WO2006099879A1 - Floating device for germination of seeds and growing of seedlings and plant cuttings - Google Patents
Floating device for germination of seeds and growing of seedlings and plant cuttings Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2006099879A1 WO2006099879A1 PCT/EP2005/003044 EP2005003044W WO2006099879A1 WO 2006099879 A1 WO2006099879 A1 WO 2006099879A1 EP 2005003044 W EP2005003044 W EP 2005003044W WO 2006099879 A1 WO2006099879 A1 WO 2006099879A1
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- 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
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- 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 invention relates to a device for germination of seeds and growing of seedlings and plant cuttings, whereby the device floats in a fluid medium, being water or a watery nutrient fluid suitable for plant growth.
- the device according to the present invention is thereby characterised by the fact that said device comprises a membrane that is absorbent for water and/or for said watery nutrient fluid and serves as support for the germinating seeds and the growing seedlings and plant cuttings.
- Water culture or hydroponic growth of plants eliminates said inefficiency because the growing stage from germination to seedling is not performed in normal soil, but in other media like polyurethane foam, agar gel or granules where the seeds and seedlings may be placed in close proximity of each other, resulting in a very economi- cal use of the available space and also in shorter growing cycles in normal farmland soil enabling more harvests per year. Later the seedlings are in most cases transplanted to spatially fixed locations in normal farmland soil to grow to maturity.
- hydroponic growing techniques which make use of flotation supports like trays or rafts containing the usual water culture cultivation media, and techniques where the cultivation media themselves float on water or on a watery nutrient fluid, absorbing water or said watery nutrient fluid up to a certain saturation level, and providing water and nutrients to the seeds, seedlings or plant cuttings that are germinating or growing on or in said cultivation media.
- the developing roots grow through the cultivation media and/or through, for instance, prefabricated holes in the flotation supports into the water or watery nutrient fluid on which the cultivation media and flotation supports float.
- Severe disadvantages associated with the prior art in this field are, for instance, the fact that when floating trays or rafts are used with a cultivation medium thereon or therein, the seeds, seedlings or plant cuttings will still have to be watered actively until their roots have developed to an extent that they have grown through the cultivation medium and the flotation support into the water or the watery nutrient fluid on which the device floats.
- the cultivation medium also serves as flotation support
- a first problem is the fact that materials that are saturated with the fluid in which they float generally have a low buoyancy. Furthermore it is very difficult in this case to accurately control the humidity of the upper layer of said cultivation medium/ flotation support, and to accurately control the buoyancy of the device.
- a device is descri- bed for germination of seeds and growing of plant cuttings, comprising a flat non-absorbent plant support member floating on a body of water in a container, whereby said plant support member is covered by a sheet of water absorbent material that extends over the edges of the underlying plant support member and hangs in the water on which the device floats . Through a capillary effect water is absorbed into said sheet of water absorbent material on which the seeds or cuttings are placed.
- an outer wall that extends in upward direction from said fluid medium, enclosing an inner space that is symmetrical, for instance round or rectangular, in a plane parallel to the surface of the fluid medium on which the device according to the present invention floats, and which inner space is open at the top side;
- buoyancy chamber that is partially enclosed by said outer wall in the vertical direction and attached to an inwardly extending edge at the bottom side of said outer wall and whereby the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber has a geometrical shape that is identical to the geometrical shape of said outer wall, only with a smaller diameter
- said buoyancy chamber comprises means enabling it to be filled with a ballast material to adjust buoyancy of the device according to the present invention.
- Said means may be a filling hole that can be sealed with a watertight screw cap;
- a membrane that is made of a material that is absorbent for water and/or for said watery nutrient fluid, whereby said membrane is supported by said extension in upward direction of the outer perimeter of the buoyancy chamber, whereby said membrane is kept in place by clamping it between said outwardly protruding edge of said extension of the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber, and said outer wall of the device according to the present invention, and whereby the outer edge of said membrane is hanging in the space between the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber and said outer wall of the device according to the present invention.
- Said preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention may furthermore be characterised by the fact that the top part of the outer wall of the device according to the present invention is not completely perpendicular to the fluid surface but is placed under an angle with the vertical plane in the outward direction, to minimise the risk of waves in the fluid medium flowing over the outer wall of the device according to the present in- vention.
- the device according to the present invention may be advantageously characterised by the fact that said membrane, that is absorbent for water and/or for said watery nutrient fluid, is made of polypropylene.
- Said preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention may furthermore be characterised by the fact that the bottom of said space between the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber and said outer wall of the device according to the present invention is equipped with one or more adjustable holes enabling, if said adjustable hole/holes is/are below the fluid surface of said fluid medium, the water or the nutrient fluid to flow into said space and to come into contact with the outer part of said membrane that is hanging in said space.
- all of the men- tioned parts of the device are advantageously made of a suitable synthetical material, for instance a suitable plastic, that does not deteriorate structurally or chemically when used in environments with temperatures up to 130 degrees centigrade, and when in long-term contact with water or with said watery nutrient fluid.
- the said preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention may furthermore be characterised by the fact that the amount of water or the amount of said said watery nutrient fluid that is absorbed into said membrane, depends on the length of the outer part of said membrane that is immersed in water or in said watery nutrient fluid, and can be adjusted by varying the level of water or the level of said watery nutrient fluid in said space between the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber and said outer wall of the device according to the present invention .
- the preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention may advantageously be characterised by the fact that said level of water or said level of said watery nutrient fluid in said space between the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber and said outer wall of the device according to the present invention can be adjusted by varying the load on the membrane, by adding or removing ballast to or from said buoyancy chamber, or by a combination thereof.
- the said preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention may be characterised by the fact that the sensitivity of the level of water or the level of said watery nutrient fluid in said space between the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber and said outer wall of the device according to the present invention to variations in the level of the fluid medium outside the device, may be limited by reducing the diameter or the number of said adjustable hole/holes in the bottom of said space between the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber and said outer wall of the device according to the present invention.
- Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a specific embodiment of the device according to the present inven- tion.
- identical parts are denoted by identical numerals.
- FIG. 1 a specific embodiment of the floating device for germination of seeds and growing of seedlings and plant cuttings according to the present invention is shown in cross-sectional view.
- the figure shows the device floating in a fluid medium being, for instance, water or any watery nutrient fluid suitable for plant growth.
- a fluid medium being, for instance, water or any watery nutrient fluid suitable for plant growth.
- Several surface levels (10) are also shown.
- the device comprises an outer wall (1) that extends in upward direction from said fluid medium, enclosing an inner space that is symmetrical in a plane parallel to the surface of the fluid medium on which the device according to the present invention floats.
- said inner space is cir- cular when viewed from above. Said inner space is open at the top side.
- the device according to the present invention further comprises a buoyancy chamber (2) that is partially enclosed by said outer wall in the vertical direction and attached to an inwardly extending edge (4) at the bottom side of said outer wall.
- the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber (2) has a geometrical shape that is identical to the geometrical shape of said outer wall (1) , only with a smaller diameter. Because it is assumed for clarity of this description that the outer wall (1) has a circular geometry in the horizontal plane, said buoyancy chamber (2) has the shape of a hollow ring.
- said buoyancy chamber (2) comprises two filling holes which enable addition or removal of a ballast material to adjust buoyancy of the device according to the present invention.
- the filling holes can be sealed with watertight screw caps (3) .
- bal- last material for instance ordinary sand may be used.
- the outer wall of the buoyancy chamber (2) has a vertical extension (5) in upward direction, with an edge (6) that protrudes outwardly from said vertical extension in the direction of the outer wall (1) of the device according to the present invention.
- the membrane (7) serves as support for seeds, seedlings, plant cuttings and the like, and as a transport medium to bring, for instance, water or a watery nutrient fluid to said seeds, seedlings, plant cuttings etc.
- the membrane (7) is made of a material that is absor- bent for water and/or for said watery nutrient fluid.
- a suitable material could be, for instance, polypropylene.
- the membrane (7) will also have a circular shape.
- the membrane (7) is supported by said vertical extension (5) in upward direction of the outer wall of the buoyancy chamber (2) and is fixed to the device by clamping it between said outwardly protruding edge (6) of the extension (5) of the outer wall of said buoyancy chamber (2) , and said outer wall (1) of the device according to the present invention.
- the membrane (7) can however easily be replaced, for instance when it gets damaged.
- the outer edge of the membrane (7) hangs over the edge (6) in the space (9) between the outer wall of said buoyancy chamber
- Aabsorption space® The bottom of said space (9) (hereafter referred to as Aabsorption space®) between the outer wall of said buoyancy chamber (2) and said outer wall (1) of the device according to the present invention is equipped with one or more adjustable holes (adjustment means are not shown in the figure) (8) which make it possible that the water or the nutrient fluid flows into said absorption space (9) and comes into contact with the outer part of said membrane (7) that is hanging in said space. Off course the water or the nutrient fluid will only enter the absorption space (9) if said adjustable holes are below the surface of said fluid medium.
- the number and size of the holes are not shown in the figure
- the device according to the present invention makes it possible to always achieve the optimum humidity of the membrane (7) and thus to enable transport of optimum amounts of water and/or nutrients to said seeds, seedlings, plant cuttings and the like.
- optimum humidity of the membrane (7) can be achieved by accurate adjustment of the buoyancy of the device according to the present invention. This can, for instance, be done by varying the amount of ballast in the buoyancy chamber (2) .
- the membrane (7) can simply be replaced by another membrane of a different material that is optimal for the specific situation.
- the membrane (7) is also easily replaceable when it has, for instance, become too old or damaged. In all cases the rest of the device according to the present invention is completely re-usable.
- the device according to the present invention offers very flexible solutions to many serious drawbacks associated with the prior art in this field.
- all parts of the described embodiment of the device according to the present invention are commonly available or can be manufactured by using commonly available materials and commonly known production methods.
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Abstract
Device for germination of seeds and growing of seedlings and plant cuttings, whereby the device floats in a fluid medium, being water or a watery nutrient fluid suitable for plant growth. The device according to the present invention is thereby characterised by the fact that said device comprises a membrane that is absorbent for water and/or for said watery nutrient fluid and serves as support for the germinating seeds and the growing seedlings and plant cuttings.
Description
FLOATING DEVICE FOR GERMINATION OF SEEDS AND GROWING OF SEEDLINGS AND PLANT CUTTINGS
The invention relates to a device for germination of seeds and growing of seedlings and plant cuttings, whereby the device floats in a fluid medium, being water or a watery nutrient fluid suitable for plant growth. The device according to the present invention is thereby characterised by the fact that said device comprises a membrane that is absorbent for water and/or for said watery nutrient fluid and serves as support for the germinating seeds and the growing seedlings and plant cuttings.
The water culture or hydroponic growth of plants has been known for over 100 years. Nowadays this technique is mostly used to increase the agricultural productivity per unit area of land. With normal crop growing cycles in soil, the lateral development of the plants has to be taken into account from the sowing until maturity. Many types of crops require a substantial lateral area when the plants are mature, but a relatively insubstantial lateral area in the seedling stage. This results in a substantial inefficiency in the use of farmland during the earlier stages of the growing cycle . Water culture or hydroponic growth of plants eliminates said inefficiency because the growing stage from germination to seedling is not performed in normal soil, but in other media like polyurethane foam, agar gel or granules where the seeds and seedlings may be placed in close proximity of each other, resulting in a very economi- cal use of the available space and also in shorter growing cycles in normal farmland soil enabling more harvests per year. Later the seedlings are in most cases transplanted to spatially fixed locations in normal farmland soil to grow to maturity.
Also known are hydroponic growing techniques which make use of flotation supports like trays or rafts containing the usual water culture cultivation media, and techniques where the cultivation media themselves float on water or on a watery nutrient fluid, absorbing water or said watery nutrient fluid up to a certain saturation level, and providing water and nutrients to the seeds, seedlings or plant cuttings that are germinating or growing on or in said cultivation media. In many of these tech- niques the developing roots grow through the cultivation media and/or through, for instance, prefabricated holes in the flotation supports into the water or watery nutrient fluid on which the cultivation media and flotation supports float. In US Patent no. US 4,037,360 several seedlings grow on rafts of a foam material that float on a nutrient solution, whereby said rafts can be severed into a number of sub-rafts when the plants have grown to an extent that they come into contact with each other.
Severe disadvantages associated with the prior art in this field are, for instance, the fact that when floating trays or rafts are used with a cultivation medium thereon or therein, the seeds, seedlings or plant cuttings will still have to be watered actively until their roots have developed to an extent that they have grown through the cultivation medium and the flotation support into the water or the watery nutrient fluid on which the device floats. In case the cultivation medium also serves as flotation support, a first problem is the fact that materials that are saturated with the fluid in which they float generally have a low buoyancy. Furthermore it is very difficult in this case to accurately control the humidity of the upper layer of said cultivation medium/ flotation support, and to accurately control the buoyancy of the device. This may result in either insufficient water and nutrients for the seeds,
seedlings or plant cuttings, resulting in insufficient growth, or in a humidity level that is too high, resulting in rotting of the seeds, seedlings or plant cuttings. Insufficient control over the buoyancy may result in the de- vice lying too deep in the water or watery nutrient fluid, so that waves in said water or said watery nutrient fluid may flow over the device, again causing a too high humidity level resulting in rotting of the seeds, seedlings or plant cuttings. In UK Patent no. GB 2,014,836 a device is descri- bed for germination of seeds and growing of plant cuttings, comprising a flat non-absorbent plant support member floating on a body of water in a container, whereby said plant support member is covered by a sheet of water absorbent material that extends over the edges of the underlying plant support member and hangs in the water on which the device floats . Through a capillary effect water is absorbed into said sheet of water absorbent material on which the seeds or cuttings are placed. Although the device proposed in said UK Patent tries to remedy some of the disadvantages mentioned above by combining a floating plant support member with a cultivation medium consisting of a sheet of water absorbent material that is in direct contact with the water on which the device floats, it offers no accurate control over the buoyancy of the device and over the humid- ity level of said sheet of water absorbent material .
It is the aim of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages associated with the prior art by proposing a device for germination of seeds and growing of seedlings and plant cuttings, whereby the device floats in a fluid medium, being water or a watery nutrient fluid suitable for plant growth, characterised by the fact that said device comprises a membrane that is absorbent for water and/or for said watery nutrient fluid and serves as
support for the germinating seeds and the growing seedlings and plant cuttings.
In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention said device at least comprises :
- an outer wall that extends in upward direction from said fluid medium, enclosing an inner space that is symmetrical, for instance round or rectangular, in a plane parallel to the surface of the fluid medium on which the device according to the present invention floats, and which inner space is open at the top side;
- a buoyancy chamber that is partially enclosed by said outer wall in the vertical direction and attached to an inwardly extending edge at the bottom side of said outer wall and whereby the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber has a geometrical shape that is identical to the geometrical shape of said outer wall, only with a smaller diameter, whereby said buoyancy chamber comprises means enabling it to be filled with a ballast material to adjust buoyancy of the device according to the present invention. Said means may be a filling hole that can be sealed with a watertight screw cap;
- a vertical extension in upward direction of the outer perimeter of the buoyancy chamber, with an edge that protrudes outwardly from said vertical extension in the direction of the outer wall of the device according to the present invention;
- a membrane that is made of a material that is absorbent for water and/or for said watery nutrient fluid, whereby said membrane is supported by said extension in upward direction of the outer perimeter of the buoyancy chamber, whereby said membrane is kept in place by clamping it between said outwardly protruding edge of said extension of the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber, and said
outer wall of the device according to the present invention, and whereby the outer edge of said membrane is hanging in the space between the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber and said outer wall of the device according to the present invention.
Said preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention may furthermore be characterised by the fact that the top part of the outer wall of the device according to the present invention is not completely perpendicular to the fluid surface but is placed under an angle with the vertical plane in the outward direction, to minimise the risk of waves in the fluid medium flowing over the outer wall of the device according to the present in- vention.
The device according to the present invention may be advantageously characterised by the fact that said membrane, that is absorbent for water and/or for said watery nutrient fluid, is made of polypropylene.
Said preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention may furthermore be characterised by the fact that the bottom of said space between the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber and said outer wall of the device according to the present invention is equipped with one or more adjustable holes enabling, if said adjustable hole/holes is/are below the fluid surface of said fluid medium, the water or the nutrient fluid to flow into said space and to come into contact with the outer part of said membrane that is hanging in said space.
In the abovementioned preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention, all of the men-
tioned parts of the device are advantageously made of a suitable synthetical material, for instance a suitable plastic, that does not deteriorate structurally or chemically when used in environments with temperatures up to 130 degrees centigrade, and when in long-term contact with water or with said watery nutrient fluid.
The said preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention may furthermore be characterised by the fact that the amount of water or the amount of said said watery nutrient fluid that is absorbed into said membrane, depends on the length of the outer part of said membrane that is immersed in water or in said watery nutrient fluid, and can be adjusted by varying the level of water or the level of said watery nutrient fluid in said space between the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber and said outer wall of the device according to the present invention .
The preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention may advantageously be characterised by the fact that said level of water or said level of said watery nutrient fluid in said space between the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber and said outer wall of the device according to the present invention can be adjusted by varying the load on the membrane, by adding or removing ballast to or from said buoyancy chamber, or by a combination thereof.
The said preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention may be characterised by the fact that the sensitivity of the level of water or the level of said watery nutrient fluid in said space between the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber and said outer wall of
the device according to the present invention to variations in the level of the fluid medium outside the device, may be limited by reducing the diameter or the number of said adjustable hole/holes in the bottom of said space between the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber and said outer wall of the device according to the present invention.
In the following a specific embodiment of the device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawing. The following description will show to the reader in more detail how the invention remedies the aforementioned disadvantages associated with the prior art. However, the reader should observe that the description and the drawing are merely meant to illus- trate application of the invention and should in no way be regarded as limiting the scope of the present invention.
Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a specific embodiment of the device according to the present inven- tion. In the figure identical parts are denoted by identical numerals.
In Figure 1 a specific embodiment of the floating device for germination of seeds and growing of seedlings and plant cuttings according to the present invention is shown in cross-sectional view. The figure shows the device floating in a fluid medium being, for instance, water or any watery nutrient fluid suitable for plant growth. Several surface levels (10) are also shown. The device comprises an outer wall (1) that extends in upward direction from said fluid medium, enclosing an inner space that is symmetrical in a plane parallel to the surface of the fluid medium on which the device according to the present invention floats. In this description we assume that said inner space is cir-
cular when viewed from above. Said inner space is open at the top side. As is shown in the figure, the top part of the outer wall (1) slopes in outward direction to reduce the risk that possible waves in the fluid medium flow over the outer wall. The device according to the present invention further comprises a buoyancy chamber (2) that is partially enclosed by said outer wall in the vertical direction and attached to an inwardly extending edge (4) at the bottom side of said outer wall. The outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber (2) has a geometrical shape that is identical to the geometrical shape of said outer wall (1) , only with a smaller diameter. Because it is assumed for clarity of this description that the outer wall (1) has a circular geometry in the horizontal plane, said buoyancy chamber (2) has the shape of a hollow ring. In this case said buoyancy chamber (2) comprises two filling holes which enable addition or removal of a ballast material to adjust buoyancy of the device according to the present invention. The filling holes can be sealed with watertight screw caps (3) . As bal- last material for instance ordinary sand may be used. The outer wall of the buoyancy chamber (2) has a vertical extension (5) in upward direction, with an edge (6) that protrudes outwardly from said vertical extension in the direction of the outer wall (1) of the device according to the present invention. The membrane (7) serves as support for seeds, seedlings, plant cuttings and the like, and as a transport medium to bring, for instance, water or a watery nutrient fluid to said seeds, seedlings, plant cuttings etc. The membrane (7) is made of a material that is absor- bent for water and/or for said watery nutrient fluid. A suitable material could be, for instance, polypropylene. In this description, where it is assumed that the device according to the present invention has a circular symmetry in the horizontal plane, the membrane (7) will also have a
circular shape. The membrane (7) is supported by said vertical extension (5) in upward direction of the outer wall of the buoyancy chamber (2) and is fixed to the device by clamping it between said outwardly protruding edge (6) of the extension (5) of the outer wall of said buoyancy chamber (2) , and said outer wall (1) of the device according to the present invention. The membrane (7) can however easily be replaced, for instance when it gets damaged. The outer edge of the membrane (7) hangs over the edge (6) in the space (9) between the outer wall of said buoyancy chamber
(2) and the outer wall (1) of the device according to the present invention. The bottom of said space (9) (hereafter referred to as Aabsorption space®) between the outer wall of said buoyancy chamber (2) and said outer wall (1) of the device according to the present invention is equipped with one or more adjustable holes (adjustment means are not shown in the figure) (8) which make it possible that the water or the nutrient fluid flows into said absorption space (9) and comes into contact with the outer part of said membrane (7) that is hanging in said space. Off course the water or the nutrient fluid will only enter the absorption space (9) if said adjustable holes are below the surface of said fluid medium. The number and size of the holes
(8) in the bottom of the absorption space (9) determine the speed with which the fluid level in the absorption space
(9) follows variations in the level of the fluid medium outside the device. The lesser holes and the smaller their diameter, the slower the reaction of the fluid level in the absorption space (9) to changes in the level of the fluid medium outside the device. If the weight of the seeds, seedlings, plant cuttings etc. on the membrane (7) and the buoyancy of the device according to the present invention are such that the water or the nutrient fluid enters the absorption space (9) , it comes into contact with the mem-
brane (7) that is hanging in said absorption space (9) and some of it will be absorbed by the membrane. The size of the part of the membrane (7) that is immersed in the water or nutrient fluid in absorption space (9) largely deter- mines the humidity level of the membrane, so said humidity level can be adjusted by varying the level of the water or the nutrient fluid in the absorption space (9) .
When seeds, seedlings, plant cuttings and the like are placed on the membrane (7) , the device according to the present invention makes it possible to always achieve the optimum humidity of the membrane (7) and thus to enable transport of optimum amounts of water and/or nutrients to said seeds, seedlings, plant cuttings and the like. For a specific weight of seeds, seedlings, plant cuttings or the like, that is placed on the membrane (7) , optimum humidity of the membrane (7) can be achieved by accurate adjustment of the buoyancy of the device according to the present invention. This can, for instance, be done by varying the amount of ballast in the buoyancy chamber (2) . To achieve optimum growth for different kinds of seeds, seedlings or plant cuttings, or in case a different kind of watery nutrient fluid has to be used, the membrane (7) can simply be replaced by another membrane of a different material that is optimal for the specific situation. The membrane (7) is also easily replaceable when it has, for instance, become too old or damaged. In all cases the rest of the device according to the present invention is completely re-usable.
From the foregoing description it may be clear to the reader that the device according to the present invention offers very flexible solutions to many serious drawbacks associated with the prior art in this field. In addition to this all parts of the described embodiment of the device
according to the present invention are commonly available or can be manufactured by using commonly available materials and commonly known production methods.
Claims
1. Device for germination of seeds and growing of seedlings and plant cuttings, whereby the device floats in a fluid medium, being water or a watery nutrient fluid suitable for plant growth, characterised by the fact that said device comprises a membrane that is absorbent for water and/or for said watery nutrient fluid and serves as support for the germinating seeds and the growing seedlings and plant cuttings.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that said device at least comprises:
- an outer wall that extends in upward direction from said fluid medium, enclosing an inner space that is symmetrical, for instance round or rectangular, in a plane parallel to the surface of the fluid medium on which the device according to the present invention floats, and which inner space is open at the top side; - a buoyancy chamber that is partially enclosed by said outer wall in the vertical direction and attached to an inwardly extending edge at the bottom side of said outer wall, whereby the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber has a geometrical shape that is identical to the geometri- cal shape of said outer wall, only with a smaller diameter and whereby said buoyancy chamber comprises means enabling it to be filled with a ballast material to adjust buoyancy of the device according to the present invention;
- a vertical extension in upward direction of the outer perimeter of the buoyancy chamber, with an edge that protrudes outwardly from said vertical extension in the direction of the outer wall of the device according to the present invention;
- a membrane that is made of a material that is ab- sorbent for water and/or for said watery nutrient fluid, whereby said membrane is supported by said extension in upward direction of the outer perimeter of the buoyancy chamber, whereby said membrane is kept in place by clamping it between said outwardly protruding edge of said extension of the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber, and said outer wall of the device according to the present invention, and whereby the outer edge of said membrane is hanging in the space between the outer perimeter of said buoy- ancy chamber and said outer wall of the device according to the present invention.
3. Device according to claim 2, characterised by the fact that the top part of the outer wall of the device ac- cording to the present invention is not completely perpendicular to the fluid surface but is placed under an angle with the vertical plane, in the outward direction, to minimise the risk of waves in the fluid medium flowing over the outer wall of the device according to the present inven- tion.
4. Device according to claim 2, characterised by the fact that said membrane, that is absorbent for water and/or for said watery nutrient fluid, is made of polypropylene.
5. Device according to claim 2, characterised by the fact that the bottom of said space between the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber and said outer wall of the device according to the present invention is equipped with one or more adjustable holes enabling, if said adjustable hole/holes is/are below the fluid surface of said fluid medium, the water or the nutrient fluid to flow into said space and to come into contact with the outer part of said membrane that is hanging in said space.
6. Device according to claim 2, characterised by the fact that all of the mentioned parts of the device according to the present invention are made of a suitable syn- thetical material that does not deteriorate structurally or chemically when used in environments with temperatures up to 130 degrees centigrade, and when in long-term contact with water or with said watery nutrient fluid.
7. Device according to one of the preceding claims 2 to 6 , characterised by the fact that the amount of water or the amount of said said watery nutrient fluid that is absorbed into said membrane, depends on the length of the outer part of said membrane that is immersed in water or in said watery nutrient fluid, and can be adjusted by varying the level of water or the level of said watery nutrient fluid in said space between the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber and said outer wall of the device according to the present invention.
8. Device according to claim 7, characterised by the fact that said level of water or said level of said watery nutrient fluid in said space between the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber and said outer wall of the device ac- cording to the present invention can be adjusted by varying the load on the membrane, by adding or removing ballast to or from said buoyancy chamber, or by a combination thereof.
9. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims 2 to 8, characterised by the fact that the sensitivity of the level of water or the level of said watery nutrient fluid in said space between the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber and said outer wall of the device according to the present invention to variations in the level of the fluid medium outside the device, may be limited by reducing the diameter or the number of said adjustable hole/holes in the bottom of said space between the outer perimeter of said buoyancy chamber and said outer wall of the device according to the present invention.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2005/003044 WO2006099879A1 (en) | 2005-03-21 | 2005-03-21 | Floating device for germination of seeds and growing of seedlings and plant cuttings |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2005/003044 WO2006099879A1 (en) | 2005-03-21 | 2005-03-21 | Floating device for germination of seeds and growing of seedlings and plant cuttings |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| WO2006099879A1 true WO2006099879A1 (en) | 2006-09-28 |
Family
ID=35311134
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2005/003044 WO2006099879A1 (en) | 2005-03-21 | 2005-03-21 | Floating device for germination of seeds and growing of seedlings and plant cuttings |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| WO (1) | WO2006099879A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP7115141B2 (en) | 2018-08-24 | 2022-08-09 | 三菱瓦斯化学株式会社 | Apparatus, hydroponics system and method |
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| US4037360A (en) | 1974-12-30 | 1977-07-26 | Farnsworth Robert S | Raft apparatus for growing plants by means of water culture |
| US4133141A (en) * | 1977-12-16 | 1979-01-09 | Lee Choong W | Apparatus and method for growing plants |
| GB2014836A (en) | 1978-01-10 | 1979-09-05 | Goodall Ltd S | Stand of plants |
| US5324657A (en) * | 1992-04-21 | 1994-06-28 | Osmotek Ltd. | Apparatus for plant cell tissue culture |
| US5657577A (en) * | 1995-11-22 | 1997-08-19 | Rodder; Jerome A. | Process for growing tissue cultured plants |
| US6023884A (en) * | 1997-07-29 | 2000-02-15 | Kabushiki Kaisha Seibutu Kino Kogaku Kenyusho | Method for exterminating pests injurious to plants |
| US20040020116A1 (en) * | 2002-07-02 | 2004-02-05 | Schuck Richard J. | Floating island planting system |
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Patent Citations (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4037360A (en) | 1974-12-30 | 1977-07-26 | Farnsworth Robert S | Raft apparatus for growing plants by means of water culture |
| US4133141A (en) * | 1977-12-16 | 1979-01-09 | Lee Choong W | Apparatus and method for growing plants |
| GB2014836A (en) | 1978-01-10 | 1979-09-05 | Goodall Ltd S | Stand of plants |
| US5324657A (en) * | 1992-04-21 | 1994-06-28 | Osmotek Ltd. | Apparatus for plant cell tissue culture |
| US5657577A (en) * | 1995-11-22 | 1997-08-19 | Rodder; Jerome A. | Process for growing tissue cultured plants |
| US6023884A (en) * | 1997-07-29 | 2000-02-15 | Kabushiki Kaisha Seibutu Kino Kogaku Kenyusho | Method for exterminating pests injurious to plants |
| US20040020116A1 (en) * | 2002-07-02 | 2004-02-05 | Schuck Richard J. | Floating island planting system |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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| JP7115141B2 (en) | 2018-08-24 | 2022-08-09 | 三菱瓦斯化学株式会社 | Apparatus, hydroponics system and method |
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