GB2625363A - Apparatus for filtering pond water - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus 1 for filtering pond water, comprises: a container 10 having a base portion 12, and at least one side wall 13 extending away from the base portion and defining an opening; and a fluid dispersing member 20 located towards the opening of the container. The container is configured to receive, in use, a supply of water which may be supplied by a fluid conduit 90, such as a garden hose. The fluid conduit may be fluidly connected inside the container to a nozzle 80 which is arranged to eject a jet of water to be dispersed within the container. The fluid dispersing member is configured to disperse the jet of water towards the base of the container while allowing a portion of the water to pass through or around itself, so that the portion of the water can replenish a supported plant (5, Fig. 1). The remaining water that is deflected by the fluid dispersing member can flow towards the base of the container, due to gravity, passing through one or more filtration elements before being fed back to the pond. The container may be configured as a planter.

Description

APPARATUS FOR FILTERING POND WATER FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for filtering pond water. BACKGROUND As part of pond maintenance, it is beneficial for the water to be filtered regularly to prevent a build-up of physical debris and algae, and to remove organic waste from fish and animals living in or around the pond. For example, to keep the water relatively clear, solid waste needs to be removed from the pond. Furthermore, particularly for ponds that include fish, there is a desire to remove ammonia and nitrites from the pond, which may be harmful to the fish. Furthermore, it may be important to aerate the water to provide optimal levels of dissolved gasses such as oxygen.

Since insufficient filtering of a pond can be very harmful, filters comprising adequate filtration means can be fairly bulky. For example, the filtration means may include a pump arranged to transfer water from the pond into a filtration unit at the side of the pond, with the filtered water running back into the pond by gravity. Since the pond-side filter may obstruct access and take up space beside the pond, it may be desirable hide the filter, such as installing it in a hole at the side of the pond. However, this inhibits easy access to the filter, such as for repair, cleaning and replacement of filter elements. Especially where large filters are used, it can be a challenge to hide the filter while also providing easy access to monitor and repair the filter.

Accordingly, there is a need for a solution that addresses the problems discussed above.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for filtering pond water, comprising: a container having a base portion, and at least one side wall extending away from the base portion and defining an opening; and means for dispersing a jet of water, said (dispersing) means being located towards the opening of the container and thereby spaced from the base portion of the container; wherein said means for dispersing a jet of water is configured to disperse said jet of water towards the base of the container while allowing a portion of the water to pass through or around itself.

The container is preferably configured, in use, to contain one or more water filtration elements, and further to support a plant above the dispersing means, such that the dispersing means separates the plant from the one or more filtration elements. Thus, a portion of dispersed water that passes through or around the dispersing means can be used to replenish the plant, with a remaining portion of dispersed water left to pass through said one or more water filtration elements on its journey towards the base of the container. The dispersing means is preferably configured such that the portion of dispersed water "remaining" is a greater portion of the dispersed water than the portion of water allowed to pass through or around the dispersing means to replenish the plant. The portion of water allowed to pass the dispersing means (i.e. through or around it) is preferably also a portion of dispersed water, i.e. water that has been dispersed (e.g. scattered) by the dispersing means. In this way, the apparatus may be used both to water a supported plant as well as filtering water that can be supplied from a pond (e.g. pumped using a suitable pond pump, the type of which is well-known) to the apparatus, and which can then be returned back to the pond from the apparatus, once filtered.

The container may comprise a planter, for example a decorative planter, such that the apparatus may be disguised while placed next to a pond, while remaining easily accessible, does not use space that may otherwise be used for growing plants, and blends in with the surroundings. As used herein, the term "planter" preferably connotes a container in which plants may be grown, preferably a decorative container By contrast, existing pond filters are bulky and may take up space at this side of the pond that may otherwise have been used for plants and wildlife, and do not blend in with the natural surroundings.

The means for dispersing (or "dispersing means") preferably comprises a fluid-dispersing member having a first ("lower") surface, a second ("upper") surface and one or more openings extending therebetween. In use, the jet of water is arranged to impinge on the first surface of the fluid-dispersing member and is thereby dispersed (e.g. scattered, at least partially as a spray) across said surface and mostly defected back into / towards the base of the container. However, a portion of the dispersed water passes through the one or more openings to the second surface of the fluid-dispersing member, to form a layer of water on said second surface of the fluid-dispersing member that can replenish the plant, wherein said layer of water can be constantly replenished by further dispersed water passing through the one or more openings. While the openings are preferably provided in the fluid-dispersing member at positions that are spaced from its perimeter, one or more openings may be provided at the perimeter of the fluid-dispersing member, or it may otherwise be configured to provide similar openings, such that a portion of dispersed water may pass around it.

As such, it is possible to maintain a controlled supply of water to the second surface for watering a supported plant, without the supply of water being visible while also allowing the plant to be supported by the member As mentioned above, the remaining dispersed water is deflected by the fluid-dispersing member and travels (under the force of gravity) towards the base of the container, and on the way may pass through one or more filtration elements that filter the water The size, spacing, and number of the one or more openings may be selected to adjust the amount of water that is maintained on the second surface of the fluid-dispersing member Preferably, the fluid-dispensing member is substantially planar such that the first and second surfaces are opposed. The fluid-dispensing member may be generally circular. The one or more openings may comprise a plurality of first openings arranged in a ring configuration, though other configurations are possible. There may be eight such openings, though fewer or more openings may be provided, for example depending on their size and shape. The openings are preferably circular, though other shapes may be used. The openings are preferably spaced apart equally, such that each of the openings is preferably equidistant to adjacent openings, though spacings may be varied. The openings may be arranged adjacent an area of the fluid-dispersing member upon which the jet of water impinges. Preferably, the ring of openings encircles a generally central region of the fluid-dispersing member By providing one or more openings adjacent an area where the jet water impinges upon the fluid-dispersing member (i.e. an "impingement area"), a greater proportion of the dispersed water can be diverted to the second surface of the fluid-dispersing member (i.e. compared to having the one or more openings at a position remote from the impingement area).

The fluid-dispersing member may comprise a plurality of first (or "inner") openings, as described above, and further plurality of second (or "outer") openings, which also extend through the fluid-dispersing member Preferably, the second openings are spaced apart equally and/or arranged around or towards a perimeter of the fluid-dispersing member, for example outside a ring formed by the plurality of first openings. Thus, the plurality of second openings may surround the plurality of first openings. The size and shape of the second openings may correspond to the size and shape of the first openings, or they may have a different configuration.

The second openings are preferably circular, for example.

The number of first openings is greater than the number of second openings, for example there may be twice as many first openings as second openings. The plurality of second openings may therefore comprise four openings, for example.

Each of the second openings may be equidistant to adjacent openings in the plurality of second openings. By including a plurality of second openings near the perimeter of the fluid-dispersing member, water dispersed by the fluid-dispersing member may be diverted through any of the first and/or second plurality of openings to the second surface of the fluid-dispersing member. Furthermore, if most of the portion of dispersed water passes through to the second surface of the fluid-dispersing member via the plurality of first openings, the plurality of second openings may allow some of that water to drain back through the fluid-dispersing member to be filtered. This may help avoid excessive water accumulating on the second surface of the fluid-dispersing member, which could potentially saturate a plant. Thus, if there are fewer second openings than first openings in the fluid-dispersing member, a volume of water on the second surface of the fluid-dispersing member can be maintained (i.e. with a constant supply of water to the apparatus) while allowing some of that water to drain back towards the base of the container (where one or more water filtration elements may be disposed).

The apparatus may further comprise a fluid receptacle positioned in the container such that it can collect the remaining dispersed water. The fluid receptacle preferably comprises a base having one or more apertures to allow water to drain from the fluid receptacle towards the base of the container The one or more apertures may be equally spaced in a ring configuration around the base of the fluid receptacle. Preferably, the fluid conduit comprises one more side wall extending away from the base to form an (upper) opening. Alternatively, or additionally, one or more apertures may be arranged on the side wall of the fluid receptacle. Alternatively, the side wall may be discontinuous. The side wall may have a stepped configuration whereby a step is formed around the one or more side wall upon which the means for dispersing (e.g. fluid-dispersing member) can be located (e.g. seated). For example, the side wall may comprise a flange configured to support an edge of the means for dispersing such that it may be supported at a predetermined distance from the base of the fluid receptacle. An internal surface of the side wall of the fluid receptacle may be profiled to further scatter water that is incident upon the side wall. Advantageously, this may enable more consistent saturation of dispersed water throughout the fluid receptacle. The profiled internal surface of the side wall may include a rough texture and/or a regular or irregular surface contour The apparatus may further comprise at least one of the following filtration elements: a first filtration element disposed between the means for dispersing and the base of the fluid receptacle; a second filtration element disposed within the container below the means for dispersing; a ceramic filtration element; and a plurality of cube filtration elements, preferably disposed above a ceramic filtration element.

The first and/or second filtration elements may comprise a plurality of layers of solid foam material having differing porosities. Preferably, the porosity of adjacent filtration layers decreases in the direction of water flow. The layers may be laminated together to form a laminated structure, for example using an adhesive to secure the layers together. Thus, the plurality of solid foam "filtration" layers may be configured as a "cassette", which is simple to remove and replace in the container The first and/or second filtration elements may have at least one channel extending therethrough for a fluid conduit (or nozzle) to pass through, preferably wherein the channel is reinforced to provide structural rigidity. The first and/or second filtration elements may have one or more channels extending therethrough for water to pass through. The channel may be reinforced to provide structural rigidity. By reinforcing the channels, they remain open to inhibit filtered contaminate from blocking them and/or to prevent the weight of the contaminate / water held in the first filtration element from causing it to distort, which may otherwise result in the channels collapsing and/or restrict flow of the water to the base of the container The structure of the second filtration element may have a diameter corresponding to an internal diameter of the container at a predetermined position, and preferably a tapered configuration around a perimeter of the structure. One or more solid foam layers of the structures of the first and second filtration elements may comprise carbon.

Thus, the first filtration element may provide a first stage of filtering of the water. The first filtration element may also act to delay drainage of the water through the one or more apertures in the base portion, thereby increasing the amount of water diverted to the second surface of the means for dispersing. Preferably, a gap is maintained between the first filtration element and the means for dispersing. In this way, the first filtration element does not inhibit dispersing of the water across the impinged ("first") surface of the means for dispersing. The one or more channels may allow water to drain through the first filtration element. The second filtration element may then performs in a similar manner to the first filtration element to provide a further stage of filtration within the container, if required, and is preferably spaced between the first filtration element and the base of the container While it is preferred that both the first and second filtration elements are present, the presence of only one or other of them may still provide adequate filtration. Advantageously, the ceramic filter element (or "ceramic filter structure") may house bacteria that filter out ammonia and/or nitrites from the water The ceramic filtration element and/or individual (cube) filtration elements in the base of the container may then provide a final stage of filtration, if required, due to the water passing through them when flowing towards the port to exit the container. While the individual cube filtration elements preferably have a cubic or cuboidal configuration, it will be appreciated that other shapes and sizes may be used, and the term "cube" may simply be used herein as a convenient way to describe them.

Preferably, a nozzle is provided / arranged in the container to eject the jet of water (e.g. supplied from a pond via a fluid conduit, such as a hose) such that the jet of water impinges on a surface of the means for dispersing, preferably where the water is pressurised, for example using a water (or "pond") pump. The nozzle may be positioned in the base of the fluid receptacle, preferably at a generally central position of the fluid receptacle. By locating the nozzle at a central position, the (remaining) water dispersed by the means for dispersing may be evenly distributed throughout the fluid receptacle. Where a first filtration element is present, the nozzle may extend through a channel that extends through the first filtration element. The nozzle may be configured to eject the jet of water such that it impinges on the surface of the means for dispersing at an angle that is substantially normal to said surface. The nozzle may be located in a base of the fluid receptacle, preferably at a generally central position of the base.

The nozzle is preferably used in combination with the means for dispersing in the form of a fluid-dispersing member, whereby the plurality of first openings in the fluid-dispersing member are also positioned in a generally central region of the means for dispersing, which thereby provides at least part of the surface on which the jet of water impinges and may therefore enhance uniform dispersing of the water through the openings and into the fluid receptacle. The spacing between the nozzle (i.e. an outlet of the nozzle from which the water is ejected) the and the means for dispersing may be configured to control the ratio of water dispersed into a portion for replenishing the plant and the remaining portion of dispersed water. The fluid conduit may comprise a pipe or (flexible) hose, for example.

A fluid conduit may be arranged to be detachably coupled to the nozzle to form a fluid connection for the supply of water to the nozzle. The nozzle may comprise a male connector arranged to extend towards the base of the container, and the fluid conduit may comprise a female connector arranged to be removably coupled with the male connector, or vice versa. In this way, the apparatus may be easily assembled and disassembled. The male and female connectors may comprise corresponding male and female (e.g. garden) hose heads, for example.

The container may comprise a port arranged to receive therethrough a fluid conduit that supplies water to the nozzle and to provide an outlet for (filtered) water collected in the base of the container. Preferably, the port for discharging water is located in a lower portion of the container, preferably in a side wall of the container, and more preferably adjacent to the base of the container, such that water flows towards and exits the port due to gravity. The port may be configured to have an opening that is larger than the fluid conduit to allow (filtered) water to be discharged from the container around the fluid conduit, e.g. via a gap between the port and the fluid conduit received therethrough. Thus, the port may provide both a fluid inlet and outlet to the container. Alternatively, or additionally, a port may be provided to discharge water draining from the fluid receptacle that is separate from the port for the fluid conduit, for example to allow (filtered) water to exit the container in multiple directions.

Preferably, a tray for supporting the plant on the means for dispersing is also provided. The tray may be formed, at least in part, from a solid foam material that is permeable such that both water and plant roots can pass therethrough. The dispersed water may then be held within the solid foam of the tray to ensure a steady supply of water to a plant supported therein.

The fluid receptacle is configured to correspond with the size, shape and configuration of the container, for example such that the fluid receptacle fits, at least partially, inside the opening of the container. Preferably, at least one of the container and fluid receptacle is configured as a decorative planter The container may be referred to as a "first (e.g. low) planter" and the fluid receptacle may be referred to as a "second (e.g. high) planter", for example the types of planters (or plant pots) that are commonly used in gardening to grow plants. Alternatively, the container and fluid receptacle may be referred to as a "first container" and "second container", respectively.

Due to the configuration of the apparatus, one or more of the above-described components, including the means for dispersing, the fluid receptacle, the one or more filtration elements and the tray, may be easily-removable from the container. In this way, the components of the apparatus may be replaced, cleaned, and/or repaired. Furthermore, different fluid-dispersing members, fluid receptacles and/or combinations and configurations of filtration elements may be provided in the apparatus in order to adjust the amount of water that is maintained on the second surface of the fluid-dispersing member. This may allow an optimum supply of water to be provided to the plant, such as to account for plants with different watering requirements.

As used herein, the term "solid foam" preferably connotes any of a number of light cellular solids or structures made by creating bubbles of gas in the liquid material and solidifying it, both open-cell and closed-cell, such as a polyurethane "filter foam" (sponge) or similar filter material, the type of which is commonly used in filtration apparatus, and particularly in water filtration apparatus.

Furthermore, as used herein, "means plus function" features may be expressed alternatively in terms of their corresponding structure.

It will be understood by a skilled person that any apparatus feature described herein may be provided as a method feature, and vice versa. It will also be understood that particular combinations of the various features described and defined in any aspects described herein can be implemented and/or supplied and/or used independently.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

One or more embodiments will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: Figure 1 shows an apparatus for filtering pond water as described herein; Figure 2 shows a perspective top view of the apparatus without the plant; Figures 3A and 3B show two different views of a fluid-dispersing member; Figures 4A and 4B show two different views of a fluid receptacle; Figure 5 shows a side view of a tray for supporting a plant in the container; Figure 6 shows an exploded side view of the apparatus; Figure 7 shows a container and fluid conduit; Figure 8A shows an external side view of the apparatus, and Figure 83 shows a cross-sectional side view of the apparatus; Figures 9A and 9B show side and top views of a first "upper" filtration element; Figures 10A and 10B show side and top views of a second "lower" filtration element; Figure 11A shows a plurality of ceramic portions forming a "ceramic filtration element", and Figure 113 shows a plurality of cube filtration elements; and Figures 12A and 123 show a fluid connector for coupling a fluid conduit to a nozzle of the apparatus, and a fluid connection formed therebetween.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of an apparatus 1 for filtering pond water, according to the present invention. The apparatus 1 comprises a container 10 having a side wall 13 extending away from a base portion ("base") 12 to form an (upper) opening. In use, the container 10 contains one or more water filtration elements (described in more detail below) and may support a plant 5 above said one or more filtration elements, as depicted in Figure 1. The container 10 may be provided by a suitably sized planter (or plant pot), for example. Accordingly, the apparatus 1 may function as both a pond filter and a decorative planter, which allows the apparatus 1 to blend into the surroundings in a visually appealing way that does not take up space that may otherwise have been used for growing other plants or accessing the pond.

The container 10 is configured to receive, in use, a supply of water, preferably pumped from a pond, or similar reservoir, which is dispersed internally by a means for dispersing the supply of water (not shown) that is configured to allow a portion of the water to pass through or around it so that the portion of water can replenish the supported plant 5, with the remaining water being deflected by the means for dispersing such that it flows towards the base of the container 10, due to gravity, passing through one or more filtration elements before being fed (back) to the pond. The water may be supplied by a fluid conduit 90, such as a garden hose, which may be fluidly connected (e.g. using a standard garden hose connector) inside the container 10 to a nozzle (described in more detail below) arranged to eject a jet of water to be dispersed within the container 10 by said dispersing means. The other end of the fluid conduit 90 may be fluidly connected to a pond pump, or similar means for supplying water to the nozzle 80 at sufficient pressure to cause it to eject from the nozzle 80 as a jet of water.

A port 15 is provided in the side wall 13 of the container 10, located towards or adjacent the base 12 of the container 10, through which the fluid conduit 90 enters the container 10, and which also provides an outlet for water collected in the base 12 of the container 10, having been filtered by the one or more filtration elements, to drain from the container 10, preferably (back) into the pond. To facilitate this, the port 15 has a larger diameter than the fluid conduit 90 so as to provide a gap between the port 15 and the fluid conduit 90 through which filtered water can exit the container 10.

Figure 2 shows a top view of the apparatus 1 depicted without a plant 5. In use, water is supplied to the container 10 and dispersed internally by a dispersing means (not visible), which in this embodiment is fluid-dispersing member 20 located in an upper region of the container 10, spaced from the base 12 and towards its opening. A fluid receptacle 30 is also provided, which is removably seated in the opening of the container 10, and which supports the fluid-dispersing member 20 within the container 10.

The fluid-dispersing member 20 and the fluid receptacle 30 will be described in more detail below with reference to Figures 3 and 4, respectively. However, for the purposes of initially understanding the configuration of the apparatus 1 shown in Figure 2, the fluid receptacle 30 has a base portion 32 and a side wall 33 extending away from the base 32 to form an opening. The opening corresponds generally in size and shape with the opening of the container 10, such that the fluid receptacle 30 fits snugly inside the opening of the container 10. The container 10 and the fluid receptacle 30 both have a circular configuration, i.e. their respective bases 12, 22 and openings are both circular, with a single circular side wall 13, 33 extending, respectively, between the respective bases 12, 22 and their openings.

The opening of the fluid receptacle 30 may comprise an outwardly facing lip (or "flange") 36, which is preferably continuous around the opening of the fluid receptable 30, and which rests on an upper edge 17 of the opening of the container 10, thereby to support the weight of the fluid receptable 30 on the container 10. The side wall 33 of the fluid receptacle 30 is shorter than the side wall 13 of the container 10, such that the base 32 of the fluid receptable 30 is spaced from the base 12 of the container 30. One or more filtration elements (not shown) may then be disposed in the container 10 within the space underneath the fluid receptacle 30.

The fluid-dispersing member 20 may then be positioned in the fluid receptacle 30, preferably spaced between the base 32 of the fluid receptacle 30 and the upper edge 17 of its opening. For example, the side wall 33 of the fluid receptacle 30 may include a stepped portion 34, whereby the width/diameter of the fluid receptacle 30 is greater in the stepped portion 34 than the width/diameter of the side wall 33 of the fluid receptacle 30 below the stepped portion 34. The stepped portion 34 may start halfway up the side wall 33, for example. The fluid-dispersing member 20 may then be seated (i.e. rest) on a "step" 37 formed by the stepped portion 34 of the side wall 33 such that it is supported within the fluid receptacle 30. Ideally, the fluid-dispersing member 20 is configured to have a shape and width/diameter corresponding to the width/diameter of the (portion of the) fluid-receptacle 30 in which it is positioned, such that a minimal gap exists between the edge (or perimeter) of the fluid-dispersing member 20 and the side wall 33 of the fluid receptacle 30. Thus, in the preferred embodiment, the apparatus 1 comprises a fluid receptacle 30 positioned in the container 10 beneath the fluid-dispersing member 20, the fluid receptacle 30 being configured to collect a portion of the water dispersed by the fluid-dispersing member 20.

The fluid-dispersing member 20 of the preferred embodiment will now be described in more detail, with reference to Figures 3A and 3B. The fluid-dispersing member 20 is generally circular with a circumferential perimeter 28. For example, the fluid-dispersing member 20 may have a diameter of about 380 mm to correspond with a particular size and shape of a fluid receptable 30 that supports it. It is generally flat or planar, for example in the form of a plate. It may be described as a disc. The fluid-dispersing member may have a thickness in the range of 5 mm to 10 mm, for example 5 mm. It will be appreciated that other shapes and dimensions of fluid-dispersing member 20 may be provided, to correspond with other shapes of container 10 or fluid receptacle 30.

The fluid-dispersing member 20 has a first (lower) surface 20a, an opposed second (upper) surface 20b and one or more openings 25 extending therebetween. The one or more openings 25 may include a plurality of first (inner) openings 25a arranged adjacent to an impingement area 26 on the first surface 20a of the fluid-dispersing member 20, which is preferably a generally central region of the fluid-dispersing member 20. In use, the water supplied to the container is preferably directed (e.g. by a nozzle, described in more detail further on) to impinge upon the first surface 20a of the fluid-dispersing member 20 in the impingement area 26, and is thereby dispersed (e.g. scattered) across said first surface 20a, and in part through the one or more openings 25 to the second surface 20b of the fluid-dispersing member 20, with the remaining dispersed water left to travel towards the base of the container 10.

The plurality of first openings 25a is preferably arranged in a ring around the impingement area 26. Each of the first openings 25a may be equidistant to adjacent first openings 25a. In this example, the plurality of first openings 25a comprises four openings 25a spaced at 45-degree intervals, though more or fewer openings may be provided with a different spacing between them. The plurality of first openings 25a may be circular, and may each have a diameter of about 23 mm. The distance (radius) from the centre of the fluid-dispersing member 20 to the centre of the plurality of first openings 25a may be about 35 mm, for example, on a fluid-dispersing member 20 having a radius of about 190 mm.

The one or more openings 25 may include a plurality of second (outer) openings 25b arranged adjacent to the perimeter 28 of the fluid-dispersing member 20. The plurality of second openings 25b is preferably arranged in a ring. Each of the second openings 25b may be equidistant to adjacent second openings 25b. In this example, the plurality of second openings 25b comprises four openings 25b spaced at 90-degree intervals, though more or fewer second openings 25b may be provided with a different spacing. The openings 25b may be circular, and may each have a diameter of about 23 mm. The distance (radius) from the centre of the fluid-dispersing member 20 to the centre of the second plurality of openings 25b may be about 160 mm, for example, on a fluid-dispersing member 20 having a radius of about 190 mm.

The fluid receptacle 30 of the preferred embodiment will now be described in more detail with reference to Figures 4A and 4B. As noted previously, the fluid receptacle 30 may have a circular base portion 32 and a side wall 33 extending away from the base 32 to form a circular opening. The nozzle 80 may be positioned in the base portion 32 of the fluid receptacle 30. Preferably, the nozzle 80 is located at a generally central position in the base 32 of the fluid receptacle 30.

The fluid-dispersing member 20 is positioned within the fluid receptacle 30 so that the nozzle 80 ejects a jet of (e.g. pond) water that impinges on the first (lower) surface 20a of the fluid-dispersing member 20, and is thereby caused to disperse across the first surface 20a and, in part, through the first and second openings 25a, 25b to the second surface 20b of the fluid-dispersing member 20. The nozzle 80 may be arranged to eject the jet of water such that it impinges upon the first surface 20a of the fluid-dispersing member 20 at an angle that is substantially normal (i.e. perpendicular) to said first surface 20a. Ideally, the jet of water is configured to impinge upon the first surface 20a in the impingement area 26, which is preferably a generally central region of the fluid-dispersing member 20.

When water impinges upon the impingement area 26 of the first surface 20a of the fluid-dispersing member 20, a portion of the dispersed water passes through the plurality of first openings 25a to the second (upper) surface 20b of the fluid-dispersing member 20. The plurality of second openings 25b may also allow a portion of the dispersed water to pass therethrough to the second surface 20b of the fluid-dispersing member 20. Water that reaches the second surface 20b of the fluid-dispersing member 20 through the plurality of openings 25a, 25b may of course eventually drain back through the plurality of openings 25a, 25b of the fluid-dispersing member 20 to be filtered, for example excessive water that is not utilised to water a plant 5 supported in the container 10.

The relative number of openings in the plurality of first openings 25a and the plurality of second openings 25b may be altered to adjust the amount of dispersed water that passes through to the second surface 20b of the fluid-dispersing member 20. For example, there may be fewer openings in the plurality of second openings 25b compared to the plurality of first openings 25a to reduce the amount of dispersed water that passes through the plurality of first openings 25a onto the second surface 20b of the fluid-dispersing member 20 that can pass back through the plurality of second openings 25b, and thereby retain a larger volume of water on the second surface 20b of the fluid-dispersing member 20. As shown in this embodiment, there may be about half as many openings in the plurality of second openings 25b as compared to the plurality of first openings 25.

The base 32 of the fluid receptacle 30 may have one or more apertures 35 to allow water to drain from the fluid receptacle 30 towards the base 12 of the container 10, which may contain one or more filtration elements. Alternatively, or additionally, there may be apertures and/or discontinuities in the side wall 33 of the fluid receptacle 30. In this embodiment, six apertures 35 are arranged in the base 32 of the fluid receptacle 30. The apertures 35 may be circular, and may have a diameter of about 35 mm. The apertures 35 may be arranged in a ring around the centre of the base portion 32 (e.g. with a radius of about 125 mm). The apertures 35 may be equidistant from adjacent apertures 35 (e.g. spaced at 60 degree intervals). The size, shape, and/or number of apertures 35 may be selected to change the rate at which water drains from the fluid receptacle 30 into the container 10.

As mentioned above, the side wall 33 may have a step (or "flange") 37 configured to support the fluid-dispersing member 20 (i.e. at its perimeter 28). In this way, the fluid-dispersing member 20 may be supported at a predetermined distance from the nozzle 80 and may be easily aligned and removed from the fluid receptacle 30. The distance of the fluid-dispersing member 20 from the nozzle 80 may affect the ratio of dispersed water that passes through the openings 25a, 25b of the fluid-dispersing member 20 to its second (upper) surface 20b to that which is deflected directly towards the base 32 of the fluid receptacle 30, which may be referred to as "first" and "second" portions of dispersed water, respectively. Alternatively, or additionally, the side wall 33 of the fluid receptacle 30 may have a tapered configuration. In this way, a fluid-dispersing member 20 with a different size (i.e., diameter) may be supported at a different predetermined distance from the nozzle 80, thereby altering the ratio of the portion of dispersed water that passes through the fluid-dispersing member 20 to the portion of remaining dispersed water An internal surface of the side wall 33 of the fluid receptacle 30 may be profiled to disperse water that is incident upon the side wall 33. This may enable more consistent saturation of water throughout the fluid receptacle 30, which may divert water through the plurality of second openings 25b in the fluid-dispersing member 20. Generally, the profiled side wall 33 may include a rough texture and/or a regular or irregular surface contour For example, as shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the profiled side wall 33 may comprise a plurality of ridges oriented substantially vertically around the inner surface of the side wall 33. Alternatively, the ridges may be oriented horizontally.

As previously mentioned, with reference to Figure 1, a plant 5 may be positioned in the fluid receptable 30, above the fluid-dispersing member 20, which is preferably supported by the fluid-dispersing member 20.

The skilled person will of course appreciate that, by way of its positioning within the fluid receptacle 20, which is itself disposed in the opening of the container 10, the fluid-dispersing member 20 is also considered to be positioned / disposed within the container 10.

A tray 70 may be provided for supporting the plant 5 in the container 10. More specifically, the tray 70 may be placed onto the fluid-dispersing member 20 between the fluid-dispersing member 20 and the plant 5.

An embodiment of a tray 70 is shown in more detail in Figure 5. The tray 70 may be formed, at least in part, from a fluid-permeable material and arranged such that a portion of dispersed water can penetrate through the tray 70 to water the plant 5. For example, the tray 70 may comprise a solid foam material, which is water permeable while also having the ability to releasably absorb / retain water within its structure. The solid foam material may be porous to allow roots of the plant to penetrate through the solid foam structure of the tray 70.

In a preferred embodiment, the tray 70 has a base 72 and a side wall 73 extending away from the base 72 to form an opening into which the plant 5 may be placed. The base 72 of the tray 70 may rest on the fluid-dispersing member 20, which thereby supports the weight of the tray 70 and any plant 5 contained therein, and through which dispersed water can penetrates to water the plant 5. The side wall 73 of the tray 70 may align with the side wall 33 of the fluid receptacle 30, thereby inhibiting relative movement and maximising space for the plant 5 to grow within the tray 70. The tray 70 may further act to inhibit the transfer of soil or other debris from the plant 5 to the interior of the container 10, while also allowing the plant 5 to be easily removed from the apparatus 10.

An exploded side view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus 1 described above is shown in Figure 6. The container 10 may have tapered side wall 13 so that other components (e.g. fluid receptacle 30) placed within the container 10 rest at a predetermined position in the container 10. While the container 10 is substantially cylindrical in this example, it will be appreciated that any shape of container 10 may be used, such as a container 10 with a square base 12.

As already mentioned, the container 10 includes a port 15, which comprises an inlet/outlet pipe 16 formed of a rigid plastic material, for example. As shown in Figure 7, the fluid conduit 90 extends through the inlet/outlet pipe 16 to provide the water supply to the container 10. Once the (remaining) dispersed water has passed through the one or more filtration elements into the base 12 of the container 10, the filtered water may exit the apparatus 1 through the inlet/outlet pipe 16. As shown in Figure 1, the inlet/outlet pipe 16 may have a diameter larger than that of the fluid conduit 90, thereby allowing the fluid conduit 90 to slide through the inlet/outlet pipe 16 to facilitate easy assembly and disassembly. Furthermore, the fluid conduit 90 may provide the water supply to the container 10, while the gap between the fluid conduit 90 and the inlet/outlet pipe 16 may allow the water to drain from the container 10.

Figure 8A shows a side view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus 1, illustrating the relative positions of the container 10, fluid receptacle 30 and tray 70. As shown in Figure 6, though with their respective positions within the container 10 better depicted in Figure 8B, the apparatus 1 may comprise one or more of the following filtration elements configured to filter the water supplied thereto: a first ("upper") filtration element 40, configured to be disposed in the base 32 of the fluid receptacle 30 beneath the fluid-dispersing member 20; a second ("lower") filtration element 50, configured to be disposed within the container 10 beneath the fluid receptacle 30 but spaced from the base 12 of the container 10; a ceramic filtration element 60, which is preferably disposed in the base 12 of the container 10; and one or more cube filtration elements 65, again which are preferably disposed in the base 12 of the container 10. The various filtration elements 40, 50, 60, 65 will now be described in more detail.

An example of a first ("upper") filtration element 40 is shown in Figures 9A and 9B. The first filtration element 40 is a laminated structure, comprising three layers of solid foam material. The first filtration element 40 has a substantially cylindrical shape, such that it covers substantially the whole of the base portion 32 of the fluid receptacle 30. Preferably, the height of the first filtration element 40 is configured such that a gap is maintained between an upper surface of the first filtration element 40 and the fluid-dispersing member 20, so as not to inhibit dispersion of the jet of water across the first surface 20a of the fluid-dispersing member 20.

A channel 45a extends through the centre of the first filtration element 40 for receiving the nozzle 80 therethrough. One or more additional channels 45b may also be provided to provide a fluid bypass for dispersed water to drain through the first filtration element 40 in the event that the fluid receptacle 30 should become full. In this way, the additional channels 45b may prevent a plant 5 seated above the fluid-dispersing member 20 from becoming flooded, for example if contaminate in the first filtration element 40 should restrict water flow through its solid foam structure. The channels 45a, 45b are preferably circular. The channels 45a, 45b may be reinforced, for example by tubes 46a, 46b, which may be made of plastic. In this way, the channels 45a, 45b should stay open to allow contaminate to pass through the first filtration element while also providing structural rigidity that prevents the weight of the first filtration element 40 from collapsing inward and sealing the channels 45a, 45b.

As mentioned above, the first filtration element 40 may comprise a plurality of filtration layers 42, which may be laminated together to form a structure (e.g. a "cassette"). The filtration layers 42 may comprise solid foam layers having differing porosities. Preferably, the porosity of adjacent filtration layers 42 decreases in the direction of water flow through the first filtration element 40, whereby larger contaminates are removed initially, followed by smaller contaminates. In this example, the laminated structure comprises a top filtration layer 42a with a first porosity, a middle filtration layer 42b with a second porosity smaller than the first porosity, and a bottom filtration layer 42c with a third porosity smaller than the second porosity. One or more layers of the first filtration element 40, for example the top and bottom layers 42a, 42c may also comprise carbon to remove ammonia from the water, and to provide rigidity to the laminated structure.

An example of a second ("lower") filtration element 50 is shown in Figures 10A and 10B. Similar to the first filtration element 40, the second filtration element 50 also has a laminated structure, comprising three layers of solid foam material. The second filtration element 50 may have a substantially cylindrical shape, with a diameter configured to cause the second filtration element 50 to be retained in the container 10 at a predetermined height from its base 12, where the diameter of the second filtration element 50 corresponds to an internal diameter of the container 10. For example, the second filtration element 50 may have a taper corresponding to a taper of the side wall 13 container 10, such that the second filtration element 50 is supported within the container 10 at a predetermined position.

A channel 55a extends through the second filtration element 50, through which the fluid conduit 90 passes on its way to connecting to the nozzle 80 provided on the base 32 of the fluid receptacle 30. One or more additional channels 55b may also be provided to allow water to drain through the second filtration element 50, again to provide a fluid bypass, similar to the arrangement of the first filtration element 40. Again, the channels 55a, 55b are preferably circular and/or may be reinforced with tubes 56a, 56b, which may be made of plastic, and which perform a similar function as described for the first filtration element 40.

As mentioned above, the second filtration element 50 may comprise a plurality of filtration layers 52, which may be laminated together to form a structure (e.g. a "cassette"). The filtration layers 52 may be solid foam layers having differing porosities. Preferably, the porosity of adjacent filtration layers 52 decreases in the direction of water flow through the second filtration element 50, whereby larger contaminates are removed initially, followed by smaller contaminates. In this example, the second filtration element 50 has a top filtration layer 52a with a first porosity, a middle filtration layer 52b with a second porosity smaller than the first porosity, and a bottom filtration layer 52c with a third porosity smaller than the second porosity. One or more layers of the second filtration element 50, for example the top and bottom layers 52a, 52c may include carbon to remove ammonia from the water, and to provide rigidity to the laminated structure.

Figure 11A shows an example of a ceramic filtration element 60, comprising a plurality of ceramic portions 61 such as cubes, blocks, or rings. The ceramic portions 61 can retain bacteria that filters out ammonia and/or nitrites from the water The ceramic portions 61 may be cylindrical and/or hollow; for example, a tubular configuration provide a greater surface area of the ceramic portion 61 to contact the water The ceramic portions 61 may be held within a porous bag 62 such as a reticulated mesh bag 62, which thereby enables easy installation and removal of the ceramic portions 61 into and from the container 10. The ceramic filtration element 60 is preferably disposed in the base 12 of the container 10, such that at least some of the dispersed water flowing into the base 12 due to gravity is filtered through the ceramic filtration element 60 before exiting the container 10 through the inlet/outlet pipe 16 located towards the base 12 of the container 10.

Figure 11B shows a plurality of cube filtration elements 65, which are each formed from a solid foam material. Ideally, the cube filtration elements 65 are arranged to substantially cover the ceramic filtration element 60 in the container 10, whereby the cube filtration elements 65 act to filter out further contaminate from the dispersed water prior to the water reaching the ceramic filtration element 60. While the cube filtration elements 65 are cuboidal in this example, it will be appreciated that other shapes and sizes may be used for these further filtration elements 65.

Referring now to Figures 12A and 12B, the connection between the fluid conduit 90 and the nozzle 80 will now be described in more detail. The fluid conduit 90 is shown in Figure 12A extending thorough a second ("lower") filtration element 50 positioned in the container 10. As mentioned above, the nozzle 80 may be positioned in the base 32 of the fluid receptacle 30, as shown in Figure 12B. Here, and also in the exploded side view of Figure 6, a male connector 83 is shown provided on the underside of the base 32 of the fluid receptable 30, which is arranged to couple (e.g. via a screw thread arrangement) to the nozzle 80, which is thereby secured to the upper side of the base 32 of the fluid receptable 30, as shown in Figure 8B.

In a preferred example, the fluid conduit 90 is a hose and the male connector 83 is a standard male hose connector, the type of which is well-known for use in gardening, for example. The fluid conduit 90 may then terminate with a female (e.g. hose) connector 84, which is configured to form a secure, removable fluid connection with the male connector 83, again the type of which is well-known. The female connector 84 may comprise a locking nut 86 for securing it to the fluid connector 90. By securing the female connector 84 to the male connector 83, water may be supplied (e.g. pumped) to the nozzle 80 via the fluid conduit 90. Thus, the fluid conduit 90 may be easily connected and disconnected from the nozzle 80, and hence the fluid receptacle 30, which simplifies replacement of the various components of the apparatus 1.

A washer 82 may be positioned between the male connector 83 and the underside of the base 32 of the fluid receptacle 30 to form a seal to inhibit leakage from the fluid receptacle 30. Additionally, or alternatively, a washer 82 may be positioned between the nozzle 80 and the upper side of the base 32 or the fluid receptacle 30.

A thread reducer 81 may be present to facilitate connection of the nozzle 80 to the base 32 of the fluid receptacle 30.

When present in the apparatus 1, each of the fluid-dispersing member 20, the fluid receptacle 30, the first filtration element 40, the second filtration element 50, the ceramic filtration element 60, the cube filtration elements 65, and the tray 70 may be removed from the container 10, as depicted in Figure 6. In this way, components of the apparatus 1 may be replaced, cleaned and/or repaired.

Furthermore, alternative configurations of fluid-dispersing members 20, fluid receptacles 30 and filtration elements 40, 50, 60, 65 may be used to provide the apparatus 1, for example to adjust the amount of dispersed water passed through to, and retained on, the second surface 20b of the fluid-dispersing member 20. Thus, it may be possible to achieve an optimum supply of water to a plant 5 supported in the container 10, depending on the type of plant 5 to be grown. For example, a fluid-dispersing member 20 having different sized and/or a different number of openings 25a, 25b may be used, and the dimensions of the fluid-dispersing member 20 itself may be altered depending on the configuration of the container and/or fluid receptacle 30. Likewise, a fluid receptacle 30 having a different size and/or number of apertures 35, or having a step 34 at a different height from the base 32 to adjust the distance of the fluid-dispersing member 20 from the nozzle 80, may be used.

VVhile the foregoing is directed to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that the present invention is described herein purely by way of example, and modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention. Furthermore, one skilled in the art will understand that the present invention may not be limited by the embodiments disclosed herein, or to any details shown in the accompanying figures that are not described in detail herein or defined in the claims. Indeed, such superfluous features can be removed from the figures without prejudice to the present invention.

Moreover, other and further embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, which is determined by the claims that follow.

Claims (24)

1. CLAIMS1. An apparatus for filtering pond water, comprising: a container having a base portion, and at least one side wall extending away from the base portion and defining an opening; and means for dispersing a jet of water, said means being located towards the opening of the container and thereby spaced from the base portion of the container; wherein said means for dispersing a jet of water is configured to disperse said jet of water towards the base of the container while allowing a portion of the water to pass through or around itself.
2. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for dispersing comprises a fluid-dispersing member having a first surface, a second surface and one or more openings extending therebetween.
3. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fluid-dispensing member is substantially planar such that the first and second surfaces are generally opposed, and preferably wherein the fluid-dispensing member is generally circular.
4. 4. The apparatus of claim 2 or 3, wherein said one or more openings comprise a plurality of first openings arranged in a ring configuration, preferably wherein the first openings are spaced apart equally, and/or preferably wherein said ring encircles a generally central region of the fluid-dispersing member.
5. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the fluid-dispersing member further comprises a plurality of second openings, preferably wherein the second openings are spaced apart equally, preferably arranged around or towards the perimeter of the fluid-dispersing member, and preferably wherein the plurality of second openings surrounds the plurality of first openings.
6. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the number of first openings is greater than the number of second openings, and preferably wherein there are twice as many first openings as second openings.
7. 7. The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising a fluid receptacle positioned in the container such that it can collect the remaining dispersed water
8. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the fluid receptacle comprises a base having one or more apertures to allow water to drain from the fluid receptacle, and preferably wherein the one or more apertures are equally spaced in a ring configuration around the base of the fluid receptacle.
9. 9. The apparatus of claim 7 or 8, wherein the fluid receptacle comprises one more side wall extending away from the base to form an opening, preferably wherein the one or more side wall has a stepped configuration whereby a step is formed around the one or more side wall upon which the means for dispersing can be located.
10. 10. The apparatus of claim 7 to 9, further comprising at least one of the following filtration elements: a first filtration element disposed between the means for dispersing and the base of the fluid receptacle; a second filtration element disposed within the container below the means for dispersing; a ceramic filtration element; and a plurality of cube filtration elements, preferably disposed above a ceramic filtration element.
11. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first and/or second filtration elements comprise a plurality of layers of solid foam material having differing porosities forming a laminated structure.
12. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first and/or second filtration elements have at least one channel extending therethrough for a fluid conduit to pass through, preferably wherein the channel is reinforced to provide structural rigidity.
13. 13. The apparatus of claim 11 or 12, wherein the first and/or second filtration elements have one or more channels extending therethrough for water to pass through, preferably wherein the channel is reinforced to provide structural rigidity.
14. 14. The apparatus of any of claims 11 to 13, wherein the second filtration structure has a diameter corresponding to an internal diameter of the container at a predetermined position, and preferably a tapered configuration around a perimeter of the structure.
15. 15. The apparatus of any of claims 11 to 14, wherein one or more solid foam layers of the structures of the first and second filtration elements comprise carbon.
16. 16. The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising a nozzle arranged to eject the jet of water such that the water impinges on a surface of the means for dispersing, preferably where the water is pressurised, for example by a water pump.
17. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the nozzle is configured to eject the jet of water such that it impinges on the surface of the means for dispersing at an angle that is substantially normal to said surface.
18. 18. The apparatus of claim 16 or 17, when dependent on any of claims 7 to 15, wherein the nozzle is located in a base of the fluid receptacle, preferably at a generally central position of the base.
19. 19. The apparatus of any of claims 16 to 18, further comprising a fluid conduit arranged to be detachably coupled to the nozzle to form a fluid connection.
20. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the nozzle comprises a male connector arranged to extend towards the base of the container, and the fluid conduit comprises a female connector arranged to be removably coupled with the male connector.
21. 21. The apparatus of any of claims 16 to 20, wherein the container comprises a port arranged to receive therethrough a fluid conduit that supplies water to the nozzle and to provide an outlet for dispersed water collected in the base of the container, preferably wherein the port is located in a side wall of the container, preferably adjacent or proximate to the base of the container.
22. 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the port is configured to have an opening that is larger than the fluid conduit such that water can be discharged from the container via a gap between the port and the fluid conduit received therethrough.
23. 23. The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising a tray for supporting the plant on the means for dispersing, wherein the tray is formed, at least in part, from a solid foam material that is permeable such that both water and plant roots can pass therethrough.
24. 24. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the container and fluid receptacle is configured as a planter, and preferably a decorative planter.