Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
  • A01G31/00—Soilless cultivation, e.g. hydroponics
  • A01G31/02—Special apparatus therefor
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
  • Y02P60/00—Technologies relating to agriculture, livestock or agroalimentary industries
  • Y02P60/20—Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2
  • Y02P60/21—Dinitrogen oxide [N2O], e.g. using aquaponics, hydroponics or efficiency measures

Definitions

• the present invention generally relates to hydroponic culture. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with a molded container for hydroponic culture and with a hydroponic system using such a container. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• Hydroponic culture is widely known as a method for growing plants without soil, in which the plant roots are brought into contact with water containing dissolved nutrients.
• Small particles of a chemically inert material such as, for example, expanded perlite or expanded clay, are generally provided in a net pot both to support the roots and to allow the water to adequately contact the roots.
• Nutrient Film Technique which consists of flooding the container with the nutrient containing water
• a second method consists of supplying a minute quantity of nutrient containing water to the roots
• a third method known as aeroponic culture, consists of periodically spraying the roots with nutrient containing water onto the roots to keep them moist.
• humidified air provides the environment in which the plant roots grow.
• the general object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved container for hydroponic culture.
• a container for hydroponic culture comprising:
• an elongated body having first and second longitudinal ends and first and second lateral sides, the elongated body being defined by spaced apart outer and inner walls, the spaced apart outer and inner walls defining a body cavity therebetween, the inner wall defining a longitudinal channel;
• a cover configured and sized so as to be removably mounted on the elongated body, the cover including at least one plant receiving aperture, the cover and inner wall defining a hydroponic chamber therebetween.
• hydroponic culture system comprising:
• - at least one container for hydroponic culture including:
• an elongated body having first and second longitudinal ends and first and second lateral sides, the elongated body being defined by spaced apart outer and inner walls, the spaced apart outer and inner walls defining a body cavity therebetween, the inner wall defining a longitudinal channel, the first and second longitudinal ends including body fluid outlet and inlet apertures respectively, the body fluid outlet and inlet apertures being contiguous with the body cavity;
• a cover configured and sized so as to be removably mounted to the elongated body, the cover including at least one plant receiving aperture and at least one spray head receiving aperture for receiving a spray head, the cover and inner wall defining a hydroponic chamber therebetween;
• a fluid delivery assembly including:
• a water-supply member having a water inlet and a water outlet so configured as for being connected to a spray head.
• Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a container for hydroponic culture according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown in an open position;
• Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating the container of Fig. 1 shown in a closed position
• Figure 3 is a slide elevational view illustrating a hydroponic culture system according to an aspect of the present invention using containers of Fig. 1;
• Figure 4 is a top plan view of the hydroponic culture system of
• Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;
• Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;
• Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 4;
• Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 4.
• Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 4.
• a container 10 for hydroponic culture according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described.
• FIGs. 1 and 2 respectively show container 10 in its open and closed position.
• Container 10 has an elongated body 12 and a cover 14 configured and sized to be removably mounted to the elongated body 12.
• the elongated body 12 and the cover 14 are preferably molded from plastic material.
• the elongated body 12 has opposite first and second ends 16 and 18 respectively, and opposite first and second lateral sides 20 and 22 respectively.
• the elongated body 12 is defined by spaced apart inner and outer walls 24, 26 respectively defining a body cavity 28 therebetween.
• the body cavity 28 may contain insulation material preferably, an insulation fluid 29 and more preferably water.
• the inner wall 24 is inwardly recessed to define a longitudinal channel 30 as better shown in Fig. 1.
• the elongated body 12 includes a flat bottom leg 32 . so as to allow the container 10 to be placed on a preferably substantially almost horizontal surface.
• the cover 14 includes a plurality of plant receiving apertures 34 configured and sized for receiving conventional net pots 35 which may hold a variety of plant types (not shown). These plant receiving apertures 34 may be covered as will be later described.
• the cover 14 and the inner wall 24 of the elongated body 12 define a hydroponic chamber 36 (as better shown in Fig. 5) therebetween.
• Container 10 is particularly advantageous for aeroponic culture i.e. the hydroponic culture where the nutrient containing water is periodically sprayed onto the plant roots placed in the hydroponic chamber 36 to keep them moist.
• the cover 14 may also include a plurality of spray head receiving apertures 38, as better shown in Figs. 1 and 2, for receiving a conventional spray head 40 (see Fig. 5). These spray head receiving apertures 38 may be covered as will be later explained. Preferably each spray head receiving aperture 38 is adjacent to a plant receiving aperture 34 so that the spraying tip 41 of a spray head 40 may hang next to the plant roots held within the net pot 35.
• the plant receiving and spray head receiving apertures 34 and 38 are covered by respective removable aperture coverings 42 and 44 integral with the cover 14.
• Aperture coverings 42 and 44 may include breakable weak portions 33 (see Fig. 9) so that they may be easily broken off cover 14 to expose the respective apertures 34, 38 that they were covering.
• a plant receiving aperture covering 42 may also include at its center a spray head receiving aperture covering 44. Therefore, the user may decide to either break the weak portions 33 surrounding aperture covering 42, exposing the plant receiving aperture 34, or to break the weak portions 33 surrounding aperture covering 44, exposing the spray head aperture 38.
• the cover 14 may also include spaced apart inner and outer walls 46 and 48 defining a cover cavity 50 therebetween.
• the cover cavity 50 includes insulation material 52.
• the inner wall 46 is domed so as to define a generally tubular hydroponic chamber 36 with the elongated body channel 30 formed by the inner wall 24.
• the cover 14 may be hingeably mounted to either one of the first or second lateral sides 20, 22 of the elongated body 12. In the present example, the cover 14 is hingeably mounted on the second lateral side 22 via hinges 47. Hence, the cover 14 may easily open and close, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 respectively.
• the elongated body 12 and cover 14 include complementary fastening elements 54 and 56 respectively for feleasably and securely fastening the cover 14 to body 12.
• fastening elements 54 are mounted on the first lateral side 20.
• the elongated body fastening elements 54 are clip members and the cover fastening elements 56 are configured and sized to be engaged by these clip members 54 in a mutual fastening fit.
• other types of fastening elements may also be designed.
• a water supply member preferably in the form of a longitudinal pipe 58, is mounted on at least one lateral side 20, 22 of the elongated body 12.
• a pipe 58 is mounted to the lateral side 20.
• the pipe 58 includes water outlets 59 for supplying water into the hydroponic chamber 36 via the spray heads 40.
• Water may be delivered to the spray head 40 by way of a water delivery member such as tubes 60 which are mounted on by conventional methods at one end to the water outlet 59 and at the other end to the spray head 40,.
• the tubes 60 may be a rubber hose or any suitable tube-like member for delivering water.
• the pipe 58 includes a water inlet at one of either longitudinal ends 61 , depending on the direction of water flow, to draw water from a conventional water reservoir (not shown) by way of a pump (not shown).
• the pipe 58 may be constructed by a plurality of pipe members 58' (shown in dotted line in Fig. 2) having complementary screw threads 57 so as to be fastened end to end.
• the container 10 also includes water supply pipe carrying members in the form of short fins 62 for example which protrude outwardly from at least one of the first and second lateral sides 20, 22 for carrying the pipe 58.
• the fins 62 preferably have a grooved upper surface 65 for fitting the pipe 58 thereon preventing it from falling off.
• Container 10 further includes a laterally projecting longitudinal extension 64, which partially covers the pipe 58 from light, specifically sunlight, when the present container 10 is placed outdoors.
• the insulation material 29 provided in the body cavity 28 and the insulation material 52 in the cover cavity 50 substantially prevent the temperature in the hydroponic chamber 36 from varying according to the outer ambient temperature. Furthermore, the lateral cover edge 64 also partially protects the pipe 58 from sunlight, substantially preventing the temperature of the water contained in the pipe 58 from rising. In this way, the present container 10 may be used outdoors in a region having a non-temperate climate presenting high temperature and high sun intensity in the day and very low temperature at night such as a desert, for example.
• each longitudinal end 16 and 18 of the elongated body 12 includes first and second protruding members or stubs 66 and 68.
• Stubs 66 and 68 are provided with caps, or front ends, 67 and 69 which may be cut open to form respective apertures (such as apertures 86 and 88 in Fig. 7) that are contiguous with the body cavity 28. The purpose of these apertures will be described hereinbelow.
• the above-mentioned apertures 86, 88 of stubs 66 and 68 may serve as either body cavity fluid inlets or outlets for introducing material into the body cavity 28 and for dispensing it out of the body cavity 28.
• these apertures 86, 88 serve as either insulation fluid inlets or outlets depending on whether insulation fluid 29 flows within the body cavity 28 from end 16 towards end 18 or from end 18 towards end 16. It is within the scope of the present invention that insulation fluid 29 may flow in either direction. In this way, insulation fluid 29 enters body cavity 28 through the fluid inlet and exits through the fluid outlet providing for a constant flow of insulation fluid 29 within the cavity 28..
• This above-mentioned flow constantly renews the insulation fluid 29 within the body cavity 28 preventing it from substantially varying from the desired temperature in order to further facilitate the hydroponic chamber 36 to maintain a constant and desirable temperature in accordance with the needs of the roots of the specific plant being grown in container 10.
• the elongated body 12 of container 10 may include similar first and second connecting portions 70 and 72 at the first and second longitudinal ends 16 and 18, respectively, for interconnecting two similarly constructed containers 10 end to end.
• the first and second connecting portions may be outward body projections 70, 72 longitudinally and outwardly projecting from the elongated body 12.
• the projections 70 and 72 are respectively closed by end caps 71 and 73, or front sides, which may be cut open when interconnecting two containers 10 end to end (as will be explained hereinbelow).
• the body projections 70, 72 have respective widths that are smaller than the width of the elongated body 12.
• hydroponic culture system 11 comprising at least one container 10 for hydroponic culture, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, will be described.
• the hydroponic culture system 11 includes a support assembly 74 including a table 75 having a flat top surface 76. on which the containers 10 are placed with their flat bottom legs 32 lying flush therewith.
• the table 75 may be mounted on legs 78 so that it is upstanding from the ground.
• the table member 75 is sloped so that when supporting a container
• one longitudinal end 16 or 18 is vertically higher than the other longitudinal end 16 or 18.
• Figs. 3 and 4 show that a plurality of containers 10 can be placed on the table 75 and connected end to end and side to side as will be described hereinbelow.
• the caps 71 and 73 (see Fig. 1) of the first and second body projections 70 and 72 are cut ) open.
• the cut open body projections 70 and 72 are configured and sized so that one of either body projections 70 or 72 of one interconnected container 10 may be snugly fitted within the other body projection 70 or 72 of the other interconnected container 10.
• the first body projection 70 of one 5 interconnected container 10 is fitted within the second body projection 72 of the other interconnected container 10 forming a contiguous hydroponic chamber 36 between these two interconnected containers 10.
• first and second body projections 70 and 72 may include complementary male, and female locking members 77 and 79 for being mutually interlocked.
• the cover may have different first and second ends 15 and 17 respectively.
• the cover end 15 defines a flat lid 80 while the cover end 17 defines a domed overhang 82 having an underside 84.
• the flat lid 80 is also cut preferably along line 13-13, forming an edge (not shown) along this line 13-13.
• the cut flat lid 80 is slid beneath the underside 84 of the domed overhang 82 to a distance determined by the flat lid 80 front edge abutting an underside stopper structure 85.
• the present invention provides for insulation fluid to flow from one interconnected container 10 to another interconnected container 10 by providing for the above-mentioned fluid inlet apertures 86 of one interconnected container 10 to be in fluid communication with the fluid outlet apertures 88 of the other interconnected container 10 as will be described hereinbelow.
• the insulation fluid 29 flows from end 16 to end 18.
• the stub 66 of one interconnected container 10 defines a fluid inlet aperture 86.
• the stub 68 of the other interconnected container 10 defines a fluid outlet aperture 88.
• the cut open stubs 66 of one interconnected container 10 is configured and sized so as to be snugly fitted within the cut stub 68 of the other interconnected container 10.
• the fluid inlet aperture 86 of this one interconnected container 10 receives insulation fluid 29 from the other interconnected container
• inlet and outlet apertures may be contemplated by the person skilled in the art in order to provide for insulation fluid 29 to flow from the body cavity 28 of one interconnected container 10 to the body cavity 28 of another interconnected container.
• the present hydroponic system includes a fluid delivery system including the tubes 60 connected to the pipe 58 itself supported by the fins 62.
• fins 62 of one interconnected container 10 are interconnected to the fins 62 of the other interconnected container 10.
• the foregoing interconnection may be provided by a connector 90 connecting or bridging the fins 62 together, or by any type of suitable fastener.
• the connected fins 62 of two containers 10 interconnected side by side may carry the same pipe 58.
• tubes 60 are mounted to respective water outlets 59 of this same pipe 58 at one end and to a respective spray head 40 one of these two interconnected containers 10 at the other end.
• the extending edges of these two interconnected containers 10 protect the pipe 58 from light such as sunlight, as can be better seen in Fig. 6.
• the pipe 58 may be elongated accordingly by adding on pipe members 58' as explained above.
• the hydroponic system 11 also includes a conventional water source (not shown) such as a reservoir or a tank and a pump (not shown) to pump nutrient containing water into the pipe 58 and a water return member (not shown) such as a rubber tube mounted on a second outlet of pipe 58 at either end 61 (see Fig. 1) may be used to return excess water that was not sprayed unto the plant roots back to the water source.
• the hydroponic system 11 also includes an insulation fluid source (not shown) such as a reservoir or a tank and a pump in order to pump insulation fluid 29 into the body cavity 28 via a container fluid inlet aperture 86 and an insulation fluid return member (not shown) mounted on a container fluid outlet aperture 88 for returning the insulation fluid 29 back to its source.
• an insulation fluid source such as a reservoir or a tank
• a pump in order to pump insulation fluid 29 into the body cavity 28 via a container fluid inlet aperture 86 and an insulation fluid return member (not shown) mounted on a container fluid outlet aperture 88 for returning the insulation fluid 29 back to its source.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Hydroponics (AREA)

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• 2001
  • 2001-02-09 CA CA002335311A patent/CA2335311A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2002
  • 2002-02-08 EP EP02711712A patent/EP1432302A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2002-02-08 WO PCT/CA2002/000159 patent/WO2002063944A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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