Matric potential responder improvements
OwnerClive Lindsay Raglessinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A matric potential responder which includes a liquid absorbing swellable nonliquid material (115) held within a housing (114) of a ceramic material environ such as soil, to the material (115), being subject to a compressive force such as a spring (116). This uses balance of compressive force as compared to tension of the soil matric potential being used to control a position of a valve (119) which is arranged to effect an output such as control of a mains water valve (110).
Claims24
A matric potential responder including comprising a housing, which is sealed, apart from one part of the housing being porous to provide for the effect of matric potential within soil to transfer therethrough, a liquid absorbing swellable non-liquid material selected to exhibit an increase or decrease in expansive pressure in response to any matric potential of the hydraulically connected materials, said swellable non-liquid material held with the housing under a predetermined range of compressive pressures and output means adapted to effect an electrical output in response to changes in magnitude of pressure exerted by said material when compressed.
A matric potential responder comprising:
- a substantially sealed housing having a porous part for enabling a transfer into the housing of a matric potential existing within ambient soil;
- a liquid absorbing swellable non-liquid material selected to exhibit an increase or decrease in expansive pressure in response to a change in the matric of the ambient soil, said swellable non-liquid material being held with the housing under a predetermined range of compressive pressures;
- and
- an electrical circuit disposed in said housing in effective contact with said swellable nonliquid material for generating an electrical output in response to changes in magnitude of pressure exerted by said swellable non-liquid material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.