigation system according to the present invention includes a supply hose connecting to the water source to at least one irrigation device according to the present invention. Preferably, the supply hose is not a soaker or weep type hose, but instead is made of a hose material substantially impermeable to water. In this manner, water is substantially conveyed from the water source to at least one irrigation device according to the present invention without any water loss therebetween.

Problems solved by technology

However, most above ground and below ground sprinkler systems waste a large percent of the water supplied that never reaches the roots of plants requiring watering.

Specifically, the conventional hoses and sprinkling devices do not conserve valuable or precious water with a large percentage being lost to runoff, drainage and / or evaporation into the air.

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