1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for collecting and/or distributing liquids and gas.
2. Background of the Invention
Various liquid and gas collection and distribution devices such as sprinklers, seep hose systems and drip systems are well known in the landscaping industry. However, currently available systems suffer from and are subject to a variety of drawbacks resulting in high cost, maintenance, installation time, and often result in excessively wet or dry spots in the terrain intended to be irrigated.
For example, sprinklers systems arc typically comprised of a series of irrigation pipes or hoses which are connected to one or more sprinkler "heads." Irrigation substances such as water, fertilizer, insecticide, etc. are then pumped through the piping and sprinkler head for distribution over a desired area. However, though sprinklers generally provide adequate irrigation, they tend to suffer from their exposed nature, inherent inefficiencies, and high maintenance costs.
For example, because the sprinkler heads typically are exposed to the environment, they are at an increased risk to vandalism and damage from landscaping devices such as lawn mowers, tractors, plows, and the like. Additionally, because the sprinklers are so exposed, "natural" elements such as ultra violet rays from the sun, rain, snow and ice cause the sprinklers to degrade more rapidly. Finally, as the sprinklers typically consist of several mechanical components, they generally require a substantial amount of maintenance.
Seeping hose systems suffer from similar problems. The systems generally consist of permeable tubing which is connected to a water (or other fluid) source. The hose is then placed on the surface (or, alternatively, just under the surface) of the land to be irrigated. To operate the system, the tubing is unrolled, arranged along the ground and connected to the fluid source. As the fluid flows through the tubing, the permeable nature of the tubing allows the fluid to "seep" through the walls of the tubing, thus irrigating the area adjacent to the tubing.
However, like the sprinkler system, the seeping system suffers from several problems. For example, it is typically difficult to be certain the seeping system is sufficiently irrigating the desired area and, similarly, to know whether the water or other fluid is being evenly distributed, thus further creating unevenness in irrigation.
In addition, the tubing generally does not perform well on uneven areas of land. When the tubing is placed on "hilly" or rolling terrain, no means are available to provide sheer-resistance to hillsides before plant life roots take hold of the ground.
Lastly, the complexity of the seeping tube system creates inherently large installation costs and installation time.
Alternative irrigation systems have therefore developed. For example of the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,386, issued to Ronald G. Minshul on Dec. 19, 1989 is one such irrigation device. The patent discloses a panel-like system for collecting and/or distributing fluids and gases. The device comprises, generally, rigid panels through which gases and fluids may flow which are connected to a framework of piping. However, the device disclosed in the patent suffers from its inherent rigidity and complicated framework. Because the panels are rigid, they fail to conform to uneven and/or sloped terrain, and the complex network of framing again results in increased installation time, cost and maintenance time.
Another example of an alternative irrigation system is a knitted, fabric mulch irrigation system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,418, and issued to Robert T. Seith on Jun. 10, 1975. This system generally comprises a fabric "netting" used to prevent erosion, control weeds, enrich the soil and irrigate the land. This device also suffers from drawbacks similar to those set forth above. Again, the complexity of the device increases manufacturing costs. Additionally, the size of the knitted fabric is typically limited to the size of the vehicle on which the device is delivered. Still further, the fabric is inflexible in the longitudinal and lateral directions making the device ill-suited to uneven and/or sloping terrain. Finally, the device must have an irrigation tube or pipe connected at each wale in order to produce even distribution of the irrigation fluid, thus increasing the time and costs of installation and maintenance.
Accordingly, there is a need for a fluid/gas irrigation and/or collection device which allows adaptability to uneven or sloping terrain, has even collection and distribution characteristics, is easy to ship and store, and has low maintenance, cost and installation times. Additionally, it is desirable that the device be simple to repair and/or integrate with existing systems.