GB2614488A - Hydroponics for home environment - Google Patents

Abstract

A method to alter home environment with hydroponic systems to achieve self-sufficiency in green food by using a set of basic elements: controller 1, pipes 2-4, water tank 9, plant containers 5, and lights 6. The environment can be either furniture such as a bookshelf 10, wardrobe, table, fireplace, mantlepiece, windows or a ceiling 13.

Description

Hydroponics for Home Environment The modern food supply chain is a system that is prone to occasional disruptions, resulting in shortages and delays. When functioning properly, it still takes food a considerable time (sometimes weeks) to reach the table of a customer, arriving past the peak of its freshness.

To overcome these problems, this invention suggests a method of achieving self-sufficiency in green food (tomatoes, fruit, vegetables, herbs, lettuce) at home by altering home environment, such as furniture or windows, with hydroponic systems. The core of the method is to use a set of basic elements -lights, pipes, containers and microcontrollers -to allow for a flexible blending into a wide range of home spaces (ceilings, windows) and types of furniture (bookshelves, wardrobes, tables). The pipes, lights and fittings can be of variable sizes and lengths to allow for said flexibility.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows an example of how a set of basic elements can be fitted inside a bookshelf, Figure 2 shows an example of a hydroponic system attached to a window, Figure 3 shows a hydroponic system hanging from a ceiling.

Figure 1 shows an example of how a set of basic elements can be fitted inside a generic bookshelf 10. The elements include a controller 1, which is affixed to the side of water tank 9 that contains nutrient solution for the plants. Controller 1 contains a set of sensors to monitor the state of water, a pump and microprocessors to automate watering and lighting. The pump pushes the water up the pipe 3 to the plant containers 5 (one or several). After watering the plants, it flows back into water tank 9 via drain pipe 2. From the controller 1, electric power is carried up pipe 4 to lamps 6. Plant containers S may contain one or several plant pots 7, sitting inside one or several openings 8.

Pipes 4, 3 and 2 may be combined to form a single unit to occupy less space, or instead split into several, like presented in the figure. Controller 1 may be placed inside or separately from the water tank 9. Water tank 9 may be replaced with a plant container 5 to minimise space if necessary, as will be shown in Figure 2. The exact dimensions of the tanks and pots are determined solely by the size of the piece of furniture in which the system is being fitted.

In Figure 2, an example of how the system may be fit on a window 11 is presented. In this particular case, one of the plant containers 5 acts in place of water tank 9 to minimise space occupied by the setup. The lights 6 are attached directly to the bottom of plant containers S. Figure 3 demonstrates the example of how the system can be attached to a ceiling 13 with generic supports 12. Here, the possibility of combining plant containers 5 of various sizes is demonstrated, as well as the splitting of drain pipe 2 into several segments. Once again, the water tank 9 is replaced by a plant container S to minimise the occupied space.

Claims (3)

1. Claims 1. A method of altering home environment with hydroponic systems by the means of a set of basic elements such as a controller, containers, lights, and pipes.
2. 2. A method of altering home environment according to Claim 1, where objects being modified are furniture such as wardrobes, bookshelves, tables, fireplace mantelpieces, kitchen cabinets.
3. 3. A method of altering home environment according to Claim 1 other than furniture such as ceilings and windows.