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US 8,296,996 B2Granted
Water and nutrient delivery device
OwnerMichael S. Johnsoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for delivery of water and at least one further compound which comprises at least one first part containing at least one first compound; at least one second part substantially surrounding said first part, the or each second part being at least partially permeable to water and to the or at least one first compound; and at least one third part substantially surrounding said second part, the or each third part including a water absorbent material.
Claims18
A device for assisting plant growth comprising:
- means for dispensing a nutrient into soil to assist plant growth for plants planted in the soil, said means including
- a core material which is adapted to be buried in soil in which plants are planted and which includes a nutrient to be delivered to the plants buried in the soil in a regulated manner, the nutrient in said core material being activated when contacted by water,
- a partially water-permeable coating on said core, and
- a water-absorbent coating encapsulating said partially water-permeable coating and said core material, said water-absorbent coating absorbing and storing water from the soil to store water during periods of significant rainfall, said water-absorbing coating and said partially water-permeable coating on said core co-operating with each other to transfer water to the core material in a regulated manner to activate the nutrient in a regulated manner;
- said partially water-permeable coating and said water-absorbing coating being permeable to activated nutrient in said core material and regulating transfer of activated nutrient in said core material through said partially water-permeable coating and through said water-absorbent coating so that water is absorbed from the soil and transferred to the nutrient in a regulated manner to activate the nutrient in said core material and activated nutrient is transferred from said core material to the soil in a regulated manner.
2 more elements
A device for controllably delivering a nutrient to roots of a plant comprising:
- a core material which is adapted to be buried in soil in which plants are planted and which includes a nutrient to be delivered to the plants buried in the soil in a regulated manner, the nutrient in said core material being activated when contacted by water;
- a partially water-permeable coating on said core;
- a water-absorbent coating encapsulating said partially water-permeable coating and said core material, said water-absorbent coating absorbing and storing water from the soil to store water during periods of significant rainfall, said water-absorbing coating and said partially water-permeable coating on said core co-operating with each other to transfer water to the core material in a regulated manner to activate the nutrient in a regulated manner;
- said partially water-permeable coating and said water-absorbing coating being permeable to activated nutrient in said core material and regulating transfer of activated nutrient in said core material through said partially water-permeable coating and through said water-absorbent coating so that water is absorbed from the soil and transferred to the nutrient in a regulated manner to activate the nutrient in said core material and activated nutrient is transferred from said core material to the soil in a regulated manner.
1 more element
A method for producing a device which assists plant growth comprising:
- providing fertilizer in granular form;
- applying a resin coating to the fertilizer grains;
- coating the external surface of the resin-coated fertilizer grains with a solution of polyvinyl acetate, the solution of polyvinyl acetate having water therein;
- heating a fluidized bed of dry super absorbent polymer particles to around fifty degrees Centigrade, the super absorbent polymer particles containing water;
- introducing the coated grains into the heated fluidized bed of dry super absorbent polymer particles;
- upon the resin-coated fertilizer grains contacting the dry super absorbent polymer particles, drawing water from the polyvinyl acetate coating the external surface of the resin-coated fertilizer grains into the dry super absorbent polymer particles;
- and
- holding the resin-coated fertilizer grains and the super absorbent polymer particles in firm attachment.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.