JP2025112593A - Tree irrigation pipes and tree irrigation systems - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide: a tree irrigation pipe which hardly causes any clogging and is easy to maintain; and a general-purpose tree irrigation system employing the irrigation pipe.SOLUTION: A tree irrigation system 1 comprises: a composite pipeline 110; and a water passing device 150 for passing water through the composite pipeline 110. The composite pipeline 110 is a pipeline in which a tree irrigation pipe 2 and a connection pipe 30 are alternately connected in series. Joining of the tree irrigation pipe 2 and the connection pipe 30 is detachably performed through connection portions 12 provided at both ends of the tree irrigation pipe 2. One end of the composite pipeline 110 is connected to a supply tank 151 through a valve 155, and the other end is connected to a storage tank 152. The water passing device 150 includes: the supply tank 151 that supplies water to the composite pipeline 110; a control unit 130 that controls water passing to the composite pipeline 110; and the like. The supply tank 151 pumps up groundwater with a pump 155A and stores the groundwater.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a tree irrigation pipe, which is a pipe for irrigating trees, and a tree irrigation system that uses this tree irrigation pipe.

Irrigating tree seedlings immediately after planting and during the hot, dry summer months is important to prevent the soil from drying out. Generally, plant roots are thought to spread out in the soil to the same extent as the branches and leaves, and as they absorb more water from the tips of the roots, it is necessary to water generously not only at the base of the plant but also below the spreading branches and leaves. One thing to be careful about here is the method of irrigation. If the soil is only watered to the point where it is wet, the soil near the surface will absorb the water and it will not reach the roots, so it is necessary to irrigate generously over a long period of time so that enough water reaches the roots.

Irrigation is not simply carried out to soak the soil and supply water to the roots of plants. It also serves the purpose of pushing out old water and air and supplying new water and air to the soil. When irrigating seedlings, it is important to pay attention to the points mentioned above. With these points in mind, various tree irrigation devices have been proposed.

Patent Document 1 proposes an irrigation container that is buried around trees. This irrigation container has an openable water supply opening at the top, and multiple small holes (5) formed on the top and bottom of the peripheral wall.

Patent Document 2 proposes a method of irrigating a planting area on a road or the like, in which the inside of a curb adjacent to a planting area is formed as a waterway, and water is irrigated to the planting area from a permeable section formed on the side of the curb facing the planting area that communicates with the waterway. It also proposes a curb with irrigation functions, in which a space is formed between one or more block-shaped curbstones of a predetermined length, this space is formed as a waterway, and the curbstone is provided with a water supply port that connects to the waterway and a permeable section that communicates with the waterway on the side facing the planting area.

Patent Document 3 proposes an irrigation device that includes an irrigation unit that irrigates grapevines, a control unit, and a solar radiation detection means that detects the amount of solar radiation on the grapevines, with the control unit controlling the amount of water irrigated to the grapevines based on the detected amount of solar radiation. This irrigation device is equipped with a water content detection means that detects the water content within the trunks of the grapevines, and the control unit controls the amount of water irrigation in accordance with the amount of solar radiation and water content.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-177828 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-163882 JP 2011-92152 A

However, because the irrigation structural components proposed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are designed to be buried underground, there is a problem in that the parts that supply water underground - specifically, the holes or permeable parts - can become clogged, reducing irrigation functionality. Furthermore, replacing clogged parts requires a great deal of effort.

The irrigation device proposed in Patent Document 3 measures the water content of grapevines by damaging part of the vine, which has the problem of potentially having some effect on the growth of the vines. Furthermore, its use is limited to grapevines.

The present invention was developed to address these problems and provides a tree irrigation pipe that is less likely to clog and is easy to maintain. Furthermore, it provides a versatile tree irrigation system that utilizes this irrigation pipe.

The invention to solve the above problem is a tree irrigation pipe that is installed on the ground and includes a water pipe with connectors at both ends for connecting connecting pipes, and an irrigation section with one end located inside the water pipe and the other end protruding from the water pipe toward the outside space. The irrigation section is characterized by being able to discharge water present in the water pipe into the outside space by the action of capillary action and the siphon principle.

With this configuration, the water-carrying section has connectors at both ends for connecting connecting pipes. Therefore, even if the irrigation function is impaired for some reason, the tree irrigation system allows for simple and quick replacement of only the tree irrigation pipe that is causing the irrigation function to be impaired, reducing the labor required for replacement. Furthermore, because it is installed above ground, there is no need to excavate the ground during replacement. Furthermore, the irrigation section uses capillary action and the siphon principle to discharge water contained in the water-carrying pipe into the external space, allowing for a constant supply of water to the ground continuously. This allows water to be supplied deep into the ground and prevents topsoil from eroding.

Preferably, the irrigation section is an irrigation sheet having a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite each other, the first surface having a plurality of recesses arranged in a row connected to both one end and the other end of the sheet, and the recesses are characterized in that they can discharge water present in the water pipe to the outside.

With this configuration, the irrigation section is a surface-wide irrigation sheet with opposing first and second surfaces, allowing for irrigation over a wide area. The first surface also has a row of multiple recesses connected to both ends of the sheet. These recesses allow water in the water pipes to be discharged to the outside, enabling uniform irrigation across the entire surface of the sheet.

Preferably, the recess has an opening that opens from the second surface toward the first surface and a water flow section that communicates with the opening, and water present in the water pipe is taken into the water flow section through the opening due to capillary action, flows out into the external space via the water flow section due to the siphon principle, and can be discharged onto the ground at the part of the opening that comes into contact with the ground.

With this configuration, the irrigation flow rate can be adjusted by appropriately selecting the shape of the opening, the shape of the flow section, the area of the opening that comes into contact with the ground, etc.

Preferably, the second surface is a flat surface that covers the first surface.

With this configuration, the second surface is a flat surface that covers the first surface, which can suppress evaporation of water from the second surface. This allows for efficient irrigation.

Another aspect of the invention for solving the above problem is a tree irrigation system comprising a composite pipeline having a plurality of the above-mentioned tree irrigation pipes and connecting pipes that connect the tree irrigation pipes to each other, and a water supply device that can be connected to the composite pipeline and supply water to the composite pipeline.

With this configuration, the tree irrigation system includes a composite pipeline with multiple tree irrigation pipes as described above and connecting pipes that connect the tree irrigation pipes together. Therefore, by using flexible connecting pipes, for example, the shape of the composite pipeline can be freely set. This allows for appropriate piping depending on the type and size of the trees to be irrigated.

Preferably, the water flow device includes a supply tank for supplying water to the combined pipeline and a control unit for controlling the water supplied from the supply tank, the control unit including a sensor for measuring the water content in the ground and a controller, and the controller instructs the flow of water to the combined pipeline when the measured value measured by the sensor falls below a first threshold value, and instructs the stop of the flow of water to the combined pipeline when the measured value measured by the sensor exceeds a second threshold value.

With this configuration, the water flow device has a supply tank for supplying water to the combined pipeline and a control unit that controls the water supplied from the supply tank. The control unit has a sensor that measures the moisture content of the ground and a controller. The controller commands water to flow through the combined pipeline when the measurement value measured by the sensor falls below a first threshold, and commands water to stop flowing through the combined pipeline when the measurement value measured by the sensor exceeds a second threshold, thereby maintaining the moisture content of the ground within a certain range.

Preferably, the water passage device has a storage tank for storing water passed through the composite pipe.

This configuration includes a storage tank that stores water passed through the combined pipeline, allowing water to flow smoothly into the combined pipeline.

1A is a plan view of the tree irrigation system according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a side view of the same. 1A is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which water is passed through the water pipe, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the water in the water pipe has been discharged to the outside space. Cross-sectional view of the irrigation section. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit. 4 is a flowchart illustrating control of the tree irrigation system in this embodiment. This is a modified tree irrigation system.

Below, an embodiment of the tree irrigation pipe 2 and the tree irrigation system 1 using the tree irrigation pipe 2 of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 3.

1(a) and (b), the tree irrigation system 1 comprises a composite pipeline 110 and a water supply device 150 for supplying water to the composite pipeline 110. The composite pipeline 110 is a pipeline in which tree irrigation pipes 2 and connecting pipes 30 are alternately connected in series. The tree irrigation pipes 2 and connecting pipes 30 are detachably connected via connectors 12 provided at both ends of the tree irrigation pipe 2. For example, even if one of the multiple tree irrigation pipes 2 becomes clogged and irrigation becomes impossible, the composite pipeline 110 does not need to be replaced in its entirety; only the clogged tree irrigation pipe 2 can be replaced. Furthermore, one end of the composite pipeline 110 is connected to a supply tank 151 via a valve 155, and the other end is connected to a storage tank 152.

The composite pipe 110 is arranged in a U-shape to surround the tree 100. Specifically, the tree irrigation pipes 2 are arranged on both sides of the tree 100, and the connecting pipes 30 connect the tree irrigation pipes 2 arranged on both sides of the tree 100.

In this embodiment, sakaki seedlings and blueberry seedlings are used as examples of trees 100 to be irrigated, but this is not limited to these. Sakaki seedlings can be grown in the shade, so they may be planted directly under solar panels. This allows for more efficient use of land.

The water supply device 150 includes a supply tank 151 that supplies water to the combined pipeline 110, and a control unit 130 that controls the flow of water to the combined pipeline 110. The supply tank 151 pumps up groundwater using a pump 155A and stores it. The water level stored in the supply tank 151 is maintained at a predetermined height by a floater 156 shown in Figure 1(b).

The supply of water stored in supply tank 151 to combined pipeline 110 is controlled by opening and closing valve 155. When valve 155 is opened, the water stored in supply tank 151 flows through combined pipeline 110 and is stored in storage tank 152. Due to energy losses that occur within combined pipeline 110, the water level stored in storage tank 152 is slightly lower than the water level stored in supply tank 151, but by maintaining the water level stored in supply tank 151 within a specified range, the water pressure within combined pipeline 110 can be maintained within a constant range.

In order to reduce the water pressure difference between the water filling the combined pipeline 110, it is preferable to make the water level in the storage tank 152 the same as the water level in the supply tank 151. In this case, this can be solved by introducing a device to supply water to the storage tank 152. That is, a pump and floater for drawing groundwater can be attached to the storage tank 152. In this case, the pressure head at the center of the combined pipeline 110 will be the lowest compared to other parts.

The opening and closing of the valve 155 is controlled by the control unit 130. The control unit 130 has a sensor 131 and a controller 132. The sensor 131 is a soil moisture meter that measures the water content WC in the ground. The sensor 131 is preferably installed deep underground at a depth at which the roots of the tree 100 seedlings will spread. For example, in the case of sakaki seedlings, it is preferable to install the sensor 131 at a depth of 40 cm to 50 cm from the ground surface 101. Note that while one sensor 131 is installed in this embodiment, this is not limited to this and multiple sensors may be installed.

The controller 132 commands the opening and closing of the valve 155 based on the value of the water content WC (see Figure 5) of the underground 102 measured by the sensor 131.

As shown in Figures 2(a) and (b), the tree irrigation pipe 2 is composed of a water pipe 11 and an irrigation sheet 20 (irrigation section). The water pipe 11 is filled with water when water is flowing through the composite pipe 110 (see Figure 2(a)). The water pipe 11 is placed on a support base 15 to increase its height above the ground 101. The water pipe 11 placed on the support base 15 is surrounded on its outer periphery by fixing bands 17 placed at predetermined intervals, and both ends of the fixing bands 17 are integrated with the support base 15 by fixing piles 16 driven into the ground 102. This prevents the water pipe 11 from moving, preventing it from moving even if it is subjected to an unexpected external force due to water flow. The height of the support base 15 and the intervals at which the fixing bands 17 are attached can be set appropriately, taking into account the irrigation rate and the water level stored in the supply tank 151.

The connecting pipe 30 has almost the same structure as the water pipe 11 and is supported on the ground 101 via a support base 15 similar to that of the water pipe 11, so a detailed description will be omitted.

One end of the irrigation sheet 20 is located on the bottom surface inside the water passage pipe 11 and protrudes into the external space 105 via a slit 13 provided in the water passage pipe 11, with the other end contacting the ground 101. The surface that comes into contact with the ground 101 is the first surface 21 where the recess 25 is provided. The slit 13 is preferably positioned higher than the center of the water passage pipe 11. This increases the contact area between the irrigation sheet 20 and the water W present in the water passage pipe 11. Furthermore, because the water pressure at the position of the slit 13 can be relatively reduced, the impact of water leakage from the gap between the slit 13 and the irrigation sheet 20 can be suppressed.

The irrigation sheets 20 are provided symmetrically, but this is not limited to this. They may be provided on either the left or right side. Two irrigation sheets 20 are provided on each side of the water pipe 11, for a total of four irrigation sheets 20 (see Figure 1(a)), but this is not limited to this. One irrigation sheet 20 may be provided on each side, or three or more may be provided.

As shown in Figure 3, the watering sheet 20 has a first surface 21 and a second surface 22 that face each other. The first surface 21 has a plurality of recesses 25 arranged in parallel rows, closely spaced apart in the left-right directions L1 and R1. The recesses 25 extend the entire length Lx of the watering sheet 20 from one end to the other.

The recess 25 is composed of an opening 24 at the bottom as shown and a water flow section 23 at the top as shown. The opening 24 defines a space that opens from the second surface 22 toward the first surface 21. The water flow section 23 is connected to the opening 24 and defines a space that is wider than the opening 24. The shape of the water flow section 23 is circular in cross section, but is not limited to this and can be variously modified, for example, into an open-loop oval or an inverted triangle in cross section. Furthermore, the shape of the opening 24 is a narrow gap in cross section, but is not limited to this.

Water in the water pipe 11 is sucked up into the opening 24 by capillary action and collected in the flow section 23. The water collected in the flow section 23 flows out into the external space 105 using the flow section 23 as a waterway due to the siphon principle.

Therefore, the shapes of the opening 24 and the flow section 23 can be determined appropriately within the range in which capillary action and siphon action function.

The second surface 22 is a flat surface and is attached to the water pipe 11 so that it faces the ground 101. That is, the other end of the recess 25 is covered by the second surface 22 and is in contact with the ground 101 (see Figure 2(a)). This prevents water from evaporating as it is sucked up from the watering sheet 20 and flows out into the external space 105.

In this embodiment, a flexible sheet is exemplified as the material for the watering sheet 20, but this is not limited to this. A rigid sheet may be used, or a composite sheet made by laminating a flexible sheet and a rigid sheet may be used. When using a composite sheet made by laminating a flexible sheet and a rigid sheet, it is preferable that the first surface 21 be a soft sheet and the second surface 22 be a rigid sheet. It is also preferable that the material be weather resistant.

The processing operation of the tree irrigation system 1 is explained below.

The opening and closing operation of valve 155 is controlled by control unit 130. Control unit 130 has sensor 131 and controller 132. Sensor 131 measures the water content WC of the ground 102. Based on the measurement value measured by sensor 131, controller 132 determines whether to operate valve 155 and issues a command to valve 155.

Figure 4 shows the configuration of the control unit 130. The controller 132 is composed of a microcomputer including a CPU, RAM, ROM, and I/O interface (all not shown). The sensor 131 is connected to the controller 132, and its measurement signals are input sequentially. A valve 155 is connected to the output side of the controller 132.

Figure 5 is a flowchart explaining the control in this embodiment. This process is continuously and repeatedly executed by the controller 132.

In this process, in step 1 (illustrated as "S1"; the same applies below), the sensor 131 measures the moisture content WC of the ground 102. It is determined whether the measured moisture content WC is below the first threshold value TR1.

When the controller 132 determines that the measured value of the water content WC of the underground 102 measured by the sensor 131 falls below the first threshold value TR1, it proceeds to step 2. If the determination result is NO, it continues measuring.

In step 2, valve 155 is opened, and water is supplied from supply tank 151 to combined pipeline 110. Furthermore, the water delivered to combined pipeline 110 is sent to storage tank 152 while expelling any air present within combined pipeline 110.

On the other hand, the water level in the supply tank 151 drops. The water level in the supply tank 151 is checked by the floater 156, so when the floater 156 falls below a certain height, the pump 155A operates to supply water to the supply tank 151. Furthermore, when the height of the floater 156 exceeds a predetermined height, the operation of the pump 155A stops. This allows the height of the supply tank 151 to be controlled within a predetermined range.

As water is continuously supplied to the ground 101 through the irrigation sheet 20, the water content WC of the ground 102 increases.

The water level in the supply tank 151 and the water level in the storage tank 152 are approximately the same height. Strictly speaking, the water level in the storage tank 152 will be lower than the water level in the supply tank 151 within a range equivalent to the head loss in the combined pipeline 110 section. To eliminate this difference in height, it is preferable to install equipment such as a floater and pump similar to that in the supply tank 151 in the second tank 152. In this case, the pressure head in the center of the combined pipeline 110 will be lowest compared to other sections, but the difference in pressure head will be approximately half that of the configuration of this embodiment.

In step 3, the sensor 131 measures the water content WC of the ground 102. It is determined whether the measured water content WC exceeds the second threshold value TR2.

When the controller 132 determines that the measured value of the water content WC of the underground 102 measured by the sensor 131 exceeds the second threshold value TR2, the process proceeds to step 4. If the determination result is NO, the measurement continues. Note that the second threshold value TR2 is set to a value greater than the first threshold value TR1.

In step 4, valve 155 is closed, and water is no longer supplied from supply tank 151 to combined pipeline 110. If this state continues for a certain period of time, the water level in combined pipeline 110 and storage tank 152 will gradually drop, and as shown in Figure 4, there will be almost no water in combined pipeline 110 and storage tank 152. When this state occurs, the supply of water from combined pipeline 110 to external space 105 will stop. As this state continues, the water content WC of the ground 102 will gradually decrease.

This embodiment is merely an example, and modifications can of course be made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. For example, as shown in the modified example in Figure 6, the composite pipeline 110 may be configured such that a water pipe 11 spans between connecting pipes 30. Furthermore, multiple composite pipelines, multiple supply tanks 151, and multiple storage tanks 152 may be combined to form a network of composite pipelines.

The tree irrigation system 1 of the present invention not only makes it easy to irrigate seedlings grown directly under solar panels, but also reduces the labor required for irrigation, making it highly applicable industrially.

1: Tree irrigation system 2: Tree irrigation pipe 11: Water pipe 12: Connection part 20: Irrigation sheet (irrigation part)
21: First surface 22: Second surface 23: Water flow section 24: Opening 25: Recess 30: Connecting pipe 101: Ground 102: Underground 105: External space 130: Control section 131: Sensor 132: Controller 150: Water flow device 151: Supply tank 152: Storage tank TR1: First threshold TR2: Second threshold W: Water WC: Water content

Claims (7)

A tree irrigation pipe for installation above ground,
a water pipe having connection portions at both ends for connecting connection pipes;
a watering section having one end located inside the water pipe and the other end protruding from the water pipe toward an external space,
The tree irrigation pipe is characterized in that the irrigation section can discharge water present in the water pipe to an external space by the action of capillary action and the principle of a siphon. The watering section is a sheet having a first surface and a second surface that are opposed to each other,
The tree irrigation pipe described in claim 1, characterized in that the first surface has a plurality of recesses arranged in a row connected to both the one end and the other end, and the recesses allow water present in the water pipe to be discharged to the outside. The recess has an opening that opens from the second surface toward the first surface and a flowing water portion that communicates with the opening,
The water in the water pipe is taken into the flow section through the opening by capillary action, and flows out into the external space through the flow section by the action of the siphon principle, and can be discharged to the ground at the part where the opening comes into contact with the ground. The tree irrigation pipe described in claim 2, characterized in that the second surface is a flat surface that covers the first surface. A composite pipe line having a plurality of tree irrigation pipes according to claims 1 to 4 and a connecting pipe that connects the tree irrigation pipes to each other;
A tree irrigation system comprising: a water supply device that is connected to the composite pipe and can supply water to the composite pipe. the water supply device includes a supply tank for supplying water to the composite pipeline, and a control unit for controlling the water supplied from the supply tank;
The control unit includes a sensor that measures the water content of the ground and a controller,
6. The tree irrigation system according to claim 5, wherein the controller commands water to be passed through the combined pipe when the measurement value measured by the sensor is below a first threshold value, and commands water to be stopped from being passed through the combined pipe when the measurement value measured by the sensor is above a second threshold value. The tree irrigation system described in claim 6, characterized in that the water supply device has a storage tank that stores water passed through the composite pipe.